Wonderful Exhibits and Great Décor at Nassau County Museum of Art

The Gold Coast of Long Island is home to beautiful estates. Many of these properties have been donated to house museums and gardens. The Nassau County Museum of Art can be found on the glorious grounds of the former Frick Estate off of Northern Boulevard in Roslyn Harbor.

The original Gold Coast mansion on the Frick Estate is the main museum building. There is an additional museum building that houses the Art Space for Children, as well as a building that houses an Art School where an assortment of beginner to advanced classes are held for children and adults.

A day can be spent visiting the grounds – viewing the Sculpture Park of over 40 pieces Formal Garden of historic importance, the Pinetum, an architecturally-significant restored trellis, and rare specimen trees. There are marked walking trails to stroll through and the lawns provide excellent spots for picnicking.

The current exhibit is “Richard Avedon: Photographer of Influence," on view from May 21, 2011 through September 4, 2011, showcases more than 50 photographs by the legendary artist. The exhibition celebrates Avedon's storied career in which he embraced the worlds of both magazine and museum, pioneering a vision of photography as a two-sided mirror that reflects both the subject and the photographer. Richard Avedon: Photographer of Influence was organized by the Center for Creative Photography, University of Arizona with the cooperation of The Richard Avedon Foundation, New York. The installation of the exhibition at Nassau County Museum of Art will run alongside a presentation of fashion and photography in film.”

The second floor of the mansion holds the contemporary art exhibit of Josef Albers; Formulation: Articulation, on view until Sept. 4, 2011. Displayed are 127 silk-screened prints based on geometric designs and complex relationships of color.

Do not visit the exhibits without stopping by the gift shop, located on the second floor. Items to purchase include jewelry, children’s books and activities, and pieces from local artists. In addition the museum is having a clearance event on posters and catalogs. Posters and catalogs are specially priced at one for $7.00 or three for $15.00. Single posters can be found for as little as $3.00 each. This is a great opportunity to dress up your décor on a budget. Find frames for your new posters at reasonable prices at AC Moore. Pictures from catalogs can be framed as well. Use the catalog pages for wall covering or as decoupage on a piece of furniture. Read my articles at examiner.com to learn more innovative ideas to cover the abodes walls.  

Through Sept. 4, the Art Space for Children is hosting a very special exhibition of photographs and sculpture by Robert Hite, the Hudson Valley artist and photographer whose work is currently on view in the museum's Contemporary Gallery. Hite is a sculptor, painter and photographer who installed and photographed a series of mixed/media architectural sculptures. This series is called Imagined Histories: Hudson Valley Landscapes. On view are his mixed media sculptures as well as the photographs that they are pictured in. This is truly a great exhibit for all ages.

The Dollhouse castle can still be viewed at the Art Space for Children as well. It is a handcrafted one inch scale model that is 9 feet high and over 5 feet wide. There are 29 rooms with 10 adjoining areas, staircases, hallways, etc. This is an amazing masterpiece that must be viewed in person. An entire day can be spent looking at each detail in every space of the castle. For visitors longing to see the past exhibit of the Tee Ridder miniature collection, the staff has kept a few rooms on display for viewing. The collection is named for Madeleine “Tee” Ridder (1926-1991), a prominent patron and creator of miniature arts.

Admission is very reasonable at $10 for adults, $8 for seniors (62+) and $4 for children ages 4-12; the one cost includes same day admission to exhibits at The Art Space for Children. Many local Long Island Libraries have family passes that can be checked out for free admission, providing the opportunity for all to enjoy.

Hours for the main building are 11 am to 4:45 pm Tuesday through Sunday. Hours for the Art Space for Children are 12-4:30 pm Tuesday through Sunday. On weekends only there is a $2 parking fee (members free). Docent-led tours of the main exhibition are offered at 2 pm each day; free with museum admission. Family art activities and tours are offered Sundays from 1 pm; free with museum admission.

Enjoy your day outing. Visit the art, buy some posters for your décor, and wear your walking shoes. Enjoy the surroundings and never be afraid to dance!

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