The Sally Studio Art Center is holding a special art show at Jericho Library called “Between Us” featuring nine women artists from Syosset or Jericho. The show opened on Saturday, March 7, and will run until March 30. The 28 works in the exhibit explore the artists’ stories of motherhood, friendship, family and womanhood.
“The artists all come from various backgrounds, but they all have one thing in common: a love of art and creativity,” said Sally Feng, studio owner and art instructor. “Among the artists are ballet dancers, yoga masters, gymnastics experts and more.”
The group has been meeting weekly for two years, practicing their craft, sharing ideas, and studying artists and art history together.
“It’s an amazing community to be part of,” Feng said. “There’s a good atmosphere for creativity with these artists because we love to learn and share stories and laughter.”
Feng, who taught traditional Japanese Sumi watercolors for many years at the library before starting her own studio, noted that while many of her students come to her as beginners with busy lives outside of the studio, they bring talent and dedication to their dream of making art.
“As a teacher, I feel very lucky to have students who truly love art and are eager to learn,” Feng said. “Watching them grow, experiment, and slowly find their own artistic voice is one of the most rewarding experiences. At the same time, we are also growing together as a group of friends, which means a lot to me.”
Opened in 2018, Sally Studio Art Center now has nine teachers and about 400 students working in a range of artistic mediums. The studio has had several collaborations with the library to exhibit student work.
For the current “Between Us” exhibit, the artists’ work explores relationships across generations, cultures, and in particular, the dynamic between parents and children.
“It was very exciting to share our paintings today,” said artist Xue Qi Li, whose family joined her at the opening. “I felt very honored.”
Feng added, “This show is special not only because of the beautiful artwork on the walls, but also because of the stories behind each piece. Many of the artists here have only recently started learning oil portrait painting, and I know from experience how challenging that can be. The learning process is not always easy, but when you look at the paintings, you see how much heart and dedication each artist has put into their work.”
