Publication: The East Hampton Press & The Southampton Press
Yard sale is latest way to get art seen and sold
By Pat Rogers May 27, 08 4:27 PM
There will be yet another place to view art when the Outdoor Arts & Crafts Show comes to town. On Saturday, area artists will set up shop on the lawn of artist Robbi Goldberg, whose residence is around the corner and a few short blocks away from the Westhampton Village Green on Aspatuck Road.
Just like the larger fair in town, the Westhampton Spring Art and Craft Show, the “Art in the Yard” fine art yard sale will have tents filled with art. Unlike the pieces in the larger fair, all the art in the yard sale was made by East End artists.
Having an art fair on her front lawn seemed like a great idea to Ms. Goldberg because of the proximity to the Village Green. And timing her yard sale to coincide with the annual outdoor arts and crafts show seemed like the perfect plan. So Ms. Goldberg called a few artist friends, tossed the idea out, and they decided to give it a go. The Art in the Yard sale features the artwork of Bill Girimonti of Patchogue, Dom Lamontanaro of Southampton, Murray Kahn of Hampton Bays and Ms. Goldberg.
Most of the work will be landscapes, with some photography and portraiture included in the mix. All of the artists are members of the Southampton Artists Association (SAA) and have exhibited in SAA group shows held at the Southampton Cultural Center.
Ms. Goldberg is known for her paintings of New York Mets baseball players, landscapes of the Greek island, Ios, and portraits of local farm stands. Her work has been shown at libraries in Westhampton, Southampton and around Long Island. Her Ios paintings have been shown in Greece, Germany, Israel, Russia and Washington, D.C.
Mr. Girimonti focuses on landscape paintings, giclee prints and photographs. He has exhibited at the Water Mill Museum, Phoenix Fine Art Gallery—a cooperative artists gallery in Bellport—and at Brookhaven Arts and Humanities Council’s Gallery on the Hill in Farmingdale. He is represented by the Wyland Gallery in Sayville.
Mr. Karn’s landscapes bring foreign locales to local viewers. His paintings have been exhibited in the Parrish Art Museum’s juried art show, Lizan Tops Gallery in East Hampton, the East End Arts Council in Riverhead, the Quogue Library and other venues. His artwork has won awards from The Artist’s Magazine competition, SAA and the Knickerbocker Artists of New York.
Mr. Lamontanaro’s work has been exhibited at the Hector deCordova Studio & Gallery in Greenport and in shows held by SAA; he has also shown at the Rogers Memorial Library in Southampton, the Water Mill Museum, and the Gallery on the Hill in Farmingville. He is currently the second vice president of the SAA. His work ranges from landscapes to figurative and is executed in multiple mediums.
The original concept was to bring six artists together to set up tents on Ms. Goldberg’s expansive front lawn. Four artists had committed as of press time. More may sign on as the event draws closer. Ms. Goldberg previously held an art yard sale at her former home in East Moriches. The event was a qualified success, despite its relatively remote location, she said. When Ms. Goldberg moved a stone’s-throw away from Westhampton Beach’s Main Street, it seemed like a good time to try the idea again.
“I was looking outside my window at this great big lawn and thought it would be perfect for an art show,” Ms. Goldberg said. “That’s really where the idea for the Art in the Yard show came from.”
Timing the one-day show to piggyback on the Spring Art & Crafts Show held on the nearby Village Green was logical. To drum up interest, the group plans to post flyers and signs around town. Mostly, the group hopes the day is a fun one and people turn out to see their art. Being able to witness the reactions of those who stop by will make the day worthwhile.
“I love that the most,” Mr. Girimonti said. “To be able to see how people react to your work and hear their comments, especially if they don’t know you’re the artist. Interacting with people and getting feedback on the work is the most satisfying part of being an artist.”
Ms. Goldberg agreed. “I sometimes find a spot away from where my art is hung in an exhibition and just watch how people react to my work. It’s great to sell something, but that’s not really what it’s all about. I really want my art to be seen by as many people as possible. Shows like this are just one more way to get my work out there.”
Art in the Yard: A fine art yard sale by East End artists will be held on Saturday, May 31, weather permitting, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at 15 Aspatuck Road, Westhampton Beach. The rain date is Sunday; admission is free. For more information, call 288-1930.
