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ON VIEWMARCH 21 - APRIL 19

This exhibition features works of art by students in grades 9 through 12 from public and private schools throughout Nassau and Suffolk Counties. Developed by museum educators, who work in partnership with art instructors from participating schools, this is the only juried exhibition on Long Island that offers high school students the opportunity to show their artwork in an art museum.

ARTIST STATEMENTSAn artist statement written by the student accompanies each artwork on view, explaining the thought process and artistic journey from conception to completion. A thumbnail image of the artwork on view in the Museum that inspired the student work is also featured.

Watch interviews with select students!Visit the video kiosk in the Museum orscan the QR code to watch on your mobile device.

About the EXHIBITION

Long Island's Best is a comprehensive arts-in-education program that integrates experiences in The Heckscher Museum and the art classroom, culminating with the presentation of students’ original artwork in the Museum. Now in it’s 19th year, the program has grown to become a longstanding tradition at The Heckscher Museum and a prestigious opportunity for high school art students across Long Island.

This year, 54 public and private schools submitted students’ artwork for jurying. 311 student entries were received and Curator Lisa Chalif selected 80 for display in the galleries.

On the cover: Tut Pinto, Colorful Afterlife, Colored Pencil, Syosset HS, Art Teacher: Demi Protonentis.

Finding INSPIRATIONStudents found inspiration in artwork on view in the Museum during the 2014-2015 school year. Through close observation, discussion and hands-on activities, students learned to make connections between artwork on view and their own experiences.

Each student selected a work of art in one of the following exhibitions to inspire his/her original work of art:

Long Island BiennialThis exhibition showcased a range of sculptures, paintings, photographs, and mixed media works by professional artists living and working in Nassau and Suffolk Counties.

Richard Gachot's AmericaThis exhibition featured found object sculptures by Long Island artist Richard Gachot that explored themes of Americana. Many of the works were kinetically engineered and directly carved from wood.

Power, Politics & War:Selections from the Permanent Collection This year-long exhibition celebrates The Heckscher Museums prized painting Eclipse of the Sun by George Grosz alongside works depicting related themes.

Modern Alchemy: Experiments in PhotographyFrom surreal imagery to abstract installations, the artwork in this exhibition pushed the boundaries of experimental photography in the 20th and 21st centuries.

Kathryn Gardner,Cartographic Information, (Detail) 2014 [detail], Oil and charcoal on paper.

Maggie Taylor, Cloud Sisters (Detail), 2001, Pigmenteddigital print. Lent by the Artist.

Ferdinand Richardt's Niagara: A Study in Landscape PaintingThis exhibition highlights traditional landscape paintings from historical landmarks including Niagara Falls and the Grand Canyon.

Alonzo Chappel, Washington at the Battle of Monmouth, (Detail) n.d., Oil on canvas.

EXHIBITING STUDENTS 2015Allison Agarenzo, Hicksville High SchoolHannah Agueci, Lawrence Woodmere AcademyStephen Anglim, Miller Place High SchoolElissa Bardhi, Division Avenue High SchoolAntonia Bentel, Portledge School Pamela Best, Harborfields High SchoolSisam Bhandari, Division Avenue High SchoolIlsia Bonilla, Brentwood High SchoolAutumn Bradley, Sayville High SchoolJake Bruno, Connetquot High SchoolLeah Butz, Huntington High SchoolKristi Chan, P.O.B. J.F.K. High School - Huntington Fine Arts Honorable MentionAmanda Cioffi, Bellport High SchoolEtiana Coley Mells, Amityville High SchoolMarcela Contreras, Long Beach High School Casey Craig, Valley Stream North High SchoolDaniel Criblez, Locust Valley High SchoolRobby Cusack, Northport High SchoolLindsey DeMars, Garden City High SchoolYardelis Diaz, New Hyde Park High SchoolGabriella Elanbeck, Syosset High School - FOURTH PLACE Award, Huntington Fine Arts Honorable MentionRiley Esposito, Long Beach High School - Honorable MentionRyan Fargione, Sayville High School Emily Feigelman, John F. Kennedy High School - Honorable MentionAaron Feltman, Huntington High School - Achievement Award in Mixed Media, Renzo S. Bianchi Scholarship Award Francisco Fischer, Ward Melville High SchoolHeather Friedfertig, Wantagh High SchoolGrant Fryc, Northport High School - Joseph Mack Achievement AwardLisa Giris, Half Hollow Hills High School East - Achievement Award in Experimental Photography, Renzo S. Bianchi Scholarship Award Tina Goparaju, Hicksville H.S. - SECOND PLACE, Judith Sposato Memorial PrizeMina Gradinarova, Hicksville High SchoolJason Greenberg, Half Hollow Hills High School WestMiguel Guerra, New Hyde Park Memorial H.S. - Achievement Award in DrawingZi Jun Guo, Valley Stream North High SchoolEmily Haliotis, Ward Melville High SchoolSummer Hayes, Cold Spring Harbor High SchoolMia Idler, Huntington High School - Andrew Presberg Promising Young Artist AwardEkaterina Koulakova, Huntington High SchoolKatherine Kuczwaj, Smithtown High School WestCrisoula Lazaridis, Valley Stream Central High School- THIRD PLACE Award

Meagan Leotta, Half Hollow Hills High School EastCory Levy, Sayville High SchoolJean Mahn, Division Avenue High School - Honorable Mention, Donald G. Horn, Jr. Scholarship Award, Joseph Mack Achievement AwardAngela Maure, Long Beach High SchoolThomas Mayberry, Oceanside High SchoolMary Joy Mendoza, Hicksville High School - Achievement Award in CeramicsKristen Miciotta, Long Beach High SchoolNina Miller, Long Beach High School - Honorable Mention, Joseph Mack Achievement AwardAsante Mills, Deer Park High SchoolPamela Morel, Brentwood High School - Renzo S. Bianchi Scholarship Award Natalie Nunez, West Babylon H.S. - Renzo S. Bianchi Scholarship AwardCiarra Olivera, Brentwood High SchoolMarissa Olsen, Patchogue-Medford High SchoolShannon O'Reilly, Harborfields High SchoolMegan Overton, Hauppauge High School - Renzo S. Bianchi Scholarship Award Lauren Padala, Garden City High SchoolPaola Parola, Valley Stream Central High School - BEST IN SHOW Young Artist AwardTut Pinto, Syosset High School - Honorable MentionEmily Pititto, Garden City High SchoolScott Reill, Nassau BOCES L.I. H.S. for the ArtsSamantha Roemer, Wantagh High SchoolClis Sabado, MacArthur High SchoolKyungwon Seo, Smithtown Christian SchoolJulia Shi, The Stony Brook School - Renzo S. Bianchi Scholarship Award Jenny Shin, Locust Valley High SchoolHanna Suh, Ashcan Studio of Art, Inc.Jakob Surber, Syosset High SchoolFjoralma Syla, John F. Kennedy High SchoolMichelle Trager, Valley Stream South High SchoolMax Tunney, Long Beach High SchoolDimpal Vaghela, Hicksville H.S. - Huntington Fine Arts Honorable MentionMatthew Valdez, Floral Park Memorial High SchoolKristen Van Aken, Hicksville High School - Donald & Gloria Horn Scholarship AwardBeatriz Joanne Vera, Smithtown High School WestChristine Waldhof, Our Lady of Mercy AcademyMaya Wang, Commack High School - Huntington Fine Arts Honorable MentionNicole Wolert, Locust Valley High SchoolArianna Wynn, MacArthur High SchoolRosalie Zack, Smithtown High School EastLydia Zarifopoulos, Jericho High School

Allison AgarenzoTightropeMixed media collageHicksville High SchoolGrade: 11Art Teacher: Beth Atkinson

When I visited The Heckscher Museum, I was drawn to the artwork of Richard Gachot. I liked the photograph of his studio where he had piles of objects that filled the space and I was inspired by how he was able to take some of those objects and assemble them into a balanced sculptural form. Balance seemed to be a recurring element in many of his pieces. I particularly liked how the piece Scrapman is somehow able to balance effortlessly on a unicycle. I started to think about balance in general and balance in my life and all of the pressures that come from so many different parts of being a teenager. I chose to create a two-dimensional collage that portrays how difficult it is to be a teenager in the 21st century.

“Meet” the Artist!Watch an interview with Allison Agarenzo.

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Hannah AgueciReflections, 2014, Digital photographLawrence Woodmere AcademyGrade: 11, Art Teacher: Dawn Shillalies

I have always been drawn to creative pursuits, but it wasn’t until I began taking photographs that I realized that I am an artist. Photography for me is a way of living in the moment. I am inspired by nature and feel the need to capture glimpses of the world around me as it is constantly changing. A moment is fleeting, but it can live on in a photograph. I am drawn to the delicate balance of life and nature. My photographs tell the story of my life, my hobbies, and my travels. I am reminded to live in the moment and be present and appreciative of all that the world has to offer. I was inspired by Miranda Gatewood’s Ornamental Maple because of the lighting in the photograph. The sunlight will shine on those leaves in that manner for only a matter of minutes during the course of the day, and then that moment will be gone. Fall will come and the landscape will change again. Time can be frozen in a photograph and with that, my memories will always be around me.

“Meet” the Artist!Watch an interview with Hannah Agueci.

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Stephen AnglimGeorge in CharcoalCharcoal pencil on paperMiller Place High SchoolGrade: 10Art Teacher: Jeff Corbett

George Washington by Hiram Powers intrigued me and was the inspiration for my artwork. I was impressed by the way light reflects off the surface of the marble. The quality of craftsmanship, and how Powers portrayed such a great historical figure in United States history also drew my interest. I enjoy drawing from life in a realistic style, particularly portraiture. In my drawing, using charcoal, I recreated this image of George Washington. I sought to capture the marble’s smooth surface. The most challenging area of the drawing was the drapery. Discovering the complexity in making the marble draping appear to be cloth in my drawing made me further appreciate Powers’ ability to do so in marble.

Heirs Come to Pass, 3 by Martina Lopez inspired me to create a work of art about my family’s journey. Throughout my life I have spent countless hours trying to understand the struggles and conflicts my family overcame for a better life. My mother stands in the front of my painting, at an age similar to my own right now; she leads my family. My mother, father, grandmother, and grandfather were born and raised in the socialist stricken government of Albania. My mom guides my family through this journey just as she did when she came to America alone at 20 years of age. She brought over all my family members, one by one, including all my aunts, uncles, and cousins. Her strength, ambition, and passion are so impressive to me. Without knowing the language or customs she broke the threshold of the great and mystic “Land of the Free”. In my art she also carries a double-headed eagle representing the Albanian Flag. The eagle embodies strength and power. I chose for my mom to carry it because she is the true representation of strength in my life. Her story will live forever in my memory, and so I dedicate this art to my mother, my rock.

Elissa Bardhiudhëtim "journey"Oil on paperDivision Avenue High SchoolGrade: 11Art Teacher: Timothy Ryan

Antonia BentelUnbridledMixed media (photograph on acetate, acrylic, light source, steel angles)Portledge School, Grade: 11, Art Teacher: Pat Myers

In Bill Armstrong’s photograph, a blurry silhouette drifts in a multi-colored space to suggest the despair and moral dilemma of contemporary adult existence. I felt that Armstrong’s use of blur could be a powerful tool to create imagery that would help me show life as I experience it. After experimenting in an exterior “studio” I created in an alleyway, I captured the blurred motion of a balletic leap by a primary-colored female figure, which I contrasted with a sharply delineated, masonry wall of a grim institutional building in the space behind her. I wanted the photograph to evoke my belief in the need for expressing joy and creativity in a world that sometimes succeeds at suppressing both. After printing the image, I felt that I could make it stronger if the bright blurry figure seemed as if it were leaping out of the confinement of the dreary building more, while preserving the ability to see through it. I cut my photograph apart in layers that relate to the architecture while duplicating the blurred figure to emphasize the sense of her moving through time and space. I printed each layer on acetate that I separated with thick acrylic sheets to give the sense of looking through the surface of the photograph. I clamped the layers together with steel angles to reinforce the idea that, when faced with soul-deadening restraint, the release of joy and creativity is a necessary antidote.

“Meet” the Artist!Watch an interview with Antonia Bentel.

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Pamela BestPlastic, Mixed media

Harborfields High SchoolGrade: 12

Art Teacher: Eileen Shields

I was inspired by the juxtaposed images of a tree and a house in Jerry Uelsmann’s photograph Untitled. I feel that these images symbolize the return of an object to its source — in this case the return of a wooden house to the tree. I decided to create a work of art about this idea, but with another everyday object, or material — plastic. For something we think so little of in our day-to-day existence, an innocent piece of plastic, which is in fact a product of the oil refining process, has an unexpectedly broad effect on society and the environment. From the Gulf War and the burning oil wells of Kuwait to American oil moguls and the keystone pipeline, plastic’s origins are complex. Every time you take a sip from your disposable plastic water bottle, you become more and more a part of this global web.

Sisam BhandariLucid Dreams, Graphite and dyeDivision Avenue High SchoolGrade: 10, Art Teacher: Timothy Ryan

In the exhibit Modern Alchemy: Experiments in Photography at The Heckscher Museum, I came upon a piece called Dream 28 by Grete Stern. This artwork inspired me to create a piece of my own that I would later call Lucid Dreams. Lucid dreaming is when a person can mentally place themselves into and control his or her actions while in a dream. In many cultures dreams are interpreted as meaningful and used to predict the future. I discovered that Dream 28 is one of a series of 140 photomontages created by Stern that illustrate the psychoanalysis of women’s fears and desires. I decided in my artwork that the focal point would be a void, where all dreams come from. My dreams flow from the void and the self-portrait represents creation. The illustrations of the dreams reveal my imagination, fears, and desires.

“Meet” the Artist!Watch an interview with Sisam Bhandari.

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Upon viewing Electricité by Man Ray, I was inspired to create something three dimensional and tactile. The female torso depicted in his work of art captured my imagination and immediately created an image in my mind. Using the traditional medium of clay, I first created a female torso. Upon further thought, I dissected the torso into wave like sections reminiscent of the sections created by the electric lines in Man Ray’s work. Separating the torso allowed the form to open up and let light pass through. I used welded steel as an armature to keep the form structurally sound and upright. When I put the clay torso and steel armature together, however I felt the need to add lighting to enhance the torso and connect back to the idea of electricity in Man Ray’s work. During this creative process, I have found it really exciting how my ideas started as one thing and kept evolving until I arrived at the finished piece.

Ilsia BonillaElectric Wave, Mixed media

(clay, steel, and light)Brentwood High School

Grade: 12Art Teacher: Nick Groudas

As an artist I am constantly looking at things from a new perspective, a new angle. David Quinn’s Abandoned IV inspired me to look in a new direction — down. His photograph shows a puddle with a reflection in it. To me, this view of the world as if it were encased in the ground is realistic and surreal at the same time. Who knew a whole new perspective on the world could be right at our feet?

Autumn BradleyUnearthedPhotographSayville High SchoolGrade: 12Art Teacher: Evan Hammer

Jake BrunoThe Venus, Digital artConnetquot High SchoolGrade: 11, Art Teacher: John Hargrave

My work of art was inspired by Man Ray’s Electricité. To me, Electricité feels like a statement on female oppression and objectification. Man Ray cut off the head of the figure leaving only the body of the model. To me this represents the selective lens through which women are viewed in society, often sexualized and perverted. For The Venus, I took one of the most famous depictions of a sexualized female form, Venus de Milo, and put her in the context of both feminine and masculine lines. Feminine features are typically more curvy and flowing, so I placed the figure of Venus in front of these lines, showing the idealized female form she is expected to have. In front of her, I placed strong, straight, masculine jutting lines that seem to bind her and push her back to the idealized female form. They almost hold her back from falling out of the piece. This shows Venus attempting to escape while being forced to abide to the typical ignorant view of females as merely objects of desire.

Leah ButzThe Queensboro BridgeReduction block printHuntington High SchoolGrade: 12Art Teacher: Kristin Singer

Joseph Constantino’s The Chapel inspired me to create my multi-layered reduction print of the Queensboro Bridge. The rhythmic lines in Constantino’s photograph led me to select a bridge for my subject, as bridges are rhythmic, complex architectural structures. Constantino’s use of solarization brings out the lights and darks in his image, so I decided to create a block print that would also create a similar effect with stark differences in darks and lights.

Kristi ChanCloud Jumper, Ink jet transferPlainview-Old BethpageJohn F. Kennedy High SchoolGrade: 11Art Teacher: Warren Jacobson

I was inspired by Cloud Sisters created by Maggie Taylor and the many photographic techniques used by artists in the Modern Alchemy exhibition, including multiple exposures, photograms, abstract imagery, and combination printing. Maggie Taylor has expressed a form of beauty in Cloud Sisters by combining two beautiful things together: people and nature. For my composition, I decided to capture two different photographs and use them as part of an Ink Jet Transfer experiment to create something new, as inspired by something old.

*Huntington Fine Arts Honorable Mention

Amanda CioffiJourneyMixed mediaBellport High SchoolGrade: 12Art Teacher: Suzette Fandale

I was inspired by Metzker’s use of multiple images to create his composition. In my piece, I chose to use multiple cyanotype prints on cotton fabric. After cutting the fabric apart and sewing the pieces back together, I added embroidery throughout the piece to create a constant flow. Like Metzker, I used objects found in nature of varying opacities to create a rich range of values. I strove to create a work of art with the creative flow and grace seen in Ray K. Metzker’s Flutterbye.

Etiana Coley MellsIndian Sunrise Dreamer, Mixed mediaAmityville Memorial High SchoolGrade: 12Art Teacher: Jayne Grasso

I love the warm calm feeling that the environment of the painting Indian Summer gives. The sky and the sunrays give me a hope for life even though the environment appears damaged. This concept of life and environment inspired me to create a three-dimensional work of art. I hope to communicate that even pieces from a damaged or broken environment can be transformed to give a feeling of life. I created a “dream catcher wind chime mobile” made out of natural and man-made items enclosed in its own framed environment. I used feathers, grape vines, rocks, beads, and other objects. I purposely used products found in everyday life, both indoors and out, and tried to give a feeling of timelessness and permanence.

Marcela ContrerasSpiraling into DarknessDigital photographLong Beach High SchoolGrade: 11Art Teacher: Sue Presberg

I was inspired by Damion Berger’s photograph and decided to experiment with contrast and emphasize abstract lines. I placed paper clips in a circular pattern in order to achieve a type of radial balance, which creates a path leading towards the focal point on the ground. Using a worm’s eye point of view, I emphasized the shapes and lines of the form. Finally, altering the lighting in my photo brought out the highlights created by natural light and darkened the crevices in the ground and paper clips.

Casey CraigWalking me homeMixed media (colored pencil, watercolor pencil, acrylic)Valley Stream North High SchoolGrade: 12, Art Teacher: Allan Nafte

My piece is inspired by Portrait of a Young Woman. I was inspired by the emotion that the piece evoked — a feeling of endearment. I found myself entranced by the candid beauty of the woman in the painting. The young woman is seemingly unaware that she is being captured in a moment of calmness. The subject in my artwork is someone special to me. In that moment, when he wasn’t paying attention, unaware I was photographing him, an endearing emotion took hold of me as I took the picture. The figures in the background are blurred and undefined as in the painting from which I drew inspiration. This technique emphasizes that in that moment, the only definitive thing, to me, was him.

Daniel CriblezStretchedWire with wood baseLocust Valley High SchoolGrade: 12Art Teacher: Linda DeFeo

During my visit to The Heckscher Museum, I was drawn to the painting Eclipse of the Sun by George Grosz. I feel that the painting depicts multiple struggles regarding politics and life, such as greed, corruption, and pain. In my work of art entitled Stretched, I created two small men pulling at a larger man’s face to express stress and tension in my own way. I chose to work with wire because it gave me the ability to use line in an expressive manner. Grosz captured a visual of the reality of politics and the chaos of his time. By choosing wire for the medium of my sculpture, I was able to portray the disarray and panic of my figures to represent the chaos people are feeling in the world today.

Robby CusackFragmentDigital 3-D modelingNorthport High SchoolGrade: 11Art Teacher: John DeRosa

I was inspired by Debora Lark’s work of art HOPE. Lark used Lego® bricks to build a unique three-dimensional sculpture of a human head. As I am an artist who works in 3-D modeling, I chose to use the Autodesk software Mudbox and Maya to create a unique three-dimensional head. The series of separate tiles build the head, just as HOPE is built from separate Lego® bricks. Also, I chose select chunks of the head and extruded and scaled them, pushing the design of the piece and making a less symmetrical composition. Finally, Deborah Lark explained how she limits her sculptures to one color to create unity. Similarly, I chose to give my piece a chrome texture to give it a modern feeling.

Lindsey DeMarsMouth Abstraction Through Colored PencilColored pencil on paperGarden City High SchoolGrade: 12Art Teacher: Shawn Uttendorfer

After viewing Ellen Carey’s Polaroid Pull & Rollback with Mixed Media Pods, I was inspired by her use of color and her focus on artistic process. Each artist’s creative process is different and my passion is colored pencils. I chose to emphasize the color red just like Carey, but I selected a naturalistic subject matter — the mouth. I wanted to incorporate the organic forms created from the Polaroid, so I chose to highlight the mouth from a different perspective to give it an abstract quality.

Yardelis DiazSubmergedColored pencil on paperNew Hyde Park Memorial High SchoolGrade: 11Art Teacher: Danielle Livoti

I was inspired by Rapture by Doris Gootnick to create Submerged. At first, the girl in Rapture appears to be in a peaceful state with her eyes closed. However, there seems to be evidence of perspiration by her neck which can be indicative of distress, as the comforting hand also suggests. Thus, the mood appears to be one of both calm and ache. I was inspired by this paradox to create a piece that is conflicted in a similar way. In my drawing, I decided to parallel her peaceful state with that of a person in a hot bath who experiences relief. The way Gootnick was able to capture the dampness on the girl’s neck inspired me to capture the hot, bubbling water in my work. The concept behind my composition is that one may take a hot bath to soothe pain, stress, or body aches. I was inspired by Gootnick to choose a title which would exemplify a particular mood. I chose Submerged to characterize the way one may feel when burdened with stress but also to describe the comfort water can bring. Thus, these two conflicting moods, peace/relief and ache/stress are central to both works of art.

Gabriella ElanbeckRiotMixed media (Acrylic, pastel, charcoal, pencil, newspaper, photography)Syosset High SchoolGrade: 10Art Teacher: Chrysoula Highland

In his work Le Capitaine de Génie, Th., Le Blanc, August Raffet depicted a conflict contemporary to his time in which soldiers are working together to keep each other safe. In turn, I chose to depict a conflict that is extremely prevalent in our own time: race riots. In black-and-white mixed media — an homage to Raffet — I illustrated several critical and recent racial conflicts which have dominated the news. These images were juxtaposed with portraits of men of various races, as well as unique patterns meant to symbolize and highlight cultural and creative differences. I hope to convey the idea that despite our differences, people of all backgrounds must come together in order to support and help one another as in Raffet's piece.

*Fourth Place Award*Huntington Fine Arts Honorable Mention

Riley Esposito16: A Self Portrait, PhotographLong Beach High SchoolGrade: 12, Art Teacher: Sue Presberg

The rich tones and haunting depth of Barbara Jaffe’s Dark Sun #62 inspired me to explore unique ways to manipulate the correlation between light and dark. In my piece entitled 16: A Self Portrait, I experimented with incorporating inverted tones and contrast levels, much like Jaffe, to digitize an original film negative that I developed. I left the perforations of the film to preserve the analog authenticity. Jaffe’s work reflects her belief in the “dual nature of reality.” Her Dark Sun series represents the relationships in one’s existence —life/death, good/evil, and spiritual/material. This led me to divide my composition in half to explore the relationship between light/dark, positive/negative, and digital/analog photography.

*Honorable Mention in Photography

Ryan FargioneAll AmericanDigital photographSayville High SchoolGrade: 12Art Teacher: Evan Hammer

My work of art was inspired by Robert Heinecken's PP/Surrealism-C, particularly the way he manipulated his photograph to “highlight American vanity, consumerism, and superficiality.” Just like Heinecken manipulated popular magazine and television images to illuminate America’s idiotic values, I wanted to add an eroded lens to “All American” ideals. My photograph is of my grandparents’ Grady White floating aside their dock. The name All American dominates the side of the boat, revealing when they purchased it. My parents came of age in the midst of the Cold War, a time of intense nationalism. The USA was a superpower that drew its strength from the patriotic fervor of its people. To be anything but “All American” was to be a disgrace; to deny any aspect of being "All American" (i.e. nationalism and materialism) was to put yourself at odds with the powers that be. I wanted to demonstrate in my work how these ideals have a self-destructive effect on the nation. I inverted the colors and overlaid an old paint palette over my image to suggest that hyper-nationalism is corrosive.

Emily FeigelmanPara-DocsOil on paperJohn F. Kennedy High SchoolGrade: 12Art Teacher: Vanessa Albaneze

My painting Para-Docs comments on womanhood in American society. The idea of “feminine” is something I have learned means so many different things and I always struggle with the idea of what truly makes a woman. Is it the make-up or nail polish we wear? Or the way we look after and care for people in our lives? I believe that no matter how much women struggle, if we set our hearts on something, we can always persevere. At The Heckscher Museum, Richard Gachot’s Miss Liberty struck me emotionally. He captured the beauty of Miss Liberty through hard and strong materials including wire and wood, not traditionally feminine or delicate materials. This gave me the idea to show both sides of being a woman — the soft and sweet and the hard and strong. The perfume bottle in my painting symbolizes the beauty and sweetness that women possess and the charm they can exude. The work boots are meant to show that our strengths demand to be noticed too. Gachot’s sculpture also reminded me of women’s role in American history, and I hope to show in my work how we continue to strengthen our role today.

*Honorable Mention in Painting

When visiting The Heckscher Museum, I was immediately captivated by Compromised Waters. I especially appreciated the artist’s use of layered materials and bright strokes of color, both elements I incorporated into my own work. Additionally, I noticed Seelbach’s conceptual interpretation of the tension between humans and nature. These ideas led me to express my own views on this relationship. My work began with a human figure, representing humanity. The first layer on top of him is a majestic mountainous landscape, which blends into the value of his skin, representing the unbreakable bond man has to nature. On top of these layers are several sheets of acetate with expressive and colorful lines that expand outward and intersect and overlap the composition. These abstract elements are meant to represent the tension that results from man’s progressive destruction of nature. I encourage the viewer to lift each sheet of acetate in order to uncover the simplicity that remains beneath the chaos. We as humans have the ability to rid the toxins and destruction we have created, and return to a fundamental bond with the Earth.

Aaron FeltmanMan vs. Wild, Mixed media (colored pencil, paint, acetate)Huntington High School, Grade: 11, Art Teacher: Kristin Singer

*Achievement Award in Mixed Media*Renzo S. Bianchi Scholarship Award

Francisco Fischer588 SquaresAcrylic on canvasWard Melville High SchoolGrade: 12Art Teacher: Stefanie DiLorenzo

Walking through the Long Island Biennial exhibit, Deborah Lark’s HOPE created out of LEGO® bricks made an impression on me. As a kid, I made countless objects out of legos, but never a figure. This inspired me to make a portrait out of LEGOs®, but this time I would use the LEGOs® to create a texture for the piece I made. I carefully mixed my paint colors and used a LEGO® block to dip in paint and stamp my portrait.

Heather FriedfertigYesterday, PhotographWantagh High SchoolGrade: 12Art Teacher: Patricia Beary

My photograph Yesterday was inspired by Alonzo Chappel’s painting Washington at the Battle of Monmouth. The American flags in both Chappel’s painting and my photograph appear to be worn out. For me, the imagery suggests the perseverance of the American people. As I was walking along my family friend’s property upstate I found a flag laying on a pile of rocks. I was so upset that a flag could be lying on the ground like that; the flag should never touch the ground and be disrespected. After looking at it for a while I took this photograph. I thought about how many events are represented by the flag, like the American Revolution represented in the painting Washington at the Battle of Monmouth.

I was inspired by Undiscovered Self by Jerry Uelsmann. As soon as I saw this work in the Museum’s Modern Alchemy exhibition, I was immediately drawn to its unique textural aspects and the artist’s juxtaposition of realism and abstraction. I was also intrigued by Uelsmann’s multi-layered process in the darkroom. Taking inspiration from this technique, I began by photographing Heckscher Museum Docent Thomas Campbell while at the Museum. Then, I started a multi-step process in the studio to achieve centralized realism surrounded by textural abstraction. First, I printed my 35mm film photograph of Tom in his work environment on fine art paper. I then drew into the portrait with colored pencil to accentuate specific features. I photographed the piece a second time and manipulated it in Adobe Photoshop and added more prominent texture before printing it again. I then affixed the portrait to a larger board using spackle to bind the paper to the surface which created the textural background. Using a mixture of glue and acrylic paint, I added an additional textural layer to the spackle which highlights the intricacies of the line work in the foreground. In the end, I feel that I have created a work of art that reflects Uelsmann’s piece in my own unique way.

*Joseph Mack Achievement Award

Grant FrycErudite

Mixed mediaNorthport High School

Grade: 11Art Teacher:

Constance Wolf

Lisa GirisHeart of DarknessSilver emulsion printHalf Hollow Hills High School EastGrade: 12Art Teacher: Allyson Uttendorfer

When I visited The Heckscher Museum, I was inspired by Damion Berger’s piece Fiac I, Jardin des Tuileries, Paris, 2009. This work of art is a beautiful example of a darkroom solarization, the same process I used to develop my own photograph. I was inspired by both Berger’s alternative process as well as the content of the photograph. Damion Berger’s image shows fireworks crisscrossing across the composition, creating interesting angles in addition to a unique textural appearance emphasized by the solarization. I tried to create a similar effect by using a paintbrush to apply to developer in a series of strokes rather than placing the paper directly in the developer. I feel that I managed to achieve both a texture similar to Berger’s as well as a dramatic solarization.

*Achievement Award in Experimental Photography*Renzo S. Bianchi Scholarship Award

I was inspired by the use of the dark, curved lines within Cartographic Information by Kathryn Gardner, as well as the intricate pattern and layers that she created using black charcoal strokes and white dabs of paint. I saw depth in this two-dimensional piece, formed by the closely knit strokes of black which appear to disperse outward from a central region. These qualities made me wonder what this image would look like in a three-dimensional form. My intention was to translate the marks, patterns, and depth I saw into my own interpretation of curvature and negative space. I created this sculpture through a process of dipping string into a mixture of glue and India ink, then setting it out to dry. After the string hardened, I was able to bend and shape it, creating a final structure which appears to decay in front of the viewer.

Tina GoparajuRot

Mixed media(string dipped in glue

and india ink)Hicksville High School

Grade: 12Art Teacher:

Beth Atkinson

*Second Place, Judith Sposato Memorial Prize

Mina Gradinarova

StonewareHicksville High SchoolGrade: 12Art Teacher: Angela Galante

The title of my three-dimensional beacon of light means “Hope” in Russian. This work of art conveys the everlasting flame of hope and strength a mother has even when the world around her and her family is crumbling beneath their feet. The physical destruction and emotional burden expressed in the photograph A Mother’s Anguish, Ruins of Orlov City by Mark Markov-Grinberg inspired my artwork. In the photograph, the woman stands tall with a tough expression on her face. My three-dimensional piece expresses this turmoil through its rough exterior while the light bursting through from the inside symbolizes the spark of hope she carries.

Jason GreenbergReflectionMicron pen on paperHalf Hollow Hills High School WestGrade: 11Art Teacher: Amanda Montiglio

I was really intrigued by Doris Gootnick's photograph Rapture because it reminded me of my sister when she was younger. The faded black and white quality of the photo also adds a vintage feeling. The title of the photograph, Rapture, means a feeling of joy. Looking at the photograph, I started thinking about things that my sister and I did as children. One thing we did often was blow bubbles all day long. I decided to draw my sister, as she is now, blowing a large bubble that reflects our home. I wanted to explore the theme of reflection in my piece — reflecting on the past as well as literal reflection in the bubble.

Jerry Uelsmann’s Undiscovered Self reminded me of my own hidden character. Although I recognize this part of me, it is something that not everyone can know, especially family. My relationship must remain hidden or else it could jeopardize my entire life, altering it in a way I’m not sure I can absorb all at once. The man in this portrait is someone very dear to me but, I cannot express it in front of every person I know. Undiscovered Self reminded me of the self I want to keep away from family and others who would find me disgusting. The surreal hands floating in Uelsmann’s print served as a direct inspiration for my own work. Uelsmann’s ghoul-like hands represent, in my opinion, what has to be shown but must remain hidden at the same time, correlating with what I want to depict and others to identify with. Jerry Uelsmann’s black and white photograph has served as a forceful inspiration and realization of my own self.

*Achievement Award in Drawing

Miguel GuerraSilence Is BetterGraphite on paperNew Hyde ParkMemorial High SchoolGrade: 12Art Teacher: Danielle Livoti

First Cotton Gin (Industry #1) by Richard Gachot inspired me to create Up Close. I titled my drawing this way to attract the viewer to look very closely and notice the fine details. My work of art draws connections between human bodily functions and modern technology shown in Gachot’s Industry series. From First Cotton Gin to First Wind Power Engine, Gachot’s kinetic sculptures emphasized interaction between human and technology. In my composition, networking, renewable resources, the purifying of air, mechanism, biochemical sciences, and irrigation systems correspond to the organs' functions. The legs represent transportation, communication, infrastructure, and agriculture. The arms are the movements and expansion of human activities outside of the Earth. The distant mountain chain is the starting point of civilization that expanded the meaning of life beyond just survival.

Zi Jun GuoUp Close

Pencil on paperValley Stream North

High SchoolGrade: 12

Art Teacher: Allan Nafte

During my visit to the Long Island Biennial exhibit at The Heckscher Museum, I was inspired by Anna Jurinich’s work of art THEY are killing our children. This artist depicts struggles and challenges within each stage of life. The relationship between life and time was very evident in this piece and that is what made an impression on me. I chose to make my piece about an individual’s journey through time. I started my sculpture from the bottom and used a staircase that wraps to the top, representing a single life. I wanted to showcase this self-reflection by picking stages that stand out to me as an artist, such as a baby’s first step. I took this idea all the way to the top, ending with death.

“Meet” the Artist!Watch an interview with Emily Haliotis.

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Emily HaliotisTime, StonewareWard Melville High SchoolGrade: 12Art Teacher:Jim Swierupski

Summer HayesGuardian of WarDigital illustrationCold Spring Harbor High SchoolGrade: 9Art Teacher: Christine Oswald

I was inspired by the powerful war imagery in I Was Always Present by George Grosz. My artwork also represents the fighting spirit. However, I chose to use digital illustration to create my creature and rider.

Mia IdlerVisual Facets One, Vector illustrationHuntington High SchoolGrade: 9, Art Teacher: Kasmira Mohanty

Over the years I have been drawn to many different art movements, particularly Cubism. Looking at György Kepes’s Untitled, I felt that the fractured geometric shapes were reminiscent of Cubism. Also, I admire the artist’s combining of the worlds of art and technology to create his artwork. My work infuses all of these concepts. I chose to create a digitally illustrated geometric low poly rendering. Low poly renderings are a current interest of digital artists and I found this to be a way to bring today’s modern tools together with Kepes’s. In my work, I used a bright color palette because I wanted the mood of my work to be a bit more vibrant than Kepes’s.

*Andrew Presberg Promising Young Artist Award

Ekaterina KoulakovaSweet Tooth, Mixed mediaHuntington High SchoolGrade: 11, Art Teacher: Kasmira Mohanty

The gentle and organic textures on the surface of William Shillalies Untitled instilled a serene feeling in me. They also reminded me of a majestic and regal animal — the rhinoceros. Unfortunately, the texture skin of rhinoceros is often marred by poachers. Highly profitable international poaching syndicates carry out illegal missions, fueled by a large demand from Asian medical markets. My artwork Sweet Tooth comments ironically on the concept of a materialistic and corrupt desire as demonstrated by poachers. An ice cream cone replacing a horn symbolizes the childish lust for this commodity, while the torn head represents the ruthless action of poaching. On one hand, the rhino’s wrinkles tell of old age and the archaic tradition of poaching, while the modern medium and contemporary issue link my work to present day. To complete my artwork, I included a small peering eye in the center of the head to symbolize an unheard and restrained voice on the issue. Despite a dropping rhinoceros census, some still debate its legality due to materialistic ethics and archaic traditions.

Katherine KuczwajTucker, BatikSmithtown High School WestGrade: 12Art Teacher: Lee Moran

I have always liked to work with cut outs and different types of mark making. Recently, I learned how to batik and thought this new skillset would be perfect for creating Tucker. I have a love for elephants, so Neil Leinwohl’s The Extinction Protocol was very inspiring for me. Like Leinwohl, I chose elephants as my subject. I loved the layering of the light elephant under the darker silhouettes in Leinwohl’s work of art and it inspired me to layer the adult and child elephant, giving a sense of protection.

Crisoula LazaridisMan In The BoxMixed media (found ammunition box, lights, foamcore, polymer clay)Valley Stream Central High SchoolGrade: 12Art Teacher: Mario Bakalov

I chose Mark Markov-Grinberg’s photograph In the trenches, near Kursk because I admired his dedication to put himself in harm’s way to photograph the soldiers. His photograph depicts the massive pressure, both literally and figuratively, that soldiers face in war. The claustrophobic feeling of walls closing in on you is an idea that I wanted to portray in my piece. In creating my sculpture, I wanted to force the viewer to have to crouch, bend down, and even get into an uncomfortable position to view it properly, the same way Mark Markov-Grinberg had to take the original photo. Also, I wanted to create a figurative sculpture that deals with the physical and psychological pressures of war. I was able to find an army surplus ammunition canister which helped me portray the theme of war, and because my figure is trapped inside I was able to light the scene dramatically from above like Markov-Grinberg’s photograph. Because you have to view the piece from the cutout hole, it forces the viewer to see the composition as I intended, much like a photographer when creating a photograph.

*Third Place Award

My photograph was inspired by Klea McKenna’s Paper Airplanes and my interest in relating art to other school subjects. I connected McKenna’s work to science and math and the work of Eadweard Muybridge. By experimentating and taking a sequence of photographs while a horse galloped, Muybridge proved that all four hooves leave the ground at one time. Like Muybridge, McKenna also demonstrated the passage of time in the 57 prints in Paper Airplanes. As time passed, the sun moved through the sky, just as Muybridge’s horse’s legs moved through the air. This combination of experimentation, math, and the idea of flight or movement, inspired me to create my own work of art. I explored the popping of a water balloon and the resulting movement of water. Carefully timing my photographs, I discovered that there is a moment after a water balloon is popped when a sphere of water in the balloon’s shape remains.

Meagan LeottaVelocityDigital C-printHalf Hollow HillsHigh School EastGrade: 12Art Teacher: Allyson Uttendorfer

Cory LevyRenewal of IndustryBallpoint penSayville High SchoolGrade: 11Art Teacher: Evan Hammer

Richard Gachot’s work of art Tower of Babel was created with found objects, many of which were mechanical pieces of technology available in 1989. Looking at this work of art and Gachot’s focus on industry in many of his pieces, I was inspired to think about the future, technology, and industry. In my drawing Renewal of Industry, I’m inviting the viewer to envision with me a futuristic world that shows the possible advancements of human technology. I have created a robot from existing or developing technology emerging from an expanded wormhole.

Jean MahnWave of PeaceMixed mediaDivision Avenue High SchoolGrade: 11Art Teacher: Nikki Kessler

When viewing Paper Airplanes by Klea McKenna, I was immediately drawn in by the emotion I felt. I was inspired by her use of light to create something so breathtaking. My artwork drew inspiration from McKenna’s use of folded paper and light as well as the story of a Japanese girl named Sadako Sasaki. After the United States dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Sadako was afflicted with leukemia. Japanese legend said that if she folded 1,000 origami peace cranes, she would be granted one wish. Before her death, she wished for world peace. Her wish for peace inspired me to create my own

personal peaceful feeling. My artwork represents an overwhelming wave of peace using cool, relaxing colors. I feel that the tones in the exposed Nature Print paper create a sense of natural calm and sunlight. The gradual formation of the cranes represents the growth and explosion of emotion I felt when viewing McKenna’s work.

*Honorable Mention in Installation*Donald G. Horn, Jr. Scholarship Award*Joseph Mack Achievement Award

Angela MaureUndiscovered Journey, PenLong Beach High SchoolGrade: 10Art Teacher: AnnMarie Pulice

The Sound of Silence by Tmima Z gave me inspiration for my artwork. When I first looked at the sculpture, I asked myself, “What does a book and a pair of shoes have in common and what role do both objects play in sound and silence?” I then began exploring my imagination as I attempted to answer this question. I began with an un-opened book that has not yet been read, and a pair of shoes that has not yet been worn. When you finally try on the pair of shoes and walk in them, and when the book is read for the first time, both objects take you on a journey to discover new things. Thinking about the words sound and silence, I then added a girl to my drawing who symbolizes the predictability of society, which often shuns the rare ideas that people have, forcing them to keep their brilliant concepts locked away and silenced. The girl has duct tape covering her mouth to represent this idea. Finally, the thought bubble at the upper left hand corner is the girl’s fantasy, in which she wishes that the tape to be removed from her lips and that she would have a different appearance. I purposely leave the viewer to ask questions and ponder about the meaning in my artwork. I hope my work inspires viewers in the process of coming to their own conclusions.

Thomas MayberryUrbanization (detail)Micron pen and marker on paperOceanside High SchoolGrade: 9Art Teacher: Carol Marano

I was immediately drawn to Jerry Uelsmann’s Untitled. I feel that it is an expression of what we have done to our planet. I interpreted the photograph as a message of how we have taken nature, demolished it, and built on top of it. Although our cities may be breathtaking, it is upsetting to know that we cannot undo urbanization, and the effect it has had on wildlife. I was inspired to create my own work of art Urbanization on this same theme. I created a dense, chaotic, imaginary city based on modern day Kowloon, a district in Hong Kong. The skyscrapers extend into the mountains, forests, clouds, and wildlife.

Mary Joy MendozaTwisted, CeramicHicksville High SchoolGrade: 12Art Teacher: Angela Galante

I was intrigued by the ceramic piece Untitled made by William Shillalies. His three-dimensional work possesses an unusual shape and meticulous design that created a very intricate texture. These elements inspired me to find my own approach to creating a ceramic piece exploring an uncommon shape and an elaborate texture. These features are shown in my depiction of a dragon twisting around a vessel; the scales of the creature create an elaborate texture, and the whole work of art is an atypical form.

*Achievement Award in Ceramics

I was inspired by the photograph Rain Study #21 by Klea McKenna. When I first looked at this piece without knowing the title, I interpreted the image as a collection of cells. This led me to think about how complex organisms, including humans, are a collection of cells. Looking more at this image caused me to see it in different ways and later I began to interpret it as a collection of stars. This idea of many simple things making up one extremely complex thing, such as cells making up a human, or stars and planets making up a galaxy, is what I wanted to represent in my own artwork. I attempted to convey this by using the example of a human made up of cells. To represent this, I used simple round shapes to depict the face of a friend of mine. I decided to use pen to create the circular outlines that inspired me in the photograph Rain Study #21. I also created value using the cell shapes, with the entire face made up of cells except for the hair. By using simple shapes to create a complex image, I believe I succeeded in conveying the idea of simplicity making up complexity.

Kristen Miciotta MulticellularPen on paperLong Beach High SchoolGrade: 10Art Teacher:Sue Presberg

Tower of Babel and the concept of technology versus man inspired my work of art. Richard Gachot’s use of found materials inspired me to use found materials in my sculpture. I began to think of an idea that could illustrate an alternative view to Gachot’s piece. I decided to create a life-size human speaking on a cell phone. In everyday life, technology rules our thoughts and actions and is seemingly involved in every moment of our lives. Technology connects humans and at the same time, isolates us. We become attached to our handheld devices and can become isolated from our own self and society. As I was planning my piece, I discovered telephone wire on the street. I decided to combine this wire with packaging tape, plastic wrap and newspaper to create my sculpture. Wrapping the man in wire symbolizes that we are dominated and being taken over by technology. The man’s position is hunched over, showing his isolation and separation from society. Although my piece incorporates different types of technology, I wanted to target cell phones specifically because speech and language relate to the Tower of Babel. My sculpture is a commentary on society and how humans have evolved.

*Honorable Mention in Sculpture*Joseph Mack Achievement Award

Nina MillerModern ManMixed media

(tape, plastic wrap, newspaper, andtelephone wire)

Long Beach High SchoolGrade: 11

Art Teacher: Nora Bellsey

In Mariah Robertson’s installation 222, color becomes fluid as it pours down, over, and into itself creating ripples and pools. This is the result of the artist’s experimentation with developers and fixatives in the dark room. I wanted to capture the dispersion of energy through liquid media as well. My piece Push represents the outward movement of waves from a droplet’s impact point. I used a combination of rubber cement resist and latex paint to exaggerate the energy.

Asante MillsPushMixed media(latex paint, rubber cement,and cardboard)Deer Park High SchoolGrade: 12Art Teacher: Derek Mainhart

Pamela MorelThe TransitionColored pencil, tempera, and watercolorBrentwood High SchoolGrade: 10Art Teacher: James Schultz

When I first viewed Maggie Taylor’s captivating work of art Cloud Sisters, I was intrigued by her style. The relative size of the sisters, their posture, and serious expressions made me want to explore the idea of change over a lifetime and leaving childhood behind. To represent the ideas of change and development, I drew an image inspired by a 19th-century vintage wood cut of a girl helping her younger sister learn how to walk. Then, I placed the girls deep in outer space surrounded by planets. These forever rotating bodies represent the girls’ progress through time. I also incorporated the image of a butterfly, a symbol of transformation, within a distant sun.

*Renzo S. Bianchi Scholarship Award

Natalie NunezBlue FireDigital photographWest Babylon High SchoolGrade: 10Art Teacher: Christine Iaquinto

When I saw Chemotherapy Walks: Week Seven by Anne Devine, I was instantly inspired by her sense of hope and creation of a mood. I was quickly drawn to the middle of the composition where there is a burst of color which breaks the otherwise monotone feeling. After viewing her photograph, I decided to create my own photograph incorporating multiple shades of blue and a pop of color peaking through.

*Renzo S. Bianchi Scholarship Award

“Meet” the Artist!Watch an interview with Natalie Nunez.

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Ciarra OliveraBrick By BrickMixed media (clay, steel, wood, and plaster)Brentwood High SchoolGrade: 12, Art Teacher: Nick Groudas

When I viewed Markov-Grinberg’s photograph A Mother’s Anguish, Ruins of Orlov City, I was flooded with emotion — sadness, loneliness, and sorrow were just a few. Afterward, as I was sketching and thinking about it, I was inspired to create my own reaction piece. Using plaster modeling techniques, I began to fashion the image of a child picking up and holding the ruins of her home and city and Brick By Brick started to take shape. I felt the need to show the devastation even further by using steel and wood elements that help to create the feeling of emptiness and destruction. My work of art shows the sorrow of a family that lost everything. Despite the age of the photograph that inspired me, I think people today can still relate to the feeling of loss. To me it also shows an opportunity to start over Brick By Brick.

“Meet” the Artist!Watch an interview with Ciarra Olivera.

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Marissa OlsenPomegranateDigital photographPatchogue-Medford High SchoolGrade: 12Art Teacher: Amy Cunningham

I was inspired by the juxtaposed images within a single print and solarizations of Ray K. Metzker’s Flutterbye. Using Metzker's focus on flowers and nature as a starting point, I took a photograph of my model holding a pomegranate to her eye. I then used Adobe Photoshop to create a grid on the photograph and invert the colors on every other “stripe” in homage to Metzker’s work.

I was immediately drawn to the title of Dick Shanley’s sculpture Figure in Movement. I was intrigued by the concept of capturing a figure in motion. The movement of Shanley’s piece inspired me and I hoped to create my own work with a sense of fluid movement. I translated this three-dimensional work of art into a two-dimensional photograph showing a human figure in motion. My photograph combines three photographs to create a rhythmic pattern. I was specifically attracted to the element of rhythm and also created a background utilizing rhythm through repetition.

Shannon O'ReillyUntitled

Digital photographHarborfields High School

Grade: 12Art Teacher: Eileen Shields

Megan OvertonUntitledPhotographHauppauge High SchoolGrade: 11Art Teacher: Patricia DiMasi-Coppola

My artwork was inspired by Damion Berger’s photograph Fiac I, Jardin des Tuileries, Paris 2009, in which the artist used a long exposure to capture fireworks. Untraditional forms of photography have always interested me. Looking at other photographs in the Modern Alchemy exhibition, I also observed that many of them deal with the theme of loneliness and mystery. I decided to convey this mood in my artwork. I initially planned to photograph a lonely figure to show this mood. However my plan wasn’t working out, so I decided to ask one of my friends to help me show spontaneous action using lights. I captured the path of light with a long exposure and I feel that the image looks like time rushing by. To convey the emotion I wanted, I made the photograph black and white. Though different than my initial plan, I think my photograph still conveys what I set out to do.

*Renzo S. Bianchi Scholarship Award

Lauren PadalaWater PitcherPastel on paperGarden City High SchoolGrade: 12Art Teacher: Shawn Uttendorfer

The photograph Abandoned IV by David Quinn captured my attention because of its dynamic composition and sharp reflection. I was curious to figure out exactly what part of the building I was looking at and from what direction. Quinn’s piece encourages the viewer to pause and reflect upon the visual drama in our world. Since Quinn’s artwork focused on an everyday subject, I was inspired to reflect on my own world and find the reflection and beauty within my own environment. I arranged a still life, with a focus on rounded forms and subtle lighting. My color interpretation adds an additional level of interest and the texture of the pastel moves the viewer’s eye across the paper.

I was inspired by several works of art from the Modern Alchemy: Experiments in Photography exhibition. I was particularly drawn to many of the rich black and white images that had surrealistic elements, and whose subject matter hinted of melancholy. In Barbara Jaffe’s Dark Sun #62, I was drawn to the solitary female figure that appears to be in deep reflection. I wanted my piece to reflect the sadness and introspection displayed in that work. Grete Stern’s Dream 31 inspired me to create an other-worldly atmosphere in which I used an over-sized moon to frame my figure. This landscape was completed by integrating the dead trees of Dan Burkholder’s Overlapping Trees, Palenville and appropriating the roots from Jerry Uelsmann’s Untitled to complete the surrealistic environment that frames my figure. The resulting work entitled The Tragedy ties all of these elements together with a conscious nod to the compositions of artist Alphonse Mucha.

*Best in Show Young Artist Award

Paola ParolaThe TragedyBallpoint penon paperValley Stream Central High SchoolGrade: 11Art Teacher:Mario Bakalov

Tut PintoColorful Afterlife, Colored pencilSyosset High SchoolGrade: 12, Art Teacher: Demi Protonentis

Colorful Afterlife is inspired by John Michaels’ digital photograph Gretchen featured in the Museum’s Long Island Biennial 2014 exhibition. After viewing Gretchen, I was moved as to how the figure’s tired and worn down appearance fit with her environment. I found both the figure and environment to be subdued, neutral, and painfully somber. In a way, the environment looked just as exhausted as the figure appeared. When creating Colorful Afterlife, I wanted to portray death in a colorful and rejuvenated environment, representing the possibility of a rebirth. The skull represents the woman in her new “life” containing vibrant colors, positive energies, and joy.

*Honorable Mention in Drawing

Emily PitittoChaos In My LifeMicron pen on paperGarden City High SchoolGrade: 12Art Teacher: Shawn Uttendorfer

I was immediately inspired by the texture and contrast in Floris Neusüss’s photogram Nachtbild (63). I learned that the artist evokes man’s relationship with nature in his some of his work and this led me to think about relationships in my own work. Instead of focusing on man and nature, I chose to address the relationship between man and his or her belongings. I created a sense of chaos by overlapping the objects in a crowded composition.

Scott ReillHomage to ConstantinoWhite gel pen on boardNassau BOCES Long Island High School for the ArtsGrade: 11Art Teacher: Rae Raff

Joe Constantino’s Brooklyn Bridge with Hot Dog Stand was the inspiration for my artwork. This photograph gives such a feeling of New York that I felt the need to draw all of Manhattan in a style reminiscent of Constantino’s photography. New York City conjures up an image of excitement and spontaneity that I wanted to capture in my drawing. In order to portray the bold contrast seen in Constantino’s photograph, I chose to draw with white gel pen on a dark background.

Samantha RoemerBack AlleyPhotographWantagh High SchoolGrade: 12Art Teacher: Patricia Beary

Upon viewing Untitled (Film Noir #1437) by Bill Armstrong, I was inspired to capture a blurred portrait that places an emphasis on the background. Armstrong’s photograph uses color to attract the viewer’s eye to the blur. I took a different approach to accomplish a similar visual effect. I decided to utilize the texture in my scene to accentuate the blurred person in my photograph, Back Alley. My image also conveys a sense of seclusion and desolation, as seen in Armstrong’s photograph. The figures in both images seem to lack a sense of direction.

Clis SabadoCorruption, Digital artMacArthur High SchoolGrade: 11Art Teacher: Lynn Spinnato

I was inspired by Abelardo Morell’s Tent-Camera Image On Ground: View of Landscape Outside Florence. The idea of combining several images was intriguing to me. In contrast to Morell’s artwork, however, I chose to represent negative impacts on the environment. To make Corruption, I first put citrasolv on a National Geographic magazine and let it dry so it would dissolve the colors. I then scanned the images and used Adobe Photoshop to manipulate them and create smoke. Finally, I took a photograph of a polluted factory and layered it over the citrasolv and added an effect of a blazing fire.

Kyungwon SeoA Mother’s Endless Love, Graphite on paperSmithtown Christian SchoolGrade: 11Art Teacher: Marisa D’Ulisse

I was drawn to William Holbrook Beard’s painting Give Up That Egg. Although satirical, it demonstrates a mother’s protective and nurturing role. In my drawing, the old woman has stolen an egg from the duck to feed her son and provide sustenance and nourishment. The duck is demonstrating her protective role by shielding her offspring under the protection of her wings until they hatch. The eggs are symbolic of life, new beginnings and growth. Both mothers represent love and protection.

I was mesmerized by Maggie Taylor’s implicit narrative in her magical Cloud Sisters. The mystery of the two girls obscured by the lovely clouds inspired me to create my own version of storytelling through painting. I took to the classroom, where stories are always forming, but are not spoken aloud. The main character is a high school girl, and I deliberately omitted any other person's face to intensify the girl's presence. I drew bright tall windows, which are uncommonly seen in high school classrooms, to give a supernatural atmosphere. As the title Daydream suggests, the girl is thinking of secrets, which we as the audience cannot fully uncover. Onlookers wonder what she could be thinking of, just like the way we must wonder about people we do not truly know. The clouds surrounding the girl obscure her presence, transforming her from simply a person to an enchanting mystery. I hope to provoke spectators to come up with their own stories for this girl — maybe she is thinking of the boy with the attractive smile, or maybe she is dreaming of saving the world from peril. Everyone and everything — be it a young girl, a beautiful vase, or an old pocket-watch — has a secret story we may never know.

*Renzo S. Bianchi Scholarship Award

Julia ShiDaydreaming

Watercolor and acrylicThe Stony

Brook SchoolGrade: 11

Art Teacher: Melinda Johnson

Jenny ShinStruggle of the FuturePen on paperLocust Valley High SchoolGrade: 12Art Teacher: Linda DeFeo

When visiting The Heckscher Museum, I was inspired by Untitled by Jerry Uelsmann to make a piece focusing on monochromatic contrast and utilizing surrealist techniques. I loved the way Uelsmann combined the massive roots of the tree with the house to make a unified juxtaposition of objects. In my own work, I combined the contrasting shapes of geometric city buildings and organic clouds and waves that surround the profile of my face to create a image that draws the viewer’s attention. This contrast in my artwork represents my inner struggle with deciding what I want for my future — a modern, coordinated way of life or a more relaxed “go-with-the-flow” lifestyle.

Hanna SuhTree MapMixed media (watercolor paper, ink, thread, and pen)Ashcan Studio of Art, Inc.Grade: 12Art Teacher: Seungran Woo

The intricate lines of tree branches in Dan Burkholder’s photograph Overlapping Trees, Palenville suggest a map or satellite image to me. The golden color suggests age and tradition. I was surprised when I learned that the photograph was made with an iPhone. In my work, I wanted to create this sense of old and new and also use surprising materials. I recycled thread and leftover coffee to make the organic tree and map shape. I incorporated a combination of traditional and modern imagery. Thinking of the image as a mixture of Eastern and Western elements, I created a pen drawing of a satellite map of Europe, but transforming the drawing into an Eastern traditional-style drawing of a tree.

Jakob SurberMechanism of the MindMixed media (ceramic, leather, wood)Syosset High SchoolGrade: 12Art Teacher: Peter Haughwout

I was intrigued by the mechanical nature of the structure of Richard Gachot’s Many Faces. It occurred to me that the mind is very similar to this work of art in the way that one thought leads to another to combine into single or multiple actions. In my piece, Mechanism of the Mind, I chose to represent the workings of the mind through a machine-like form. Due to my interest in the internal workings of the mind, I made the face of the structure very basic and focused more on the gears. The laces are included to represent the ability to repair the mind, much like stitches to a wound.

When I first saw Terence McManus’s Slouching Man, I was immediately attracted to this piece because of its combination of abstraction and photo-realism. I have always had a penchant towards portraiture because of its emotion and soul. It’s almost as if you’re learning more about people as you draw them. In McManus’s drawing, I enjoy the simplicity of the clothing contrasting with the bright body and face. This highlights the fact that understanding someone or getting to know him or her is most importantly based on what’s “written on the face” (as McManus stated in his artist statement). In my drawing Zoning Out, I also brought realism and abstraction together. I put all of the emphasis on the face of my piece, incorporating many details as McManus did. Meanwhile, the stripes look as though they are coming together to form the face in order to bring all of the focus onto the portrait. The subject is a pensive and thoughtful person, and his intense gaze exudes this part of his personality.

Fjoralma SylaZoning Out

Charcoal on paperJohn F. Kennedy

High SchoolGrade: 12

Art Teacher: Vanessa Albaneze

Michelle TragerBig Blue WorldDigital photographValley Stream South High SchoolGrade: 10Art Teacher: Paulette Lowe

I was greatly inspired by the underlying concept of Philippe Cheng’s Untitled. In his artist statement, Cheng examined “the disconnect and separation” between our seemingly significant lives and the world we inhabit. In his photograph, Cheng focuses on small elements. As Cheng sought to re-examine the small details of the universe, I sought to explore a larger more distant view. In my photograph, Big Blue World, I was inspired to explore and illustrate just how small our lives really are. In my photograph, the buildings appear as tiny monopoly pieces, the cruise ship appears like a child’s toy. The city’s population is dispersed unseen into countless rooms, buildings, and boats. I altered the color to emphasize feelings of isolation and separation. When we examine the larger spaces we achieve the same goal as Cheng, viewing the disconnection that we have with the world we live in. This concept of the various perspectives of life is what Philippe Cheng inspired me to portray.

Max TunneyUnderbelly, Ink and watercolor on watercolor paperLong Beach High SchoolGrade: 11, Art Teacher: Rose Farrell-Garde

When I saw George Grosz’s lithographs from Ecce Homo, I was drawn to the seedy characters in his artistic vision of a crumbling Berlin in the 1920s. I was intrigued by how the exaggerated, almost comical features of the characters gave the work a satirical edge. Ecce Homo made me think about New York City in the 1970s when crime and corruption were prevalent. Like Grosz, I used ink and watercolor for my work to capture, in a satirical way, the atmosphere and some of the unsavory characters one might see on the streets of New York at a time when the city was a dirty, dark, and dangerous place.

“Meet” the Artist!Watch an interview with Max Tunney.

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Dimpal VaghelaZenCut paper and Dura-larHicksville High SchoolGrade: 11Art Teacher: Beth Atkinson

When I visited the Heckscher Museum, Composition in Black, White and Gold by Ennid Berger reminded me of Japanese Shoji screens. These screens, made of translucent paper, often depict soft images based on nature. In Berger’s work, the shadows of the leaves placed on top of each other made the image look as if it was floating. This year I have been working with cutting paper and I wanted to incorporate the idea of cut papers to create an illusion of a soft and delicate image.

*Huntington Fine Arts Honorable Mention

Matthew ValdezPigs, Graphite on paperFloral Park Memorial High SchoolGrade: 12, Art Teacher: Susan Lucey

I was inspired by William Holbrook Beard’s Give Up That Egg to create a drawing relevant to today. Throughout the past year in the U.S., we have seen how the “powers that be” can manipulate and thwart society’s view of certain demographics. In Give Up That Egg, a white duck is quacking at the brown bear almost as if it’s yelling. The bear stands very innocently, reminiscent of a child, while the duck “yells” at the bear. In the background, a group of ducks are running towards the duck, most likely to help get back the egg that belongs to them. Similarly, in my drawing Pigs, a policeman antagonizes an African American man in an apartment hallway. The man has his hands pointed towards his chest as if he was saying, “What did I do?” The officer is most likely antagonizing the man due to his skin color, the rundown apartment he lives in, or his dirty clothes. To the officer, this man fits the profile of a man who would “steal the egg.” But does he know that for a fact? The man sees the officer as a pig, squealing ignorantly just so that he can get his way. The squeal is so agitating that it could make the man say, “Ok, fine I did it,” even when he did not. My artwork challenges the viewer and asks: This is America — why are we acting like animals?

“Meet” the Artist!Watch an interview with Matthew Valdez.

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Kristen Van AkenAngst, WireHicksville High SchoolGrade: 11Art Teacher: Beth Atkinson

When I saw the piece Cartographic Information by Kathryn Gardner, it looked to me like a magnified section of something much greater. The lines appeared to intersect in such a way to give it a feeling of three-dimensional form. The lines continued off the page and I wondered what extended beyond the boundaries of the image. I created what I believed existed and translated it into a three-dimensional form.

*Donald and Gloria Horn Scholarship Award

I was eleven years old when I developed social anxiety. I had only weathered one winter since immigrating from the Philippines, and the novelty of being the new kid in a small town had just begun to fade. The first few days of sixth grade brought with them the revelation that I was different. My childish indifference to color dissolved into an uncomfortable awareness of how my skin made me distinct from my peers. Ironically, the terror of being an outcast veered me away from making friends and attending social events. For a long time, I convinced myself that I should avoid people to prevent this reality from coming true. Isolated from my peers and hiding under layers of excuses, I spent five years in deep conversations with myself — talking, fighting sometimes, but ultimately getting to know myself better. George Grosz’s piece Ecce Homo inspired me to look back to those childhood years and reflect on the different sides of my personality that then seemed trivial. The disconnect I felt with society did not physically manifest, but was internalized. What first appears to be a simple portrait becomes a deeper look at my inner conversations, and my war with social anxiety. The empty speech bubbles above my head show the frivolity of the childhood thoughts that plagued my mind.

Beatriz Joanne VeraThink, Acrylic

Smithtown High School WestGrade: 12

Art Teacher: Steve Halem

Christine WaldhofPhotography to FabricMarker on paper, ink on fabricOur Lady of Mercy AcademyGrade: 12Art Teacher: Jody Spadaro

There is so much beauty in simplicity. That is why I was immediately drawn to Flutterbye by Ray K. Metzker. As an aspiring textile designer, I could immediately envision his work as inspiration for a magnificent new print. Thinking about the image’s black and white color palette and floral design, I first created my own contour line drawing of an orchid. Using black marker to hand draw the initial orchid plant, I then transformed my image into a pattern and had it printed onto fabric. The pattern is simple, yet elegant enough that it can apply to a variety of clothing, surfaces, and accessories. I wanted to bring the subtle elegance I saw in Metzker’s work and apply it to my world of textiles and fashion.

Maya WangChairman Mac, Found object collageCommack High SchoolGrade: 11, Art Teacher: Rob Raeihle

Many of Richard Gachot’s found object sculptures on view in the Museum used traditional American icons to create powerful, and sometimes humorous, cultural statements. I was inspired by the sculpture Man on the Moon to create my found object portrait Chairman Mac, commenting on Americanized Chinese culture. Both Uncle Sam and Mao Zedong were political propaganda/revolutionary figures. Over time, China has grown from an autocratic nation to a consumerist society, and the symbolism of Mao Zedong’s face has changed from that of a dictator to an ironic pop culture icon. I explicitly used American consumer byproducts as materials to portray Americanized Chinese culture. By combining contemporary American pop-art portraiture with traditional Chinese paper-cutting techniques, I juxtaposed these different cultures; ancient meets modern and East meets West. From Che Guevara t-shirts to Mao Zedong hats, consumerism and culture is ever-changing. I feel that it is important to recognize influential events and historical figures, but we should also try to accept the past and move forward with a sense of humor.

*Huntington Fine Arts Honorable Mention

“Meet” the Artist!Watch an interview with Maya Wang.

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When visiting the Heckscher Museum, I was intrigued by Maggie Taylor’s Cloud Sisters. Consequently, I was inspired to create a work of my own in the form of a self-portrait. I admire the way Taylor created a “dream-like world” in her artwork. In the midst of admiring her work, I found myself in a dream-like state and decided to create a work of art about daydreaming. In that state of mind, I found my expression to be much more telling than in my posed school photos. When I daydream, I am closest to who I truly am inside, and I accept my flaws and imperfections. When I daydream I don't wear a fake smile upon my lips or false hope in my eyes. When I daydream, I am who I'm meant to be.

Nicole WolertDaydreamGraphite on paperLocust Valley High SchoolGrade: 10Art Teacher: Linda DeFeo

Arianna WynnIndustrializationPhotographMacArthur High SchoolGrade: 10Art Teacher: Rebecca Muir

I was very inspired by Abelardo Morell’s photograph Tent-Camera Image On Ground: View of Landscape Outside Florence in the Modern Alchemy exhibition. I liked how it shows the viewer two different perspectives of a landscape at the same time. I wanted to be able to create something that showed a similar technique but also reflected my own personality. I love New York City and upstate New York and I decided to think about the natural landscape that New York City once was before it grew into the metropolis it is today. I incorporated Morell’s technique by overlapping negatives of two different landscapes — one of a busy New York City street and the other of trees in upstate New York. Showing how the world has changed from nature and trees to a concrete jungle of skyscrapers and blacktop streets, my work of art earned its title Industrialization.

Rosalie ZackDrowning DroughtPhotographSmithtown High School EastGrade: 11Art Teacher: Tim Needles

Finding inspiration in Klea McKenna’s Rain Studies series of photographs, I chose to capture the essence of this weather. I was particularly interested in all of the shadows and highlights that shaped each droplet uniquely and used my lighting to emphasize that. Unlike McKenna’s original work, I kept some slight color to add to the shading in the photograph and further separate the foreground and background. I was aiming to create a gradient effect similar to McKenna’s work.

Lydia ZarifopoulosThe Barn, Digital photographJericho High School, Grade: 9, Art Teacher: Elissa Cosenza

Ferdinand Richardt’s painting Niagara inspired me to take my photograph. I have always enjoyed taking photographs of landscapes, especially with my father, who also has a passion for photography. Every year my father would head outside to photograph our barn. He was drawn to this barn, particularly because of how the impression of it could change according to the seasons. The lighting on a winter’s day exudes a completely different aspect than during a summer sunset. The shadow on the facade from snowfall is dramatically different than leaves piling around on a fall day. It is a place that can be visited and viewed over and over and always appears different. My father built this barn, so it is important to my family, symbolizing our strength and unity. The barn reminded him particularly of me because of my love for horses and riding. He would spend many hours at the barn watching me ride and care for the horses as it bustled with activity. Like my father, Ferdinand Richardt had a passion for a particular location, his being Niagara Falls. This passion inspired me to tag along with my father one day and it became our tradition. Every time we arrived at the barn we were surprised. The lighting gave us a wide variety of dynamic possibilities to capture its beauty. For this photograph, I chose black and white because I loved the contrast between the snow and the shadows.

SELECT INSPIRATION ARTWORK

Clockwise from top left: Mark Markov-Grinberg, A Mother’s Anguish, Ruins of Orlov City, 1942. Gift of the George and Alexandra Stephanopoulos. Ellen Carey, Pull & Rollback with Mixed Pods, 2011. Collection of David Evangelista (New York, NY); Courtesy of Jayne H. Baum Gallery (New York, NY). William Holbrook Beard, Give Up That Egg, 1891. August Heckscher Collection. David Quinn, Abandoned IV, 2012. Photograph, archival inkjet. © David Quinn.Lent by the Artist. Jerry Uelsmann, Untitled, 1982, Silver gelatin print. Lent by the Artist.

Clockwise from top left: Damion Berger, Fiac I, Jardin des Tuileries, Paris 2009, Pigment ink print on Baryta paper. Lent by the Artist. Maggie Taylor, Cloud Sisters, 2001, Pigmented digital print. Lent by the Artist. Ray K. Metzker, Flutterbye, 2007, Composite of 13 mounted prints. Courtesy Laurence Miller Gallery, New York. Man Ray, Electricité, 1931, Photogravure from rayograph. Museum Purchase with funds provided by Andrea B. and Peter D. Klein. Bill Armstrong, Untitled (Film Noir #1437), Type-C print. Courtesy of the artist and ClampArt, New York City.

OPENING RECEPTION & AWARDS CEREMONY

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The Heckscher Museum of ArtEducation and Public Programs Department

Joy Weiner, Director of Education & Public Programs

Kristina Schaaf, Associate Director of Education/Coordinator of Digital Content

Michelle LaPorte, Coordinator of Music and Programs

Samantha Hofsiss, Museum Educator

Jessica Mann, Museum Educator

Amityville Memorial High SchoolAmityville Union Free School DistrictMary DeRose, PrincipalFrances Fernandez, Dir. of Fine ArtsSteve Carbo, Art Teacher Cara Garofolo, Art TeacherJayne Grasso, Art TeacherNidia Keaveny, Art Teacher

The Ashcan Studio of Art, Inc.Little Neck, New YorkShin Young Rho, DirectorMatthew Capezzuto, Lead InstructorWoo Seungran, InstructorMonica Carrier, Instructor

Bay Shore High SchoolBay Shore Union Free School DistrictMr. Pashkin, PrincipalTerry Nigrelli, Cultural Arts DirectorMargaret Schultz. Art Teacher

Bayport-Blue Point High SchoolBayport-Blue Point School DistrictGaurau Passi, PrincipalPaul Weber, Chairperson for Music and ArtFrank Salino, Art Teacher

Bellport High SchoolSouth Country Central School DistrictTim Hogan, PrincipalSuzette Fandale, Art Chairperson Lisa Conk, Art TeacherBrandon Payne, Art Teacher

Brentwood High SchoolBrentwood Union Free School DistrictRichard Loeschner, PrincipalJoel Ratner, Director of Fine Arts Kristin Grossi, Art TeacherNick Groudas, Art TeacherJames Schultz, Art Teacher

Cold Spring Harbor High SchoolCSH Union Free School DistrictJay Matuk, PrincipalAndria McLaughlin, Art ChairpersonLaura Cirino, Art TeacherChristine Oswald, Art TeacherBailey Whitney, Art Teacher

Commack High SchoolCommack Union Free School DistrictCathy Nolan, PrincipalPaul Infante, Art DirectorFrank Musto, Art TeacherRob Raeihle, Art Teacher

Connetquot High SchoolConnetquot Central School DistrictDr. Robert Shear, PrincipalJon Lasher, Director of Fine Art & MusicJohn Hargrave, Art Teacher

Deer Park High SchoolDeer Park Union Free School DistrictJames Cummings, PrincipalJeff Dailey, Dir. of Fine & Performing ArtsDerek Mainhart, Art Teacher

Division Avenue High SchoolLevittown Union Free School DistrictJoan Lorelli, PrincipalFrank Creter, Curriculum Associate Nikki Kessler, Art TeacherStacy Roth, Art TeacherTimothy Ryan, Art Teacher

E.W. Miles Middle SchoolAmityville Union Free School DistrictEd Palia, PrincipalFrances Fernandez, Dir. of Fine ArtsJennifer Dibble, Art Teacher

Elmont Memorial High SchoolSewanhaka Central High School DistrictJohn Capozzi, PrincipalChris Yee, Art Department ChairpersonKatrin Marino, Art Teacher

Floral Park Memorial High SchoolSewanhaka Central High School DistrictKathleen Sottile, PrincipalCassandra Papajohn-Shaw, Art CoordinatorSusan Lucey, Art Teacher

Garden City High SchoolGarden City Union Free School DistrictNanine McLaughlin, PrincipalDr. Nina Prasso, Dir. of Music & ArtShawn Uttendorfer, Art Teacher

Half Hollow Hills High School EastHalf Hollow Hills UFSDDr. Jeffery Woodberry, PrincipalDr. Darlene Lilla, Dir. of Art & MusicAllyson Uttendorfer, Art Teacher

Half Hollow Hills High School WestHalf Hollow Hills Union Free School DistrictDr. Michael Catapano, PrincipalDr. Darlene Lilla, Dir. of Art & MusicJennifer Ievolo, Art TeacherAmanda Montiglio, Art Teacher

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS54 schools across Nassau and Suffolk Counties submitted artwork for jurying for the 2015 exhibition. Thank you to all of the participating schools, administrators, and teachers. Without your support, this exhibition would not be possible.

Long Island High School for the ArtsNassau BOCES, Syosset, New YorkA.J. Hepworth, PrincipalRobyn Shear, Art Department CoordinatorRae Raff, Art Teacher

MacArthur High SchoolLevittown Union Free School District Kathleen Valentino, PrincipalFrank Creter, Curriculum AssociateDeja Gomes-Vance, Art TeacherLynn Spinnato, Art TeacherTom Bobal, Art Teacher Rebecca Muir, Art Teacher

Miller Place High SchoolMiller Place Union Free School DistrictKevin Slaven, PrincipalJeff Corbett, Lead TeacherJulia Vogelle, Art Teacher

Mount Sinai High SchoolMount Sinai Union Free School DistrictRobert Grable, PrincipalStephen Mantone, Dir. of Music & ArtsAndrea Trapani, Art Teacher

New Hyde Park Memorial High SchoolSewanhaka Central School DistrictDr. Richard Faccio, PrincipalDiane Lennea, Art ChairpersonDanielle Livoti, Art Teacher

Northport High SchoolNorthport-East Northport School DistrictIrene McLaughlin, PrincipalJulia Lang-Shapiro, Visual Arts ChairpersonJohn DeRosa, Art TeacherMargaret Minardi, Art TeacherConstance Wolf, Art Teacher

Oceanside High SchoolOceanside Union Free School DistrictGerri DeCarlo, PrincipalRobert Brase, Dir. of Fine & Performing ArtsDanielle Casquarelli, Art TeacherKristin Gemino, Art TeacherKarin Handrakis, Art TeacherCarol Marano, Art Teacher

Our Lady of Mercy AcademySyosset, New YorkLisa Harrison, PrincipalJody Spadaro, Chairperson of Fine Arts

Patchogue-Medford High SchoolPatchogue-Medford School DistrictDr. Randy Rusielewicz, PrincipalLawrence Roberts, Dir. of Fine ArtsGary Lester, Art TeacherMichael Scholz, Art TeacherEllen DiFazio, Art TeacherAmy Cunningham, Art Teacher

Harborfields High SchoolHarborfields Central School DistrictDr. Rory Manning, PrincipalThomas Gellert, Director of Music & ArtElizabeth DeVaney, Art TeacherEileen Shields, Art Teacher

Hauppauge High SchoolHauppauge Union Free School DistrictChristine O'Connor, PrincipalLaura Stiegelmaier, Dir. of Fine & Perf. ArtsPatricia DiMasi-Coppola, Art Teacher

Hicksville High SchoolHicksville Union Free School DistrictRaymond Williams, PrincipalPhilip Grusenmeyer, Supervisor of Fine ArtsBeth Atkinson, Art TeacherAngela Galante, Art Teacher

Huntington High SchoolHuntington Union Free School DistrictDr. Carmela Leonardi, PrincipalSarah Gill, Director of Fine ArtKasmira Mohanty, Art TeacherKristin Singer, Art Teacher

Jericho High SchoolJericho School DistrictJoan Rosenberg, PrincipalKen Pollitt, Dir. of Art and MusicElissa Cosenza, Art TeacherLaura Gilfedder, Art TeacherLois Zegel, Art Teacher

John F. Kennedy High SchoolBellmore-Merrick Central HS DistrictLorraine Poppe, PrincipalJon LaRochester, Assistant PrincipalVanessa Albaneze, Art Teacher

Kings Park High SchoolKings Park Union Free School DistrictLino Bracco, PrincipalSusan Guasp, Art Teacher

Lawrence Woodmere AcademyWoodmere, New YorkAlan Bernstein, HeadmasterDawn Shillalies, Art Teacher

Locust Valley High SchoolLocust Valley Union Free School DistrictThomas Hogan, Principal/ Art ChairmanLinda DeFeo, Art TeacherMelanie Mooney, Art Teacher

Long Beach High SchoolLong Beach Union Free School DistrictBill Stroud PrincipalDale Johanson, Dir. of Comprehensive ArtsNora Bellsey, Art TeacherAnnMarie Pulice, Art TeacherSue Presberg, Art TeacherRose Garde, Art Teacher

Plainedge High SchoolPlainedge Union Free School DistrictRobert Amster, PrincipalStephen Hoffman, Art Department DirectorDebra Bazik, Art Teacher

Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK High SchoolP.O.B. Union Free School DistrictJames Murray, PrincipalDr. Judith Chen, Dir. of ArtJennifer Beinlich, Art TeacherWarren Jacobson, Art TeacherLinda Curran, Art Teacher

Portledge SchoolLocust Valley, New YorkSimon Owen Williams, PrincipalDoris Benter, Art Department HeadPat Myers, Art Teacher

Sayville High SchoolSayville Union Free School DistrictRonald Hoffer, PrincipalDebra Urso, Art Department ChairpersonEvan Hammer, Art Teacher

Shoreham-Wading River High SchoolShoreham-Wading River Central School DistrictDaniel Holtzman, PrincipalShannon Westcott, Art Teacher

Smithtown Christian SchoolSmithtown, New YorkAnthony Buttacy, PrincipalMarisa D'Ulisse, Art Chairperson

Smithtown High School EastSmithtown Central School DistrictEd Thompson, PrincipalMichael Mastrangelo, Dir. of Fine Arts K-12Tim Needles, Art Teacher

Smithtown High School WestSmithtown Central School DistrictJohn Coady, PrincipalMichael Mastrangelo, Dir. of Fine Arts K-12Steve Halem, Art TeacherLee Moran, Art Teacher

Syosset High School, Syosset Central DistrictDr. Giovanni Durante, PrincipalMichael Salzman, Coordinator of Art & MusicPeter Haughwout, Art TeacherChrysoula Highland, Art TeacherDamon Tommolino, Art TeacherDemi Protonentis, Art Teacher

The Stony Brook SchoolStony Brook, New YorkJoshua Crane, Head of SchoolMelinda Johnson, Visual Arts Chairperson

Valley Stream Central High SchoolValley Stream Central High School DistrictJoseph Pompilio, PrincipalTodd Holly, Fine & Performing Arts HeadMario Bakalov, Art Teacher

Valley Stream North High SchoolValley Stream Central High School DistrictClifford Odell, PrincipalTodd Holly, Coord. of Fine & Performing ArtsAllan Nafte, Art Teacher

Valley Stream South High SchoolValley Stream Central High School DistrictMaureen Henry, PrincipalTodd Holly, Coord. of Fine & Performing ArtsEdward Lee, Art TeacherPaulette Lowe, Art TeacherRoseann Valletti, Art Teacher

Walt Whitman High SchoolSouth Huntington Union Free School DistrictKathie Acker, PrincipalJoseph Centamore, Assitant PrincipalVerna Amakawa, Art TeacherErica Cryer, Art Teacher

Wantagh High SchoolWantagh Union Free School DistrictCarolyn Breivogel, PrincipalKelly Good, Dir. of Fine & Performing ArtsPatricia Beary, Art TeacherJaqueline Gallo, Art TeacherAmySue McPartlan, Art Teacher

Ward Melville High SchoolThree Village Central School DistrictAlan Baum, PrincipalJennifer Trettner, Director of ArtStefanie DiLorenzo, Art TeacherJim Swierupski, Art Teacher

West Babylon Senior High SchoolWest Babylon Union Free School DistrictDr. Ellice Vassallo, PrincipalBarbara Kelly, Art & Music ChairpersonJames Fulton, Art TeacherChristine Iaquinto, Art Teacher

Wyandanch High SchoolWyandanch Union Free School DistrictMr. Sibbles, PrincipalJoshua Rackoff, Art Teacher

Back cover (clockwise from left): Nina Miller, Modern Man, Mixed media (tape, plastic wrap, newspaper, and tele-phone wire), Long Beach High School, Art Teacher: Nora Bellsey. Aaron Feltman, Man vs. Wild, Mixed media (col-ored pencil, paint, acetate), Huntington High School, Art Teacher: Kristen Singer. Miguel Guerra, Silence Is Better, Graphite on paper, New Hyde Park Memorial High School, Art Teacher: Danielle Livoti.

Your unwavering dedication to this annual initiative has made Long Island’s Best one of the most prestigious opportunities for young artists on Long Island.

Lisa Chalif, Curator of Exhibitions and Collections, for her expertise, time and energy in curating this year’s exhibition.

The Young Artist Award Fund Supporters for their generous donations in support of the Best in Show Young Artist Award Endowment Fund.

THANK YOU!

Lynette Bianchi and the members of the Renzo S. Bianchi family for their support of talented Suffolk County high school artists.

Huntington School of Fine Arts for sponsoring the Joseph Mack Achievement Awards and Huntington Fine Arts Honorable Mentions.

Frank Sposato for sponsoring the Judith Sposato Memorial Prize.

The Thalo.com Artist Community for generously sponsoring the Visitors Choice Grumbacher Award.

The Law Offices of Anthony Presberg for their donation of the Andrew Presberg Promising Young Artist Award.

Christine Machtay for her donation of the Donald and Gloria Horn and Donald G. Horn, Jr. Scholarship Awards.

Ashlee Meyer, Ashlee Meyer Photography, for photographing each work of art.

Ryann Riggs Heckscher Museum Intern, for photographing the Opening Reception.

Julie Haring, Education Committee Member for conducting student interviews.

Museum staff members for their hard work and dedication: Kenneth Moss, Superintendent of Buildings and Grounds, William Titus, Registrar, Sandra Luethi and Pete Pantaleo, Museum Preparators, and Kerrilyn Weiss, Curatorial Assistant.

Dr. Bette Schneiderman, Trustee and Chair of Education Committee, The Heckscher Museum of Art, and all Education Committee members.

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

Additional exhibition support is provided by RBC Wealth Management.

Marshs/Mitchells Stores for supporting the next generation of Long Island artists. Select works of art from Long Island's Best 2015 will be on view May 1 through May 31 in Marshs store windows, 270 Main Street Huntington, NY 11743.

Inna Gellerman, DDS, Gellerman Orthodontics, for sponsoring this exhibition in part and generously providing additional funding for the fourth annual Long Island's Best exhibition catalogue.

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