Garden City Artists Enjoy a 'Night of Art'

 The new Dick Blick Art Store in Carle Place was the destination for a number of Garden City artists for its "Enjoy a Night of Art" reception. Hosted by the Art League of Long Island (ALLI), the evening featured art demonstrations, refreshments, music and discounts on art materials.

For Garden City artists, the location of the new art store is very convenient. Dick Blick is the second art supply store to recently open in the area; the first one was Utrecht about two years ago. After the closing long-time art store Pearl Paint, local artists had a hard time finding their supplies within the area.

Thomas L. Stacey, the new executive director of ALLI, said, "Dick Blick contacted us at the League. We are excited to reach into Nassau County. This is good for all of us in the current atmosphere of funding cuts in the arts. This presents a unified front for art." 

The general manager of Dick Blick, Carle Place, Stacy Garcia, was happy so many people turned out for the reception. "Our official opening was Sept. 1. We have a sweepstakes where the car company [Toyota] is giving out a Scion car to a student and an adult! Everyone painted one yesterday," Garcia said.

The contest continues until Sept. 30.   

Along with the sweepstakes, attendees had a delicious dinner selection from Piccolo restaurant in Bellmore. While they enjoyed Romanian Steak, Farfela Tapio and other goodies, DJ Chris Strakele was playing a range of musical selections.

One demonstrator was Roberta "Bertie" Erlagen, a watercolor instructor at ALLI.  She painted a floral using a "wet-on-wet" method on watercolor paper with little "explosions of paint," as she describes them. Crowds gathered around to watch her painting come to life with her unique style, as Erlagen fielded questions. She teaches five classes at ALLI.

The other demonstrator was Donna Harlow Moraff, also an instructor at ALLI, who is teaching three classes in pastel and drawing, as well as being a monitor for a workshop. She remarked, "Dick Blick's opening here has been fabulous in coordinating with ALLI. Today I'm demonstrating how to do a still life white on white: white flowers in a white vase with a white background." She used Nu Pastels and Rembrandt Pastels on Canson paper to create a beautiful drawing.

"It's fabulous to have a large art store in this area," says Garden City resident Harriet Carotenuto. "It's stocked well … and the staff is extremely helpful. The watercolor demonstration was good."

"There are currently 32 stores and we are looking at other locations," according to Jane Marzano, the eastern territory sales manager for Dick Blick Retail. The company "started almost 100 years ago, selling brushes."

Stacey also remarked that ALLI has "one of the finest art study places in the northeast." ALLI is the oldest and largest non-profit visual arts organization of its kind on Long Island, according to its fall 2010 brochure. It lists over 200 courses, which range from typical fundamental art courses in drawing, painting and sculpture to the more unusual like silverpoint drawing, solar plate printmaking, felting fiber arts, raku ceramics, Chinese calligraphy, wax carving for jewelry casting, welded steel and sculpture classes in equine (horse) anatomy.

Dick Blick is located at 168B Glen Cove Road in Carle Place, north of Old Country Road and just south of the LIRR bridge. For further information, call 516-248-1555 or visit www.DickBlick.com. For more information on ALLI, visit www.artleagueli.org.