October 2026 Newsletter
Updated: 5 days ago
Flower Arranging Demonstration with Susan Strauss
Date: Sunday, October 25, 2026
Time: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Place: Clinton G. Martin Community Center, 1601 Marcus Ave., New Hyde Park, 11042
Register online at www.artleagueofnassaucounty.org.
Have you wanted to add a floral bouquet to your still life design but were unsure how to make it a great arrangement? Master Flower Show Judge, Susan Strauss will create five different floral displays for the art league explaining, as she goes, the artistic expression of each. Susan will also discuss the compositional techniques she is using. Afterwards, you are welcome to photograph these beautiful arrangements.
Strauss, a skilled floral designer, is a member of the Second District Federation of Garden Clubs, a national organization of volunteern gardening clubs. The Long Island branch was founded in 1925.
President's Message NEW MESSAGE
Vivian Hershfield
During the summer we have continued to update our website. I believe it has been significantly improved and simplified.
Currently I am embarking on an exciting trip to Portugal with several of our members. This trip is a painting excursion that combines my passions for travel and painting. While I previously used oils, I have found that watercolor is much more convenient and portable. I particularly enjoy the freedom of being taken to beautiful locations without the need to worry about transportation.
The instructors for this trip are Howard Rose and Marc Josloff, both of whom are highly talented teachers with extensive experience in conducting travel art trips.
To avoid feeling overwhelmed, I have been dedicating as much time as possible to plein air painting. Luckily we have an terrific Plein Air Painters group who meet from spring through fall at lovely places on Long Island, twenty-years strong. Recently, I visited Queens Farm and completed a 4x4 painting. I invite you to join us to experience the joy of outdoor painting.
I receive a newsletter from Eric Rhodes that provides valuable insights that I find worthwhile to consider while painting. His recommendations include: composition, values studies, identifying the focal point, edge control, and simplifying clutter. From my own experience, I found composition is the most crucial aspect. It is essential to take your time and avoid rushing. Occasionally, I am content with my work, but I recognize that there is always room for improvement.
Fall Workshop with Megan K. Euell
Landscape in Oil
Megan will demonstrate and teach how she goes about painting a landscape. The participants will paint afterwards with personal guidance from Megan. The supply list will be sent to all registered participants beforehand. Bring you own lunch.
Coffee and a snack will be provided upon arrival.
Date: Sunday, November 22, 2026
Time: 11:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Place: Clinton G. Martin Community Center, 1601 Marcus Ave., New Hyde Park, NY 11042
Cost: $50 ALNC and Suburban Art League members;
$70 non-members (associate membership included)
No Refunds
Register: www.artleagueofnassaucounty.org.
Fall Members' Exhibition at Hewlett-Woodmere Public Library
Come join your fellow painters at our current Fall Members' Exhibition. Our distinguished judge, Howard Rose, will award both certificates and monetary gifts to winners in numerous categories. Jacqueline Wenn "Best in Show" and Dan Slapo "Award of Excellence," our most prestigious awards, will be given at the Fall Members' Exhibition. Some paintings are for sale. A list of all participants, their painting title, medium, and sale price will be available to all visitors.
Date: September 4 to October 24, 2026
Place: Hewlett-Woodmere Public Library, 1125 Broadway, Hewlett, NY 11557
Judge: Howard Rose will give critiques at the reception
Awards and Reception:
Saturday, October 24, 2026, from 1:30 PM to 2:45 PM
You must remove your paintings at the end of the reception, not earlier.
Plein Air--Northport, an historic maritime village
With the view of a beautiful harbor and many boats in a shade-filled park, there are many subjects before you to paint. Better yet, stroll into this quaint Victorian town to sketch along Main Street. We will meet in the Village Green parking lot by the harbor at 10 AM. Bring lunch or buy something at the local mart.
Weather dependent!
Date: October 9, 2026
Place: Village Green, Northport, NY 11768
Time: 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Plein Air--Stony Brook and the marshes
In Fall the marsh grasses turn golden as do the trees that line the shore. Come paint the fall colors in historic Stony Brook. We will meet at the public parking lot across from the Three Village Inn. Bring lunch or join us at a local lunch-ery, hopefully at the popular tea shop.
Weather dependent!
Date: October 16, 2026
Place: Stony Brook Village, NY 11790
Time: 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Testimonials from our Plein Air Painters
Nancy Wernersbach
Completed at the ALNC Old Westbury Gardens Paint Out Event. Such a great way to spend the day, painting outside in the beautiful surroundings of Old Westbury Gardens. Always good for me to get out of the studio to experience painting subject first hand and enjoy the day with artist friends!
“Morning at the Cottage”, watercolor, 8” x 10”
Tim Savage
Trees are a fascination for me. At our Art league of Nassau County paint out at Old Westbury Gardens I was taken by a towering, gnarled tree set against one of the Garden’s kiosks. I subsequently learned that the tree is a Weeping Beech. I was taken by the twisted trunk and branches. The red tooled roof of the kiosk, nestled in the foliage was a perfect accent.
Fall Volunteers' Exhibition at Locust Valley Public Library: The Best by the Best
See what our Volunteers have been creating
There is little we can give back to those who give us so much. This exhibition celebrating our Volunteers is a small way for our art league to say, "Thank you," for their help over the year. Volunteering is what makes The Art League of Nassau County run.
Perhaps you have thought of contributing to the league, you want to be more involved, but how? Perhaps you want to make new friends, ones that share in your passion for art? There are many small and some larger jobs to be done to keep the league running smoothly. Some, like helping to hang painting for exhibits, take only two days a year; others, like creating emails, take a few hours a month but can be done from home. Every little bit helps and is deeply appreciated. Maybe next year, you can hang your paintings in the Volunteers' Exhibition.
Contact Vivian Hershfield, president, at vhershfield@gmail.com.
Date: October 3 - 31, 2026
Place: Locust Valley Public Library, 170 Buckram Road, Locust Valley, NY 11560
Reception: October 31, 2026
Time: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Changes Are Here
Board Positions are Filled
Workshop Chairperson
After ten years supplying the art league with exceptionally talented artists at our twice-annual Workshops, Janine Ferranti has stepped down as chairperson as her life shifts to another locale. To fill her shoes is our long-time volunteer, who many will know as Newsletter Editor, Tim Savage. With many years in the art community, we know Tim will bring new and exciting artists to share their expertise with us. Thank you, Tim.
Newsletter Editor
Picking up the mantle Tim laid down, Suzanne McVetty will once again create and edit our monthly newsletter. Over the summer, Suzanne learned the ins and outs of creating the newsletter on our new website platform. As editor, she is always looking for material. If you have taken a class, visited an interesting site, had an art experience you'd like to share, let Suzanne know. She can take notes and write it up for your approval or help edit your written work. suzannemcvetty@gmail.com.
Members' News
Tim Savage
Over the month of November Tim will be exhibiting his work in a group show at the Barnes Gallery, Garden City. Others in the group include Antonio Masi, Liz Jorg Masi, Marie Sheey Walker, and Philip Levine. The exhibition, entitled 5 Artists, One World, showcases the work of the artists involved in Antonio Masi’s Umbria Italy workshop this past spring. A reception scheduled for November 14, 2026 at the Gallery. All are welcome.
Spaces are available in Tim Savage’s Zoom watercolor class. The class meets Tuesday mornings from 9:00 to 11:30. If interested, contact Tim at 917-287-5641.
Project: A Perfect Motivator
By Suzanne McVetty
How do you show up to paint? Taking a class that I attend each week forces me to decide what to paint. Meeting ALNC Plein Air Painters for a day painting outdoors, gets me excited to paint in a beautiful locale. But on my own, with no deadline, no meeting date on the horizon finds me dithering and procrastinating. This summer was different.
My daughter-in-law has a new studio with a big blank wall waiting to be filled. We made a deal: I would send her paintings in all different sizes and mediums; she would frame and hang the ones she wanted, how she wanted. It was a win-win for both of us. I got to choose what I wanted to paint, she could pick and choose which she wanted to hang on her studio wall. No strings attached.
The list I created was not quite endless; I had a ball choosing subjects from my California catalog of photos. Each one had some meaning for the two of us. Some photos we took while hiking together, some were from their neighborhood, others were from places we visited together. The painting above is from many photos of a field of Matiljio poppies across the street from their home.
While I have often heard that doing a series is a good way to narrow the decision of what to paint, somehow it never sparked my imagination. I have myriad photos of small houses (suggested by Howard Rose), bicycles throughout Europe, and a multitude of flowers of all sizes, shapes, and colors. To my delight I found having this blank-wall project gave me a freedom a series doesn't seem to. The project hasn't finished though the space is limited. (I wonder what Victoria will do with the extra paintings?) It has been a great summer of endless possibilities.
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