Art Part Deux: Second Art Walk a Success in Sayville

The Sayville Art Walk has become a staple of summer activities. A self-guided tour of downtown takes aficionados in and out of 25 local shops, each featuring a unique artist. Sponsored by the Sayville Chamber of Commerce, the event was held on July 16, the second in a three-part series.

Maps provided by the participating stores indicated where exhibits held. The balloons outside each location bobbed and weaved, beckoning people to spy the displays. Grateful for the cool breeze blowing, artists and admirers mingled over complimentary cheese and wine.

Over at the Seafarer Gift Shop, Mario Politi carefully arranged his plethora of painted rocks. His medium of choice is acrylic; the rocks can remain outside this way. As a teacher of adult education at many of the local school, Politi shares his craft with students as well. He first started drawing at the age of nine. Overcome with the measles, he simply asked for a pad and pencils to occupy his time and he hasn't put them down since. Also on display were his works on canvass. Painting everything from animals, landscapes and sports designs, Politi's collection holds something for everyone.

Beach was the theme at Goddess, where Alicia Madigan showed off her acrylic works. Using bright colors, she put together a display for the people of Sayville, featuring the beauty of the water. Two of her favorites, Fred and Floyd the fish were prominently shown in the front of the store. Once inside, another side of the artist was revealed. In the back were abstract designs in bold colors, each one giving off a distinct vibe. "When I stopped painting for others, I had more fun. It is extremely liberating," she said.

Continuing the popular subject, Jody Banaszak presented her painting of a horseshoe crab at Sicilia. This work was selected to be featured in the FINS calendar for the month of July. Banaszak found this to be serendipitous. "I am born in July. Cancer is my sign, and the painting is a crab," she explained. "It just felt so fitting." She is thrilled to be promoting the natural beauty of the endangered creature. Seascapes are not her only pleasure to paint. Reproductions of photos of her parents were also on exhibit.

Peggy Muuss, of Holbrook, was very pleased with the event. "It's perfect for a girls' night out. We're sipping wine and enjoying the art and weather," she said as she entered the General Store, where artist Alma Pancir was featured.

Pancir, a creative left-hander, paints landscapes. She finds great inspiration in the arboretum and practices painting en plein aire – a French term for painting outdoors in natural light. Bright blues and greens are evident hues in her oil and watercolor work.

Another artist with a unique use of color is Hailey Boyle. Layering the colors for a week, her watercolors are vivacious. The rich reds, purples and blues blend in a way that is reminiscent of the Grateful Dead. Whether she's depicting a rooster or a mermaid, the paintings grab you. Elaine's Shoes was host to the artist, and her handmade jewelry as well.

At Sweet Gourmet,  a grandiose landscape was featured outside. Capturing the essence of a water view, Iacopo Pasquinelli showed off his oil on MDF (medium density fiberboard). Having moved from Italy just two years ago, the artist is enjoying the scenery of Long Island.

Joan Lengyel was a bit of art herself, in her red hat and purple boa at Starbucks. With a penchant for old theaters and conventional still life, she showed her love of color. Her painting called "Frustration" was inspired by a vase of wilted flowers. "Art is an expression; you use it as an outlet. You watch the news, read the paper, and this is what comes out."

To see more local artists, come down to the next Art Walk on August 27 from 6 to 9 p.m. Many of the artist featured will also be presenting on August 7 at Summerfest.