“In order to escape madness, I will live madly. I will risk my life, in order to save it.” – Cory Richards

Join us in giving a warm welcome to Cory Richards, the man who summited Everest without supplemental oxygen, the only American to climb one of the highest peaks in the world in the winter, and 2012 National Geographic Adventurer of the Year. The inspirational Renaissance man invites you to a deeply personal keynote that explores his most profound journey: navigating the depths of his own struggles with mental health. Following the talk, Cory will engage the audience in a thoughtful Q&A and host a book signing for his best-selling work.

Blending lived experience, hard-won insight, and breathtaking imagery and storytelling, Cory explores how depression, ADHD, anxiety, bipolar, and trauma –often labeled as disorders— can become the roots of creativity, grit, empathy, and innovation. He will unpack the myth of brokenness through the lens of mental health and neurodivergence, helping us see that the very real challenges of an unquiet mind can be transformed into the traits that drive bold exploration, artistic endeavors, and healing.

The best-selling author of The Color of Everything and BIPOLAR, welcomes you to an evening of hope, as we enter the mind and heart to receive a radical human perspective: “Our differences are not our downfall—they’re our design. And that design can become our most powerful gift. The goal isn’t to fix what’s broken. It’s to break the story that says we are.”

Natural forms and space are at the heart of Bryan Hunt’s sculptures and paintings. The creative explorer joins us for a very special Insight Sunday and invites the audience to an intimate dialogue centered on Ceta-II the wood, synthetic fabric, and steel sculpture included in The Ark. Is it a bird wing? Is it a tentacle? Is Ceta short for Cetaceans, otherwise known as a marine animal like a whale, dolphin, or porpoise? Is it a space creature infiltrating the animal-laden vessel? There is only one way to find out! Ask the man directly. Come with questions and leave with insight at our first Insight Sunday of the summer.

 To view Ceta-II stop by during our exhibition hours, Thursday-Monday 11 AM – 5 PM. The exhibition is free and open to the public. To learn more about The Ark, visit our exhibition page here.

What is blocking you from being happy, leading a full life, and moving you forward? No stranger to healing, Brahna Yassky, painter, and author, who is trained in art therapy invites you to find out in this Wellness Monday. Using healing techniques that she herself has used, Brahna welcomes you to look at the world in a different way. Using an intense focus on a particular object, art, and writing, participants will uncover memories, sensations, and emotions that are tied to their wellness.

In this hands-on workshop participants are asked to bring with them an object that has great significance to them (or a photo if the object cannot be moved), their own art supplies (sketchbook, pencils, watercolors, paintbrush), a notebook, and a pen. Through Brahna’s guidance, you will spend your time during the workshop drawing or painting the object and/or activating your language center as you write about the object. There will be an opportunity to share your thoughts and reflections on your work.

In 1982 Brahna was literally on fire. This accident resulted in Brahna’s arduous and painful healing journey. This journey and the path to her success are documented in her book Slow Dancing with Fire – A Memoir of Resilience. Brahna will read a passage from the book that illuminates how she learned to see differently. The author and artist welcomes you to learn from her experience, engage in community, and chip away at the things holding you back so you can bloom in your wellness. Copies of Brahna’s book will be available for purchase.

“You learn for yourself not for others, not to show off, not to put the other one down learning is your secret, it is all you have, it is the only thing you can call your own. nobody can take it away…” – Louise Bourgeois, Louise Bourgeois: The Return of the Repressed: Psychoanalytic Writings.

In a unique pairing to discuss a one-of-a-kind artist, Philip Larratt-Smith, esteemed curator, writer, and Curator of The Easton Foundation, which administers the legacy of Louise Bourgeois, joins in dialogue with Jamieson Webster, clinical psychoanalyst, teacher, and writer who has published work on Bourgeois and many other artists. The two will examine Spider Couple, 2003, Bourgeois’s iconic 12-foot sculpture featured in our exhibition The Ark. They will also expand their discussion to include the symbolic use of animal imagery prevalent in late artist’s profound body of work. There will be a Q&A following the discussion.

One of the most important and influential contemporary artists of the last century, Lousie Bourgeois is a fearless diver into the psychological realm. Over several decades, the artist plunged into the depths of her own psyche, fueling her creative process with heightened introspection, cathartic examinations of early childhood trauma, and more. Her use of personal symbolism, recurring motifs,  and psychological release within her work created a unique stylistic dimension and a distinctive symbolic code. This code, though highly personal and individualized, has helped to capture the complexity of human experience and emotion, creating a collective sea of understanding around it.  Join us as we submerge into Bourgeois’s world and perhaps contemplate our own introspective reality and its role in the creative process.

Louise Bourgeois’s work Spider Couple is on view on our outdoor deck adjacent to our mezzanine level during our exhibition hours Thursday – Monday, 11 AM – 5 PM. In addition to being the first time The Church will use the outdoor deck as part of the exhibition, it also marks the first time one of these celebrated works will be shown at an arts institution on the East End. We invite you to stop by and see a little web of history as it’s being made.

The Church is honored and grateful to present a rare discussion with the legendary multidisciplinary artist Bruce Nauman. Joined in conversation by The Church co-founder and visual artist Eric Fischl, Nauman and Fischl will speak about art and process, touching on the themes present in Nauman’s work that is included in our summer exhibition, The Ark, curated by Fischl.

Working in nearly every artistic medium, thoughtfully refusing to adhere to rigid artistic distinctions, and sometimes creating new genres while completing his work, Nauman is an indispensable source of insight and a model of artistic authenticity and integrity. This rare opportunity, as Nauman seldom speaks about his work and creative process, promises to be a celebratory event of profound revelation.

Nauman’s work 2 plaster foxes head to foot with plaster can and hammer, 2024 is part of our summer exhibition The Ark, and can be experienced during our exhibition hours, Thursday through Monday 11 AM – 5 PM.  To learn more about our exhibition and to check out the exhibition checklist, please visit our exhibition page here.

There is a certain degree of magic required in curation, be it curating other people’s work or composing your own work and vision for an upcoming exhibition. To celebrate the concurrent opening of two mammoth shows, The Ark at The Church and Amy Sillman: Alternate Side (Permutations #1-32) at Dia Bridgehampton, artist/curator Eric Fischl joins renowned artist Amy Sillman in dialogue, discussing their respective shows and the process of putting them together. The collaborative program invites audiences to inquiry and insight as the two artists share their perspectives and values in determining thematic choices, inclusion, and overall vision, while doing a deep dive into two of this summer’s great East End contemporary art exhibitions. The pair will be joined by Jordan Carter, Curator and Co-Deapartment Head, Dia Art Foundation, who will moderate the dialogue and offer his own insights into the process. Following the discussion there will be a Q&A with the two.

Tickets are limited so please purchase in advance to avoid the waitlist.

To view The Ark, curated by Fischl please stop by The Church during exhibition hours, Thursday-Monday, 11 AM – 5 PM. To View Amy Sillman: Alternate Side (Permutations #1-32), please stop by Dia Bridgehampton at 23 Corwith Avenue, Bridgehampton, NY during exhibition hours Friday – Sunday, 12 PM – 6 PM. Both exhibitions are free and open to the public.

The Church is thrilled to collaborate with the Sag Harbor Cinema for a special screening of Lousie Bourgeois: The Spider, The Mistress, and The Tangerine.

As a screen presence, Louise Bourgeois is magnetic, mercurial and emotionally raw. There is no separation between her life as an artist and the memories and emotions that affect her every day. Her process is on full display in this extraordinary documentary. As an artist, Louise Bourgeois has for six decades been at the forefront of successive new developments, but always on her own powerfully inventive and disquieting terms.

In 1982, at the age of 71, she became the first woman to be honored with a major retrospective at New York’s Museum of Modern Art. In the decades since, she has created her most powerful and persuasive work that has been exhibited, studied and lectured on worldwide. Filmed with unparalleled access between 1993 and 2007, Louise Bourgeois: The Spider, the Mistress and the Tangerine is a comprehensive and dramatic documentary of creativity and revelation. It is an intimate, human and educational engagement with an artist’s world.

Our first program for The Ark exhibition explores the process and technologies used for two of the exciting works in the show – one of which uses the latest technologies in sculpture making (3D printing), and the other a demonstration of one of the most historic sculpture techniques (the ‘lost wax’ technique featuring the use of clay hand-modeling for casting bronze). Even more thrilling – the two artists come from Europe, here only briefly for the opening of the exhibition. A rare opportunity all around!

Artist Daniel Firman wants to talk about the elephant in the room… the elephant. Friman’s Le Sommeil en Forêt (The Sleep in the Forest), a life-size sculpture of an elephant, can be seen balancing on its trunk front and center in The Ark. This sculpture was made via a special 3-D printing process and printed specifically for this exhibition. Fresh flown in from overseas, Firman invites audiences to an inside look at his creative process and what it took to bring this colossal figure to life. Firman will be joined in conversation by The Church co-founder April Gornik. Following his discussion there will be a brief Q&A with the audience.

Then, with the quiet stealth of a jungle cat, artist Patrick Villas invites the audience to witness a live sculpting session in our studio space. The sculptor of Monumental Walking Panther, 2021, and Cheetah, 2006, which are both included in The Ark, will present a live demonstration of his process while Edwina Van der haegen offers a technical explanation of what is occurring. Following the demonstration there will be a Q&A with the audience.

Join us for this very special event. Space is limited so get your tickets early and avoid the waitlist!

Step inside The Church on June 21^st from 6 to 7:30 PM to witness its latest transformation as The Ark opens its doors for its first public viewing. The 2025 Summer exhibition curated by Eric Fischl, refers directly to the myth of the Deluge: an event of such apocalyptic scale, forewarned, unheeded, and unstoppable, that it appeared it would be the end of all life on earth. However, through human resourcefulness, will, and compassion, the Great Flood marked a new beginning, a do-over… a rebirth. Composed solely of animal sculptures by over 40 international artists of the last century, the exhibition looks closely at man’s relationship with animals, nature, and self. 

Join us any time between 6 PM and 7:30 PM on Saturday, June 21^st for the first glimpse of The Church like you’ve never seen it before! No tickets or RSVP’s are necessary for this special evening. The exhibition will be on view from Sunday, June 22 – Monday, September 1^st during our exhibition hours, Thursday – Monday, 11 AM – 5 PM. Be sure to check out our sculpture installations in our public garden as well! And check out our Events Calendar for more exhibition-related programming (coming soon!). For more information about The Ark, please visit our exhibition page here.

In celebration of our collaboration of The Ark Community Project, we are delighted to announce the simultaneous opening at The Sag Harbor Whaling and Historical Museum. Stop by The Whaling Museum between 5 PM and 7:30 PM for snacks, drinks, and their signature Dark and Stormy cocktail, and take in their exhibition. The marine animal-themed show, curated by Dave. O., features sculptures and paintings immersed in the whale soundscape and includes work from 13 artists. Artists featured include Patton Miller, Scott Bluedorn, Isadora Capraro, Georgia Suter, Jim Gingerich, Franco Cuttica, Forrest Gray, Nick Whelan, Kevin Ink, Loren Eiferman, and Cayce Adams. All works of art will be for sale and a silent auction, with a chance to bid on the community-built Ark, will be live! Admission for the Sag Harbor Whaling & Historical Museum’s Annual ‘Calm Before the Storm’ Party is free with a suggested donation of $50. Donations benefit the Whaling Museum and may be made here.

Artists Featured in The Ark: Monica Banks, Louise Bourgeois, Rembrandt Bugatti, Deborah Butterfield, Joan Brown, Maurizio Cattelan, Thomas Deininger, Jim Dine, William Edmondson, Angus Fairhurst, Daniel Firman, Elizabeth Frink, Jean-François Gambino, Brendan Hemsmondhalgh, Nicola Hicks, Bryan Hunt, Jörd Immendorf, Ryan Johnson, William Kent, William Kentridge, Sherrie Levine, Sarah Lucas, Kate MccGwire, Allan McCollum, Mentawai people, Bruce Nauman, John O’Reilly, Charles Ray, Germaine Richier, Jane Rosen, Susan Rothenberg, Claudette Schreuders, Jaune Quick-to-See Smith, Kiki Smith, Anthony Theakston, Nichola Theakston, Catherine Thiry, Rosemarie Trockel, William Tucker, Patrick Villas,  and Daisy Youngblood.

Join us as we warmly welcome back SAG HARBOR IN FOCUS, a photo exhibition featuring work by Pierson High School students, as it celebrates its ninth annual exhibition. We are also delighted to welcome back the Pierson High School students who participated in The Church’s 2025 Fashion Intensive Workshop, which was supported by the Reutershan Education Trust and facilitated by Mary Jane Marcasiano. Begin the evening by applauding the students as they model their spring 2025 collection with a fashion show. Then join us as we toast the winners of this year’s photography exhibition. The evening will conclude with a reception.

Do you enjoy digging deeper and uncovering meaning in art? The Church’s Executive Director, Sheri Pasquarella, and the artist Wayne Gonzales invite you to join them as they build a dialogue around ten specially selected paintings that date from distant centuries past through the contemporary era. Pasquarella and Gonzales will present one-another with five paintings — which will only be revealed as the event unfolds. The pair will then spontaneously examine, discuss, and appreciate the ten paintings individually, engaging the audience with a fun conversation designed for art-appreciators of all levels of experience, whether new to art criticism or aficionados. Join the conversation! What paintings do you think will be revealed?  (Insider tip: It will not be Self Portrait by Vincent van Gogh!)

Join us in welcoming Adrienne Terry, visual artist and community advocate, as our Insight Sunday speaker for May. Terry will expand on the process behind Dreamcatcher, a dreamcatcher that goes beyond the traditional and that is included in our spring exhibition, Eternal Testament.  Terry will explore the techniques used to etch symbols and motifs, elaborate on her choice of materials, and examine the tools she has used and some she is currently experimenting with. Following the discussion there will be a Q&A.

Symbolizing Terry’s deep connection to her Shinnecock roots and incorporating communal and personal narratives, Dreamcatcher puts a spotlight on material usage — featuring shells, feathers, and wampum pieces — and depicts the Shinnecock seal. Going beyond a traditional dreamcatcher, the work serves as an educational tool and is an act of cultural preservation.

This special Insight Sunday is presented as a part of our current exhibition Eternal Testament, curated by Jeremy Dennis and Meranda Roberts; please click here for more information on the exhibition.

Join us for an artist talk and process demonstration with Chié Shimizu. Primarily a sculptor, Shimizu examines the human condition through representations of figure and form, creating lifelike sculptures that portray individuals frozen in various states of movement and emotion. Each figure is meticulously sculpted in clay, then cast with plaster, painted by hand, and adorned with textures, designs, and objects reflective of a life story.

In her presentation, Shimizu will discuss the evolution and development of her practice, from early inspirations to recent and ongoing works. Following a slideshow, Shimizu will illuminate her process, sharing exclusive insight into the sculpting, molding, casting, and hand-painting behind each piece. The event will conclude with a Q&A.

“In another time’s forgotten space / Your eyes looked from your mother’s face. . . . If you get confused, listen to the music play” — The Grateful Dead

Celebrate Mom, Grandma, aunties, sisters, and all the maternal figures in your life by joining us for a Mother’s Day sound bath with the incomparable Daniel Lauter. Back by popular demand, the MeditationDJ takes participants on a deeply soothing and relaxing journey through sound, bathing you in the meditative tones that melt away stress and help you recharge and rejuvenate. Bring your yoga mat, pillow, blanket, or anything else you need for your comfort as you enjoy the sounds of crystal bowls, symphonic gong, Himalayan bells, yidaki (didjeridu), rains sticks, and more.

A well-versed student of Buddhist sutras, Daniel is also a classically trained musician who customizes his sound baths with musical phrasing, melody, and harmonic balance. Whether as a gift to mom or a maternal gift of self-care, this Mother’s Day sound bath is a perfect start to a Sunday morning.

We are delighted to welcome Jill Bialosky, acclaimed editor and writer of History of a Suicide and Poetry Will Save Your Life, back to The Church to discuss her latest publication, The End Is the Beginning: A Personal History of My Mother. This profoundly moving elegy is a brave and compassionate examination of the life and death of Jill’s mother, told in reverse order from burial to birth. After reading from the book, Jill will be joined in conversation by Executive Director Sheri Pasquarella to discuss the impetus for the memoir, illuminate audiences to the stylistic choice of reverse storytelling, and more. The floor will then be open to questions from the audience. Following the program, there will be a book signing with the author. The event commemorates the book’s release from Washington Square Press on May 6^th, 2025.

The End Is the Beginning begins with Iris Yvonne Bialosky’s death in an assisted-care facility on March 29, 2020 — an event compounded by the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic, which prevented Jill from being with her mother in her final moments and kept her from attending her funeral. Jill then takes readers on a journey backward through time, exploring the many nuances of Iris’s life in ways that are simultaneously celebratory, elegiac, and probing. The book is a poignant reminder that we are all the sum of our experiences and illuminates Iris as a multidimensional, fascinating woman who raised four daughters on her own.

Join us Mother’s Day weekend with a book that traces’ one daughter’s inextricable bond to her mother, join in her compassionate celebration of Iris’s life, and help frame the portrait of healing through remembrance and understanding.

Have a seat on one of the many quilts that will be laid out in the main floor of The Church and join Emily Johnson as she weaves you into a movement- and sound-based performance that will envelop you in shared histories and experiences. A portal to a way forward through care and awareness, Johnson’s performance invites participants to redefine themselves within space-time, to join her in an act of “reworlding,” and to physically stitch together a work of art.

A site-specific work, Johnson’s performance helps revitalize our integral connections to one another and awaken us to the threads that connect us via our environments, our stories, and our pasts, presents, and futures. This performance is a an art work featured in Eternal Testament, our current exhibition curated by Jeremy Dennis and Meranda Roberts; please find more information on the exhibition here.  

 Though most participants will be seated on the ground on quilts provided, there will be chairs available for those who prefer or need them. 

Symbolizing Terry’s deep connection to her Shinnecock roots and incorporating communal and personal narratives, Dreamcatcher puts a spotlight on material usage — featuring shells, feathers, and wampum pieces — and depicts the Shinnecock seal. Going beyond a traditional dreamcatcher, the work serves as an educational tool and is an act of cultural preservation.

This special Insight Sunday is presented as a part of our current exhibition Eternal Testament, curated by Jeremy Dennis and Meranda Roberts; please click here for more information on the exhibition.

How well do you know Nada Barry? Join us in giving a warm welcome to our latest Knowledge Friday Speaker! A pillar of the Sag Harbor community, deeply involved in its success, spirit, and integrity — as well as, of course, being the proprietor of the beloved Wharf Shop on Main Street — Nada is an easily recognizable and beloved Sag Harborian. Presenting the “adventures of a life well lived,” Nada will tell all, sharing autobiographical anecdotes and her zest for life. Following the discussion there will be a Q&A.

Nada was born in England in 1930 and arrived in the United States just before the onset of World War II. Her life has taken her around the world on various daring journeys, from her years sailing the Caribbean to the time she traveled with her family through Mexico City in a Winnebago, and her stories are rich with experience, wit, and laughter. She has co-founded a school and dedicated herself to the needs of the South Fork’s young people, and her experience at the Wharf Shop has been most rewarding. At 94, she is an indispensable source of insight, intrigue, and inspiration. Join us as we learn from a local legend who knows a thing or two about creativity — and how to harness it in your everyday life.

Stick around and join us as we sing “Happy Birthday,” kicking off The Church’s fourth twirl around the sun with celebration and community. Join Jaime Lopez and Coco Myers for advanced sales and signing of their book Light, Sand, and Sea: Hamptons Artists and Their Studios.  As well, our own Eric Fischl will be on hand to sign copies of our latest publication, Strike Fast Dance Lightly: Artists on Boxing and April will be available to sign Yes, No, and WOW: The Push Pin Studios Revolution, both of which will be available for purchase.Have books you want to donate? Stop by our Book Swap table and make a trade – leave a book and take a book. The book swap will allow art lovers to bring their titles, exchange them with others. Remainders will be donated.

Join artist April Gornik for a richly illustrated virtual walk-through of the Figures du Fou (Figures of the Fool) exhibition that opened on October 16, 2024 at the Louvre Museum and closed on February 5, 2025. Figures of the Fool was brilliantly curated by Elisabeth Antoine-König and Pierre-Yves Le Pogam. April will share slides, talk about the curators’ intent, and introduce her own insights and ideas. Along the way, April will invite thoughts and comments from the audience and, at the end, there will be a more formal question-and-answer period.

Figures of the Fool: From the Middle Ages to the Romantics offered a deep dive into the meaning of “the fool” in a multitude of contexts: books, illustrations of the Bible, sainthood, brothels, at court, on the battlefield, in positions of power, and in positions of poverty. Fools had an extraordinary popularity from the 13th through the 16th centuries, with new notions of the fool reignited in the public imagination during the age of Romanticism as well as at the beginning of psychology. Fools included hermits, simpletons, saints, sinners mocking courtly love, party animals, buffoons both royal and common, mad kings, seekers and seers, licentious seducers, jugglers, conjurers, and, not least of all, artists. 

The fool’s legacy has endured even into present-day art, politics, and theater. Certain streets in Paris are still referred to as Rues de la Folie, meaning “Streets of Madness,” indicating that they were or had been red-light districts. Playing cards still have jokers. And Van Gogh and his phenomenal popularity can be seen as one of our great Fools for Art. As truth-tellers to kings, fools still bear witness to the folly of human behavior. 

Join us for an open-studio visit with two of our current artists-in-residence, Alison Cynamon and Rayos Magos.

As an author, illustrator, and public artist, Cynamon creates work ranging from the development of storybooks and narrative drawings to the planning and design of murals and installations. Currently, her work centers on the writing and illustration of children’s books, pairing imaginative stories with playful characters and designs.

Magos, a multidisciplinary artist, draws inspiration and influence from his ethnic identity as a Chicano (Mexican American/Latinx). Working across a variety of media, he investigates symbolism and storytelling within Chicano culture in his work, blending personal narratives with universal themes to examine the past, future, and present.

Stop by anytime between noon and 2 p.m. to observe and reflect as Cynamon and Magos introduce and discuss their practices and works in progress, highlighting the developments made while in residence.

David Bunn Martine, award-winning visual artist and Curator of the Shinnecock Nation Cultural Center Museum, joins us for our April Insight Sunday. Drawing inspiration from history and reimagined perspectives, Martine’s work explores the spiritual strength and vibrancy of historical figures while stylistically staying within the realm of realism.  Martine will speak about his process, how he reimagines the world, and his purpose in selecting the historical scenes he portrays. Following the discussion there will be a Q&A with the audience.

Martine’s work The Northern Migration, a playful nod to Grant Wood’s American Gothic, is included in our exhibition Eternal Testament, on view from March 22 to June 1. (Exhibition hours: Thursday to Monday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.) Stop by the show and join us on Sunday to learn why Martine believes “art should uplift and elevate the soul and not dwell in the negative conditions of history and society.”

This special Insight Sunday is presented as a part of our current exhibition Eternal Testament, curated by Jeremy Dennis and Meranda Roberts; please click here for more information on the exhibition.

Meet illustrator, artist, and entrepreneur, Noelle Giddings and join us as we dive into her unique experience, exploring an artistic world of comic books, ready-for-television art, and more. Noelle is a treasure trove of insight and wisdom for young, aspiring artists! Her career trajectory has been one of a kind, leading her from comics and cartoons to roles in education and newly created positions within the entertainment industry. Come along as we explore how one woman said “yes” to opportunity and learned to pivot and transform along the way. Following the discussion there will be a Q&A.

Breaking into a male-dominated field, Noelle was one of the few female comic book artists for DC and Marvel. Spider-Man, Batman, Superman — Noelle illustrated some of the most memorable characters we know and love. She was also a founding member of Milestone Media, the first and only comic book company dedicated to creating a more culturally diverse comic universe. In addition to working in the much-loved genre, her work on animated Disney and Nickelodeon programs, including Doug, has been a source of joy for many growing up. She has created original art pieces for television and movie sets and has published children’s books and a graphic novel, too.

For fashion designer and artist Paulo Josepetti, a design is more than just a garment; it’s an expression of creativity and storytelling. Join us at The Church as Josepetti speaks on his work and learn how his upbringing and commitment to sustainability have shaped his career.

Deeply inspired by the vibrant culture of his Brazilian heritage, Josepetti seamlessly blends art and fashion, specializing in one-of-a-kind custom fabrications that emphasize individuality and craftsmanship. Throughout his practice, he remains committed to the use of sustainable materials and practices, frequently employing linen, raw silk, and other natural fibers.

Josepetti is an artist-in-residence at The Church from March 27 – April 9, 2025.

In grand commemoration of the opening of Eternal Testamenton Saturday, March 22, co-curators Jeremy Dennis and Meranda Roberts have created an electric series of events that will inspire, delight, and inform all on the topic of the show. The run down is:

5 PM – 6 PM PANEL DISCUSSION WITH JEREMY DENNIS, MERANDA ROBERTS & DENISE SILVA DENNIS: Join us on our studio level for as co-curators Jeremy Dennis and Meranda Roberts, co-curators of the show are joined in conversation by artist Denise Silva Dennis. The trio will dive deeper into some of the themes, intentions and inspirations for the show, providing guests a unique opportunity of insights before seeing the show. The exhibition invites audiences to “reconsider their perceptions of Eastern Long Island in a way that positively engages with Indigenous history and the land we occupy,” according to the Curators. Following a brief Q&A

6 PM – DRUMMING PROCESSIONAL WITH JEFFREY PEGRAM: At the end of the panel discussion, we will be led up to the exhibition via a performance by contemporary Native TSALAGI Nation (Cherokee) Singer and Composer, Jeffry Pegram. Nominated for various indigenous music awards and a historian of Native American culture, the multitalented speaker and lecturer invites all people into the gallery to reflect, contemplate, and expand their awareness.

6:30 –ELISA HARKINS PERFORMANCE:Elisa Harkins (Cherokee, Muscogee) will present a 15-minute performance of Indigenous hymns and hand-drum songs, transforming the former church — on the homelands of the Montaukett and Shinnecock Nations — into a site of Indigenous presence and resistance. Rooted in language revitalization and Indigenous musical traditions, her work challenges the church’s colonial history of forced assimilation while amplifying themes of sovereignty and reclamation central to Eternal Testament. By filling the space with Indigenous sound, Harkins unsettles historical narratives and invites audiences to reconsider their relationship to land, spirituality, and power.

Why exactly are Tom’s typewriters special, and how did Simon’s audacious vision for the installation come to life?  Join Joe Jagos, The Church’s exhibition coordinator, and Liam Huberty, project research assistant, for a spirited walk-through and lively dialogue that goes behind the scenes of Some of Tom’s Typewriters. Mounting this exhibition required the expertise of Jagos and Huberty, who will share their profound knowledge of the typewriters on view as well as insights into the meticulous planning of the show. Come gain a deeper insight into the machines’ fascinating history and the process of exhibition productions. After the discussion, there will be a Q&A.

Give our regards to Broadway, Walter Bobbie! Join us for Knowledge Friday as we traverse the creative landscape of an award-winning writer, thespian, director, visual artist, and South Fork resident. We invite young actors, musical-theater students, and anyone with a love of theater to “be in the room” to learn from an indispensable source of experience, knowledge, and wisdom.

Learn how embracing the risk of failure –– the risk involved in success –– led Bobbie to create his own opportunities rather than waiting for one to arise. Understand how and why his 28-year run of Chicago on Broadway and the closure of one of his early productions immediately after opening night are both successes in his eyes. Gain insight into his writing process and his knack for navigating successful collaborations. Discover why “spontaneity is the unimagined part of success” and why the greatest teacher of all is simply being in the room and practicing your craft. Come get your questions answered during our Q&A at the end of the presentation.  

Jackie Hoving and Norm Paris invite you to a drawing salon in the style of Sam Messer’s “drawing happenings.” Having met during their time as Sam’s students in the Yale Norfolk Summer School of Art program, Messer has passed his torch to the couple in the spirit of community. Bring a sketchbook, graphite or colored pencils, and/or pens (please no paints, charcoal, or pastels), and have a seat in the main gallery space to draw the people around you, the space, or something that catches your eye in this meditative experience of observing.

In the style of Sam Messer’s famous drawing happenings, the event is a laid-back environment where the most difficult task is losing yourself to the act of drawing and remaining present. Both Jackie and Norm honor the legacy of Sam’s happenings and his belief in community, bringing people together through drawing. “We are together and alone at the same time,” says Norm.

Please note that this is a casual drawing session and not a class.

Take a deep dive into Some Odes with Sheri Pasquarella, The Church’s incomparable Executive Director. The intimate exhibition explores the work of visual artist Sam Messer and highlights the collaborations and inspirations drawn from friends and fellow creative forces Paul Auster, Eleanor Gaver, Denis Johnson, and Sharon Olds. It is also a direct result of the collaborative dialogue between Messer and Pasquarella. Attendees will receive a guided tour of the exhibition and a revealing look into the process by which it came to be. After the tour, there will be a Q&A.

This program is supported by the SHS Foundation in honor of Sara R. Throne, Treasurer.

From the mind of choreographer, dancer, and mixed media artist Arien Wilkerson (Tnmot Aztro) comes a bold new performance, CHARITY STARTS AT HOME NADINE RUFF. The daring project reminds artists to remain dangerous while safeguarding their well-being, challenges them to be daring without self-destructing, pushes them to seek art that activates the world around them. This project has been curated for The Church by Malcolm X. Betts.

Nadine Ruff, Wilkerson’s aunt, a Black transgender woman living with HIV for over 38 years is the fourth Black transgender woman in the country to earn a Master’s Degree. For the past 20 years, she has been dedicated to the community, following 21 years of recovery from substance abuse. Nadine collaborates with LGBTQ communities, focusing particularly on transgender individuals living with and without HIV/AIDS. Charity Starts at Home Nadien Ruff exemplifies the intensity of artists ready to be unleashed into the world. Wilkerson’s intentional simplicity connects deeply with their exploration of danger—not merely as a political commentary on harm or societal oppression, but as a source of power and an embrace of certain darkness.

Wilkerson explores traditional forms and techniques of dance, juxtaposed with boundary-pushing aesthetics, and is joined in the performance by formally trained dancers Mackenzie-Soleil Collyear and Jolie Padilla.

Confronting stories of abuse of power within the art world and general society, the harmful labels placed upon artists of certain appearances, and the societal framing that boxes in the bold, Wilkerson and company deliver a powerful statement about tension and duality in high-society art.