Visual Diary – Summer Memories

DISPATCH – October 28, 2011 (Friday; 9:19 a.m.)

Hamptons & North Fork, NY

Fall has arrived, bringing fluttering yellow leaves, orange pumpkins and white Montauk Daisies. If longing has set in for sunglasses days, sidewalk dining at dusk and more art exhibition options than it's possible to attend, here's some art that appeared on the East End during July. Two other Visual Diary blogs conjuring summer will follow.  Happy memories!

Rope became mesmerizing in the hands of Water Mill artist Claire Watson.

Wrestled into figurative forms that evoked a sense of wonder, artwork was presented in a solo exhibition held from June 5 to July 17 at Dowling College's The Anthony Giordano Gallery in Oakdale.

Watson's exhibition, "Nots," presented tabletop sculpture, suspended installations and drawings featuring partial views of rope sculptures and the larger-than-life shadows they cast.

"Nots" is the latest series by Watson. Other series sprung from leather gloves, kitchen utensils, tobacco smoking pipes and paint brushes.

Right now, Watson's work is part of the Patchogue Arts Biennial held from Oct 22 to Nov 13 at Briarcliff College in Patchogue. An artist reception is scheduled on Saturday, Oct 29, from 2 to 5 p.m.

The biennial also includes East Hampton artist Janet Goleas, Annie Wildey (a former two-time resident at William Steeple Davis House in Orient) and Mel Perkarsky (he's exhibiting drawings at Art Sites in Riverhead. The show has been extended through Nov 13). Seung Lee and Winn Rea, who both recently exhibited in "Earth Matters" at the Heckscher Museum of Art, are part of the 2011 Patchogue Arts Biennial.

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"Into the Light of Things," an outdoor contemporary sculpture show at Brecknock Hall in Greenport, was unveiled during a tented reception on July 2. The juried exhibition was presented by East End Arts and Peconic Landing. It remains on view weekends through Nov 13. Hours are from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free.

The outdoor sculpture show features 12 works by 10 artists, according to EEA. Exhibiting sculptors are Jack Dowd, Derek Riley, Rob Lorenson, Steven Ceraso, Zoran Luka, Donald Saco, Mike Hansel, Robert Strimban, Avital Oz and Michael Ritchie.

Jurors were Marianne Weil (sculptor and professor), Charles A. Riley II, PhD (curator, author and professor) and Richard Mizdal (photographer and professor). Members of the Sculpture Garden Exhibition's honorary committee are Matko Tomicic, executive director of LongHouse Reserve, and Tod Berks, an original founder of the East End Arts Council (now East End Arts). Tomicic curated the sculpture placement. This is the second annual juried sculpture show on the grounds of Brecknock Hall.

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Shiny surfaces, colorful strings and optical illusions filled the Halsey McKay Gallery in East Hampton from July 9 to 31. The solo show by Chris Duncan, "Patterns and Light," presented mixed media sculpture, installation and paintings made by the California-based artist.

The works are part of Duncan's continuing exploration of how perception can be altered to reflect metaphysical metaphor.

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At the gallery, reflected artwork rippling in the mirror on the floor was a sophisticated echo reminiscent of reflections glimmering in secluded ponds lined by towering trees and dusky water banks.

Mirroring isn't the only method Duncan uses to set illusions in motion. All of the art contains materials that move the boundaries between what's real and what's perceived. Even a close look doesn't always reveal the magic Duncan weaves with material. The art can include strapping tape, mirrored paper, photography, spray enamel, string, paper and acrylic adhesive.

The work incorporates reflections, partial views and hints of art obscured. In fact, some of the strapping tape artworks contain pages of modern art textbooks or magazine pages layered beneath them.

Duncan was inspired to use strapping tape after working with it as an art handler/mover, he said. The translucent quality and thick texture made it interesting to contort and layer, he said. The tape also allowed the artist to explore different ways perceptions can be altered.

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Duncan is an MFA candidate at Stanford University. His art is in collections held by the Museum of Modern Art, The JP Morgan Chase Collection, The Berkeley Art Museum and The Progressive.

Halsey McKay Gallery also exhibited Duncan's work at ArtHamptons held in Bridgehampton from July 7 to 10, 2011.

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ArtHamptons 2011 was a whirlwind of art and activity. This year's art fair placed a focus on fine art photography. All totaled, there were 77 galleries presenting national, international and NYC-based art.

Here's a few (very few) glimpses from ArtHamptons 2011:

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Theatrics also had their part to play during ArtHamptons:

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Two additional blogs conjuring "Summer Memories" will follow.

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© 2011 Pat Rogers and Hamptons Art Hub. All rights reserved.