ANNE RAYMOND

“Raymond’s oil paintings are luminous layers of rich color, full of nuance and surprise, changing with the light or the viewer’s vantage point.”
— Coco Myers

“I'm interested in the evocative power of inferred space and energy beyond the edges of the canvas. Glazes of translucent color and expressive drawing speak of nature and the transitory quality of changing light. Sky, water and motion are recurring themes of inspiration.

I begin by adding and subtracting pigment as an etcher wipes a plate, always working light to dark. The result is a composition of luminous layers of translucent color, with spontaneous drawing introduced throughout the process. I seek to balance the energy of drawing and the serenity of open space. My goal as an artist is to create powerful images that invite the viewer to move away from certainty and experience something new… even years after the first encounter.” — AR

Anne Raymond was born in Washington, D.C., and grew up in Dallas, Texas. A graduate of the University of Texas, she went on to study at the School of Visual Arts in New York City.

Raymond’s paintings and monotypes have been featured in group exhibitions in galleries and cultural centers throughout the United States, including the Sears Peyton Gallery and Robert Steele Gallery in New York City; the Peter Bartlow Gallery in Chicago; the Butters Gallery in Portland, OR; the Gail Harvey Gallery in Santa Monica; Allyn Gallup Contemporary Art, Sarasota, FL; and the Lizan-Tops Gallery, East Hampton, NY, among others.

Raymond’s work is also in the permanent collections of major museums including The Boston Museum of Fine Arts and The Blanton Museum of Art at The University of Texas at Austin, as well as in numerous private and corporate collections. She maintains a studio in East Hampton, NY.

Raymond in her studio by Jaime Lopez

Raymond in her studio by Jaime Lopez

ARTIST'S CAROUSEL

rotating exhibit of current & recently sold work

ANNE RAYMOND speaks to folioeast’s COCO MYERS

CM/ WHAT IS YOUR CREATIVE PROCESS?

AR/ With both my oil paintings and my monotypes I’m interested in combining subtle glazes with dramatic drawing. I make many of my tools… and I am still learning to stop working on a piece before the freshness escapes.

CM/ DOES LIVING ON THE EAST END INFLUENCE YOUR SUBJECT?

AR/ Yes. The sea, bay, sky and evergreen forest are ever present influences. The translucent light is majestic. Every season has its unique character.

CM/ WHAT BROUGHT YOU TO THE EAST END?

AR/ The abstract expressionist movement was of interest to me before studying art in college. And I bought a home in East Hampton with a large studio in 1994.

CM/ ARE THERE ANY PARTICULAR EAST END ARTISTS LIVING YOU’D LOVE TO LIVE WITH?

AR/ I would love to have a Joan Mitchell and a de Kooning from the late 50s and early 60s.

PORTFOLIO OVERVIEW

DAVID RUFO

“Rufo’s optical paintings—in precisely executed patterns of color and shape—have an electric, kinetic energy.”
— Coco Myers

“My work is informed by the hyper-kinetic shifts of the Op Art movement and viscous psychedelic imagery that permeated the visual landscape of my childhood in the sixties and seventies.

Parabolic spiral dot patterns are meticulously painted on an amorphous color field where vivid hues with intricate concentric elements dominate the compositions. I also make use of items such as frisket film, commercial stencils, and flat washers to create a variety of masking effects. This added layer generates a perceptual dissonance brought on by a narrow depth of field and shapes that seemingly float on the surface, when in actuality, they are brought about by unpainted portions of the background paper or canvas.

I am interested in making a body of work that appears cool and detached, but upon closer inspection is revealed to be imperfect, vulnerable, and wholly human.” — D

David Rufo was born and raised in upstate New York. He graduated from Syracuse University, where he holds a Ph.D. in Teaching and Curriculum with a specialization in Art Education. He is currently an Assistant Professor and Program Director of Education at Cazenovia College located in Madison County’s historic lakeside Village of Cazenovia. Previously, he was a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Graduate School of Education at Fordham University. David produces his art in New York City, Amagansett, and upstate New York.

Rufo’s work has appeared in group shows at the Pamela Willliams Gallery, Amagansett, NY; Folioeast, East Hampton, NY; Geras Tousignant Gallery, Palm Springs, CA; Soho House, New York, NY; Studio 10 Gallery, NOMENColorATURE, Brooklyn, NY; Smith Hall Gallery, Syracuse University, NY; and Cazenovia Art Gallery, New York, NY, among other galleries. His solo exhibitions include shows at Solomon Art Gallery, New York, NY; Robert J. Spring Gallery, New York, NY; 12 Rooms Gallery, Syracuse, NY; and Alldays Gallery, Bennington, VT. His work is included in several collections, in the U.S. and abroad.

Rufo by Jaime Lopez

Rufo by Jaime Lopez

ARTIST'S CAROUSEL

rotating exhibit of current & recently sold work

DAVID RUFO speaks to folioeast’s COCO MYERS

CM/ HOW DO YOU START ONE OF YOUR PAINTINGS?

DR/ 1. Pour a glass of wine. 2. Choose masking material (this year it has been coins, washers, or masking fluid). 3. Airbrush background. 4. Superimpose drawings using a compass and various templates. 5. Add dots in a parabolic pattern. 6. Fill in colors creating a mandala-like structure while listening to NPR and art podcasts. 7. Take dog outside 8. Bring dog back in. 9. Pour final glass of wine. 10. Take photo of work in progress and post to FaceBook and Instagram. 11. Fall to sleep while visualizing next steps.

CM/ HOW DOES PROXIMITY TO WATER INFLUENCE YOUR WORK?

DR/ During morning walks on the beach I love to examine the rhomboid patterns etched in the sand after the swash.

CM/ WHERE DO YOU DO YOUR WORK? IN A STUDIO SPACE? OUTSIDE?

DR/ I paint every night after dinner; this happens in a variety of locations. When at home, I set up my work on the table after dinner. When in the city, I work in my office at Fordham's Lincoln Center campus, or at the Library Hotel in midtown Manhattan. Also, we are building a house on twelve acres in upstate New York. I expect to begin incorporating the outside spaces into my art making process as well. 

CM/ DO YOU FEEL INSPIRED BY THE ABSTRACT EXPRESSIONIST MOVEMENT ON THE EAST END?

DR/ Yes—de Kooning. Especially his color palette from the mid-1980s. At that time I was living in Hell's Kitchen and working as a bouncer at nightclubs around the city such as Limelight, Palladium, China Club, and the Ritz. I recall seeing de Kooning’s work from that time period and feeling that it aptly reflected both the contemporary and historic trends of the Western Art canon. 
.

CM/ Do you have any works by East End artists in your home?

DR/ A signed copy of Ross Bleckner's book, My Life in the New York Times. During a studio visit I asked if he would dip his brush into a pot of silver-black paint to sign the book, which he graciously did. I am also fortunate to have a gorgeous small oil by Mark Perry that I obtained after a visit to his stunning east end home and studio.

PORTFOLIO OVERVIEW

BASTIENNE SCHMIDT

“Schmidt mines the art of geometry and plumbs the world of shapes and hues. Her intellect and creativity come through in every piece.”
— Coco Myers

“Through photography, painting and drawing, I explore concepts of identity and place. Photography and art fall into the realm of archeology—searching for layers of history and meaning, and re-assigning value to them. I spent my childhood surrounded by my father’s archeological work, which instilled in me a desire to organize, map, and attempt to understand systems through artwork. My large scale drawings and paintings can be seen as mind maps made up of juxtaposed pieces of cultural influences.

I use an artistic process that often consists of layering thin transparent paper upon which I paint and draw. Paper offers an intuitive medium that allows for overlapping and for organic coming together of spaces.

Geometric forms, such as circles, triangles and squares, play a large role in my work and the use of a multifold of blues goes back to my childhood, growing up on the Greek island of Samos. For my paintings and drawings I have created a personal topography that draws inspiration from travels as far as Egypt and Burma and from observing details close to home: a coffee stain, for instance, can be seen as a stain, a map or a topography.” — BS

Bastienne Schmidt was born in Munich, Germany, and was raised in Greece and Italy. She studied anthropology at the University Ludwig-Maximilian Universitaet in Munich, Germany and graduated with a degree of Fine Arts from the University Accademia di Belli Arti, Perugia, Italy. She spent 10 years in New York, where she maintains a studio, before moving full time to Bridgehampton.

Schmidt’s work has been shown in over 100 exhibitions worldwide, including the New Museum, New York City; the Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn, New York; the Zimmerli Museum, New Brunswick, NJ; Museum fuer Kunst und Gewerbe, Hamburg, Germany; Musee de la Photographie, Charleroi, Belgium; Musee de Elysee, Lausanne, Switzerland; Ricco/Maresca Gallery and Throckmorton Gallery, New York City; Parrish Road Show, Sag Harbor, NY; Harpers Books and folioeast, East Hampton, NY; the Houston Center for Photography, Houston, TX; Ille Arts, Amagansett, NY; Hamilton Gallery, London, England; Gallery Argus, Berlin, Germany.

Six monographs of her works have been published, among them Vivir la Muerte, American Dreams, Shadowhome, Home Stills, Topography of Quiet and Typology of Women.

Her work is also included in many collections: the Museum of Modern Art and the International Center of Photography in New York City; the Brooklyn Museum in Brooklyn NY; the Corcoran Gallery in Washington, DC; the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston, TX; the Center for Creative Photography in Tuscon, AZ; Guild Hall in East Hampton, NY; the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston, TX; the Victoria and Albert Museum in London; and the Bibliotheque Nationale in Paris, among others.

Bastienne Schmidt by Jaime Lopez

Bastienne Schmidt by Jaime Lopez

ARTIST’S CAROUSEL

rotating exhibit of current & recently sold work

BASTIENNE SCHMIDT speaks to folioeast’s COCO MYERS

CM/ WHAT IS THE PHILOSOPHY BEHIND YOUR ARTWORK?

BS/ I combine the notion of traveling in real life and in my mind, searching and documenting divisions of space, markings and mappings as a reflection of a search for identity and place. I explore the subtle interaction between nature, process and imagination, creating systems and layers of meaning, through building up of surfaces and using recycled materials.

CM/ FROM WHERE DO YOU DRAW YOUR MAIN INSPIRATIONS?

BS/ Having grown up in four countries as the daughter of an archeologist, I primarily draw inspirations from my childhood in Greece. The colors blue and white have great meaning to me. I am also Inspired by the beauty and natural patterns and typologies that I’ve discovered on my travels in Egypt, Vietnam, Japan, and Burma. I trace with the camera, pencil and paintbrush the impact that our environment has on our imagination—and vice versa.

CM/ WHERE DO YOU DO YOUR WORK?

BS/ My studio is my sanctuary. We built our house (my husband, Philippe Cheng, is also an artist), with two adjoining studios. Our mantra as artists, parents and community members is is to live in a way that there is no separation between art and life. Our children were always integrated in our studio practice.

CM/ DO YOU HAVE FAVORITE ROUTINES?

BS/ I go to the beach for a morning walk to clear my mind and get ready for the day. It's like a daily meditation.

CM/ DO YOU HAVE ANY WORKS BY EAST END ARTISTS IN YOUR HOME?

BS/ Almond Zigmund, Philippe Cheng.

PORTFOLIO OVERVIEW 

GEORGE SINGER

“A George Singer painting feels fresh and inventive, bold but not overworked”
— Coco Myers

I approach painting as a non-verbal, open form of expression, into which I can enter - as one might enter into a meditation, where there is only a vocabulary of color, shape and texture.” — AE

George Singer is a self-taught artist who paints in his East Hampton, NY studio. His work has been shown in New York at Guild Hall, folioeast and Ashawagh Hall in East Hampton, Illes Arts in Amagansett, The National Arts Club on Gramercy Park in Manhattan and the Sara Nightengale Gallery in Sag Harbor. He has also shown online with Serina & Lily.

George Singer by Jaime Lopez

ARTIST'S CAROUSEL

rotating exhibit of current & recently sold work

GEORGE SINGER speaks to folioeast’s COCO MYERS

CM/ WHAT MATERIALS DO YOU USE?  WHAT APPEALS TO YOU ABOUT THOSE MATERIALS?

GS/ Acrylics. I like the variety of colors options, the versatility of textures and the ease of mixing. I also like that the fast-dry properties of Acrylics allows me to work quickly.

CM/ IS THERE AN ASPECT OF YOUR CREATIVE PROCESS THAT YOU FEEL IS PARTICULARLY UNIQUE TO YOU/ YOUR ART? THE PALETTE OR THE SHAPES OR FORMS YOU ARE DRAWN TO?

GS/ I feel like the simpler the composition the bigger the challenge. With simple forms, every stroke of the brush, every choice of color needs to be considered and worked and then reworked. While my attention to color and my palette are consistent among the work I produce, I am not married to a particular style of painting - which means each endeavor into the studio has an air of adventure where anything can happen. 

CM/ WHAT IS IT ABOUT ABSTRACTION THAT APPEALS TO YOU? 

GS/ I love the freedom to create shapes that have no context but engage the viewer to find meaning. By leaving the works open to interpretation, I believe a viewer is more fully engaged. 

CM/ WHERE AND WHEN DO YOU DO YOUR MOST OF YOUR WORK? 

GS/ I work in the art studio in my house. I tend to work most on weekends. I work late into the night on Fridays. Then get up early on Saturday to work and work and work until Sunday night.

CM/ WHAT BROUGHT YOU TO THE EAST END? AND WHEN? 

GS/ I first came to the East End 22 years looking for a respite to the sounds and frenetic activity of the city. I came looking for balance. And I found it here.

CM/ DOES THIS AREA INFLUENCE YOUR WORK? HOW SO?

GS/ Being in nature creates a calm that allows for a meditative state that enables my creativity to flow in a way that it is unique.

CM/ DO YOU FEEL INSPIRED BY THE HISTORY OF ART ON THE EAST END?

GS/ Yes. The early artists’ colony founded in the East End still attracts established and emerging artists to the legacy that great art is created here. It is a legacy I am grateful and humbled to be a part of. 

CM/ DO YOU OWN WORK BY EAST END ARTISTS? ARE THERE ANY ARTISTS YOU WOULD LOVE TO OWN?

GS/ I own works by Mary Heilmann, Vija Celmins, Stanley Whitney and Mark Perry. I would love to have more of all their pieces in my collection. 

PORTFOLIO OVERVIEW

DAVID SLIVKA

“Slivka’s iconic early 1970s ink paintings pop, their raw abstract power expressed through strong sculptural shapes in black and white or vibrant color.”
— Coco Myers

David Slivka (1914-2010) was one of the last remaining members of the first generation of American Abstract Expressionist artists. Known as both a painter and sculptor, he worked in a variety of mediums, from ink, crayon, and watercolor, to clay, granite, bronze, and wood.

In the early 1960s, Slivka did a series of rapid ink paintings. In the 1970s, he continued this work in ink, creating a series of large, organic, curvilinear abstract paintings. Some are in vivid tones; others in graphic black and white. Several of the pieces from this era were sold to the New York Port Authority and some were destroyed in the Twin Towers bombing on 9/11.

Slivka was born in Chicago and studied at the Art Institute of Chicago. He spent most of his adult life living and working in Greenwich Village, in New York City, where he met and married his wife Rose, a writer, and the two engaged actively as part of what came to be known as the New York School, along with Willem de Kooning, Jackson Pollock, Louise Bourgeois, Robert Motherwell, and many others. During the 1950s, he and Rose made their way to the Springs, on the East End of Long Island, joining other abstract expressionists such as Pollock and de Kooning who had migrated from the Village. Slivka’s deep connection to nature and art would fuse with this area for the next sixty years.

Untitled 1, early 1970s, ink on paper, 38 x 50 in

Untitled 1, early 1970s, ink on paper, 38 x 50 in

PORTFOLIO

current & recently sold work

Reflections on DAVID SLIVKA

“The sculptor David Slivka told me about going to an artists’ picnic at Barnes Landing in 1953. He arrived driving his ’32 DeSoto, a car he bought used from the printmaker Louis Schanker . . . At the cookout on the beach were Jackson Pollock and Lee Krasner, Jim and Charlotte Brooks, Bill and Elaine de Kooning, who that summer were staying at Leo Castelli’s on Georgica Pond. Of course, David’s wife Rose, later The {East Hampton} Star’s art critic, was also present. There was plenty of food, alcohol, and a giant bonfire. The swimming was nude, followed by some dancing around the fire. David loved to dance . . . When the time came to return home, Bill and Jackson both wanted to ride in David’s DeSoto, which they called his “Surrealist car,” since its upholstery was falling apart in a fantastic fashion . . . David made vivid the history of Abstract Expressionism as it evolved in the city and on eastern Long Island. When I recorded him for my forthcoming biography of Lee Krasner, he talked about both her and Jackson, as well as about many others . . . He represented so well an entire cultural moment that has now almost disappeared.”

– excerpt from: “Guestwords: Remembering David Slivka,” The East Hampton Star, April 15, 2010, by Gail Levin, Ph.D., distinguished Professor of Art History, Baruch College and the CUNY Graduate Center

JANICE STANTON

“Stanton’s photographs and collages, both full of nuanced meaning, are beautifully balanced and compelling.”
— Coco Myers

“In all my work—still photography, film, and collage—I seek to create something revelatory. I am keenly interested in the interplay of words, ideas and visual imagery. Travel and cultural exploration also inform my work: In my surroundings I find the texture and detail from which I create abstract moments from everyday life.

The lines between photography, painting and collage are deliberately blurred in my abstract work; sometimes all three appear in a single piece. Texture, layering and a carefully selected palette are key elements.

In my more narrative work, recurring themes suggest loss, absence and aspects of the human condition; or I may simply explore a color, or a particular material or medium.

Among the materials in my collages are found objects, pieces of my own photographs, calligraphy, and remnants of daily life. All a consequence of never averting my eyes.” — JS

Born in Montreal, Canada, Janice Stanton is based in New York City and Bridgehampton, New York.  After many years working in still photography, she began creating documentary films about artists.  Her keen visual sense, along with an interest in composition and combining text and found materials led her to collage, her preferred medium.

Stanton studied at The Art Students League, the International Center of Photography, the School of Visual Arts, and in workshops with photographers Mary Ellen Mark, Sally Gall, Peter Turnley and Arlene Collins.

Her work has been exhibited in numerous galleries, including Ricco Maresca Gallery, New York; the Art Students League, New York, NY; Guild Hall and folioeast, East Hampton, NY; the White Room Gallery, Bridgehampton, NY; and is also in many private collections.

Stanton in her studio by Jaime Lopez

Stanton in her studio by Jaime Lopez

ARTIST'S CAROUSEL

rotating exhibit of current & recently sold photography

JANICE STANTON speaks to folioeast’s COCO MYERS

CM/ WHAT MATERIALS DO YOU USE IN YOUR COLLAGES?

JS/ In some cases, I begin creating a collage with one of my own photographs. My preferred materials are handmade paper, mesh, gauze, string and found materials. I am drawn to textures, semi-transparency and how the age and condition of materials contributes to the theme or mood of the work. Obsolete objects from daily life also find their way into my collages, lending a note of unexpected recognition or nostalgia.

CM/ WHAT BROUGHT YOU TO THE EAST END? DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE SEASON OUT HERE?

JS/ The East End has been my 'second home' since graduating from college. The light is nothing short of magic, and I couldn't live without the beach walks that I take throughout the year. I love the long days and sunsets of July, but I also love the 'off-season' and find it an even more creative time. Perhaps that is because my work happens when I'm indoors.

CM/ WHERE DO YOU DO YOUR WORK?

JS/ I have a studio space in Sagaponack and also in West Chelsea in NYC. I work indoors, surrounded by a vast array of collage materials.

CM/ DO YOU HAVE ANY FAVORITE SPOTS ON THE EAST END THAT INSPIRE YOU?

JS/ Favorite places for walks and dinners with friends are the beaches, especially Gibson and Peter's Pond; and in the winter, I gravitate toward cozy spots with fireplaces. The Parrish and Longhouse Reserve are favorite cultural institutions.

CM/ DO YOU FEEL A CONNECTION TO THE HISTORY OF THE ABSTRACT EXPRESSIONIST MOVEMENT ON THE EAST END?

JS/ Yes! It is probably my favorite period, period. It has had the single greatest influence on my eye and my aesthetic. I produced a documentary film about Grace Hartigan, who was part of that movement and knew many of the icons of the time; and I knew, personally, some of the other artists such as Jane Wilson.

CM/ DO YOU HAVE ANY WORKS BY EAST END ARTISTS AT HOME? ANY PARTICULAR ARTIST THAT YOU WOULD LOVE TO HAVE?

JS/ Yes. I have a large oil by Anne Raymond and many pieces by Victor Elmaleh. He lived in Bridgehampton and showed his work in the Hamptons and NYC. I would LOVE to have a de Kooning!

PORTFOLIO OVERVIEW of photography

ARTIST'S CAROUSEL

rotating exhibit of current & recently sold mixed media


JANICE STANTON

“Stanton’s photographs and collages, full of nuanced meaning, are beautifully balanced and compelling.”
— Coco Myers

“In all my work—collage and photography—I seek to create something revelatory. I am keenly interested in the interplay of words, textures, ideas and visual imagery. Drawing inspiration from the art and culture of locations around the world, my work addresses themes of memory, time and the human condition. The lines between photography, painting and collage are deliberately blurred in my abstract work, and compositions often extend beyond the ‘borders’ of the mat. Layering, negative space and the line are all elements that have both formal and metaphorical significance. Among the materials in my collages are found objects, pieces of my own photographs, calligraphy, and remnants of daily life.

------JS

Born in Montreal, Canada, Janice Stanton is based in New York City and Bridgehampton, New York. After many years working in still photography, she began creating documentary films about artists. Her keen visual sense, along with an interest in composition and combining text and found materials led her to collage, her preferred medium.

In 2021, Stanton was selected for the Visiting Artists and Scholars Program at the American Academy in Rome. She has studied at The Art Students League, the International Center of Photography, RISD, the School of Visual Arts, and in workshops with renowned photographers Mary Ellen Mark, Sally Gall, and Peter Turnley among others.

Her work has been exhibited in numerous galleries and venues including Anders Wahlstedt Fine Art (NYC), where she was featured in a 2-person exhibition; the Art Students League (NYC); FolioEast locations on the East End; Black Box Gallery (Portland, OR); Memorial Sloan Kettering (NYC); The White Room Gallery (Bridgehampton); Guild Hall (Easthampton); and is also in many private collections. In 2024, one of her collages was selected for the permanent collection of Onna House (Easthampton, NY and Palm Beach, FL).

Janice Stanton by Jaime Lopez

Janice Stanton by Jaime Lopez

ARTIST'S CAROUSEL

rotating exhibit of current & recently sold mixed media

JANICE STANTON speaks to folioeast’s COCO MYERS

CM/ WHAT MATERIALS DO YOU USE IN YOUR COLLAGES?

JS/ In some cases, I begin creating a collage with one of my own photographs. My preferred materials are handmade paper, mesh, gauze, string and found materials. I am drawn to textures, semi-transparency and how the age and condition of materials contributes to the theme or mood of the work. Obsolete objects from daily life also find their way into my collages, lending a note of unexpected recognition or nostalgia.

CM/ WHAT BROUGHT YOU TO THE EAST END? DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE SEASON OUT HERE?

JS/ The East End has been my 'second home' since graduating from college. The light is nothing short of magic, and I couldn't live without the beach walks that I take throughout the year. I love the long days and sunsets of July, but I also love the 'off-season' and find it an even more creative time. Perhaps that is because my work happens when I'm indoors.

CM/ WHERE DO YOU DO YOUR WORK?

JS/ I have a studio space in Sagaponack and also in West Chelsea in NYC. I work indoors, surrounded by a vast array of collage materials.

CM/ DO YOU HAVE ANY FAVORITE SPOTS ON THE EAST END THAT INSPIRE YOU?

JS/ Favorite places for walks and dinners with friends are the beaches, especially Gibson and Peter's Pond; and in the winter, I gravitate toward cozy spots with fireplaces. The Parrish and Longhouse Reserve are favorite cultural institutions.

CM/ DO YOU FEEL A CONNECTION TO THE HISTORY OF THE ABSTRACT EXPRESSIONIST MOVEMENT ON THE EAST END?

JS/ Yes! It is probably my favorite period, period. It has had the single greatest influence on my eye and my aesthetic. I produced a documentary film about Grace Hartigan, who was part of that movement and knew many of the icons of the time; and I knew, personally, some of the other artists such as Jane Wilson.

CM/ DO YOU HAVE ANY WORKS BY EAST END ARTISTS AT HOME? ANY PARTICULAR ARTIST THAT YOU WOULD LOVE TO HAVE?

JS/ Yes. I have a large oil by Anne Raymond and many pieces by Victor Elmaleh. He lived in Bridgehampton and showed his work in the Hamptons and NYC. I would LOVE to have a de Kooning!

PORTFOLIO OVERVIEW of mixed media

ARTIST'S CAROUSEL

rotating exhibit of current & recently sold photographs


BARBARA THOMAS

“Trees, fields, flowers . . . Thomas starts with elements pulled from nature, which she then interprets in a refreshingly original way.”
— Coco Myers

“The natural world is the inspiration for my drawing, painting and multi-media work. I use all of its visual forms—land, plants, flowers, animals, and natural phenomena, such as weather and the seasons. I assign metaphorical properties to the forms of nature, based on my personal reactions and interpretations of the way nature is viewed in the contemporary context—in terms of history, aesthetics, philosophy and politics.

My work begins with direct observation recorded in painting and photography. I create a story for myself that centers around anthropomorphized natural forms, likening and relating their experiences to human experience. Graphically manipulating colors, forms, and contexts, I give natural forms a new kind of life and new relationships, with each other, and with the manmade world.” — BT

Barbara Thomas grew up on a farm in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, surrounded by artists. She began studying at age 15 at The Art Students' League, New York, under American Naturalist painter Edwin Dickinson (1891-1978). She went on to study at Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, NY, receiving her MFA at Lesley University, Boston, MA.

Thomas began her career as a commercial artist, art director and illustrator, and switched to painting full time in the early 1980s, inspired by her move to the East End of Long Island. She established a following as a house, garden, and property portraitist, with commissions from all over the world, but predominantly working in the Hamptons.

Her fine art has been shown at Ille Arts, Amagansett, NY; Estia Gallery, Bridgehampton, NY; Grenning Gallery, Rebecca Cooper Gallery and Canio’s Gallery, in Sag Harbor, NY; Elaine Benson Gallery, Bridgehampton, NY; Lizan Topps Gallery, East Hampton, NY; and Wally Findlay Gallery, New York, NY.

Thomas has taught and lectured extensively, including at the Parrish Art Museum, Southampton, NY. and at her studio in East Hampton, NY.

Barbara Thomas by Jaime Lopez

Barbara Thomas by Jaime Lopez

ARTIST’S CAROUSEL

rotating exhibit of current & recently sold painting

BARBARA THOMAS speaks to folioeast’s COCO MYERS

CM/ HOW DO YOU TYPICALLY START TO CREATE?

BT/ Almost always using natural forms to begin ideas, I draw small sketches in my sketchbook. I use a lot of digital research, taking images from public domain, or using my own photographs, and playing with them in digital graphics. Then I use those as a base for creating images in more traditional mediums.

CM/ HAVE YOU ALWAYS LIVED ON THE EAST END?

BT/ My family began coming here in summers over fifty years ago. I then moved here full time when I was a young woman, raising my son here. I moved to New York City for a time, but then moved back about fifteen years ago.

CM/ HOW DOES THIS AREA INFLUENCE OR INFILTRATE YOUR WORK?

BT/ This is where I turned to art making full time (I had worked for ten years as an advertising art director). I was inspired by the beauty of the landscape, but I have always been a nature girl, and have always used nature themes in my work.

CM/ DOES THE TIME OF YEAR INFLUENCE YOUR WORK?

BT/ The seasons play a key role in all my work. I don't differentiate them based on one better than the other. They all have a brilliance and distinct properties that find their way into my work.

CM/ WHERE DO YOU DO YOUR WORK? IN A STUDIO SPACE, OUTSIDE, VARIED SPACES?

BT/ I have a studio in Springs, but I am also a plein air landscape painter, or I work outdoors abstractly, using the light and atmosphere of the landscape in my work.

CM/ DO YOU HAVE ANY FAVORITE THINGS TO DO OUTDOORS?

BT/ I love Barcelona Point, and take my Parrish Art Museum plein air painting class out there every summer. A particular summer ritual is paddle boarding across Accabonac Harbor, out to the far side of Gerard Point, pull in, and go for a long swim.

CM/ DO YOU DRAW INSPIRATION FROM THE ABSTRACT EXPRESSIONIST MOVEMENT ON THE EAST END?

BT/ Very much so. I live right near Jackson Pollock's house and studio, and near Willem de Kooning's studio as well. My work contains a lot of abstraction.

CM/ IF YOU COULD CHOOSE ANYTHING, IS THERE ANY PARTICULAR EAST END ARTIST OR PIECE THAT YOU WOULD LOVE TO HAVE?

BT/ I don't own one, but I loved Sheridan Lord, he was my mentor in my early painting years. I've always respected a lot of Terry Elkins' work. I wish I could have a Cile Downs painting.

PORTFOLIO OVERVIEW

ARTIST’S CAROUSEL

rotating exhibit of current & recently sold mixed media

BARBARA THOMAS

“Trees, fields, flowers . . . Thomas starts with elements pulled from nature, which she then interprets in a refreshingly original way.”
— Coco Myers

“The natural world is the inspiration for my drawing, painting and multi-media work. I use all of its visual forms—land, plants, flowers, animals, and natural phenomena, such as weather and the seasons. I assign metaphorical properties to the forms of nature, based on my personal reactions and interpretations of the way nature is viewed in the contemporary context—in terms of history, aesthetics, philosophy and politics.

My work begins with direct observation recorded in painting and photography. I create a story for myself that centers around anthropomorphized natural forms, likening and relating their experiences to human experience. Graphically manipulating colors, forms, and contexts, I give natural forms a new kind of life and new relationships, with each other, and with the manmade world.” — BT

Barbara Thomas grew up on a farm in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, surrounded by artists. She began studying at age 15 at The Art Students' League, New York, under American Naturalist painter Edwin Dickinson (1891-1978). She went on to study at Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, NY, receiving her MFA at Lesley University, Boston, MA.

Thomas began her career as a commercial artist, art director and illustrator, and switched to painting full time in the early 1980s, inspired by her move to the East End of Long Island. She established a following as a house, garden, and property portraitist, with commissions from all over the world, but predominantly working in the Hamptons.

Her fine art has been shown at Ille Arts, Amagansett, NY; Estia Gallery, Bridgehampton, NY; Grenning Gallery, Rebecca Cooper Gallery and Canio’s Gallery, in Sag Harbor, NY; Elaine Benson Gallery, Bridgehampton, NY; Lizan Topps Gallery, East Hampton, NY; and Wally Findlay Gallery, New York, NY.

Thomas has taught and lectured extensively, including at the Parrish Art Museum, Southampton, NY. and at her studio in East Hampton, NY.

Thomas in her studio

Thomas in her studio

ARTIST’S CAROUSEL

rotating exhibit of current & recently sold painting

BARBARA THOMAS speaks to folioeast’s COCO MYERS

CM/ HOW DO YOU TYPICALLY START TO CREATE?

BT/ Almost always using natural forms to begin ideas, I draw small sketches in my sketchbook. I use a lot of digital research, taking images from public domain, or using my own photographs, and playing with them in digital graphics. Then I use those as a base for creating images in more traditional mediums.

CM/ HAVE YOU ALWAYS LIVED ON THE EAST END?

BT/ My family began coming here in summers over fifty years ago. I then moved here full time when I was a young woman, raising my son here. I moved to New York City for a time, but then moved back about fifteen years ago.

CM/ HOW DOES THIS AREA INFLUENCE OR INFILTRATE YOUR WORK?

BT/ This is where I turned to art making full time (I had worked for 10 years as an advertising art director). I was inspired by the beauty of the landscape, but I have always been a nature girl, and have always used nature themes in my work.

CM/ DOES THE TIME OF YEAR INFLUENCE YOUR WORK?

BT/ The seasons play a key role in all my work. I don't differentiate them based on one better than the other. They all have a brilliance and distinct properties that find their way into my work.

CM/ WHERE DO YOU DO YOUR WORK? IN A STUDIO SPACE, OUTSIDE, VARIED SPACES?

BT/ I have a studio in Springs, but I am also a plein air landscape painter, or I work outdoors abstractly, using the light and atmosphere of the landscape in my work.

CM/ DO YOU HAVE ANY FAVORITE THINGS TO DO OUTDOORS?

BT/ I love Barcelona Point, and take my Parrish Art Museum plein air painting class out there every summer. A particular summer ritual is paddle boarding across Accabonac Harbor, out to the far side of Gerard Point, pull in, and go for a long swim.

CM/ DO YOU DRAW INSPIRATION FROM THE ABSTRACT EXPRESSIONIST MOVEMENT ON THE EAST END?

BT/ Very much so. I live right near Jackson Pollock's house and studio, and near Willem de Kooning's studio as well. My work contains a lot of abstraction.

CM/ IF YOU COULD CHOOSE ANYTHING, IS THERE ANY PARTICULAR EAST END ARTIST OR PIECE THAT YOU WOULD LOVE TO HAVE?

BT/ I don't own one, but I loved Sheridan Lord, he was my mentor in my early painting years. I've always respected a lot of Terry Elkins' work. I wish I could have a Cile Downs painting.

PORTFOLIO OVERVIEW

ARTIST’S CAROUSEL

rotating exhibit of current & recently sold mixed media

AURELIO TORRES

“Torres sculpts with a natural feel for the many facets of wood, while his paintings have a dreamy, subtly mysterious air. All reflect his innate sense of composition.”
— Coco Myers

“My painting typically depicts scenes from nature and my sculptures most often interpret the simple, clean lines of wooden ships. Since I was a teenager, I’ve carved wooden boats. I would go to street fairs in New York and try to sell them. I was always making toys and working with wood. My aesthetic sensibility is one of essential simplicity and natural, uncontrived beauty.” — AT

Torres was born in Montevideo, Uruguay, in 1962. “I grew up in this wonderful house that my father built, two blocks from my grandfather’s house.“ His father, Horacio Torres, was an accomplished, classically-trained artist, and his grandfather was the acclaimed modernist artist, Joaquin Torres-Garcia. Torres, who was raised in New York City from his teens, began his artistic training in Barcelona, Spain, where he studied for several years with his uncle, Augusto Torres, another classically trained painter in the family. Torres has shown in group exhibits throughout the East End. He currently works and resides in East Hampton, New York.

Torres at work

Torres at work

ARTIST'S CAROUSEL

rotating exhibit of current & recently sold painting

AURELIO TORRES speaks to folioeast’s COCO MYERS

CM/ WHAT MATERIALS DO YOU PRIMARILY USE?

AT/ Oil paints, found materials, reclaimed lumber. Materials I come across drive my compositions. I look to combine complementary textures.

CM/ WHAT INSPIRES YOUR WORK?

AT/ I am inspired by the incredible beauty of our landscape, the power of the sea, the air and what they mean to me.

CM/ WHAT BROUGHT YOU TO THE EAST END? AND WHEN?

AT/ Initially, affordable artist's space, but the strong artist community, beautiful landscape and connections with people have kept me here.

CM/ IS THERE A SEASON THAT IS THE MOST CREATIVE TIME FOR YOU?

AT/ The quietness of fall is my favorite time, but I am most creative throughout the warm weather months.

PORTFOLIO OVERVIEW

current & recently sold painting

ARTIST'S CAROUSEL

rotating exhibit of current & recently sold free-standing and wall sculpture

AURELIO TORRES

“Torres sculpts with a natural feel for the many facets of wood, while his paintings have a dreamy, subtly mysterious air. All reflect his innate sense of composition. ”
— Coco Myers

“My painting typically depicts scenes from nature and my sculptures most often interpret the simple, clean lines of wooden ships. Since I was a teenager, I’ve carved wooden boats. I would go to street fairs in New York and try to sell them. I was always making toys and working with wood. My aesthetic sensibility is one of essential simplicity and natural, uncontrived beauty.” — AT

Torres was born in Montevideo, Uruguay, in 1962. “I grew up in this wonderful house that my father built, two blocks from my grandfather’s house.“ His father, Horacio Torres, was an accomplished, classically-trained artist, and his grandfather was the acclaimed modernist artist, Joaquin Torres-Garcia. Torres, who was raised in New York City from his teens, began his artistic training in Barcelona, Spain, where he studied for several years with his uncle, Augusto Torres, another classically trained painter in the family. Torres has shown in group exhibits throughout the East End. He currently works and resides in East Hampton, New York.

Torres at work

Torres at work

ARTIST'S CAROUSEL

rotating exhibit of current & recently sold free-standing and wall sculpture

AURELIO TORRES speaks to folioeast’s COCO MYERS

CM/ WHAT MATERIALS DO YOU PRIMARILY USE?

AT/ Oil paints, found materials, reclaimed lumber. Materials I come across drive my compositions. I look to combine complementary textures.

CM/ WHAT INSPIRES YOUR WORK?

AT/ I am inspired by the incredible beauty of our landscape, the power of the sea, the air and what they mean to me.

CM/ WHAT BROUGHT YOU TO THE EAST END? AND WHEN?

AT/ Initially, affordable artist's space, but the strong artist community, beautiful landscape and connections with people have kept me here.

CM/ IS THERE A SEASON THAT IS THE MOST CREATIVE TIME FOR YOU?

AT/ The quietness of fall is my favorite time, but I am most creative throughout the warm weather months.

PORTFOLIO OVERVIEW

current & recently sold free-standing and wall sculpture

ARTIST'S CAROUSEL

rotating exhibit of current & recently sold painting

SARAH JAFFE TURNBULL

“Turnbull’s glazed clay sculptures, molded into multifaceted forms, have an earthy elegance while her abstract monotypes have a light, lyrical quality.”
— Coco Myers

“I am continually amazed at the interplay between color, light and space. I am also interested in perceptions of balance, particularly things being other than what they appear. I prefer to work in a gestural manner, without a clear end point, remaining open to possibility.

Clay is a wonderfully accessible and malleable medium with its own demands and constraints, moving from fluid to almost stone. Glaze presents another opportunity to say something, the fire (and in the case of raku, the thermal shock) having its way with the form, despite or enhancing my intention. A few years ago I began making monoprints and was captivated by the play of color on paper. The process lends itself to gestural application and combinations of ink, yielding a little bit of magic with a clean edge.” — SJT

Sarah Jaffe Turnbull grew up in Vermont, where she practiced law for many years before moving to the East end of Long Island. Turnbull continued her involvement in community issues including education, housing and health, while raising a family. In 2002, she began to explore ceramics, beginning with functional ware and moving into sculptural work.

Turnbull’s work has been shown in many regional galleries including Alex Ferrone Gallery, Cutchogue, NY; 4 Main Street, Southampton, NY; Southampton Cultural Center, Southampton, NY; folioeast, East Hampton; Kathryn Markel Gallery, Bridgehampton, NY, Lear Gallery, Sag Harbor, NY; Celadon Gallery, Watermill, NY; and the South Street Gallery, Greenport, NY. She has also exhibited in two Long Island Biennials at the Heckscher Art Museum in Huntington, NY.

Sarah Jaffe Turnbull by Jaime Lopez

Sarah Jaffe Turnbull by Jaime Lopez

ARTIST’S CAROUSEL

rotating exhibit of current & recently sold sculpture

SARAH JAFFE TURNBULL speaks to folioeast’s COCO MYERS

CM/ WHAT MEDIA ARE YOU CURRENTLY WORKING IN?

SJT/ Ceramic sculpture and monoprints on paper.

CM/ WHY DO YOU LIKE WORKING IN CLAY?

SJT/ Clay is of the earth, and moves from almost liquid to almost stone, and those who work with it must respect its properties, and I like that fire is a great part of the process.

CM/ WHAT DRIVES YOUR AESTHETIC?

SJT/ I am interested in perceptions of things being other than what they appear. Some of my sculptures are deceptively metallic-looking because of the glaze, which implies a strength, that on closer observation belies vulnerability. In other words, they look strong, but are actually breakable.

CM/ YOUR SHAPES ARE UNUSUAL. WHAT INSPIRED THEM?

SJT/ Some of the forms are architectonic, but out of balance, creating a different kind of tension.

CM/ IS THERE A SEASON OUT HERE THAT MOTIVATES YOU MOST?

SJT/ I prefer the sunny days of any season, and find that I may be more productive when the days are shorter.

CM/ DO YOU HAVE ANY WORKS BY EAST END ARTISTS IN YOUR HOME?

SJT/ Manoucher Yektai, Costantino Nivola, and Norman Jaffe.

PORTFOLIO OVERVIEW of sculpture

ARTIST’S CAROUSEL

rotating exhibit of current & recently sold mixed media

SARAH JAFFE TURNBULL

“Turnbull’s abstract monotypes have a lyrical quality while her glazed clay sculptures molded into multifaceted forms have an earthy elegance.”
— Coco Myers

“I am continually amazed at the interplay between color, light and space. I am also interested in perceptions of balance, particularly things being other than what they appear. I prefer to work in a gestural manner, without a clear end point, remaining open to possibility.

Clay is a wonderfully accessible and malleable medium with its own demands and constraints, moving from fluid to almost stone. Glaze presents another opportunity to say something, the fire (and in the case of raku, the thermal shock) having its way with the form, despite or enhancing my intention. A few years ago I began making monoprints and was captivated by the play of color on paper. The process lends itself to gestural application and combinations of ink, yielding a little bit of magic with a clean edge.” — SJT

Sarah Jaffe Turnbull grew up in Vermont, where she practiced law for many years before moving to the East end of Long Island. Turnbull continued her involvement in community issues including education, housing and health, while raising a family. In 2002, she began to explore ceramics, beginning with functional ware and moving into sculptural work.

Turnbull’s work has been shown in many regional galleries including Alex Ferrone Gallery, Cutchogue, NY; 4 Main Street, Southampton, NY; Southampton Cultural Center, Southampton, NY; folioeast, East Hampton; Kathryn Markel Gallery, Bridgehampton, NY, Lear Gallery, Sag Harbor, NY; Celadon Gallery, Watermill, NY; and the South Street Gallery, Greenport, NY. She has also exhibited in two Long Island Biennials at the Heckscher Art Museum in Huntington, NY.

Balance, 2017, monotype on paper, 11 x 8.5 in, $500

Balance, 2017, monotype on paper, 11 x 8.5 in, $500

ARTIST’S CAROUSEL

rotating exhibit of current & recently sold mixed media

SARAH JAFFE TURNBULL speaks to folioeast’s COCO MYERS

CM/ WHAT MEDIA ARE YOU CURRENTLY WORKING IN?

SJT/ Ceramic sculpture and monoprints on paper.

CM/ WHY DO YOU LIKE WORKING IN CLAY?

SJT/ Clay is of the earth, and moves from almost liquid to almost stone, and those who work with it must respect its properties, and I like that fire is a great part of the process.

CM/ WHAT DRIVES YOUR AESTHETIC?

SJT/ I am interested in perceptions of things being other than what they appear. My sculptures are deceptively metallic-looking because of the glaze, which implies a strength, that on closer observation belies vulnerability. In other words, they look strong, but are actually breakable.

CM/ YOUR SHAPES ARE UNUSUAL. WHAT INSPIRED THEM?

SJT/ Some of the forms are architectonic, but out of balance, creating a different kind of tension.

CM/ IS THERE A SEASON OUT HERE THAT MOTIVATES YOU MOST?

SJT/ I prefer the sunny days of any season, and find that I may be more productive when the days are shorter.

CM/ DO YOU HAVE ANY WORKS BY EAST END ARTISTS IN YOUR HOME?

SJT/ Manoucher Yektai, Costantino Nivola, and Norman Jaffe.

PORTFOLIO OVERVIEW of mixed media

ARTIST’S CAROUSEL

rotating exhibit of current & recently sold sculpture

ROSARIO VARELA

“Varela’s hand is clearly visible in her organic, sensual ceramic sculptures and her graphic abstract paintings.”
— Coco Myers

“I work in different mediums as inspiration beckons. After more than thirty years of personal inquiry and practice, I realize that I am happiest when I allow myself to explore whatever medium I am drawn to at the moment, including textile design, fabric dyeing and other crafts.

In my painting and drawing, I gravitate towards the abstract. I move from watery, layered and moody images to saturated, matte, and precise, graphic pieces. The format can range wildly from a few inches to several feet in size.

One of my passions in recent years has been working with clay—creating organic, sculptural forms as well as functional pieces, both hand-built and wheel-thrown.

I find tremendous enjoyment in the various stages of the ceramic-making process. When the clay is soft and amorphous, kneading and shaping the form is intuitive and visceral. The process becomes meditative due to the repetitive motion and awareness of the hardening material. When almost dry, I detail the surface. The pleasure lies in using fine tools and zeroing in on minute imperfections in order to achieve a perfectly smooth and/or coherent surface. I keep a fairly narrow color palette when it comes to glazing and I often leave the exterior of my pots unglazed because I love the boney color and its earthy texture.” — RV

Rosario Varela was born in 1964 in Argentina, where she grew up. She studied graphic design at the University of Architecture in Buenos Aires and continued at the University of California in Los Angeles. Varela later joined the Brentwood Art Center, where she began her study of fine arts. She moved to New York in 1989 and delved deeper into drawing and sculpture at various institutions, including the Art Students League of New York, the School of Visual Arts, and the New York Studio School. She currently maintains a studio in Amagansett, NY.

Varela’s work has appeared in many group exhibitions, including the Harlem ArtWalk and New Century Artists Gallery, New York, NY; the Brentwood Art Center, Los Angeles, CA; the Amagansett Historical Association and Ashawagh Hall, Amagansett, NY.; folioeast, Guild Hall, and Solar Gallery, East Hampton, NY; Celadon Gallery, Watermill, NY; and a solo show at Borem Studios, New York, NY.

Varela in her studio by Jaime Lopez

Varela in her studio by Jaime Lopez

ARTIST’S CAROUSEL

rotating exhibit of current & recently sold painting

ROSARIO VARELA speaks to folioeast’s COCO MYERS

CM/ HOW DO YOU DECIDE WHAT MEDIUM YOU’LL WORK ON IN A GIVEN DAY?

RV/ I choose my materials according to what my body craves. If I pay attention, I can feel whether I need to dig my hands in clay and begin forming an organic object that later may be part of an installation or mix a delicious batch of paint to lay on a large canvas. When I approach my work, it is usually an exploratory endeavor. After a while, the direction of the piece will show itself and I follow its lead.

Given that I am a fairly internal person, somewhat introverted, my hands are the ones that do the talking. Each day I spend very long hours creating something, be it at the potter's wheel or the easel. I hardly ever repeat myself; although all of my work relates to each other, most of my pieces are unique.

CM/ WHAT BROUGHT YOU TO THE EAST END? AND WHEN?

RV/ The East End is evocative of the town in Argentina where I was born and raised. In 2001 I started coming to Amagansett and by 2004 I had built a house where I now live in full-time.

CM/ HOW DOES THIS AREA INFILTRATE YOUR WORK?

RV/ The clean air, the magical light, the colors, the sound of the wind and ocean—all of it flavors the work I do.

CM/ DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE TIME TO BE ON THE EAST END?

RV/ I love all four seasons. Winter for its moody cloudscapes and deserted streets, spring for its sweet smell and the return of all kinds of faithful blooms, summer with its easy living of long days at the beach, bare feet and open doors, and fall for the crisp air and vibrant hues.

CM/ WHERE DO YOU DO YOUR WORK?

RV/ I transformed a cement-block structure at the back of my property into a multi-purpose studio where I paint, do ceramics and show my work to visitors. In East Hampton, I belong to a ceramic studio co-op. We have all we need to create and fire our pottery from beginning to end.

CM/ DO YOU DRAW INSPIRATION FROM THE HISTORY OF THE ABSTRACT EXPRESSIONIST MOVEMENT?

RV/ The passion and dedication of artists like Pollock and de Kooning somehow permeate this area. It is very special to walk the same paths and breathe the same air that they did.

CM/ DO YOU HAVE ANY WORKS BY EAST END ARTISTS IN YOUR HOME?

RV/ I have beautiful pieces by Jane Martin, Mark Wilson and Mary Ellen Bartley.

PORTFOLIO OVERVIEW of painting

ARTIST’S CAROUSEL

rotating exhibit of current & recently sold sculpture

ROSARIO VARELA

“Varela’s hand is clearly visible in her organic, sensual ceramic sculptures and her graphic abstract paintings.”
— Coco Myers

“I work in different mediums as inspiration beckons. After more than thirty years of personal inquiry and practice, I realize that I am happiest when I allow myself to explore whatever medium I am drawn to at the moment, including textile design, fabric dyeing and other crafts.

One of my passions in recent years has been working with clay—creating organic, sculptural forms as well as functional pieces, both hand-built and wheel-thrown.

I find tremendous enjoyment in the various stages of the ceramic-making process. When the clay is soft and amorphous, kneading and shaping the form is intuitive and visceral. The process becomes meditative due to the repetitive motion and awareness of the hardening material. When almost dry, I detail the surface. The pleasure lies in using fine tools and zeroing in on minute imperfections in order to achieve a perfectly smooth and/or coherent surface. I keep a fairly narrow color palette when it comes to glazing and I often leave the exterior of my pots unglazed because I love the boney color and its earthy texture.

In my painting and drawing, I gravitate towards the abstract. I move from watery, layered and moody images to saturated, matte, and precise, graphic pieces. The format can range wildly from a few inches to several feet in size.” — RV

Rosario Varela was born in 1964 in Argentina, where she grew up. She studied graphic design at the University of Architecture in Buenos Aires and continued at the University of California in Los Angeles. Varela later joined the Brentwood Art Center, where she began her study of fine arts. She moved to New York in 1989 and delved deeper into drawing and sculpture at various institutions, including the Art Students League of New York, the School of Visual Arts, and the New York Studio School. She currently maintains a studio in Amagansett, NY.

Varela’s work has appeared in many group exhibitions, including the Harlem ArtWalk and New Century Artists Gallery, New York, NY; the Brentwood Art Center, Los Angeles, CA; the Amagansett Historical Association and Ashawagh Hall, Amagansett, NY.; folioeast, Guild Hall, and Solar Gallery, East Hampton, NY; Celadon Gallery, Watermill, NY; and a solo show at Borem Studios, New York, NY.

Varela in her studio by Jaime Lopez

Varela in her studio by Jaime Lopez

ARTIST’S CAROUSEL

rotating exhibit of current & recently sold sculpture

ROSARIO VARELA speaks to folioeast’s COCO MYERS

CM/ HOW DO YOU DECIDE WHAT MEDIUM YOU’LL WORK ON IN A GIVEN DAY?

RV/ I choose my materials according to what my body craves. If I pay attention, I can feel whether I need to dig my hands in clay and begin forming an organic object that later may be part of an installation or mix a delicious batch of paint to lay on a large canvas. When I approach my work, it is usually an exploratory endeavor. After a while, the direction of the piece will show itself and I follow its lead.

Given that I am a fairly internal person, somewhat introverted, my hands are the ones that do the talking. Each day I spend very long hours creating something, be it at the potter's wheel or the easel. I hardly ever repeat myself; although all of my work relates to each other, most of my pieces are unique.

CM/ WHAT BROUGHT YOU TO THE EAST END? AND WHEN?

RV/ The East End is evocative of the town in Argentina where I was born and raised. In 2001 I started coming to Amagansett and by 2004 I had built a house where I now live full-time.

CM/ HOW DOES THIS AREA INFILTRATE YOUR WORK?

RV/ The clean air, the magical light, the colors, the sound of the wind and ocean—all of it flavors the work I do.

CM/ DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE TIME TO BE ON THE EAST END?

RV/ I love all four seasons. Winter for its moody cloudscapes and deserted streets, spring for its sweet smell and the return of all kinds of faithful blooms, summer with its easy living of long days at the beach, bare feet and open doors, and fall for the crisp air and vibrant hues.

CM/ WHERE DO YOU DO YOUR WORK?

RV/ I transformed a cement-block structure at the back of my property into a multi-purpose studio where I paint, do ceramics and show my work to visitors. In East Hampton, I belong to a ceramic studio co-op. We have all we need to create and fire our pottery from beginning to end.

CM/ DO YOU DRAW INSPIRATION FROM THE HISTORY OF THE ABSTRACT EXPRESSIONIST MOVEMENT?

RV/ The passion and dedication of artists like Pollock and de Kooning somehow permeate this area. It is very special to walk the same paths and breathe the same air that they did.

CM/ DO YOU HAVE ANY WORKS BY EAST END ARTISTS IN YOUR HOME?

RV/ I have beautiful pieces by Jane Martin, Mark Wilson and Mary Ellen Bartley.

PORTFOLIO OVERVIEW of sculpture

ARTIST’S CAROUSEL

rotating exhibit of current & recently sold painting

CHARLES WALLER

“Charles Waller’s unique and artful assemblages of vintage objects are amusing, provocative or intellectual—sometimes all at once. ”
— Coco Myers

“My art is primarily inspired by antique objects or materials either found or purchased. On occasion this has required me to travel throughout Europe and the United States to find exactly what I need. When a particular object inspires me, I creat a theme and produce 20 or more pieces. This fashion of working comes from my earlier career as an illustrator for the New York Times, as well as variety of other publications. Each assignment would dictate several story ideas to be presented to the editor.  

This discipline has carried over to my fine art career. My affinity for the Surrealist movement, specifically Magritte, is evidenced in many of my creations.  However, texture, social commentary, sarcasm and humor play an enormous role in my work. My greatest satisfaction occurs when I watch a collector laugh and get the connection.  Then I’ve succeeded!  .” — CW

Charles Waller was born in California in 1954. He grew up in South America and London. He studied English Literature and Psychology at the University of London and illustration at the Royal College of Art for drawing, then he got his BFA from the Rhode Island School of Design. After college, Waller moved to New York City and began doing illustrations for the New York Times, The Washington Post, Boston Globe, Esquire Magazine and other publications. 

Waller began making three-dimensional art when he moved to East Hampton in the early eighties.  His artwork has been included in numerous one-man shows at Morgan Rank Gallery, Lizan Tops Gallery and Ann Kolb Gallery in East Hampton, NY;  Pamela Williams Gallery in Amagansett, NY; Michael Perez Fine Art and Pacifico Fine Art in New York, NY, among others. He has exhibited in group shows including at RJD Gallery, Sag Harbor, NY; Guild Hall, East Hampton, NY;  Southampton Cultural Center, Southampton, NY: Micro Museum, Brooklyn, NY;  Dai-Nippon Gallery, Tokyo, Japan; and Triangle Gallery, Calgary, Canada.  

Waller’s work is in the private collections of Donna Karan, Kirk Douglas, Barry Sonnenfeld, Tina Broccoli, among others. He has taught at the Rhode Island School of Design, Boston University, Parsons School of  Design, School of Visual Arts and the Ross School. He lives and works in East Hampton..

Charles Waller by Jaime Lopez

Charles Waller by Jaime Lopez

ARTIST'S CAROUSEL

rotating exhibit of current & recently sold work

CHARLES WALLER speaks to folioeast’s COCO MYERS

CM/ WHAT APPEALS TO YOU ABOUT ANTIQUE OBJECTS?

CW/ I have always loved antiques.Growing up in London, I began collecting at a very early age. Now when I find an object it inspires a chain reaction that ends up as a body of work with a central theme.Thus the hunt begins. I travel far and wide to find the perfect components to make my statement.

CM/ DO YOU SKETCH IDEAS OF YOUR ASSEMBLAGES BEFORE ACTUALLY COMBINING THE ELEMENTS?

CW/ I do all my sketches on legal pads. I like the lines and the fact that my stream of consciousness is not hindered by a precious little white sketchbook. It is not unusual to find me sitting on the ground in the middle of large flea market doodling away, oblivious to all around me.

CM/ WHERE AND WHEN DO YOU DO YOUR MOST OF YOUR WORK? ANY PARTICULAR WORK HABITS YOU COULD DESCRIBE?

CW/ I do most of my work in my studio when I’m not on the road searching for “stuff.”   I use power tools  as much as I use paint. I work in spurts, obsessive and with no distractions until my project is complete. Then when something catches my eye,  I start the whole process again.

CM/ WHAT BROUGHT YOU TO THE EAST END? AND WHEN?  

CW/ I moved to the East End in the eighties, not to pursue an art career, since I already had one in New York City, but to pursue my love of all things water-related: fishing,sailing and surfing. I have rarely missed a sunset or a storm.The natural beauty here certainly refreshes my soul.

CM/ DO YOU FEEL INSPIRED BY THE HISTORY OF ART ON THE EAST END?  

CW/ One can not throw a rock out here without hitting an abstract expressionist.The artist community here is very strong.There is always a variety of art shows and events to keep you busy, as well as a diverse group of talented, kind and exceptional artists.

PORTFOLIO OVERVIEW

AARON WARKOV

“In both his painting and photography, Warkov creates imagery that is powerful without being overwrought.”
— Coco Myers

“My recent large format photographs and paintings have focused on gravity and patterns in nature, such as in farm fields, the energy of the ocean, and architectural objects.

I try to capture the silence and solitude of my vision—one that does not hesitate to face the difficulties of life and embrace the impermanence and boundlessness of nature. I don’t seek to celebrate the materials or methods used in the making. I encourage viewers to sense underlying forces giving rise to visible forms—exposing a vibrating instant of existence.” — AW

Warkov was born in San Francisco. His young parents, who were attending the San Francisco Art Institute, immersed him in a family soup of creativity. When he was nine, his family relocated to Minneapolis and it was there he discovered his relationship to gravity, wind and water, becoming a champion skateboarder and windsurfer. At 17, he went to Europe and modeled with top designers including Versace and Valentino. It was this exposure that kick-started his own photographic path, doing commercial work for advertising and magazines, as well as celebrity portraits. He is now turning his artistic lens on the natural world.

Warkov’s work is in both private and corporate collections in Manhattan. He resides in New York City and Sagaponack, NY, with his girlfriend, dog, and large collection of surfboards.

Aaron Warkov by Jaime Lopez

Aaron Warkov by Jaime Lopez


ARTIST’S CAROUSEL

rotating exhibit of current & recently sold painting

AARON WARKOV speaks to folioeast’s COCO MYERS

CM/ WHAT MATERIALS DO YOU PRIMARILY USE? AND WHY?

AW/ Acrylic paint and mediums because they allows me to freeze sections and over paint to create layers over layers, and textures that run over textures. For photography, I use large format Giclée prints on archival rag paper—this shows my work in a scale that makes you crawl into the image.

CM/ IS THERE ONE PART OF YOUR CREATIVE PROCESS THAT IS PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT?

AW/ As with most of my work I ask myself to never be afraid of the medium I am working in, and to try to stand in a different spot than any other person has been, to view or create my work from a unique perspective.

CM/ WHAT BROUGHT YOU TO THE EAST END?

AW/ My girlfriend reintroduced me to the area four years ago, and to all it contains—the beach, the light, the diverse landscape, the mix of socioeconomic structure, the hedges, the farms, the waves, the working class, the clash of cultures.

CM/ WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE SEASON OUT HERE?

AW/ Anytime before or after the peak summer season. I can come and go anywhere as I please without the slow traffic crawl to capture images in less crowded places, and drive on the beach with my gear to reach areas I want to capture.

CM/ WHERE DO YOU DO YOUR WORK?

AW/ I work out of a studio-office space in my home, and outdoors out of my 4x4 foot van.

CM/ DO YOU HAVE ANY FAVORITE SPOTS ON THE EAST END?

AW/ I do. The third jetty by Georgica pond, the beaches of Montauk Point, farm fields in Sagaponack, lonely quiet points in the Springs facing the sound, the Napeague area with all its natural diversity and quiet forgotten places. And anywhere that is showing artwork inspired by the diverse community of artists out here.

PORTFOLIO OVERVIEW of painting

ARTIST’S CAROUSEL

rotating exhibit of current & recently sold photography

AARON WARKOV

“In both his painting and photography, Warkov creates imagery that is powerful without being overwrought.”
— Coco Myers

“My recent large format photographs and paintings have focused on gravity and patterns in nature, such as in farm fields, the energy of the ocean, and architectural objects.

I try to capture the silence and solitude of my vision—one that does not hesitate to face the difficulties of life and embrace the impermanence and boundlessness of nature. I don’t seek to celebrate the materials or methods used in the making. I encourage viewers to sense underlying forces giving rise to visible forms—exposing a vibrating instant of existence.” — AW

Warkov was born in San Francisco. His young parents, who were attending the San Francisco Art Institute, immersed him in a family soup of creativity. When he was nine, his family relocated to Minneapolis and it was there he discovered his relationship to gravity, wind and water, becoming a champion skateboarder and windsurfer. At 17, he went to Europe and modeled with top designers including Versace and Valentino. It was this exposure that kick-started his own photographic path, doing commercial work for advertising and magazines, as well as celebrity portraits. He is now turning his artistic lens on the natural world.

Warkov’s work is in both private and corporate collections in Manhattan. He resides in New York City and Sagaponack, NY, with his girlfriend, dog, and large collection of surfboards.

Aaron Warkov by Jaime Lopez

Aaron Warkov by Jaime Lopez

ARTIST’S CAROUSEL

rotating exhibit of current & recently sold photography

AARON WARKOV speaks to folioeast’s COCO MYERS

CM/ WHAT MATERIALS DO YOU PRIMARILY USE? AND WHY?

AW/ Acrylic paint and mediums because they allows me to freeze sections and over paint to create layers over layers, and textures that run over textures. For photography, I use large format Giclée prints on archival rag paper—this shows my work in a scale that makes you crawl into the image.

CM/ IS THERE ONE PART OF YOUR CREATIVE PROCESS THAT IS PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT?

AW/ As with most of my work I ask myself to never be afraid of the medium I am working in, and to try to stand in a different spot than any other person has been, to view or create my work from a unique perspective.

CM/ WHAT BROUGHT YOU TO THE EAST END? AND WHEN?

AW/ My girlfriend reintroduced me to the area four years ago, and to all it contains—the beach, the light, the diverse landscape, the mix of socioeconomic structure, the hedges, the farms, the waves, the working class, the clash of cultures.

CM/ WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE SEASON OUT HERE?

AW/ Anytime before or after the peak summer season. I can come and go anywhere as I please without the slow traffic crawl to capture images in less crowded places, and drive on the beach with my gear to reach areas I want to capture.

CM/ WHERE DO YOU DO YOUR WORK?

AW/ I work out of a studio-office space in my home, and outdoors out of my 4x4 foot van.

CM/ DO YOU HAVE ANY FAVORITE SPOTS ON THE EAST END?

AW/ I do. The third jetty by Georgica pond, the beaches of Montauk Point, farm fields in Sagaponack, lonely quiet points in the Springs facing the sound, the Napeague area with all its natural diversity and quiet forgotten places. And anywhere that is showing artwork inspired by the diverse community of artists out here.

PORTFOLIO OVERVIEW of photography

ARTIST’S CAROUSEL

rotating exhibit of current & recently sold painting

MARK WEBBER

“The appeal of texture and materials are intrinsic to Webber’s work—expressed in combinations of plaster, metal and stone.”
— Coco Myers

“Although I drew quite a bit as a child, I was not actually drawn to making art until my first year of college. By chance I took an art class with Charles Ginnever and Peter Forakis and realized right then that that’s what I really wanted to do. I graduated with a BFA in sculpture and went to work for a sculptor named Robert Perless, who was building an all steel structure. That’s when I learned to love steel.  

I have always made art regardless if its degree of visibility. As a cabinetmaker I use materials from the construction trades—glass, wood, steel, plaster, and leaded copper for roof flashing. There is an honesty to them, and they come together in a balanced way that is my aesthetic equivalent to solving an equation.  

Moving out here has allowed me access to what I consider its most precious resource: the water. I’ve spent a lot of time on the water, racing sailboats and kayaks. I always look for the currents on top of the water, how the wind is bending around a point or where I can get “free” energy from these elements. It’s about being totally in the moment and letting the nature around me guide me. This is very much like my process with art.” — MW

Mark Webber was born in Manhattan and graduated with a BFA in sculpture from SUNY Purchase in 1978. He moved to Sag Harbor in 1999 with his wife, photographer Francine Fleischer, and daughter. He has worked as a cabinet maker and fine furniture building at Custom Woodworking Design since 1981.

Webber has shown in group exhibitions at Guild Hall, Ashawagh Hall, and folioeast in East Hampton, NY, the Sara Nightingale Gallery in Watermill, NY, East End Collected at the Southampton Arts Center and Art Garden Landman, Southampton, NY; Anita Rogers Gallery, New York, NY; and at the Boston Biennial. He was also selected for the 2016 East End Arts Annual National Show.

Mark Webber with his work by Jaime Lopez

Mark Webber with his work by Jaime Lopez

ARTIST’s CAROUSEL

rotating exhibit of current & recently sold work

MARK WEBBER speaks to folioeast’s COCO MYERS

CM/ WHAT MATERIALS DO YOU WORK WITH?

MW/ Most of my exploration involves working with Hydrocal (a type of plaster) in combination with another element, such as stone, steel, glass, or copper wire. In bringing these different materials together, I have found many alternative ways to mix and form the white powder and build the constructions that become my sculpture. It has led to innovative ways of working with the material.

CM/ WHAT BROUGHT YOU TO THE EAST END, AND WHEN?

MW/ I would have to say the water. Back in 1999, we (with my wife, photographer Francine Fleischer) were living in NYC and it was time to move. Suburbia did not interest us and the East End seemed culturally vibrant, not to mention the incredible opportunities to go to the beach or be on the water. It won out over heading for the mountains.

CM/ HOW DOES THIS AREA INFLUENCE OR INFILTRATE YOUR WORK?

MW/ I think anywhere one decides to live will ultimately influence one's work. I spend a lot of time on the water, sailing or kayaking. I would say that the play of the tides, the wind, and the currents have the most effect on me.

CM/ WHERE DO YOU DO YOUR WORK?

MW/ I have a large woodworking shop in an industrial setting and a smaller studio next to our house. Both offer different ways to focus on my art.

CM/ DO YOU FEEL A CONNECTION TO OTHER ARTISTS ON THE EAST END?

MW/ I would say that the strong art community out here is inspirational. I imagine that in other places artists might feel like they are working in a vacuum, but here it is so easy to get together for a dinner, a studio visit, and feel the support to be creative.

CM/ ANYTHING ELSE YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE ABOUT YOUR WORK/PROCESS?

MW/ Making art is not a solo endeavor, although it might appear that way. It is a relationship to the material, to the landscape, to the people around me, that are in constant change, and constantly challenge me to change, for which I am grateful.

PORTFOLIO OVERVIEW

JEFF LION WEINSTOCK

“Weinstock captures the abstract nature of the textures and colors of ordinary walls and enhances them in a way that elevates the images to painterly pieces of art.”
— Coco Myers

“I photograph walls and urban surfaces around New York City and elsewhere. I look  for shapes, patterns, colors, textures, and assemblages of elements that taken out of context suggest new compositions. Often I heighten or change the colors and play with contrast and shadows. Most of what I photographs is ephemera: things that disappear because of weather or human intervention. There's a sense of discovery when I find a hidden composition and can bring it to life. I want viewers to make their own associations with the images and read into them their own feelings and experiences. ” — JW

Jeff Lion Weinstock is an award-winning television and film producer and fine art photographer. A native of Greenwich Village, his photographs pay tribute to the city, and as critic Michael Kimmelman has observed, “its secret spectacles.”  Mr Weinstock earned his MFA in film from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts in 1969. After spending several years as a still photographer for advertising agencies in New York city he began a freelance career as cinematographer/director. In 1990 he joined RHI entertainment as Vice President of in-house production working on documentary, commercial and theatrical projects that took him all over the world. He created several television series, including Adoption, and television specials like The Boys, a tribute to Laurel and Hardy. He divides his time between New York City and Springs.

Jeff Weinstock

ARTIST'S CAROUSEL

rotating exhibit of current & recently sold work

JEFF WEINSTOCK speaks to folioeast’s COCO MYERS

CM: Why are you drawn to walls in particular. What about them appeals to you?

JW: Walls and pavement are the canvases of cities, offering infinite possibilities. I look to discover elements that come together in unexpected ways.

CM: Does the landscape out here find its way into your work ?

JW:  Here, I photograph the ocean and trees. particularly in winter. But almost all of my work is done in cities. 

CM: Do you feel connected to the artists out here and do you own any of their works?

JW:  Living in Springs  for a a long time, aware of its rich history,  being friends with several  artists and having Ashawagh Hall down the road have all instilled in me a sense of community with the people who make things here. Among other things, I own a piece by the Montauk painter Janet Sawyer and a sculpture by Martin Craig, both of which I love.

CM: How did you get interested in photography?

JW: Most of my career was spent as a cinematographer and cameraman on films. That grew out of my original interest, which was photography. As a kid I spent time at the Limelight cafe/gallery in Greenwich Village, looking at the photographs of Robert Frank , Ansel Adams, Minor White and others. I started taking pictures at that time and won a Kodak completion in high school, and in my late teens my mother, who worked at the Ford Foundation, hired me to take photographs for a book she was writing.   

CM: Your work has a painterly quality. Is that something that you do on purpose?

JW: I grew up in Greenwich Village in the 1950's and 60's, during the heyday of the New York School painters and photographers, and I absorbed a repertoire of images that became a kind of visual Rolodex in my unconscious. 

Most of my painterly work is made while hunting the city. I look for details, accidents, visual coincidences, that have about them an inherent element of abstraction and that lend themselves to my making even more abstracted pictures. Then I work with color, whether subtle or vivid, while staying true to the heart of the thing that I'm photographing. Or at least that's how I see it. So you could say that I'm operating in a zone between painting and photography, between reality and abstraction, such that a viewer is not always going to be sure whether the image they're seeing is real, or even what it is. 

PORTFOLIO OVERVIEW