New York, New York
This was the big day, the Opening Reception and Award Ceremony for the 2009 Annual Non-Member Painting and Sculpture Exhibition by Salmagundi Club, my first exhibition in New York City. The reception was to take place between 6:00 and 8:00 PM. But first, we planned to leave Connecticut early and see some of the sites in the city.
Walking Around New York City – 2009 Annual Non-Member Painting and Sculpture Exhibition
We planned to leave early and see some New York City sites. Our friend Joan Shackford (president of the Cheshire Art League of Cheshire, Connecticut) accompanied us.
(located just a few blocks from the Salmagundi Club)
From Washington Square, it was down to SoHo for some lunch. We enjoyed a lovely meal at an outdoor Italian restaurant. We planned to visit some art galleries but learned that many had moved uptown to the Chelsea area. However, we did manage to find a few galleries to visit.
On the way back to the Salmagundi Club, our group split; Jennifer, Joan, and Danielle made a detour to the bakery Magnolias, and Joshua and I went straight to the Salmagundi Club.
Opening Reception and Award Ceremony (7-10-2009) – Annual Non-Member Painting and Sculpture Exhibition
The big moment had arrived! Almost like clockwork, at around 6:00 PM, the gallery started filling, and it soon became a packed house.
Award Ceremony – Annual Non-Member Painting and Sculpture Exhibition
Around 6:45 PM, the Award Ceremony started. The artwork at this show was exceptional, and I was honored to have been accepted to be among such great artists.
Enjoying the Exhibition
After the Award Ceremony concluded, people began moving around and mingling again. Joshua spent most of his time listening to the live jazz band The Jeevan D’Souza Trio. He had recently begun learning to play guitar, and he was not going to pass up a chance to see live musicians playing up close.
A little later in the evening, a close family friend, Ann Benedetto, who lives near the Salmagundi Club, showed up. Ann was my mother’s best friend when they grew up together in Astoria. Ann lives and works in Manhattan and owns a clothing store in Tribeca called “ANue.”
The evening was exciting. I met several artists, and we exchanged congratulations on being in the exhibit. Later, I was introduced to the president of the Salmagundi Club, Claudia Seymore, by another elected member, Christine Ivers. I know Christine from the Connecticut art scene. Christine and Claudia sponsored me, and I filled out a membership application and submitted my portfolio, which I hope will be approved. The reception ended around 8:30 PM, and it was time to head back to Connecticut.
Heading Back to Connecticut – 2009 Annual Non-Member Painting and Sculpture Exhibition
Joshua snapped the following photos as we left the city. They are pretty good, so I decided to close this journal entry using them.
Concluding Thoughts
So ends the Annual Non-Member Painting and Sculpture Exhibition by Salmagundi Club. Today was another one of those days that was overwhelming for me. My art journey feels like it just keeps getting better and better. My previous success at the Lyme Art Association and a possible elected membership at the Salmagundi Club. I couldn’t be more pleased.