The Greater Westbury Council for the Arts (GWCA) recently helped spring blossom to life with an art exhibit at a venue where it always seems to be spring: Hicks Nurseries in Westbury.
The council put out a call to artists to display their spring-themed work to coincide with the kick-off of Hicks Nurseries’ Spring Flower show. “We wanted to let the public know all about the new council. It was a great way for the artists to display their work,” says GWCA volunteer Alex Nunez.
Works from a dozen local artists were highlighted at the event. The genres were as varied as the artists themselves: everything from paintings, to 3-D art boxes, to paper quilts and more adorned the walls of the first ever exhibit at the nursery.
In addition to the spring theme, artists were encouraged to utilize an accompanying topic at the flower show — recycling.
This is a specialty of Westbury artist Nancy Turetsky, who rummages through thrift shops and yard sales to convert, as the saying goes, other people’s trash into her very own artistic treasure. “I take all sorts of items that were thrown away and use them in my 3-D boxes,” explains Turetsky.
A throwback setting from eras gone by is what inspires artist Chris Hobbs, who creates his 3-D diorama pieces from recycled paper cardstock. One of his settings is of Coney Island in its hey-day. It includes the famed Cyclone Roller Coaster and antique streetlights that are the inspiration for streetlights on some of Westbury’s main streets. “I drew the old fashioned street lights years ago and the town eventually got a grant to build ones just like my drawings,” the Westbury artist proudly said.
It is with a great sense of pride that senior artist Zelda Tanenbaum presents her one-of-a-kind paper quilts. At 85-years-young she creates her unique designs of embossed papers into intricately patterned wall hangings. Each of her quilts is inspired by the people she says have been most influential to her. “My quilts are dedicated to the wonderful women in my life. They are my inspiration,” says Tanenbaum, who is a Westbury resident.
Some of the youngest art exhibiters were from Westbury High School. Together some students created a portrait of Michael Jackson made from cut up soda cans.
It wasn’t just completed works at the exhibit. Many artists displayed their talents first hand by producing original works of art right on site for the public to watch them produce live renderings. Nancy Wernersbach, a watercolor artist, created pictures of the many landscaped scenes at the nursery.
To learn more about the GWCA, visit the council’s facebook page Greater Westbury Council for the Arts or email GWCftA@gmail.com
