Art Barge Docks in Springs
“Back at Ashawagh,” an annual exhibition organized by the Mabel and Victor D’Amico Institute of Art/The Art Barge, will open Friday at Ashawagh Hall in Springs and continue through Monday. A reception will take place Friday from 5 to 7:30 p.m.
When Victor D’Amico instituted summer classes on the East End in 1955, he used Ashawagh Hall as his home base. This exhibition showcases work by the Friends of the Art Barge, trustees, instructors, and staff, as well as a selection from the 2025 children’s program. The show will also celebrate Christopher Kohan’s 50 years of service as steward of the D’Amico legacy with the inclusion of paintings by artists drawn from the Art Barge Collection.
Gallery hours are tomorrow from 2 to 7:30, Saturday from 9 to 5, Sunday from 11 to 6, and Monday from 11 to 3.
Reflecting on Beauty
** This talk has been rescheduled to Sept. 27 at 1 p.m. **
The Arts Center at Duck Creek in Springs will host “On Beauty,” a talk and open discussion with Bruce M. Sherman, whose exhibition “Bonsai and Spirit Rocks” is on view there, on Sunday afternoon at 1. The program will explore philosophical, spiritual, and everyday dimensions of beauty.
During the 1960s and ’70s, Mr. Sherman was involved in the Society of Experimental Studies, a group of creative people who worked together to pursue and promote various forms of craftsmanship. During his presentation he will reflect on that experience, as well as the teachings of such philosophers as D.T. Suzuki, William Segal, and Soetsu Yanagi, the author of “The Beauty of Everyday Things.”
The talk is free, and visitors will be encouraged to participate.
Artists Benefit
Camille Perrottet, an East Hampton artist, has organized an artists benefit for the children of Gaza, set for Saturday from 5 to 8 p.m. in the community room at Windmill Village 2, 219 Accabonac Road, East Hampton. Music will be provided by the Fistys, and Kathy Engel will read from her poetry.
Participating artists include Barbara DiLorenzo, Ingrid Madera, Barbara Maslen, Jane Martin, Christa Maiwald, Fulvio Massi, Paton Miller, Gabriele Raacke, Aurelio Torres, Mimi Saltzman, Peter Solow, Zellie Rellim, Ms. Perrottet, and more.
All proceeds from sales will benefit Doctors Without Borders.
Ben Fenske Solo
A solo show of recent work from Ben Fenske, a neo-impressionist painter, is on view at the Grenning Gallery in Sag Harbor through Sept. 14.
Mr. Fenske’s approach to impressionism leads with a uniformity of brushstrokes, according to the gallery. Each is approximately two or three inches, allowing the viewer to both recognize the complexity in the marks while appreciating the wider compositional value of the work.
While elements of his paintings reflect his skill in representing detail, the appeal of impressionism lies in resisting realism and allowing the “impression” of a scene to emerge. The intention is to capture the beauty and drama of a scene by focusing on the light and color, rather than striving for exacting realism.
Mercedes Matter in Chelsea
Mercedes Matter (1913-2001) was a painter, educator, and integral part of the New York School. She was also a member of the first group of avant-garde artists who came to the South Fork in the 1940s.
Berry Campbell Gallery in Chelsea will open a retrospective of Matter’s paintings and works on paper with a reception Friday from 6 to 8 p.m. It will continue through Oct. 4.
The exhibition spans Matter’s career, ranging from early figurative drawings in Hans Hofmann’s classroom to large-scale canvases and incisive late charcoals. They reveal an artist of deep formal command and emotional range whose legacy lies not only in her art but in her role as the founder of the New York Studio School in 1964.
—
This article has been changed from its original and print versions to reflect the rescheduling of the talk at the Arts Center at Duck Creek.
