45 Years of Outdoor Art in Armonk 2 days, 1 location, and 200 great artists handpicked out of 600 applicants by a jury that promises to bring the best of the best, year after year. This is what is expected of the Armonk Outdoor Art Show after 45 years. Named the top outdoor show in the New York Metropolitan area and one of the top shows in the country, the Armonk Outdoor Art Show draws nearly 9,000 visitors who come to view a spectacular array of fine arts in a variety of medium, from watercolor and wood to sculpture and stone. The show originated as a fundraiser for the Friends of the North Castle Library and grew into a major regional event featuring artists from all over America, and even a few from overseas. New this year, Advanced Placement art students from Byram Hills High School will have their own booth, selling original photographs to benefit their school’s arts program. This event has something for everyone, whether you want a painting for the living room, dishes for your new home, or jewelry for that special someone. There’s even a kids section with carnival-like attractions, such as face painting and other fun surprises. “When you bring your kids to our art show, there’s a ton of things you can do, they can become their own critic,” says Caryl Hahn, who helps coordinate the show, “it’s a great environment to introduce kids to art, or expose kids to art because they can really get up close and personal with it, and talk to the people who created it, which you don’t normally get a chance to do.” The show takes place Saturday and Sunday, October 14th and 15th from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at Community Park on Business Park Drive in Armonk. Admission is $7. To view a full list of participants or for more information please visit www.armonkoutdoorartshow.org.
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| Below we take a glimpse at a few of the artists |
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Shayok Mukhopadhyay An immigrant from India, Mukhopadhyay came to the United States as a computer programmer, taking photographs only part time. In his 3rd year participating in the Armonk show, Mukhopadhyay, a resident of White Plains, is now a full-time photographer who has traveled widely for the craft. He has photographed landscapes and structures in places such as Utah, Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming. “I’ve been in the U.S. for eight years and I’ve seen more of this country than my buyers,” Mukhopadhyay jokes. His work is influenced by patterns and textures found in natural settings and in man-made structures. Mukhopadhyay attends shows throughout the country and finds the Armonk show to be highly competitive. “Every show is a different challenge,” says Mukhopadhyay. To view more of his work, visit www.shortwork.net. |
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Lynn Pullman A familiar face at the Armonk show, Lynn Pullman’s career seems to have come full circle. Having majored in fashion at Marymount College in Tarrytown, Pullman went on to become a fashion designer on 7th avenue. Pullman has always made her own clothes, but one piece in particular seemed to drawn attention- a full length coat made from a wool blanket. This told Pullman she was on to something, and after 10 years of being in the city, she was ready to move on. Pullman has been creating coats made of Hudson Bay blankets since 1982, and interest has not slowed. “I’ve got customers who come back year after year, so that tells me I’m doing something right,” Pullman comments. Pullman works out of her Pound Ridge home where she creates each coat by hand. She finds deep enjoyment creating pieces for specific people, and she will customize a coat to meet a customer’s needs. She has participated in the Armonk show since the 90s, and to her it has continued to live up to its reputation. “Out of every single show that I do, the Armonk Outdoor Art Show is truly the best quality… It is like going to the most wonderful outdoor museum and seeing 50 different mediums and all the artists are right there.” |
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Kim Westad Coming from a background in graphic design, Westad only recently discovered her love for clay. Westad began designing three dimensionally in 2001, and 2 ½ years later, left her full time position as a graphic artist to concentrate solely on ceramics. She creates her work in a studio in her home in Yonkers then sells it at local street fairs and art shows, but has interest in selling wholesale. “I like doing retail shows like the Armonk show and places where I’m going to be able to get feedback from other people, but I’d also like to branch out and let other people do the selling,” says Westad. This is her first year participating in the Armonk Outdoor Art Show, where she will sell her dishes and vases in a wide price range suitable for anyone’s wallet. “I like people to be able to afford things, I get a lot of young people wanting to buy stuff and I want them to be able to have things.” All work is functional, dishwasher and microwave safe. Her favorite part is altering the form of the clay, as she explains in her artist statement: “Form is the most important aspect of my work, the anchor and starting point of each piece. The goal is to create lines within the form that seamlessly interact together to create an aesthetically interesting and functional vessel which elicit a closer inspection.” To view Westad’s work visit www.kimwestad.com. |
