Long Island’s
BEST
Young Artists at The Heckscher Museum April 30 – May 29, 2022
The Museum gratefully acknowledges our SPONSORS AND PARTNERS PRESENTING SPONSORS
The Milton & Sally Avery Arts Foundation, Inc. The Darrell Fund Endowment/Henriette Darrell Pritchard Charitable Trust
ARTISTIC SPONSOR
Strong-Cuevas Foundation
PATRON SPONSORS
TD Charitable Foundation Dr. Lee MacCormick Edwards Charitable Foundation
EXHIBITION CATALOGUE SPONSORS
Inna Gellerman, DDS, Gellerman Orthodontics Callaghan 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 Award and Huntington Fine Arts Honorable Mentions Cozza Family The Cozza Family Photography Award and Cozza Family Award Firefly Artists Gallery The Firefly Artists Gallery Next Generation Awards
Additional Thank Yous Jurors: Karli Wurzelbacher, Heckscher Museum Curator and Emily Martin, 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 2022 will be on view June 1 through June 30 in Mitchells' store windows, 270 Main Street, Huntington, NY 11743 and Firefly Artists 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 26th 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, 55 public and private schools submitted students’ artwork for jurying. 399 entries were received and Curator Karli Wurzelbacher, Ph.D., and guest juror Emily Martin selected 79 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 LLP, all exhibiting students and their teachers will receive the Long Island's Best 2022 exhibition catalogue, featuring images of all works in the exhibition, artist statements, and Inspiration Artwork.
YOU DECIDE! Two awards have not yet been determined. Museum visitors (both in-person and virtual) will choose the winners! Cast your vote for the Visitors Choice Award in the Museum via QR code and for the Virtual Visitors Choice Award at heckscher.org/libest2022 through May 29! Winners will be announced on heckscher.org and social media!
On the cover: Daniella Dell’Aquila, Borrowed Feathers, Mixed media, Manhasset HS. Art Teacher: Lori Oldaker.
Finding Inspiration Students found inspiration in artwork on view in the Museum during the 2021-2022 school year. Through close observation and discussion, students learned to make connections between artwork on view and their own experiences.
The Heckscher Museum Celebrates 100: Tracing History, Inspiring the Future (Part II)
Penrhyn Stanlaws, August Heckscher, 1925 [detail], Oil on canvas.
This expansive exhibition traced our history and pointed to our future by celebrating the people, events, and art that have indelibly shaped the Museum. Unfolding chronologically, the exhibition explored the development of the permanent collection from 185 paintings and sculptures in 1920, to 2,300 works in many media today. Each gallery focused on a defining chapter in the Museum’s story.
Richard Mayhew Reinventing Landscape
Risaburo Kimura, Bangkok, 1973 [detail], Serigraph on paper.
Richard Mayhew, Above and Beyond, 2009 [detail], Oil on canvas.
Jeremy Dennis, The Moon Person Ascends, 2014 [detail], Digital dye-sublimation print on aluminum.
Born on Long Island in 1924, Richard Mayhew grew up in Amityville, NY, where he formed a deep connection to the natural world. Featuring vibrant landscape paintings created over the last six decades, this exhibition placed Mayhew’s paintings in the context of Long Island’s diverse cultural history. The show explored how the artist reinvented the genre of landscape painting to express his African American and Native American heritage. Mayhew uses evocative color and diffused form to convey emotion. He explains: “desire, ambition, love, hate, fear— that’s my paintings.”
Moonstruck Lunar Art from the Collection Drawn from the Museum’s Collection, this exhibition features a broad range of artwork inspired by the moon and moonlight. From the nineteenth century to the present, artists have gravitated to the moon for reasons scientific, mythic, and symbolic. The celestial artworks on view explore our enduring fascination with the moon in all its phases.
Highlights from the Exhibition
Left to right, starting at the top left: Tyler Salerno, incredulous, Mixed media, Kings Park HS, Art Teacher: Darlene Blaurock; Justine Blain, Sistas Through Time, Digital art, Valley Stream Central HS, Art Teacher: Mario Bakalov; Jeanna Boltz, World's Collide, Mixed media, Half Hollow Hills East, Art Teacher: Kim Norris; Lucas Ceraso, Still Life with Fruit and Cow Skulls, Oil on canvas, Huntington Fine Arts, Art Teacher: Lenore Hanson; Evelyn Evans, Aquamarine, Ceramic, Long Beach High School, Art Teacher: AnnMarie Pulice; Ellie Johnson, Moonlit Vigil, Oil on paper, Northport High School, Art Teacher: Anthony Klinger-Cooley; Aisy Franciscovich, Me, Myself and I, Oil on canvas, Huntington High School, Art Teacher: Kristin Singer.
EXHIBITING ARTISTS Justine Abarca, Northport HS - Renzo & Lynette Bianchi Scholarship Award Alexa Able, Herricks HS Deborah An, Commack HS Elizabeth Andre, Valley Stream North HS Kimberly Argueta Rodriguez, Uniondale HS Cristian Avelar-Romero, Huntington HS - Renzo & Lynette Bianchi Scholarship Award Mia Baric, Smithtown HS East Amelia Bhairo, West Hempstead HS - Huntington Fine Arts Honorable Mention Justine Blain, Valley Stream Central HS - Firefly Gallery Next Generation Award Jeanna Boltz, Half Hollow Hills HS East Hannah Briggs, Oyster Bay HS Joseline Canales-Lazo, Walt Whitman HS Betsy Castro, Bellport HS - Renzo & Lynette Bianchi Scholarship Award - Cozza Family Photography Award Lucas Ceraso, Huntington Fine Arts - Andrew Presberg Promising Young Artist Award Rachel Chong, POB JFK HS - Huntington Fine Arts Honorable Mention Samantha Christian, Sachem HS East Nirvana Cole, Malverne HS Omar Cruz, Huntington HS Amber Dacanay, East Meadow HS Daniella Dell’Aquila, Manhasset HS - Andrew Presberg Promising Young Artist Award - Huntington Fine Arts Honorable Mention Tabitha DeRiggi-Dreher, Lindenhurst HS Keren Dial, Valley Stream South HS Vanessa Espinoza, Babylon HS Evelyn Evans, Long Beach HS Khizran Fatima, Hicksville HS - THIRD PLACE, The Hadley Prize Aisy Franciscovich, Huntington HS - Heckscher Achievement Award Anjali Gauld, Manhasset HS - SECOND PLACE, Judith Sposato Memorial Prize Jillian Goldbach, Long Beach HS Marycelia Gonzalez, Wyandanch HS Shaye Gruenberg-Theiling, Sachem HS North Joanna Guo, Smithtown Christian School Zakariyah Hanif, Newfield HS Ginger Hanley, Bayport-Blue Point HS Wajeeha Hassan, Jericho Senior HS - Honorable Mention Natalie Hayes, East Rockaway HS - Renzo & Lynette Bianchi Scholarship Award Benjamin Herbert, Northport HS Jensen Herbst, Smithtown HS West Paige Hillebrand, Patchogue-Medford HS Cara Hooke, Elmont Memorial HS Alexandra Hugel, Syosset HS Hannah Ikawa, North Shore HS
LONG ISLAND'S BEST 2022 Riya Jassi, Hicksville HS Ellie Johnson, Northport HS - Honorable Mention Vazira Khakimova, Hicksville HS - Huntington Fine Arts Honorable Mention Ara Kim, Hicksville HS Shelby Kowalewsky, Babylon HS Anna Lambert, Division Avenue HS - Honorable Mention Joanna Lee, W.T. Clarke HS Sophia Liu, William A. Shine Great Neck South HS Yuyu Liu, Portledge School - Cozza Family Art Award - Firefly Gallery Next Generation Award - Heckscher Achievement Award Maya Malul, Long Beach HS Kristina Mancuso, Patchogue-Medford HS - Renzo & Lynette Bianchi Scholarship Award Grace Marazzo, Division Avenue HS - Donald & Gloria Horn Scholarship Award Sean Mascaro, John F. Kennedy HS - Renzo & Lynette Bianchi Scholarship Award - Huntington Fine Arts Honorable Mention Claire Montalbano, Long Beach HS Alessia Morabito, Patchogue-Medford HS Michael Papazis, John F. Kennedy HS Sia Parikh, Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK HS Ashley Park, Half Hollow Hills HS West - FIRST PLACE, Celebrate Achievement Best In Show Anneliese Perfetti, Half Hollow Hills HS East Phoebe Pinder, Glen Cove HS Ella Provisero, Cold Spring Harbor HS - Donald G. Horn, Jr. Scholarship Award Sivan Pyle, Hebrew Academy of Nassau County - Honorable Mention Charlotte Quintero, Hicksville HS - FOURTH PLACE, The Stan Brodsky Scholarship Award Julia Romano, Syosset HS Tyler Salerno, Kings Park HS Eleanor Schroll, Valley Stream South HS Malak Shehata, Hicksville HS Alyssa Spano, Half Hollow Hills HS West Mekhi Stevenson, Amityville Memorial HS Jessica Struzinski, Smithtown HS West Nora Sweeney-Gladen, Harborfields HS Deina Vicente, Long Beach HS Amelia Volpe, Bayport-Blue Point HS - Heckscher Achievement Award Lily Wagner, Hicksville HS Sheena Wang, William A. Shine Great Neck South HS Zhezhong Yu, Roslyn HS - Firefly Gallery Next Generation Award Alisha Zhou, Manhasset High School Heckscher Achievement Award & Joseph Mack Achievement Award Alana Zinkin, Half Hollow Hills HS East
Highlights from the Exhibition
Clockwise from top left: Alyssa Spano, Lumiere, Acrylic on canvas, Half Hollow Hills West, Art Teacher: Amanda Montiglio; Claire Montalbano, You Have to Scream it, Ceramic, Long Beach High School, Art Teacher: AnnMarie Pulice; Kimberly Argueta Rodriguez, Flor silvestre, Digital photograph, Uniondale High School, Art Teacher: Brianna Jacobs; Vanessa Espinoza, Memory Box, Mixed media, Babylon High School, Art Teacher: Cheryl Schweider; Keren Dial, Connectivity, Colored pencil [detail], Valley Stream South HS, Art Teacher: Ed Lee; Alexa Able, Perfectly Torn, Chalk pastel, Herricks High School, Art Teacher: Jennifer Cavalluzzo.
Acknowledgements 55 schools across Nassau and Suffolk Counties submitted artwork for jurying for the 2022 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 Edward Plaia, Principal Dr. Frances Fernandez, Director of Fine Arts & Music Jayne Grasso, Art Teacher Nicole Scoca, 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
Babylon High School Babylon Union Free School District Al Cirone, Principal Charles Leech, Director of Fine Arts Cheryl Schweider, Art Teacher
East Rockaway High School East Rockaway School District Richard Schaffer, Principal Peter Ceglio, Fine Arts Chairperson Kelly Cabasso, Art Teacher Kristie Galante, 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 Tina Nadeem, Art Teacher
Elmont Memorial High School Sewanhaka Central High School District Kevin Dougherty, Principal Chris Yee, Art Department Chairperson Stella Grenier, Art Teacher
Bellport High School South Country Central School District Erika DellaRosa, Principal Barbara Gallagher, Art Department Chairperson Devin Auricchio, Art Teacher Sophia Black, Art Teacher
Glen Cove High School Glen Cove School District Antonio Santana, Principal Allen Hudson, Assistant Principal Melissa Johnides, Art Teacher Stephen Lombardo, Art Teacher LeeAnn Palazzo, Art Teacher Maria Verni, Art Teacher
Carle Place High School Carle Place Union Free School District Thomas DePaola, Principal Michael Limone, Fine Art Chairperson Jenique Nijboer, Art Teacher Center Moriches High School Center Moriches School District Marissa Mangogna, Principal Jeremy Thode, Assistant Principal Dan Kudreyko, Art Teacher Centereach High School Middle Country Central School District Tom Bell, Principal Diana Cook, Director of Art & Music Karissa LaLima, Art Teacher Cold Spring Harbor High School Cold Spring Harbor Union Free School District Dan Danbusky, Principal Christine Oswald, District Chairperson Samantha Hayes, Art Teacher Colleen Beneville, Art Teacher Commack High School Commack Union Free School District Carrie Lipenholtz, Principal Mark Stuckey, Director Frank Musto, Art Teacher Division Avenue High School Levittown Union Free School District John Coscia, Principal Frank Creter, Director of Art & Music Tim Ryan, 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 Tania Godoy, Art Teacher 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 Hebrew Academy Of Nassau County Plainview, NY Marie Palaia, Principal Caroline Zimmerli, Art Teacher Herricks High School Herricks Union Free School District Joan Keegan, Principal Anissa Arnold, Director of Fine and Performing Arts Jennifer Cavalluzzo, Art Teacher Allyson Zebrowski, Art Teacher
Hicksville High School Hicksville Union Free School District Raymond Williams, Principal Chad Wyman, Supervisor of Fine Arts Craig Mateyunas, Art Teacher
Mount Sinai High School Mount Sinai School District Peter Pramataris, Principal Christina Romeo, Art and Music Director Andrea Morganelli, Art Teacher
Huntington Fine Arts Greenlawn, NY Lisa Hock Mack, Director Lenore Hanson, 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
Huntington High School Huntington Union Free School District Brenden Cusack, Principal Eric Reynolds, Director of Fine & Performing Arts Ayallah Jeddah, Art Teacher Kasmira Mohanty, Art Teacher Kristin Singer, Art Teacher Jericho High School Jericho Union Free School District David Cohen, Principal Ruth Breidenback, CA of Fine & Performing 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 Carissa Roche, Art Teacher Kings Park High School Kings Park Union Free School District Karen Lessler, Principal Darlene Blaurock, Art Teacher Lawrence Woodmere Academy Woodmere, NY Brian O'Connell, Principal Marisa D'Ulisse, Upper School Art Teacher Lindenhurst High School Lindenhurst Union Free School District Candice Brodie, Principal Jon Trapani, Coordinator of Fine and Performing Arts Tara Biscardi, 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 Joanne Harvey, Art Teacher Lorraine Levchenko, 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 Christopher Hale, Director of the Arts Lori Oldaker, Art Teacher Natalya Panullo, Art Teacher
North Shore High School North Shore School District Eric Contreras, Principal Dalia Rodriguez, Director of Fine & Performing Arts Sara Cano, Art Teacher Margaret DeLima, Art Teacher Northport High School Northport-East Northport School District Robert Dennis, Principal Dr. Izzet Mergen, Director of Fine & Performing Arts John DeRosa, Art Teacher Christine Driscoll, Art Teacher Anthony Klinger-Cooley, Art Teacher Robin O'Neill-Gonzalez, 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 Stephanie Miley, Art Teacher Maria Randazzo, Art Teacher Patchogue-Medford High School Patchogue-Medford School District Dr. Randy Rusielewicz, Principal Nathan Brinkman, Director of Art, Music and Cultural Arts Amy Cunningham, Art Teacher Nancy Gladd, Art Teacher Michael Scholz, 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 Scott Andrews, Principal Dave Lazarus, Assistant Principal Richard Ritter, Art Teacher Sachem High School East Sachem Central School District Louis Antonetti, Principal Amanda Foran, Art Chairperson Diana DelVallez, Art Teacher Katrina Wrigley, Art Teacher
Sachem High School North Sachem Central School District Andrew Larson, Principal Amanda Foran, Art Chairperson Renee Parisi, Art Teacher Victoria Provini, Art Teacher Sayville High School Sayville Union Free School District Ron Hoffer, Principal Debra Urso, Art Chairperson Evan Hammer, 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 Michael Mastrangelo, Director of Fine Arts Christopher Lauto, Art Teacher
Walt Whitman High School South Huntington Union Free School District Kenneth Costa, Principal Jacqueline Tartaro, Art Chairperson Erica Raji, Art Teacher David Rickmers, Art Teacher Gina Tinucci, Art Teacher West Hempstead High School West Hempstead Union Free School District Joe Pumo, Principal Dr. Nichelle Rivers, Dir. of Fine, Perf. & Culinary Arts Cassie Ross-Dinin, Art Teacher William A. Shine Great Neck South High School Great Neck School District Christopher Gitz, Principal Karen Cuchel, Art Department Chairperson Megan Cashman, Art Teacher Wyandanch High School Wyandanch School District Paul Sibblies, Principal Jill Lewis, 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 Dr. Adam Erdos, Director of Fine & Performing Arts Mario Bakalov, Art Teacher Valley Stream North High School Valley Stream Central High School District Robin Small, Principal Dr. 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 Dr. 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 Jeannene Arcuri, Art Teacher Marlena Dentrone, Art Teacher Brian O'Neill, Art Teacher
Clockwise from top right: Rachel Chong, Under a Moonlight, Pen, POB JFK HS, Art teacher: Warren Jacobson; Nora SweeneyGladen, False Reflections, Ink, watercolor, and gouache on paper, Harborfields HS, Art Teacher: Jeannie Ritter; Mia Baric, Wind From The Bay, Digital photograph, Smithtown High School East, Art Teacher: Chris Lauto.
Zhezhong Yu, Moody Green, Acrylic on canvas, Roslyn High School, Art Teacher: Richard Ritter.
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
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The Heckscher Museum of Art 2 Prime Avenue Huntington, NY 11743 631.380.3230 Heckscher.org