A “Fairy Festival” at Sands Point Preserve has become an annual thing. It starts with a uniquely fantastic art show.
Did You Know About The Fairy Festival? Re-Wild? The MOSAIC Festival?
Did you know there’s a Fairy Festival that happens every year in that fairy tale castle out at Sands Point Preserve? You can still get tickets. They’re $100 per parking vehicle, so we’d definitely carpool!
Oh, my goodness. We are grateful Firefly Loretta Cerame brought us out there. The show is fantastic and her work is beautiful. The 2D works gracing the walls are amazing, and we are delighted by the focus on sculptural “Fairy Houses.” Among those artists, Dianna Facci, chose to use her prize winning piece to showcase the creative potential of Native Plants and to use the whole event as an opportunity to seed awareness of the sustainable landscaping organization, Re-Wild Long Island.
Loretta Cerame with her enchanting oil painting, “Vedia-Forest Spirit” (photo provided by Loretta) and Dianna Facci with her naturally derived sculpture, “Soaring to New Heights”
A Win for Re-wild: The Art of Native Gardening
Flowers in Dianna’s Fairy House, “Soaring to New Heights,” were made from the seed cases of Butterfly Milkweed and what my daughter always called “Spiky Balls.” There were dragonflies crafted from them as well, and so much more. Maybe 80 hours of work, she wondered? We talked about how, when you’re doing something like that, it’s kind of all day every day. Sometimes especially when you’re sleeping. So maybe a bit more than that…
Other projects Dianna’s working on – which apparently literally seed her art — include endeavors like helping design and realize the Valley Stream Community Garden and other projects of the South Nassau Chapter of Re-Wild.
Detail of Dianna Facci’s piece. Love the bees!
Word from the East End Arts Council
We also got to meet Melissa Pressler of the East End Arts Council, and learn a little bit about what’s going on out there in Riverhead. Her collage is amazing! They just moved out of their historic offices so that the building can be lifted to protect from floods. We pray for a smooth elevation and a quick return to the charming building they have long called home!
She was excited about the mixed media artwork her young students created for this show, and the Arts Council’s upcoming 30th Annual MOSAIC Festival, which happens on Memorial Day. It’s actually mostly about chalk…and community. There is other art, too, and music, and more. This year, it will include a community street mural to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
They call it “Long Island’s Most Colorful Day of the Year.” I’d like to check it out after the parade.
Melissa Pressler, who works for the East End Arts Council, and her captivating collage, “Year of the Wood Snake.” This piece includes authentic skin donated by a slithery friend. After years of receiving that gift of texture from him, she has recently returned the kindness by giving that snake a home. His name is Stanley.
Thank You
There was more. The exhibition truly is stunning. On beyond grateful for friends like Loretta who give us great reasons to do these things, and for all the folks who make these things happen at all. We wish all an enchanting weekend!
More detail of Dianna’s “Soaring to New Heights”
Image of a young artist and appreciator provided by Loretta Cerame
“Blink and You’ll Miss It” a remarkable tiny sculpture (yes, that’s an acorn he’s transformed into a cottage!) by Patrick Louie
