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.

“If we are to preserve culture, we must continue to create it.” -- Johan Huizinga 

From rehabilitation to restoration to public acquisition, the act of preservation requires inspiration and vision. It communicates the values of a culture it looks to preserve, as well as creating standards of culture in the process. It is itself a creative act. 

We invite you to explore architecture and design from this perspective with Jess Frost, executive director and co-founder of the Arts Center at Duck Creek in Springs, Matilde Guidelli, curator and curatorial department head of the Dia Art Foundation, and Lee Skolnick, architect and renovator of The Church. Using their respective institutions as examples, the participants will illuminate the art of preservation.

The conversation will be moderated by Paul Bentel, a practicing architect, professor at Columbia University, architectural historian, and preservation advocate who will bring a unique and unifying voice to the dynamic discussion. Representing Preservation Long Island, Bentel is a long-time board member and until recently the chair of the Historic Preservation Committee. Following the presentation there will be a Q&A.

WORD, the program that celebrates the written word as an art form and challenges writers to share works that resonate with an anchoring theme, returns for its fourth iteration, WORD: Connection. WORD brings together writers, storytellers, and performers for an evening of presence, performance, and reflection. In this iteration the curated writers have been asked to respond to the query: how do we make connections?

In an evening curated by writer and editor, Drew Zeiba, the notable writers Hanna Baer, Tom House, Angie Sijun Lou, and Nora Treatbaby, will focus on contemplations of the query, examining the how, what, and why of connection and connectivity, diving deep into the theme and its permutations and insinuations. A program co-created by former Programming Manager Talena Mascali, WORD honors the legacy of Sag Harbor as a welcoming home for artists, writers, and creatives while celebrating the power and range of the written and spoken word.

The reading will offer café table seating (limited tables available that seat four guests), and regular seating behind, with some treats served and others available for purchase.

Join Eric Fischl as he muses on three archetypes for emotional and aspirational conditions that all cultures ponder through art: Heaven, Hell, and the Garden. Speaking specifically about the visual arts of Western art history, Eric’s lecture will explore how shape, color, line, gesture, pattern, and scale — the language an artist chooses to express feelings, thoughts, dreams, etc. — can be further explored within the dimension of these three classic motifs.  “The archetypes of Heaven, Hell, and the Garden are handy generalizations for the exploration of ways to look at individual works of art though, albeit a little silly,” Eric notes. Come explore works of art (in projection) and hear Eric’s musings and interpretations of a wonderful array of paintings and drawings from the past 700 or so years.  

The Church’s Late Night Open Studio is back and is inviting typewriter enthusiasts to join! LNOS is a casual and no-pressure environment for artists of all types to gather and make art together. And if you have one…BYOT! (bring your own typewriter) and celebrate our latest exhibition as we unplug from digital distractions. The Church is passionate about welcoming artists to its space and establishing an oasis for creative inspiration and connection. Join us for the evening where artists of all mediums are invited to join, socialize, listen to music, and work on any projects, whether past or current. It’s a hang-out! Come break out of your solitary studio and make art at The Church!

This Program is supported by Cathleen McGuigan and David Berridge and the Friends of the Fund for Visual Arts

John Pinderhughes found love behind the lens of a camera in the mountains of Ethiopia during a summer college trip with Operation Crossroads Africa over 50 years ago. He has been capturing moments ever since. Join us for the first Insight Sunday of the new year as John shares with us the special story behind the portrait of his beloved grandmother, his “gum-gum,” taken on her first trip to Africa.

Join us for the opening reception of our Winter Exhibition Some of Tom’s Typewriters. The reception and exhibition are free to the public! No RSVP Required.

Featuring 35 typewriters from the collection of actor Tom Hanks and an exhibition installation designed by the renowned creative director Simon Doonan, The Church’s extraordinary space will be transformed into a fanciful home for these magical machines in all their iconic, sadly obsolete glory.

The Exhibition will be on view during exhibition hours through March 10th, 2025.

Join us for the opening reception of our Winter Exhibition Some Odes: Sam Messer with Paul Auster, Eleanor Gaver, Denis Johnson and Sharon Olds. The reception and exhibition are free to the public! No RSVP Required.

Concurrent to Some of Tom’s Typewriters, The Church will present an intimate exhibition on the Main Floor entitled Some Odes: Sam Messer with Paul Auster, Eleanor Gaver, Denis Johnson and Sharon Olds. This small-scale exhibition will focus on the confluence of ideas between artists and artistic media as they flow individually and within an artistic community. For more than 20 years, artist Sam Messer has created over 200 paintings of typewriters, which began as a distinct reflection on Paul Auster’s relationship to his machine, and over time has evolved as “a form that innately represents language, communication between peoples, its association with both facts and fiction, the place where stories are recorded and invented,” according to Messer.

The Exhibition will be on view during exhibition hours through March 10th, 2025.

By popular demand! Join us for an encore presentation of April Gornik’s recent talk about the landscapes of Egon Schiele, which she presented at the Neue Galerie in NYC in November. The lecture includes images and insights into landscape painting and as a contemplation of nature and the landscape at large. Gornik will focus on both Schiele’s contemporary context and the artists he may be likened to in our more recent context in the decades following his untimely death.

During our annual Community Residency, we invite selected artists of the East End to work on campus at The Church to enrich and foster artistic community and dialogue. This year we’re thrilled to welcome ANNA!, Ben Hassett, Jackie Hoving, Kerry Sharkey-Miller, Mark Webber, and Andre Worrell to join us in residence! Stop by between 1:00 – 3:00 pm on December 15^th to see and hear more about their works and process.