Long Island's Best: Young Artists at The Heckscher Museum 2021 Exhibition Program

Long Island’s

BEST

Young Artists at The Heckscher Museum April 17 – May 23, 2021

The Museum gratefully acknowledges our SPONSORS AND PARTNERS PRESENTING SPONSOR The Darrell Fund Endowment

ARTISTIC SPONSOR Strong-Cuevas Foundation

PATRON SPONSORS TD Charitable Foundation The Claire Friedlander Family Foundation The Milton and Sally Avery Arts Foundation, Inc. EXHIBITION CATALOGUE SPONSORS Inna Gellerman, DDS, Gellerman Orthodontics Callaghan Lucerino & Associates LLP

Prizes and awards generously provided by Christopher Renzo Bianchi and the Bianchi Family Renzo & Lynette Bianchi Scholarship Awards Frank J. Sposato, Jeffrey Sposato, and Peter F. Cohen Second Place, Judith Sposato Memorial Prize Robin T. Hadley Third Place, The Hadley Prize Jeanne Hewitt Fourth Place, The Stan Brodsky Scholarship Award Donors to the 2017 Celebrate Achievement Benefit Celebrate Achievement Best In Show The Law Offices of Andrew Presberg Andrew Presberg Promising Young Artist Awards Christine Machtay Donald and Gloria Horn Scholarship Award and Donald G. Horn, Jr. Scholarship Award Huntington Fine Arts Joseph Mack Achievement Awards and Huntington Fine Arts Honorable Mentions Cozza Family The Cozza Family Photography Award and Cozza Family Award Firefly Art Gallery The Firefly Artists Next Generation Awards

Additional Thank Yous Jurors: Karli Wurzelbacher, Heckscher Museum Curator and Melissa Misla, Artist Andreas Rentsch, Exhibition Catalogue Photographer In support of the next generation of Long Island artists, select works of art from Long Island's Best 2021 will be on view May 25 through June 27 in Mitchells' store windows, 270 Main Street, Huntington, NY 11743.

Firefly Art Gallery, 162 Main Street, Northport, NY, 11768.

The Heckscher Museum of Art receives generous support from the Town of Huntington.

ABOUT THE EXHIBITION Now in its 25th year, Long Island’s Best is a hallmark of the Museum’s educational programming. This initiative is the only juried exhibition for Long Island high school students that provides the opportunity to exhibit in a museum.

The Heckscher Museum encourages students to think outside the box as they work in a broad range of media, styles, and subjects. Students are challenged to select artwork on view in the Museum as the inspiration for their own work, making creative connections with the generations who have come before them. This year, 56 public and private schools submitted students’ artwork for jurying. 331 entries were received and Curator Karli Wurzelbacher, Ph.D., and guest juror and artist Melissa Misla selected 83 for display.

ARTIST STATEMENTS The Museum recognizes that in order to succeed, students must learn how to effectively write and speak about their artwork. Each student has written an artist statement describing their inspiration and artistic process. An image of the Inspiration Artwork is provided to deepen visual connections.

EXHIBITION CATALOGUES Thanks to the generous sponsorship of Inna Gellerman, DDS, Gellerman Orthodontics and Callaghan Lucerino & Associates LLP, all exhibiting students and their teachers will receive the Long Island's Best 2021 exhibition catalogue, featuring images of all works in the exhibition, artist statements, and Inspiration Artwork.

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT Looking back on 25 years, the museum has reconnected with LI Best alumni to see where they are now and what advice they would give to high school artists.

YOU DECIDE! Two awards have not yet been determined. Museum visitors (both inperson and virtual) will choose the winners! Cast your vote for the Visitors Choice Award in the Museum and Virtual Visitors Choice Award at heckscher.org/libest2021 through May 23! Winners will be announced on May 25!

On the cover: Cailin Hoang, Night-Mare, Acrylic on canvas, Hicksville HS. Art Teacher: Craig Mateyunas.

Finding

INSPIRATION

Students found inspiration in artwork on view in the Museum during the 2020-2021 school year. Through close observation and discussion, students learned to make connections between artwork on view and their own experiences.

Amanda Valdez: Piecework Contemporary artist Amanda Valdez creates brilliantly colored, patterned, and textured abstract paintings by cutting, sewing, dyeing, painting, and embroidering canvas and other cloth. Featuring 19 paintings, this exhibition explores Valdez’s engagement with the histories of abstraction and “women’s work” with fiber.

Amanda Valdez , Daily Failures, 2017, Embroidery, oil stick on mounted paper, acrylic, fabric, and canvas.

Balancing Act: William King The Heckscher Museum’s collection of sculptures by William King addresses themes at the heart of human experience. From just a few thin pieces of interlocking metal, the artist created compositions that are both playful and perilous.

Long Island Biennial 2020

Glen Hansen, Ellis Island, 2018 [detail], Oil on panel.

The Long Island Biennial is a juried exhibition that fosters deeper connections between contemporary artists from Nassau and Suffolk Counties and the communities in which they live and work. The works on view represent a vital cross section of Long Island’s contemporary art.

Connie Fox: The Sammy's Beach Series The exhibition brings together a dozen abstract paintings and a group of related drawings in charcoal, ink, and acrylic on paper that Fox created in response to Sammy’s Beach in Northwest Harbor, East Hampton.

Connie Fox, Sammy’s Beach X, 2012 [detail], Acrylic on canvas.

Wood Gaylor and American Modernism Wood Gaylor joined other prominent modern artists in New York City to form The Penguin group. The association put on exhibitions, held weekly sketching sessions, and mounted fantastic Arts Balls, complete with costumes, comical skits, musicians, and papier-mâché props. Gaylor captured these spirited events in paintings featuring brightly-colored, flat, outlined figures in grand spaces.

Wood Gaylor (1883-1957) Arts Ball, 1918. 1918, Oil on canvas, Private Collection

HIGHLIGHTS from the Exhibition

Left to right, starting at the top left: Amber Dacanay, Untitled, Oil on canvas, Huntington Fine Arts, Art Teacher: Lenore Hanson; Madison Amini, Masked Recognition, Acrylic on canvas, W. T. Clarke High School, Art Teacher: Jane Pawlowski; Mary Blaney, stitching a dreamscape, Oil on canvas, Manhasset High School, Art Teacher: Lori Oldaker; Caroline Roser-Dialma, Oranges and Lemons, Thread and acrylic on canvas, Long Beach High School, Art Teacher: Eric Fox; Victoria Rodgers, Hidden in Plain Sight, Pencil, Commack High School, Art Teacher: Marie Adamo; Ella Siepel, Tempest at Dusk, Ceramic, Huntington High School, Art Teacher: Ayallah Jeddah; Matthew Vo, Interior Struggle [detail], Colored pencil, W.T. Clarke High School, Art Teacher: Jane Pawlowski. Gagandeep Kaur, Stonewall, Again, Colored pencil and graphite, Floral Park Memorial High School, Art Teacher: Sydell Glasser.

EXHIBITING ARTISTS Aleena Abraham, Hicksville High School - THIRD PLACE, The Hadley Prize Carlos Alfaro, Walt Whitman High School - Heckscher Achievement Award Donald & Gloria Horn Scholarship Award / 25th Anniversary Bianchi Scholarship Award Madison Amini, W.T. Clarke High School Tyler Basil, Huntington High School Mary Blaney, Manhasset High School Huntington Fine Arts Honorable Mention / Cozza Family Art Award Jeanna Boltz, Half Hollow Hills High School East Matthew Bonventre, East Meadow High School Annemarie Cabrera, John F. Kennedy High School - Firefly Gallery Next Generation Award Robert Camlet, East Islip High School Samantha Christian, Sachem High School East Heckscher Achievement Award / Huntington Fine Arts Honorable Mention Caitlyn Coffin, Long Beach High School Shannon Comiskey, Hicksville High School David Crespo, Long Beach High School Elijah Croom, Malverne High School Julianna Curcio, Northport High School Amber Dacanay, Huntington Fine Arts Keren Dial, Valley Stream South High School - Celebrate Achievement BEST IN SHOW Julia Diamond, Roslyn High School Huntington Fine Arts Honorable Mention / Cozza Family Photography Award Briana Dunn, New Hyde Park Memorial High School Iris Fan, Jericho Senior High School Sean Feinberg, Long Beach High School Aislyn Franciscovich, Huntington HS - Andrew Presberg Promising Young Artist Award Jolie Greco, West Babylon High School Benjamin Herbert, Northport High School - Renzo & Lynette Bianchi Scholarship James Herbst, Sayville High School Jocelyn Herrera, Mineola High School Cailin Hoang, Hicksville High School Gagandeep Kaur, Floral Park Memorial High School Grace Kenny, Huntington High School - Renzo & Lynette Bianchi Scholarship Ariel Kim, Jericho Senior High School - FOURTH PLACE, The Stan Brodsky Scholarship Award Thalia Kukkonen, Half Hollow Hills High School West Vivienne LaVertu, Huntington High School Finley Livingston, North Shore High School Stephanie Lopez, Hicksville High School Liz Lopez, Valley Stream South High School Leslie Madera, East Rockaway High School - Renzo & Lynette Bianchi Scholarship Amisha Mangal, Valley Stream Central High School Amanda Marsden, Babylon High School - Honorable Mention Dom Mauri, Newfield High School Danyella McAlpin, Amityville Memorial High School Stephanie McDonough, Bayport-Blue Point High School

LONG ISLAND'S BEST 2021 Priya Mendiratta, Manhasset High School Alena Moreira, Valley Stream North High School - Honorable Mention Nneka Nnabuogor, Elmont Memorial High School Maris O'Brien, Smithtown High School West Mia Oquendo, East Islip High School Sofia Orellana Contreras, Uniondale High School Ashley Park, Half Hollow Hills HS West SECOND PLACE, Judith Sposato Memorial Prize / Joseph Mack Achievement Award Anneliese Perfetti, Half Hollow Hills High School East - Renzo & Lynette Bianchi Scholarship Samantha Pesiri, Smithtown High School West - Firefly Gallery Next Generation Award Sarah Piccinini, East Islip High School Giana Porter, Bellport High School - Donald G. Horn, Jr. Scholarship Award Victoria Rodgers, Commack High School - Huntington Fine Arts Honorable Mention Zuleyma Romero, Hicksville High School Rosalia Rosato, Kings Park High School - Joseph Mack Achievement Award Caroline Roser-Dialma, Long Beach High School Kelly Ryan, Hicksville High School - Firefly Gallery Next Generation Award Godlee Sainvilus, West Hempstead High School Bianca Santaromana, Walt Whitman High School Anays Sarauz, Carle Place High School Natalie Schiff, Half Hollow Hills High School East - Heckscher Achievement Award Kristen Seo, Syosset High School Ella Siepel, Huntington High School Heckscher Achievement Award / Joseph Mack Achievement Award Maria Slavnova, Bellport High School Charly Sloss, Babylon High School Emma Smith-Molesso, Center Moriches High School Nora Sweeney-Gladen, Harborfields High School Roman Taglieri, Cold Spring Harbor High School Alex Valentine, Mount Sinai High School - Heckscher Achievement Award Anna Varveris, John F. Kennedy High School Paola Vicini Jaramillo, Mineola High School Ana Vissicchio, Portledge School - Huntington Fine Arts Honorable Mention Matthew Vo, W.T. Clarke High School - Andrew Presberg Promising Young Artist Award Lily Wagner, Hicksville High School - Honorable Mention Cindy Wang, Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK High School Vivian Wang, Huntington Fine Arts Zihao (Andrew) Wang, Smithtown Christian School Isabella Weber, Hicksville High School - Honorable Mention Kayleigh Wieboldt, Oyster Bay High School Kaylee Wimmer, Patchogue-Medford High School - Renzo & Lynette Bianchi Scholarship Sandy Yang, H. Frank Carey High School Madison Yeh, John F. Kennedy High School Giavanna Zavala, Bayport-Blue Point High School

HIGHLIGHTS from the Exhibition

Clockwise from top left: Samantha Christian, Overwhelmed, Acrylic on canvas, Sachem High School East, Art Teacher: Katrina Wrigley; Briana Dunn, Sunday Afternoon, Digital art, New Hyde Park Memorial High School, Art Teacher: Danielle Livoti; Alex Valentine, I don’t want to wear this skirt anymore, Oil on canvas, Mount Sinai High School, Art Teacher: Andrea Morganelli; Vivienne LaVertu, Two Battles, One Goal, Colored pencil, Huntington High School, Art Teacher: Kristin Singer. Jocelyn Herrera, Is this Justice?, Colored pencil [detail], Mineola High School, Art Teacher: Kathy Loughlin; Kayleigh Wieboldt, Prospect, Digital photograph, Oyster Bay High School, Art Teacher: Maria Randazzo;

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 56 schools across Nassau and Suffolk Counties submitted artwork for jurying for the 2021 exhibition. Thank you to all of the participating schools, administrators, and teachers for your dedication! Your hard work and support make this exhibition possible.

Amityville Memorial High School Amityville Union Free School District Ed Plaia, Principal Dr. Frances Fernandez, Director of Fine Arts Jayne Grasso, Art Teacher Nicole Scoca, Art Teacher Babylon High School Babylon Union Free School District Al Cirone, Principal Angelo Turk, Director of Fine Arts Pat Stork, Art Teacher Cheryl Schweider, Art Teacher Bayport-Blue Point High School Bayport-Blue Point Union Free School District Robert Haas, Principal Frank Salino, Teacher in Charge, High School Art Bellport High School South Country Central School District Timothy Hogan, Principal Barbara Gallagher, Art Department Chairperson Devin Auricchio, Art Teacher Brandon Payne, Art Teacher Carle Place High School Carle Place Union Free School District Tom DePaola, Principal Michael Limone, Fine Art Chairperson Jenique Nijboer, Art Teacher Center Moriches High School Center Moriches School District Jeremy Thode, Principal Dan Kudreyko, Art Teacher Cold Spring Harbor High School Cold Spring Harbor Union Free School District Jim Bolen, Principal Christine Oswald, District Chairperson Commack High School Commack Union Free School District Leslie Boritz, Principal Mark Stuckey, Director Marie Adamo, Art Teacher East Islip High School East Islip Union Free School District Mark Bernard, Principal Robert Wottawa, Dir. of Art, ENL, Music & World Language Daniel Figliozzi, Art Teacher Heather Toomey, Art Teacher East Meadow High School East Meadow Union Free School District Richard Howard, Principal Heather Anastasio, District Art Chair Brian O'Neill, Art Teacher

East Rockaway High School East Rockaway School District Richard Schaffer, Principal Peter Ceglio, Fine Arts Chairperson Kelly Cabasso, Art Teacher Elmont Memorial High School Sewanhaka Central High School District Kevin Dougherty, Principal Chris Yee, Art Department Chairperson Stella Grenier, Art Teacher Floral Park Memorial High School Sewanhaka Central High School District Maria Hecht, Principal Cassandra Papajohn-Shaw, Chp. of Visual and Media art Sydell Glasser, Art Teacher H. Frank Carey High School Sewanhaka Central High School District Christopher Fiore, Principal Jessica Burgalassi, Chairperson of Visual & Media Arts Gina Samet, Art Teacher Half Hollow Hills High School East Half Hollow Hills Central School District Dr. Milton Strong, Principal Dr. Darlene Lilla, Director of Fine Arts Kim Norris, Art Teacher Allyson Uttendorfer, Art Teacher Half Hollow Hills High School West Half Hollow Hills Central School District Dr. Michael Catapano, Principal Dr. Darlene Lilla, Director of Fine Arts Jennifer Ievolo, Art Teacher Amanda Montiglio, Art Teacher Harborfields High School Harborfields Central School District Timothy Russo, Principal Elizabeth DeVaney, Arts Coordinator Jeanie Ritter, Art Teahcer Herricks High School Herricks Union Free School District Joan Keegan, Principal Mary Passero, Chairperson Related Arts & BusinessA Alexis Camisa, Art Teacher Hicksville High School Hicksville Union Free School District Raymond Williams, Principal Chad Wyman, Supervisor of Fine Arts Craig Mateyunas, Art Teacher Huntington Fine Arts Greenlawn, NY Lisa Hock Mack, President & Director Lenore Hanson, Art Teacher

Huntington High School Huntington Union Free School District Brenden Cusack, Principal Eric Reynolds, Director of Fine & Performing Art Ayallah Jeddah, Art Teacher Kasmira Mohanty, Art Teacher Kristin Singer, Art Teacher Islip High School Islip School District Jon LaRochester, Principal Brian Kroll, Director of Fine and Performing Arts Laura Vogelsberg, Art Teacher Jericho High School Jericho Union Free School District David Cohen, Principal Kati Behr, Curriculum Associate for Performing and Fine Arts Bryan Ciminelli, Art Teacher Tara Pillich, Art Teacher John F. Kennedy High School Bellmore-Merrick Central HS District Gerard Owenburg, Principal Cheryl Fontana, District Chairperson Vanessa Albaneze, Art Teacher Sarah Ritchie, Art Teacher Carissa Roche, Art Teacher Kings Park High School Kings Park Union Free School District Jason Huntsman, Principal Susan Guasp, Art Teacher Lawrence Woodmere Academy Woodmere, NY Alan Bernstein, Principal Marisa D'Ulisse, Upper School Art Teacher Lindenhurst High School Lindenhurst Union Free School District Candice Brodie, Principal Jonathan Tropani, Coordinator of Fine and Performing Arts Tara Biscardi, Art Teacher AnneJeannine Cuozzo, Art Teacher Long Beach High School Long Beach Union Free School District Jeffrey Meyers, Principal Julia Lang-Shapiro, Director of Media, Visual & Performing Arts Eric Fox, Art Teacher AnnMarie Pulice, Art Teacher Malverne High School Malverne Union Free School District Vincent Romano, Principal Mike Messina, Fine Arts Chairperson Nick Alleva, Art Teacher Maura Savis-Minor, Art Teacher Manhasset High School Manhasset Union Free School District Dr. Dean Schlanger, Principal Chris Hale, Director of the Arts Lori Oldaker, Art Teacher Mineola High School Mineola School District Joe Owens, Director of the Arts Whitney Smith, Principal Kathy Loughlin, Art Teacher

Mount Sinai High School Mount Sinai School District Peter Pramataris, Principal Christina Romeo, Art and Music Director Andrea Morganelli, Art Teacher New Hyde Park High School Sewanhaka Central High School District Rich Faccio, Principal Katrin Marino, Art Chairperson Danielle Livoti, Art Teacher Newfield High School Middle Country Central School District Scott Graviano, Principal Diana Cook, Director of Music, Fine Arts & Media Relations Sal Berretta, Art Teacher North Shore High School North Shore School District Albert Cousins, Principal Dalia Rodriguez, Director of Fine & Performing Arts Sara Cano, Art Teacher Margaret Delima, Art Teacher Northport High School Northport-East Northport School District Daniel Danbusky, Principal Dr. Izzet Mergen, Director of Fine & Performing Arts John DeRosa, Art Teacher Anthony Klinger-Cooley, Art Teacher Robin O'Neill-Gonzalez, Art Teacher Constance Wolf, Art Teacher Oyster Bay High School Oyster Bay-East Norwich Central School District Sharon Lasher, Principal Anthony Femino, Supervisor of Fine & Performing Art Scott Boris, Art Teacher Maria Randazzo, Art Teacher Patchogue-Medford High School Patchogue-Medford School District Dr. Randy Rusielewicz, Principal Michael Scholz, Director of Art, Music and Cultural Arts Amy Cunningham, Art Teacher Nancy Gladd, Art Teacher Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK High School Plainview-Old Bethpage Central School District James Murray, Principal Ben Wiley, Director of Art & Digital Instruction Warren Jacobson, Art Teacher Portledge School Locust Valley, NY Simon Owen-Williams, Head of School John Greene, Department Chair Jerry Krause, Art Teacher Roslyn High School Roslyn Union Free School District Dave Lazarus, Principal Richard Ritter, Art Teacher Sachem High School East Sachem Central School District Louis Antonetti, Principal Amanda Foran, Art Chairperson Katrina Wrigley, Art Teacher

Sachem High School North Sachem Central School District Andrew Larson, Principal Amanda Foran, Art Chairperson Renee Parisi, Art Teacher

West Babylon High School West Babylon Union Free School District Dr. Ellice Vassallo, Principal Erin Bodolai, Art Chairperson Heather Cattell, Art Teacher

Sayville High School Sayville Union Free School District Ronald Hoffer, Principal Debra Urso, Art Chairperson Evan Hammer, Art Teacher

West Hempstead High School West Hempstead Union Free School District James DeTomasso, Principal Dr. Nichelle Rivers, Director of Fine, Performing & Culinary Arts Cassie Ross, Art Teacher

Smithtown Christian School Smithtown, NY Tracy Berner, Principal James Roselle, Department Chairperson Smithtown High School East Smithtown Central School District Kevin Simmons, Principal Mike Mastrangelo, Director of Fine Arts Tim Needles, Art Teacher Smithtown High School West Smithtown Central School District John Coady, Principal Michael Mastrangelo, Director of Fine Arts Steven Halem, Art Teacher Syosset High School Syosset Central District Dr. Giovanni Durante, Principal Michael Salzman, Director of Fine & Performing Arts Chrysoula Highland, Art Teacher Uniondale High School Uniondale Union Free School District Mark McCaw, Principal Kelvin Jenkins, Director of Fine & Performing Arts Brianna Jacobs, Art Teacher Valley Stream Central High School Valley Stream Central High School District Dr. Joseph Pompilio, Principal Adam Erdos, Director of Fine & Performing Arts Mario Bakalov, Art Teacher Valley Stream North High School Valley Stream Central High School District Rachel Green, Principal Adam Erdos, Director of Fine & Performing Arts Allan Nafte, Art Teacher Valley Stream South High School Valley Stream Central High School District Maureen Henry, Principal Adam Erdos, Director of Fine & Performing Arts Ed Lee, Art Teacher Roseann Valletti, Art Teacher W. T. Clarke High School East Meadow Union Free School District Timothy Voels, Principal Heather Anastasio, Director of Music & Art Jane Pawlowski, Art Teacher Walt Whitman High School South Huntington Union Free School District John Murphy, Principal Jacqueline Tartaro, Art Chairperson Nicole Guido, Art Teacher Erica Raji, Art Teacher Gina Tinucci, Art Teacher

Clockwise from top: Sarah Piccinini, Decomposing, Mixed media, East Islip HS, Art Teachers: Heather Toomey & Daniel Figliozzi.

Giana Porter, The Beauty of Daydreams, Mixed media (watercolor, colored pencil, micron on illustration board) Bellport HS, Art teacher: Devin Auricchio. Amanda Marsden, Burning Roads, Mixed media, Babylon HS, Art Teacher: Cheryl Schweider. Kaylee Wimmer, Late Night Desires, Digital photograph, Patchogue-Medford HS, Art Teacher: Amy Cunningham.

Carlos Alfaro, The Village, Alcohol marker, Walt Whitman High School, Art Teacher: Erica Raji

Dr. Bette Schneiderman, Trustee and Chair of Education Committee John E. Coraor, Ph.D., Interim Director Karli Wurzelbacher, Ph.D., Curator Joy Weiner, Director of Education & Public Programs Kristina Schaaf, Director of Visitor Experience Lisa Sayedi, Lead Educator & Docent Coordinator Alyssa Matthews, Museum Educator

Stay in touch on social media and use #hmalibest to share and celebrate!

The Heckscher Museum of Art 2 Prime Avenue Huntington, NY 11743 631.380.3230 Heckscher.org