Saturday, November 8, 2025
Valley Stream native Olivia Franks was among the standout artists at the opening of Colors of Freedom: An Artistic Tribute to Patriots, held May 9 at Hive Market & Gallery in Oyster Bay. The multi-faceted exhibition, which marks the gallery’s fourth anniversary and recent rebranding, also served as a tribute to U.S. veterans.
“I am inspired to create patriotic art in memory of my grandfather, the United States Marine,” wrote Franks, in an email to gallery owner Laura Escobar. Her collage piece, titled American Nostalgia, used vintage matchbooks to form an American flag and ended with one labeled “thank you” in honor of troops’ service.
Franks, a former editor in chief of Adelphi University’s student newspaper, has recently shifted into visual storytelling through found objects and collage. “I’m very new in this space,” she said. “So just having something like this, where I can express what my grandfather meant to me through art, and have it resonate with people — it meant a lot.” Her piece was a crowd favorite, with multiple attendees vying to purchase it.
The evening attracted about 100 guests, including local artists, veterans, business owners, and members of the Blue Star Mothers organization. Vietnam War veteran Phil Rhoads of Oyster Bay was among them.
“I was amazed, absolutely amazed,” Rhoads said. “I went to Hive when (Laura) first got the building, and it looked nothing like this, but boy, when I was there Friday night, it was amazing.”
The event marked Hive’s first open-call exhibition since Escobar rebranded the business in January to focus on fine art and community programming. “It started with my four-year anniversary coming up on May 9,” Escobar said. “I rebranded in January to Hive Market and Gallery ... and then did an open call to artists, which we’ve never done before.”
The theme of patriotism emerged naturally for Escobar, whose daughter Arianna is an active-duty Marine stationed in Hawaii. With the show falling near Memorial Day and Armed Forces Day, Escobar saw it as a meaningful way to support veterans and their families.
The gallery’s walls featured a broad spectrum of work honoring military service, with submissions from both emerging and established artists — including one from the Firefly Artists collective in Northport.
“Aside from the beautiful spectrum of artwork and viewpoints in the show is the community inclusiveness that is part of Hive’s philosophy,” said Sue Herbst, Escobar’s friend and gallery coordinator. “There are all types of artists included here ... and I think it’s a beautiful approach.”
A portion of each artist’s entry fee was donated to Blue Star Mothers Inc., A nonprofit supporting military families and veterans. “We do fundraising, we support veteran groups, and we march in parades,” said Escobar, who is also a Blue Star Mother. “So the event became a big explosion of four-year anniversary-slash-art exhibit opening.”
Guests enjoyed donated food from local restaurants, admired the artwork, and mingled with veterans. Rhoads, who served in the Army during the Vietnam War, reflected on the significance of the night. “I was drafted when I was 18... Now I’m going to be 78 in two months, so I’m still pretty active.”
The exhibition runs through May 31 at Hive Market & Gallery, located at 100-102 Audrey Ave in Oyster Bay. Most works are available for purchase, with a portion of proceeds benefiting Blue Star Mothers.
To learn more, visit HiveMarketOB.com.
