July 7, 2009

Southold Historical Society

PRESS RELEASE

Near Orient, Long Island by George Hallock Jr., Oil on Board

Summer Exhibit to Feature North Fork Art

SOUTHOLD, NY.  The Southold Historical Society is pleased to announce that it will host an exhibition featuring the paintings and sculpture of the North Fork of Long Island. 

The exhibit will open to the public on August 1st, 2009 and will be open through September 13, 2009.  The open hours are from 1-4 pm on Saturday, Sunday, and Wednesday.  The works of art will be on display at the Mayne Gallery in the Ann Currie-Bell House, which is located on the corner of Maple Lane and Main Road in Southold.

Based upon the Society's award winning book, A Shared Aesthetic: Artists of Long Island’s North Fork , the exhibit will include a number of works shown recently in the Society's landmark exhibition held at the Long Island Museum in Stony Brook, NY.  "The works being shown are old favorites for those who really know the history of the area," stated Geoffrey K. Fleming, Director of the Society.  Among the works included in the exhibition are those created by notable local residents Caroline M. Bell, Julia Wickham, Marguerite Hawkins, Henry Prellwitz, Whitney Hubbard, and Thomas Currie-Bell.

In addition to old favorites, the Society will also highlight several new works which have joined the museum collection during the past year.  "It has been a very good year for acquisitions," continued Fleming.  "We think the public will really enjoy some of the new items that have been donated, especially those works that are by artists whose works are difficult to obtain," he continued.

Of particular note is the recent gift of a number of paintings by George Hallock Jr. (1916-1984).  Because many of these works need conservation and framing, the Society will be offering a new "Adopt-a-Painting" program in which members of the public can help to restore the paintings.  "Interested parties can sponsor a painting and watch it go from a filthy mess to a beautifully cleaned and framed work of art," stated Fleming.

Since its settlement by British colonists in the seventeenth century, the North Fork of Long Island, New York, has attracted artisans of all types, from cabinetmakers to clockmakers, builders to boatwrights. Beginning in the mid 19th century, American artists began to explore the area in depth, visiting its picturesque towns and villages, its untouched landscapes and pristine coastlines. Later, many of these visiting artists built or bought houses on the North Fork and made it a place to call home.

The exhibition explores the history of the many painters, printmakers, and sculptors who have lived, worked and exhibited on the North Fork. It documents some of the over 300 years of the rich artistic and cultural history of the area through the many artworks left behind by these important American artists. 

For further information and directions, please contact the Society at (631) 765-5500 or visit us on the web at www.southoldhistoricalsociety.org .