Artist Robert Verdi. (All images courtesy of artists and galleries)

Westhampton Free Public Library
Artist Robert Verdi will show another side of his multi-faceted talent with a solo exhibition of his newest abstract acrylic paintings at the Westhampton Free Library, 7 Library Avenue, Westhampton Beach Monday through Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., Saturday, 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Carolyn Kendall Buchter and Diiana Oliver Steinberg will host a Special Reception with the artist on Friday, December 3 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. which will benefit The Library's programs. In addition to donating one of his large scale paintings to the Library, the artist is donating a generous percentage of sales. The exhibition will highlight new piece from his very popular "Barn Series" as well as a new group of bold, eye-popping abstract paintings. Verdi's "Barn Series" paintings of barns and farmhouses in New England and on the East End are contemporary American documents. At heart, Verdi is a purist/constructivist. Verdi paints with acrylic on canvas. He obtains tonal depth, texture and profound color saturation with this often blunt and lifeless medium. He has an innate sense of place and volume; of how a building "sits" on a site and how sky and ground delimit and enhance his personality filled barns. His paintings have the power to stay in the mind's eye long after viewing them. Most recently his painting has taken on a more abstract expressionistic turn and he is creating powerful, boldly colored images that are a visual feast for the eye. A child prodigy who began painting when he was only six years old, the artist rose to fame first in the world of high fashion as a photographer, stylist and makeup artist for the top fashion magazines working with the most creative talents of the time, including the iconic photographer Richard Avedon and legendary Vogue editor Diana Vreeland. Contributing regularly to the pages of major fashion magazines as a photographer, stylist and make-up artist, he worked with all the top designers and refined his photographic style working with such famed photographers such as Irving Penn, Cecil Beaton and Bert Stern. For the past nine years Verdi has directed most of his creative energies to painting. He now uses acrylics, which he dries with a salon hair dryer and continues to work in photography and sculpture. For more information go to www.westhamptonlibrary.net or call 631-288-3335.

Rosalie Dimon Gallery
The East End Arts Council and Jamesport Manor Inn present a new two person art exhibit from November 5 through February 3. There will be an Opening Reception on Sunday, December 5 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Whether it's a woman in a hooded outfit covered with buttons - a bird perched on her finger as she overlooks a classic Florentine-like landscape, or a rendition of dying flowers bowing gracefully toward a table, the paintings by Anna Jurinich have a haunting beauty not easily forgotten. Jurinich's work has appeared in many group shows, a solo show at Hampton Road Gallery, on the cover of Dan's Papers, the Hecksher Museum and many private collections on the East End. Also exhibiting is Nick Cordone with a series of acrylic paintings that pose philosophical questions concerning farm animals and what they may or may not be pondering. Painted with precision and skill, Cordone's quirky art is whimsical and thought-provoking. His work has also appeared on the cover of Dan's Papers and many other East End venues. He has exhibited in the NYC Art Expo and has also had art work purchased for private and corporate collection both here and abroad. Exhibits at the Rosalie Dimon Gallery are a joint effort by the East End Arts Council and the Jamesport Manor Inn to introduce exceptional artists and their work to the East End Communities.

Spanierman Modern
An opening reception for paintings by Judith Goodwin between 1954 and 2002 will be held on Tuesday, November 30 fom 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Spanierman Modern at 53 East 58 Street in New York City. RSVP to ElizabethRuebush@spanierman.com. Call 212-832-1400 for more information.



Artist Alliance of East Hampton
Artists for the East End will hold its Silent Auction at Ashawagh Hall on Old Stone Highway in Springs on Friday, December 3, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Featured artists will include Cynthia Loewen, Ted Asnis, Mary Milne, Bruce Milne, Gene Samuelson, Phyllis Chillingham and Pamela Topham. For more information, contact Cynthia at cloewen@aol.com. Several AAEH members will take part in a group show, titled "Small Works." which will open on Saturday, December 4, from 5 p.m. to 7 pm, at the Crazy Monkey Gallery in Amagansett. Each artist will exhibit up to eight small works of art, suitable for holiday giving. Taking part in the exhibit will be Ruth Rogers-Altmann, Rob Calvert, Lance Corey, Salvatore Gulla, Jim and Jana Hayden, June Kaplan, Joanna Paitchell Lee, Andrea McCafferty, Daniel and Clare Schoenheimer, Cynthia Sobel, Daphne Stern and Mark Zimmerman. The exhibit will be on view from December 3 to January 2, 2011. Athos Zacharias will hold an Open Studio at his house at 141 Copeces Lane in Springs, on Sunday, December 5, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. This event is sponsored by Karyn Mannix Contemporary Gallery. Cat Del Buono is exhibiting her interactive/video sculpture titled "Your Face Here" during and after the Art Basel Miami Beach from November 19 to December 13 as part of ArtCenter/South Florida Windows. Eileen Hickey-Hulme is showing her new piece from her Guns Series, #1 With a Bullet, at Grandpa's Attic - P.J.S. Exhibition, 238 West 15th Street, New Your City, through December 24. Cat Del Buono has her video "Public Feeding" showing at the Woman Made Gallery in Chicago through December 23. The AAEH Holiday Party will be held on Sunday, December 12, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., at the Boat House, a waterfront restaurant in Springs.

Crazy Monkey Gallery
Just in time for the holidays, the Crazy Monkey Gallery will open a new exhibit, titled "Small Works," by members of the Art Cooperative. Each participating artist will exhibit several small works of art, suitable for holiday gift-giving. Taking part in the show will be Ruth Rogers Altmann, Rob Calvert, Lance Corey, Salvatore Gulla, Jana Hayden, Jim Hayden, Wilhemina Howe, June Kaplan, Joanna Paitchell Lee, Andrea McCafferty, Sara Petitt, Daniel Schoenheimer, Clare Schoenheimer, Cynthia Sobel, Daphne Stern, Bob Tucker, Ellyn Tucker and Mark Zimmerman. The exhibit will open on December 3, and will be continue until January 2, 2011. Also on view will be paintings by this month's featured artist, Len Bernard, who has been a member of The Crazy Monkey Gallery Co-op for two years. He has been painting since 2005, and uses acrylic, oil, pastel and pencil in his artwork. Most of his images are abstract, but he also has produced many works that could be labeled pop, or realistic. He has participated in a number of group shows at Ashawagh Hall. He has also successfully displayed his art at the clothesline art show at Guild Hall for the past five years. Len was raised in Amagansett and graduated from East Hampton High School and George Washington University. Opening reception will be held on Saturday, December 4, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. The Crazy Monkey Gallery is open Friday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information go to www.thecrazymonkeygallery.com.

4 No. Main Street Gallery
The 4 No. Main Street Gallery in Southampton will celebrate with a One Year Anniversary Show: A Thank You to the Artists. This group show will be on display December 3 through December 7. An opening reception will be held on Saturday, December 4 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Included in the group exhibition are Camille Perrottet, Joe Strand, John DeFaro, Anna Antansova, Yong Jo Ju, Lynn Mara, Aage Bjerring, Wray McGowan, Peter Hirsch, Daniel Gonzalez, Haim Mizrahi, Paton Miller, Michael Patterson, and Zelie Rellim. For more information call 631-283-2495 or go to www.4nmaingallery.com.

Surface Library Gallery
The Surface Library Gallery "The Gift of Art" will run through December 22. Surface Library Gallery will offer a cornucopia of highly original gifts during this annual show, including artful gifts created by resident artists Bob Bachler and James Kennedy, along with an eclectic selection of original design and art objects from invited artists that have been chosen especially for the gift-giving season. Guest artists include Michael Yurick, Barbara Groot, Christa Maiwald, Gabriele Raacke, Jim Seffens, Cheryl Riley, Ted Tyler and Eve Behar. Surface Library is located at 845 Springs Fireplace Road, in the Springs district of East Hampton (opposite the Pollock-Krasner House). Gallery hours are Thursday to Sunday from 12 noon to 6 p.m. For more information call 631-291-9061 or info@surfacelibrary.com.

Richard Demato Fine Arts Gallery
The Richard Demato Gallery (90 Main Street, Sag Harbor, 631-725-1161) will exhibit Mikel Glass in her first Hampton's exhibition from November 18 through December 10.

Artwork on view at Richard Demato Gallery.

Pollock-Krasner House
"The Jackson Pollock Box," an art kit for young people published by Cider Mill Press and distributed by Simon & Schuster, is designed to illuminate Pollock and his creative process. Inside the box are materials for projects based on Pollock's techniques, including stain painting, gesture drawing and collage, and a lavishly illustrated 103 page book by Pollock-Krasner House director Helen A. Harrison that provides an intimate, accessible introduction to the artist and his art. In addition to discussing Pollock's life and work, and his relationship with Lee Krasner, the book features his own explanations of what he was doing, and a selection of critical pros and cons. There is also a chapter on the importance of his move to Springs, where his art underwent a radical breakthrough that was strongly influenced by his rural surroundings and the natural environment. According to Museum of Modern Art director Glenn D. Lowry, "Ms. Harrison weaves together the rich strands of Pollock and Krasner's lives, processes and art practices with stories and images that will engage readers of all ages." Harrison will be signing copies of the box at The Golden Eagle art supply store in East Hampton from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, December 12, and at Guild Hall in East Hampton at 11 a.m. on Saturday, December 18. An ideal holiday gift for aspiring artists and art lovers, The Jackson Pollock Box retails for $29.95 and is available from those outlets, as well as the Pollock-Krasner House museum store, other museum stores and bookstores, and on line at www.amazon.com/Jackson-Pollock-Artist-Helen-Harrison. The museum will be closed from November through April, and will reopen for guided tours on Thursday, May 5, 2011. Information on hours and admission prices is available at www.pkhouse.org. School groups and coach tours may be accommodated in the off-season, weather permitting. The Study Center's art reference library and archives are open to scholars, students and other researchers by appointment year-round. Call 631-324-4929 to make arrangements.

Artwork on view at Sara Nightingale Gallery.

Tripoli Gallery of Contemporary Art
The Tripoli Gallery of Contemporary Art presents Andrey Bartenev, Eric Cahan, Herbie Fletcher, Félix Bonilla Gerena, Jamie Miller, Jake U. Patterson, John Ross Rist, Matthew Satz, Nick Weber, William Wood, and Darius Yektai. The exhibition will be on view through January 27, 2011. Gallery hours are 12 noon to 6 p.m., Friday to Sunday, and by appointment seven days a week. For more information go to www.tripoligallery.com or call 631-337-3715.

Vered Gallery
Vered Gallery's (East Hampton, 631-324-3303, damienaroman@veredart.com) Annual Winter Group Exhibition will be on display through the season until February 21. Works in this exhibit include drawings, paintings and photographs by Avery, Bluhm, Dash, de Kooning, Fischl, Kahn, Klein, Picasso, Pollock, Rivers, Slonem, Warhol and many others. The Gallery's hours are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturdays.

Walk Tall Gallery
The Walk Tall Gallery (197 Madison Street, Sag Harbor) in Sag Harbor is offering affordable art for holiday gifts through December 24. For more information call Wendy Wachtel at 631-681-1572, including modern and portrait photos by Tom Wyse.

Lana Santorelli Gallery
Lana Santorelli Gallery (110 West 26th Street, NYC) will host "Black and White" Group Exhibition through December 4. Exhibiting artists include Joan Barker, Meredith Rachel Bogacz, Zac Braun, John Hampshire, Patti Jordan, Carl McGrady, Jagdish Prabhu, Jody Rasch, Brook Reynolds, Lana Santorelli, Doug Schwab, Erik Sheets, David Slovic, and Lubomir Tomaszewski. Gallery hours are Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. For more information call Bess Sobota at 212-229-2111 or info@lanasantorelli.com.

The Drawing Room
The Drawing Room (16R Newtown Lane, East Hampton, 631-324-5016, www.drawingroom-gallery.com) will present Raja Ram Sharma Contemporary miniature paintings from Rajasthan and 18th and 19th century European Garden Plans through January 10. Also on view "The Island of Rota" - a limited-edition artist's book published by The Museum of Modern Art's Library Council that unites text by Oliver Sacks, cliché-verres by Abelardo Morell and design by Ted Muehling. Gallery hours are Friday, Saturday and Monday, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Studio East Gallery
Studio East Gallery (120 Front Street, Greenport, 631-477-2676, www.studioeastgallery.com) will be celebrating the holidays with their Second Annual Open House show featuring members and special guest artists with a reception on Saturday, December 11, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. There is no fee for particpating in this holiday member show. It is just our way of thanking you for being a part of our gallery and successful year. There is no theme. Please use the presentation guidlines from the website to help you choose your artwork. Drop off date at Greenport is December 3, 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., December 4, 12:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. and December 8, 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Wine and Cheese reception, music to be announced, and 50/50 prizes will be available at the reception.

Watermill Center
The Watermill Center (39 Watermill Towd Road, Water Mill) will present author Cherry Vanilla "Lick Me: How I Became A Cherry Vanilla" on Saturday, December 4. Admission is freem and RSVP is required. This New York native takes you through her personal evolution through the 1960s and 1970s New York and London to become Cherry Vanilla the groupie, DJ, actress, rock star PR lady; all in the company of Andy Warhol, David Bowie, and the Police. Robert Wilson, who is mentioned in the book, was living and working on Spring Street in New York at this time connecting with many of the same people and places mentioned in the book. Born in Queens, Cherry Vanilla began her career in the 1960s as a producer of radio and TV commercials, while also DJ-ing at clubs in Manhattan and on the French Riviera. By the 1970s, after gaining notoriety as a rock & roll groupie, she'd become an underground actress and played the title role in Andy Warhol's Pork at The Roundhouse Theatre in London. This was followed by a two-year stint as David Bowie's PR lady and roles in three more plays in New York and Berlin. In 1974 she self-published her book, "Pop Tart Compositions" and launched her career as a performing poet. By 1977 she was writing songs and touring Europe with her own rock band that included Stuart Copeland and Sting of the Police. She released two albums on RCA UK, "Bad Girl" and "Venus d'Vinyl." In the 1980s and 1990s, she wrote for magazines worldwide, while also running one of the first phone-sex services in America and doing film projects with jazz great, Chet Baker and fashion photographer, Bruce Weber. In 1995, she moved to California, where she worked for director, Tim Burton, before establishing Europa Entertainment, Inc., the U.S. office for composer, Vangelis, which she still oversees from her home in Hollywood. For more information contact TJ Witham at 212-253-7484, ext. 22 or tj.witham@watermillcenter.org.