Thirty-four artists from around the country will celebrate trees for the reopening of Alex Ferrone Gallery and the art scene on the North Fork. The “Arborescent” National Juried Exhibition, originally slated to coincide with Arbor Day but was pushed aside by state mandated closures, opens Saturday, July 18 from 6-8pm with an outdoor reception. Visitors can safely enjoy the reception to meet the artists on the Cutchogue Gallery grounds with proper physical distancing and masks required, and folks can queue up to enter the Gallery with timed exhibition viewings.
This is the eighth year of bringing fine art to the east end for Alex Ferrone Gallery, and this year sees the Gallery opening their audience by welcoming paintings and mixed media works into their repertoire next to traditional and alternative photographic based art. The works of various media selected by Arborescent juror, ecological artist Lillian Ball, depict trees in all their states from branches, trunks, roots, and leaves, to bark, new growth, buds, and decay. Arborescent will also feature the special debut of a new related artwork, “Fall Leaf”, by noted painter Adam Straus.
Artists selected for the Arborescent Exhibition include:
Virginia Aschmoneit, Anita Balkun, Keith Buswell, Charis Carmichael Braun, Vince Cicero, Cara Coleman, Bill Davis, Krystle DiNicola, Chad Djubek, Ben Dworski-Riggs, Judith Eastburn, Nancy Gesimondo, Barry Goldstein, Jeff Green, Peter Hui, Janis Hurley, Bette Kauffman, David Kutz, Joel Lefkowitz, Patricia Luppino, Kathleen Massi, David McCrae, Mike McLaughlin, Glenn McNab, Ed Monnelly, Michael Palichleb, Jeanne Perrier, Keith Rossein, Jim Sabiston, Steven Schreiber, Jillian Sico, Susan Stair, Greg Thatcher, and Pamela Waldroup.
About the juror, Lillian Ball:
Lillian Ball is an ecological artist and environmental activist based in New York. Her multidisciplinary background in anthropology, ethnographic film, and sculpture informs her work with wetland issues, as well as innovative artwork focusing on site-specific conservation initiatives that benefit wildlife, communities, and area visitors.
Ball’s WATERWASH® public projects along the Bronx River and Mattituck Inlet in New York combine native habitat restoration, storm water remediation, and preservation. Her documentary “Sanctuary” explores efforts by a Buddhist monk to preserve native flora and fauna in Lumbini, Nepal, an area that is endangered by overdevelopment, and protection of Sarus cranes nesting at Buddha’s birthplace. Ms. Ball exhibits and lectures internationally, and has received numerous awards including two New York State Foundation for the Arts grants, Guggenheim Foundation Fellowship in Visual Arts, and National Endowment for the Arts grant, among others.
Ms. Ball states about Arborescent, “Speaking as an ecological artist, I hope this exhibition encourages people to understand the urgency to bring awareness to the importance of trees.” Ms. Ball chose awards for First and Second Place along with Honorable Mentions.
The unfortunate removal of a very large, old, rotting tree on Gallery grounds was the spark for the Arborescent Exhibition. Originally to open Arbor Day weekend, the gallery planned to celebrate with the planting one new tree on the property. To mark both occasions, seven new trees have now been planted and one more is scheduled upcoming.
Alex Ferrone Gallery is at 25425 Main Road, Cutchogue. Hours are 12-5pm Thursday through Sunday, or by appointment other days. Visit AlexFerroneGallery.com for more info or call 631-734-8545.
