Art Around Town

Artists Share their Passion via ‘Art Around Town’

November 13, 2019 by The Inside Press

The Northern Westchester Artists Guild is a nonprofit organization of artists whose mission it is to share art by the community for the community. This was the genesis of Art Around Town.

Art Around Town has become an annual tradition in the hamlet of Chappaqua. It is “a vibrant celebration of art, music and community” per Julia Bialek of the Inside Press.

Merchants and artists are matched and the anticipation of the event begins. The annual art festival opening night celebration is held at the end of May/early June during the golden hours of spring. Food and libations abound. The town becomes alive with activity. There is singing in the streets. Work stays exhibited for the month of June at the host shops and restaurants. Downtown Chappaqua miraculously morphs into a strolling art gallery! Art invigorates our communities, our town and our merchants.

Art Around Town inspires the imagination of every community member, from child to senior. It brings the community together in charming downtown Chappaqua. nwartistsguild.org.

Courtesy of the Northern Westchester Artists Guild

Celebrating Beauty and Community Through Art

June 3, 2019 by Julia Bialek

Art Around Town Creates a Strolling Art Gallery in Our Backyard

After what seemed like a week of never-ending rain, the sun came out on Friday and shone brightly on the town. On this beautiful evening, Chappaqua was packed with members of the community as they enjoyed the opening reception for the fifth installation of Art Around Town, an event hosted by the Northern Westchester Artists Guild (NWAG). Pairing artists with merchants and transforming Chappaqua into a strolling art gallery, Art Around Town gives artists the opportunity to install their work in local shops for the month of June. A vibrant celebration of art, music, and community, the opening night kick-off included receptions at the participating merchants with wine, food, and the artists to discuss their work, which is all for sale via NWAG. All over town, community-members excitedly observed the artwork and engaged with the artists, entering stores and mingling with merchants in the process.

The Art Map, featuring the artists’ locations around town.

The “Art Around Town” balloon arch, blown partially upside-down in the wind.

Between the beautiful weather, the breathtaking work of the 29 participating artists, and the live music from Jimmy Tate, it was a truly lovely evening. “Art Around Town is a great event that provides artists with an opportunity to showcase their work while bringing our community together to support our local businesses. Our merchants need and deserve our support and it was great to see so many residents doing just that,” stated Robert Greenstein, Town Supervisor.

When asked about the inspiration behind the idea for Art Around town, Peg Kafka Sackler, Co-Found of NWAG, adds: “There was a group of us trying to find something that could put Chappaqua on the map, and re-engage our community as a hub for visual arts. We are a typical small town, surrounding NYC and looking to capture some of the vibrancy that the arts can infuse into a community. This collaborative event connects the artist, the merchants, the town governance and the community members with a sense of pride and town spirit.” And for everyone in attendance, the electric spirit of the event was palpable. From Randi Childs’s beautiful photographs, to Jessie Rubin’s striking pop art which many described in awe as “happy art,” to Rhonda Hurwitz’s paintings inspired by her daughter’s jewelry line, town was saturated with art of every kind. The talent possessed by these artists is nothing short of spectacular. If you find yourself in town during the month of June, you won’t regret taking the time to walk through the stores and appreciate the artwork hanging proudly on the walls.

Rachel White, whose impressive equestrian paintings are up for display in town, shared with me the most important thing she learned from her transition from a corporate career to her art career, stating: “What I have learned from all of my experiences is that it is important to surround yourself with things that you find beautiful.” In saying this, she perfectly captured how the event transformed our town: it surrounded us with beauty. But beauty wasn’t just found in the incredible artwork. With the juxtaposition of lively conversation and silent thought, beauty could also be found in the way our town came together to appreciate art, celebrating local artists and the beautiful things they create in the process.

Photographs of some of the artwork are featured below:

Artist Danielle Leventhal on Painting… and the Excitement about the 3rd Annual Art Around Town

June 1, 2017 by Inside Press

By Danielle Leventhal

I’m thrilled to be participating in the third annual Art Around Town event in Chappaqua. When this event first started, I was a junior at ‘WashU’ in St. Louis, where I studied painting and art history. I never guessed that I would be able to exhibit my work in the town I grew up in after moving back to New York last May.

Le Jardin du Roi is the perfect place to show my work. I have so many fond memories of birthday brunches, reunions and family dinners at Le Jardin. The work I’m showing for this event is a mix of some older pieces from school and new paintings. In college, I focused on portraits, and my thesis was a zeitgeist collection of paintings that I did based on live-sitters, all female students ages 18-22.

I was interested in the brain and the human ability to be naturally empathetic, and how we can intuitively tune in to another person’s emotions and intentions. Since then, I’ve gone on to explore other subjects in my paintings, including places and landscapes from my memory and old photographs. In all of my work, I am exploring color theory through the application of paint, layers of printmaking and mark-making.

Greeley grad Danielle Leventhal received a BFA in Painting, with a second major in Art History, from the Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts at Washington University in St. Louis in 2016. She works in the mediums of oil paint, watercolor, and printmaking. Ms. Leventhal is the recipient of the Jeffrey Frank Wacks Scholarship for Fine Arts, the Mary Cowan Harford Award in Watercolor, and the Scholastic National Silver Medal for Painting. Her paintings and prints will be up the month of June.

3rd Annual Art Around Town Comes to Chappaqua

3rd Annual Art Around Town Comes to Chappaqua

May 31, 2017 by Inside Press

Artists to show their recent works at over 25 merchants in Chappaqua

Every art lover will find a work to enjoy in the Northern Westchester Artists Guild show this June, as the 3^rd Annual Art Around Town comes to Chappaqua. Art Around Town features some of the best local artists from the Tri-State area who are hosted by the generosity of 25 plus merchants in Chappaqua and highlights the diversity of area talent.

The event kicks off on Thursday June 1st at 5 p.m. and the opening night festivities will go to 8:30pm. HGSH Acapella group will be preforming and all the participating merchants will have mini receptions in their stores. Visitors can pick up an event map of participating merchants and artists at the main tent in front of Desires By Mikolay.

Art Around Town is easily enjoyed by the community. The art will be available for viewing and purchase during June and in conjunction with each establishment’s business hours, or by appointment. The event will conclude at the end June. During the opening hours artists will also have small works and objects d’art, related to their practice for sale.

The Northern Westchester Artists Guild is a group of artists from the Tri-State area, bringing their creative arts to venues around Westchester’s neighborhoods. Both emerging and established artists present their work allowing viewers the opportunity to appreciate and purchase quality art one can live with.

For more information, visit https://www.nwartistsguild.org

2nd Annual Art Around Town Chappaqua: Thursday, June 2

May 27, 2016 by The Inside Press

Artists to show their recent works at over 30 merchants in Chappaqua

This Side of the Tracks. An 18 x22 ink, watercolor and acrylic monotype with painting on paper. By Leslie Weissman.

CHAPPAQUA, NY – Every art lover will find a work to enjoy in the Northern Westchester Artists Guild show this June as Art Around Town comes to Chappaqua. Art Around Town features some of the best local art in Northern Westchester hosted by the generosity of 30 plus merchants in Chappaqua. and highlights the diversity of local talent.

The event kicks off on Thursday June 2nd at 5pm and the opening night festivities will go till 8:30pm. One of HGHS’s talented acapella groups “The Enchords” will be preforming and all the participating merchants will have mini receptions in their stores.

Visitors can pick up an event map of participating merchants and artists at the main tent in front of Desires By Mikolay.

The art will be available for viewing and purchase during June and in conjunction with each establishment’s business hours, or by appointment. The event will conclude at the end June.

The Northern Westchester Artists Guild is a group of local artists bringing their creative arts to venues around Westchester’s neighborhoods. Both emerging and established local artists present their work allowing both art lovers and buyers the opportunity to appreciate and purchase quality art one can truly love to live with.

NWAG is a non profit organization, and a proud member of the Chappaqua/Millwood Chamber of Commerce. The Northern Westchester Artists Guild supports and encourages artists in their endeavors. We see all forms of art as a vital expression of our voice in the community.