Artist Joe Strand. (Eileen Casey)

Sag Harbor - Living in one of the most prolific and diverse artist communities in the northeast, it seemed appropriate to undertake to profile some of the artists living, working, and showing in the Hamptons. All artists are committed to their pursuit of exploring their chosen medium, and certainly interesting in their artistic expressions, however, most are not born, raised, or educated in this region. So what makes the Hamptons a place that so many artists have chosen to call home amid such an intensely competitive atmosphere of vying for solo exhibitions, exposure, representation, wall space, and patrons, not to mention running the risk of pursuing a career in a potentially saturated market?

Interviewing artists currently living in the Hamptons may offer some insight to these queries, and our first profile is artist Joe Strand.

Artist Background

Joseph (Joe) Strand was born in New Jersey and attended The Maryland Institute of Fine Arts (B.F.A.), and completed one year of graduate school in sculpture at The Rhode Island School of Design. Having spent childhood summers in the Hamptons, [his uncle, Rev. Sam Davis, was the pastor of St. Luke's Episcopal Church in East Hampton for over 30 years], Strand spent many years living in New York City, and traveling extensively. Having recently sold his 'cabin in the woods' in northeast Pennsylvania that he retreated to for over 30 years, Strand has been living year-round in Sag Harbor and North Haven for a number of years, either "in a house or on my boat" he noted.


As one of the founders of the organization of Independent Artists in New York City, and former curator for many art exhibitions in public spaces in New York, he is also a founding member of the City Lights Works Project. Strand used movie lights, 'goboes' (stencils), and theatre gels to enhance his colored building illuminations, including the Flatiron Building, Brooklyn Bridge, Chrysler Building, and The White House during the Reagan Administration. Strand was one of the first artists allowed full access to the grounds of The White House to pursue an artistic expression.

"Graphic Novel Muse" Digital Collage on Canvas. (Eileen Casey)

Having been an independent contributing illustrator to The New York Times Op Ed section for a number of years, his works are also included in the permanent collections of the Museum of the City of New York, South Street Seaport Museum, Baltimore Museum, and the International Center of Photography. A recipient of both the Miller Award and Rutton Awards for Sculpture, Strand has redirected his art towards digital photography over the past several years.

Although Strand considers himself to be "a sculptor first and foremost" but no longer has "the acreage or age" to haul telephone poles and plane parts to erect large pieces, and after many years of working with "toxic lighting chemicals" embraced photography as a means "that allows me to pursue my art, however, I do miss the tangibility of the metal, wood, lights and wire of my earlier work."

His latest works have focused on airplanes, trains, automobiles and boats. Strand is well known among most marinas in the Hamptons for his passion for restoring and maintaining 1930s and 1940s wood classic cruisers. He has an equal passion for airplanes, motorcycles, and his love of trains in particular earned him a two year exhibition at the National Steamtown Train Museum in Pennsylvania where his work is on permanent display. His train photographs are also part of the permanent display at the Long Island Railroad Museum in Riverhead, NY.

Of his work he reflected, "I utilize photography in a panorama mode – sometimes I shoot individual shots and actually scotch tape them together after printing, which allows me to create the scene. My interest has always been in bright, vibrant and primary colors, and with the technology available today, I can manipulate the hues and tones of these colors to maximum effect. In the old days I used colored pens and pencils, and crayons. Some pieces are direct and contrast controlled with a series of textures available in Photoshop, others are multiplies of backgrounds that allow me to use pictures from other work, such as clouds or water, to create primary images dropped in at various percentages for total resolution – like a transparent overlay – balance becomes the final ingredient."

"Hampton Honey Pies," Digital Photo on Canvas. (Eileen Casey)

When did you start making art and what medium(s) did or do you work in or consider to be your roots in art?

Joe Strand: I started making art in about 1962, and the first things I did were watercolors, clay and wire sculptures, and ceramics. For me in sculpture, painting, and photography I have found a way to explore the 'Iron Age' because the 'Iron Age' is sculpture which goes from function, necessity, design, and decoration to become more stylized - it becomes our own anthropology of expression. The sum of the parts makes the whole, however, trains have details when broken down, such as wheels, cabs, lights, steam, and engines that translate into an action element that can be seen in architecture, airplanes, automobiles, and marine construction and design - all of which is experienced differently and individually - but it is the artist who can put a personal face on it.

Collages are one of the artistic expressions I love doing the most because you can combine elements, create atmospheres, you can swing towards abstract interpretations, combine shapes, forms, you can put the seen in the unseen, myth and fact and express your innermost feelings. Given the 'picture perfect' existing scenery in the Hamptons, collages allow me to mix in all elements or water, sky, and landscapes, for a different image that reflects the uniqueness of this geography, and to make the ultimate experience an abstraction.

"Legacy," Digital Collage on Canvas. (Eileen Casey)

What is it about the Hamptons that brought you here and enticed you to stay, work, and pursue your art here as opposed to some place else?

JS: The Hamptons are very much an artist enclave, and there is the bay for sailing, and the ocean for swimming - there are numerous activities such as art openings, classic boats, regattas, car rallies and car shows, music, and theatre. I find the energy here helps to keep my engines going…some artists are here to stay closer to their patrons…

How do you support yourself as an artist?

JS: Some by selling my art of course, and doing lighting design, and as a finish carpenter. Also, I spent many years restoring wood boats and classic cars; although I haven't finished my own 1949 Packard yet.

Why live and work in the Hamptons as opposed to elsewhere?

JS: Having lived elsewhere...the Hamptons are beautiful, it's diverse, and I am here especially for the water - I'm a sailor. I've been coming here since I was four years old. I feel that my art is 'a little heady', and I want to be in a place where there is an obvious intelligent, discerning and sophisticated audience – although they may check you in and then spit you out.

One of the things about the Hamptons that helps me is that the people who have spent the money to be here are a 'little over the top and obsessive' which means that my art might fit in it a little more comfortably than elsewhere in the country. I spent a great deal of time traveling and always found my way back to the Hamptons.

"Big Boy," Digital Photo on Canvas (National Steamtown Train Museum). (Eileen Casey)

What local environmental or historical aspects of the Hamptons do you relate to that may or may not be reflected in your medium?

JS: The constant conservation and preservation efforts that are evident here in the Hamptons, which seem reasonable and effective, gives me a peace of mind. Keeping an eye on the balance allows for a positive environment for me. If you exercise protective efforts to keep dire circumstances out, and keep a check on what could be, you are more sensitive to the environment and are happier.

What artists do you feel have influenced you and/or your work?

JS: Certainly Man Ray, Marcel Duchamp, and David Smith as sculptors, and Peter Agostini, Robert Rauschenberg, Sal Scarpitta, and Joseph Beuys. Peter Milton, a former Yale professor of Intaglia, greatly influenced my compositions and lines.

"Roaring 20s" Digital Photo on paper. (Eileen Casey)Caption Here

What advice would you give to an emerging artist?

JS: Find out what your strongest passion is, which will be your strongest and most obvious route to explore, and surround it - find a focal point, or some form or structure to express it.

What gives you an edge, if anything?

JS: [Laughing] Having lived through the generations of the Model T-Ford to the stealth bomber; generations that went to the moon; questioned political consequences because of the dangerous roads of the nuclear age, I feel led to social consciousness finding us. With the excitement of the 1960s, including confusion and anarchy that helped postpone the more totalitarian government we have now by 20 years, indicates to me that this time in history our creative freedoms are even more precious. Considering I have been leaning towards pop art over the last few years; it gives me a sense of expression that is believable, and exciting. We had illusion in the 1950s that things were in control and falling together with the design, and there wasn't anything we couldn't handle, although there was always some form of criticism, today we may be hungrier but are we happier?

What are you working on now, and are you involved in any upcoming shows or exhibitions?

JS: Planning to show some new work [collages] in Miami that are 'cowboy environmental with over-spin' - trucks, trains, classic cars, and busty women.

 • To see more of Strand's work, click below or go to www.edge-media.com/joestrand/.