Photo of Firefly Michele Miroff at a recent trunk show by Katheryn Laible
Come to our Gallery! Support Local Art and Artists Who Serve Our Community!
I am honored and blessed to be a Managing Partner of The Firefly Artists, an eclectic, community-oriented gallery created by and for local artists. Our main Firefly Gallery and its upstairs Darcy Arts Center at 162 Main St, Northport will be open late all this week leading up to Christmas — Tuesday-Friday 11am-8pm. We’re closed for Christmas. We’ll be open again on Sunday 11-5pm.
Send me an email if you’d like to meet up down there. Or, just c’mon down. There is still time to find that perfect gift. I’ll be there myself on Thursday, offering a 15% off gallery-wide sale from 2:30-6pm.
Some gift ideas are below. Every time you buy something from us, you’re also helping keep local art and artists alive!
Fireflies Light Up the Holidays!
We’ve had a series of wonderful pop-up receptions, trunk shows and other events featuring our amazing local art and artists. Plus, our Fireflies have simply been around even more than usual, dropping off new creations and generally lighting up the gallery!
It was AWESOME to see Managing Partner Jennifer Lau, who moved to Illinois in mid 2019 and has been kept away far too much by that pesky old pandemic. Fortunately, she came to visit right at the perfect time to have a Firefly Family Feast!
We Were Honored!
We love art. We love art teachers. We’re told they love us, too! 
There was a LOT of carving going on as Firefly Teachers and Teacher Friends prepared for BIG INK at the annual New York State Art Teachers Association (NYSATA) conference. We are so grateful to Managing Partner Beth Atkinson for all she does to keep art teachers learning and creating state-wide! The pieces she and her fellows crafted in our back studio are GORGEOUS. The blocks themselves should be framed!
This dedication, as well as our commitment to the next generation of artists (stay tuned for news of Kindred Spirits II and more!) earned The Firefly a “Special Citation for a Business Award” at that NYSATA conference. We are thankful for the recognition. Even more, we are grateful for the amazing art teachers we get to work with, their commitment to the next generations of artists, and the opportunities we have to help nurture young creators Island-wide.
We Then Enjoyed a Much “Better Way to Black Friday”
It featured Fireflies Darnel Tasker and Robert Nock. Darnel is an illustrator who, every day for a decade, has created a heartfelt drawing and paired it with a pithy quote. Throughout the lockdown she was spotted brightening boarded up storefronts in San Francisco and filling Long Island hospitals with her determined good cheer. Robert is a contractor who shares his passion for the wood he works with via beautiful hearts that can be custom crafted for any occasion. You can see a little bit of each of their work in this collab below, and in this very novice video I made. Even better, come to the gallery and see everything they have in store!
The Next Show, on “Artists Sunday” Started Looking Ahead to “Giving Tuesday.”
Fireflies Steve Caputo, Mary Ahern and Chuck Lembo hosted the next pop-up, joining forces with Island Harvest to host a Food Drive that has continued ever since! So far we’ve collected well over 600 pounds of food and personal items, with new artists stepping up to contribute to the project.
You can see more amateur video by yours truly on that event here and here.
A Third Pop-Up/Trunk Show had a LOVELY Back Story!
It featured effervescent watercolorist, Firefly Jan Guarino and our dear love of a textile artist, Firefly Michele Miroff who, among other things, also happens to be the Corresponding Secretary of The Huntington Lighthouse.
A few weeks prior to the pop-up, Michelle commissioned a painting of the lighthouse from Jan. Jan suggested she paint the piece live, while folks involved discussed the Lighthouse. You can see the result here – a delightful combination of history, art class and the joys and adventures of endeavoring to rebuild and steward a treasured local landmark:
They then had a wonderful pop-up/trunk show together in our Darcy Arts Center. In addition to showcasing their wares, Michele also raised money for the Lighthouse selling cards made of Jan’s beautiful painting. It was a lovely day!
Exhibition: Firefly Friends and Family
Somewhere in the middle of it all, we had a joyous reception for our holiday show entitled Firefly Friends and Family.
Bringing it all Back Home with the Original Firefly
While random pop-ups promise to keep happening, the last planned holiday event featured The Original Firefly, Kate Sydney. Read a little bit already written about that, which includes some of our founding story. It is such a privilege to be part of this decade-old family of artists right in the middle of Main Street!
So, Come. Find that Perfect Piece!
Here are just a few bits of what you can find…there is so much to treasure! Adding to our eclectic collection, several of our Fireflies are also authors. Among books on hand is a brand new one by Firefly Helen Murdock-Prep that is perfect for folks journeying through hard times. Other bits and pieces are lovely shining lights to brighten any space. We have paintings, photos, jewelry, pottery, glass, woodcuts, collage, copperplate prints, sculptures…so much more. Come see!
