Bayville artists share their talent in their hometown

There are many artists living in Bayville, probably more than you might think. The lineup of nine who exhibited their work at the Bayville Village Arts Council in December, and others who did so on Jan. 15, confirm that living in a small seaside community, with colorful kayaks, beautiful sunsets and the smell of salt in the air, offers plenty of inspiration.

Phil Pecorino, the arts council’s chairman, said the exhibits were the beginning of what he hoped would be several opportunities for hometown artists to share their talents.

Pecorino said he never liked it when people would say that Sea Cliff is artsy, ignoring Bayville. When BVAC was formed in 2019, its objective was to promote the artists in the village — but first it had to find them.

“I found 70,” Pecorino said. “They probably live here for the peace and quiet.” Among them are painters, photographers, sculptors, dancers and musicians.

Pecorino wanted to find a way for them to share their work with their neighbors. In 2020, BVAC showed works by Warren Jacobson and Joann Pierce on the west end of town, which drew much interest. Then the coronavirus pandemic hit, halting any plans BVAC had considered.

Last fall, encouraged that Covid was subsiding, Dave Rapelje, the director of the Bayville Historical Museum, spoke to Pecorino about holding an art show at the museum, which had been closed as the health crisis dragged on. “I thought [a showcase] would be a good time to get out of our slumber,” Rapelje said. “And it was time to do something different.”

After offering space to Pecorino for a show, Rapelje, a lifelong Bayville resident, said he realized that there would be unexpected benefits for the museum, too. People who had never visited before would be there. Although Rapelje had put some of his collection in storage, there was still much for visitors to see.

“People don’t know we’re here,” he said. “The showcase has brought in families who are more interested in art than history. In coming here, they can’t help but also see Bayville history.”

He arranged for three of the museum’s rooms to exhibit nine artists. In December visitors saw 30 works of art, ranging from oil to digital paintings. Several of the artists were on hand to discuss their process.

Anthony Sisto, a painter who once used oil and acrylics, said he switched to creating digital paintings because it was faster. “I started doing this to make a couple bucks for an engagement ring for my wife,” he said. “It takes a while to make it look like a painting, but it takes much longer to create a painting using oils, and it’s much easier to reproduce the works.”

Sisto, who has a background in graphic design, takes a photograph of his subject for reference and then uses computer software to create brush strokes. He sells his artwork online, had a booth at past Oyster Festivals and sometimes donates his paintings to churches, which sells them at fundraisers.

John Taylor, a former village trustee, said that painting is a hobby of his. Retired, he worked in advertising as an art director. Painting isn’t that different, he said. “Whenever I did an ad, I had to draw it on a storyboard, which is a series of frames,” Taylor explained. “These days I’m always doing photography and painting, mostly ocean scenes. It kept me from going crazy during the lockdown.”

Michele Mott said she wanted to emulate the way Rembrandt worked. “I go to the lumber yard and pick out the wood and mix my own paint, like Rembrandt did,” she said. “It’s more time-consuming, but gives my work life.”

Barbara Vivona works with oils, she said, because if she makes a mistake, it’s easier to fix. “My paintings are my babies,” she said. “If I make something it’s a part of me.”

Suzanne Kaiser’s husband, Todd, had his work included in the showcase. Although not an artist herself, Suzanne said she sees art differently since she married Todd. “I wish I had that talent to paint,” she said. “There’s a lot of talent in these rooms.”

Painting is not a new passion for Loren Faragrasso. She’s been painting for fun since she was 7, but it was her piano teacher who encouraged her to keep it up. The piano teacher was a talented painter, Faragrasso said, leading her to take art lessons from her. Now, many years later, painting serves an unexpected purpose.

“Painting calms me down, and I like being creative,” she said. “I also like the idea of leaving my own mark.”