Long Island Fair 2012 - Photos

We hope you will enjoy photos of locally made goods and snapshots of our guest artists and visitors, as well as the grounds, buildings, and activities at the Old Bethpage Village Restoration - the site of the Long Island Fair.

Our thanks go to organizers of the event, craftspeople who submitted work to Think Green category, and to our guests on Saturday and Sunday - knitters Joyce Colucci and Gail Ryan, wood carver Don Dailey, jeweler - bead maker Gea Hines, and painter James Johansen.

Photos from Sunday


Photos from Saturday


Photos from Thursday, the judging day

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"So slender is the island", Long Island Poem for Sunday

'good morning' by James Johansen.
Oil on canvas.

Excerpts from Grace Schulman's introduction to her poems included in the 'Long Island Poets' collection: "From my studio window, in Springs, I see trees whose names speak of life (arbor vitae) and death (hemlock). The poems ... composed in this area ... show a tendency ... to see things of natural world as metaphors for human deeds and principles... I know that the landscape of East Hampton - of Springs, expecially - has affected me in this way... 'The Island' has to do with change and loss, drawn in the image of a spindly house built on sand."

The Island
Grace Schulman

So slender
is the island
that I can see sun ignite the bay
and strike the ocean
at the same time.
Larks sweep the sky
soon to be scarlet;
beyond shadblow trees
presumptuous catbrier climbs
a pine tree, and tall stalks
sway like metronomes,
displacing patens,
claiming the marshland.

Here I find it strange
to find peace strange.
The island
is no more real
than the moon's singularity;
it will change
as a cloud's shape
alters in wind,
as storms move dunes
and sea-spray chops
their heather.

Surely as the ocean batters
the sand's composure
prodding the shoreline inland,
this land will change
just as the boat develops out of fog
and courses through water
to carry me
from my house
on stilts in sand.

'The Island' by Grace Schulman from the 1986 'Long Island Poets' collection by The Permanent Press in Sag Harbor. Reprinted with publisher's permission.
'Long Island Poets' can be purchased from The Permanent Press.

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Previous Long Island Poem for Sunday - The Old Farmer, Long Island Poem for Sunday

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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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