Mother's Day gifts

Mother's Day is approaching. Consider a meaningful, locally handcrafted gift. We have plenty of choices for you. Here are a few samples.

Mother and Baby Lamb Drawing by Susan Gaber	Beautifully scented soaps by Susan Linares in an ebonized bowl by Harry Wicks
Horse hair vase with red banding by Sue Adler In the background a trivet made from recycled cork by Wayne Jeno	Eye/sun catching crystals by Sharon LaMonica
Small jewelry box by Janet Bruce	Elegant cheese plate by Donna Ferrara
Serving dish with butterfly motives by Gina Mars	Colorful, hand-made glass beads by Gea Hines
All photos by Agata and Tom Behrens

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Valentine's Day Contest - Winners Are Announced

"To you my heart I must resign \ O choose me for your Valentine!" wrote Lt. Col. Simcoe to Sally Townsend in 1779, in the first recorded Valentine in America. We did not have to refer to heart only to help us select winners of our "Show the Love Valentine's Day Art Competition".

The esteemed jury of three Long Island artists: photographer Alan Henriksen, painter Susie Gach Peelle, and wood turner Harry Wicks met at Think Long Island First today to judge the contest entries, on creativity and execution.

Judges at work. From left: Susie Gach Peelle, Harry Wicks, Alan Henriksen	Judges tallying scores. From left: Alan Henriksen, Susie Gach Peelle, Harry Wicks

And the winners are:
In Adult section
1st Place - Don Dailey
for Hearts and Vines, cherry wood carved love spoon

2nd Place - Anne Breitstein
for October Evening, West Neck Beach, watercolor

3rd Place - Sue Adler
for Happy Hearts, ceramic

In Young Adult section
1st Place - Kelley Marco
for Time Line of Love, ink and acrylic

Don Dailey Hearts and Vines 1st Place Adult Section	Kelley Marco Life Line of Love 1st Place Young Adult Section
Anne Breitstein October Evening, West Neck Beach 2nd Place Adult Section	Sue Adler Happy Hearts 3rd Place Adult Section

We still have Popular Vote Awards to choose, so please stop by the store between Friday and Saturday and cast your vote.

Award ceremony takes place at Think Long Island First at 36 Audrey Avenue, Oyster Bay, NY, on Sunday, February 12th between 2-3 pm.

Thank you to All Contestants for participation and congratulations to the winners!

"Show the Love Valentine Competition" coincides with the first annual Valentine's Fair in Oyster Bay, Celebrating America's First Valentine, and all things love..., organized by Raynham Hall Museum, Oyster Bay Chamber of Commerce, and a group of other local businesses. Please see a list of all the festivities taking place in town during the Valentine's Day weekend.

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Show the Love Valentine Competition 2012

Love is all around us in many shapes and forms, and this Valentine's Day a special competition will give local artists and budding artists-to-be a chance to show what love means to them in the way of the time-honored tradition of the Valentine.

"Show the Love Valentine Competition," sponsored by Think Long Island First, will give entrants the chance to win the heart of an admirer on this special day -- and maybe walk away with the grand prize in the contest as well.

The competition will be judged by an esteemed jury comprised of three Long Island artists: photographer Alan Henriksen, painter Susie Gach Peelle, and wood turner Harry Wicks. Like the game of love itself, each entry will be judged on creativity and execution – as long as it is from the heart, it qualifies.

"Show the Love Valentine Competition" will coincide with the first annual Valentine's Fair in Oyster Bay, Celebrating America's First Valentine, and all things love..., organized by Raynham Hall Museum, Oyster Bay Chamber of Commerce, and a group of other local businesses.

Participants can draw inspiration from the America's first Valentine, penned in Oyster Bay by British officer Lt. Col. Simcoe, stationed at the Townsend family's homestead (now Raynham Hall Museum) and given to the Townsends' daughter Sally. Although the original Valentine disappeared in the 19th century, the text captures his feelings for her:
Fairest Maid, where all is fair
Beauty's pride and Nature's care;
To you my heart I must resign
O choose me for your Valentine!

"Show the Love Valentine Competition" is open to students, competent amateurs and professional artists ages - 14-18 (Young Adults) and 18+ (Adults) for entries created on Long Island in varied media. Entry submission period is between January 1st and 31st, 2012.

Awards:
In Young Adult section
1st Place - $25.00 and $25.00 Think Long Island First gift certificate
2nd Place - $15.00
3rd Place - $10.00
Popular Vote - $10.00

In Adult section
1st Place - $50.00 and $25.00 Think Long Island First gift certificate
2nd Place - $35.00
3rd Place - $20.00
Popular Vote - $20.00

Winners will be announced on February 9th (and not January 9th, like it was erroneously stated on our first newsletter announcement). Award ceremony takes place at Think Long Island First at 36 Audrey Avenue, Oyster Bay, NY, on Sunday, February 12th between 2-3 pm.

Please review the rules of the Show the Love Valentine Competition and submit your entries.

Best of luck and let love reign!

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Let us introduce our store

Photo by Ewa Rumprecht

After a few years of brainstorming and research Jolanta and I have decided to put the idea of promoting things made on Long Island into action and open a store carrying all kinds of things made locally.

We have been searching for a rental space within our area for a few months and have eventually settled on a store within a store inside an old nickel and dime shop in Oyster Bay called Buckingham Variety Store.

We have officially opened our doors last Thursday with artist Harry Wicks, wood turner from Cutchogue, as our main guest. We would like to take this opportunity to express our gratitude to Harry for accepting our invitation. We also want to thank All guests who joined us at the Thursday event and All well-wishers who sent us flowers and congratulations. Generous folks of the Rottkamp Brothers Farm from Old Brookville delighted the guests with the delicious apples from their orchards.



Setting up the store was fun. We have been very lucky in having the Buckingham's Store Manager Jason Protter and his helpful staff at our side. We had another stroke of luck in a person of James Johansen, East Northport painter, who not only painted our store sign but also helped us give a new life to the display furniture we have upcycled; James did such an excellent job that we had to shield numerous offers for the pieces long before we filled them with goods. Our friends and family were simply wonderful with their help and support. Apologies for not mentioning them All here. Many thanks!

Photo by Ewa Rumprecht

When we first started the project we were a bit discouraged. We had not been finding that many things made locally. It seemed that whatever we consumed was made elsewhere. We have since learned that there are many talented folks here; we are meeting them daily. At the time of writing the store carries wood turned objects, pottery, paintings, photography, quilts, knits, jewelry, lamp shades, candles, cosmetics, honey, jams and jellies. Quite a mix.

We hope you will take a ride to historic Oyster Bay to see the area and to visit the store. The approaching Oyster Fest scheduled for the weekend of October 16th - 17th might be a good time. We are looking forward to your visit.

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THINK LONG ISLAND FIRST store opens October 7th

We are pleased to announce

the GRAND OPENING of

THINK LONG ISLAND FIRST

Thursday, October 7th 
  2 pm to 9 pm

The Think Long Island First store is located inside Buckingham Variety Store at 36 Audrey Avenue in historic Oyster Bay.

Our guest for the day will be artist Harry Wicks, wood turner from Cutchogue, who will present his works starting at 5 pm.

The store carries goods made on Long Island - wood turned objects, pottery, photography, knits, jewelry, jam & jellies, soaps, honey and more.

Please join us in celebrating the skill, talent, and resourcefulness of Long Island artists and craftsmen.

For more information please refer to our Press Release:
Think Long Island First Opens Store Dedicated to Showcasing Local Products Made on Long Island.

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Harry Wicks, uncovering beauty in wood

Photo by Ewa Rumprecht

A lot has been written about Harry Wicks, wood turner from Cutchogue, and about his work. Harry himself, at times a magazine editor, produced six books, some for large companies, some published under his name. Harry's website www.harrywicks.com is a good source of information and includes many photos of his work.

Native Long Islander from a farming family that settled in Western Nassau and Queens in early 19th century, Harry cannot recall any artists among his ancestors. He obtained a degree in graphic illustration from the Pratt Institute, one of the best art schools in the country. In his professional life in carpentry, furniture making, and publishing, he created many prototypes and designs, and participated in countless projects. Harry eventually discovered wood turning, taught himself the turning and varnishing techniques, stocked his workshop, and decided to devote all his creative powers to it.

Photo by Ewa Rumprecht

On our two visits to Harry's workshop we were welcome by classical music blasting full steam. Harry has the music on to muffle the sound of his tools and the hum of air purifiers. The sequence of compositions, either classical or jazz, is carefully planned by Harry to match his mood, his energy level and the energy of the piece with which he works. Harry will frequently stop just to listen to a particular passage; Puccini may bring his work day to an end, as after hearing his music nothing more can be added in any medium.

We have talked about the analogy of silence in music to an empty space in a vessel. Both are significant and, when used properly, enormously effective. You will see this principle applied in many works of Harry.

Photo by Ewa Rumprecht

Harry turns both dry and green wood. He will start by taking a piece of wood, will draw an initial sketch, study the wood, work it and then adjust the original design as he uncovers layers in the wood - sometimes problems, more often nice surprises.

He may turn a perfectly finished piece, geometrically complete, so to speak, and classical in form, where exact shape of wood is well under control. He may also allow the wood's qualities to take over the piece, let bark with its rugged contour become a design element, a bit like improvisation or rubato in music. There is beauty and harmony in both approaches.

He likes working with fruit wood, his sources are more often local than otherwise. Part of his work comes from clients who commission Harry to create pieces from a recently fallen or felled tree of historical or emotional significance to the clients. It happens that some trees are too diseased to be used, but there are many happy endings. Circle of Mercy series was one of such successful and meaningful projects, created for Our Lady of Mercy Academy, a school attended by one of Harry's granddaughters.

Listen to Harry talk about his work and present a few of his pieces.



It is sometimes said that shoemakers' wives go barefoot. We are pleased to say Harry's lovely and supportive wife does not fall into the above category. Harry, with the help of his sons, built the house where the couple now lives. Most furniture and many ornamental and utilitarian objects were made by Harry. How much more 'made on Long Island' one can get?

Harry can be reached at 631.734.5738.

Latest update - June 25th 2011

Harry Wicks revisited

Harry Wicks, woodturner-artist from Cutchogue, has been rather busy in the months that passed since we have interviewed him last. Among other projects, he developed new styles of candlesticks and lamps, perfectly utilitarian but very artistic. He also worked with wood from a black locust and a copper beech which were very dear to us. The slideshow below includes examples of his latest pieces (photos courtesy of Harry Wicks).



Harry's son shot a nice video of Harry in his studio, with further examples of the recent work plus a presentation of various stages of the creative process:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQpaRcKTjoM

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