Local Artist Premieres Paintings of Rye Landscapes

The scenic sights of Rye were beautifully documented through a painted scrapbook of the city last night at the solo exhibit of Howard Bratches, a traditional watercolorist.

Beloved scenes include Rye Beach and Rye Town Park, among others.

The display, which has been available for public viewing since July 2, held its formal opening reception Tuesday night at Rye Free Reading Room.

An audience of close to 50 people attended the event. Guests spent the evening enjoying refreshments as they made their way around the room examining and discussing the diverse watercolor landscapes of the city. Many of those who came out to support the artist were longtime friends and family.

Bratches had local inspiration for creating such paintings as  "A Snowy Night in Rye."

 "I wanted to paint spots of mostly Rye. I've lived in town since 1962, and there are a lot of interesting landmarks in town," he said.

This would explain why 21 of the 25 pieces in the exhibit are of Rye landscapes, with the others including a painting of Block Island, R.I. titled "If Monet Painted Block Island," and another painting of Amelia Island in Florida. However, Bratches paintings show his affinity for a town he has loved, lived, and worked in for close to 40 years.

The artist's talents were fine-tuned at the Arts Students League of New York and SUNY Purchase, where he was trained as a traditional watercolorist.

Bratches did not always paint professionally. He worked as a labor lawyer in his earlier years.  He began painting in his off time as a hobby. 

Although he did not focus his whole career solely on art, Bratches has been painting for leisure since his youth.

"I have been painting since high school," he said. "I've always painted on the side, even when I was working another profession."

The pieces have been shown in New York City, Rye, White Plains and national traveling shows.

His work is also a part of many public and private collections nationally. Schools that carry his art include Washington and Lee University and organizations such as Union League Club of New York. Locally, Christ's Church, the Rye Arts Center, and the White Plains Board of Education also have Bratches' paintings on display.

Those who attended Tuesday's exhibit said Bratches' work helps to bring out the small-city charm of Rye.

"The paintings make Rye look great. Pieces like "A Snowy Night in Rye" help to show how beautiful the change in seasons is here in Westchester," said Seth Miller, a White Plains resident.

The paintings also elicited memories for Miller, who had visited many of the locales depicted in the landscapes. 

"When I saw the picture of Rye Beach, it made me think of the times I have been to this spot and remember the times I had there in my childhood," he said. 

The exhibit will remain on display for the enjoyment of art aficionados at Rye Reading Room until August 25.