Seeing Art at ArtsFest

ArtsFest 2025 kicks off Thursday, October 16 and runs through Sunday, October 19 with plenty of opportunities to encounter the visual arts -- from painting and drawing to sculpture and photography – in artists’ studios and galleries as well as some unexpected places. (For the complete ArtsFest calendar go to www.newrochellearts.org).

Open Artists’ Studios

Open Artists Studios are at the heart of ArtsFest, which was created to shine a light on the artists living in our community -- creating exciting work right here at home. What makes visiting an artist's studio different than seeing their work in a gallery is the chance to meet the artist in their work space and learn first hand about their process. A QR code in the ArtsFest brochure lets you access an up-to-the-minute list of local artists who will be opening their doors to the public during ArtsFest weekend: The site offers addresses and parking information for each studio location.

A good place to start is with a visit to the gallery space at The Atelier (40 Westchester Place, NR; 914-559-5371; atelier@westchester.place) where you can enjoy a show including works by the Open Studios Artists. The Atelier aims to support the local art community with affordable housing for artists and a gallery to showcase work by local artists. This exhibit will let you see a representative sampling of diverse and engaging homegrown art – including Fiona Agababian, Ellen Mirel Berkovitch, Michael Cammer, Clifford Cozolino, Bardin Hernandez, Zahra Jlayer, Hannah Jupiter, Scott Seaboldt, Andi Stix, Fran Sisco and Irrix Screen -- and perhaps inspire you to tour the individual artists' studios over ArtsFest weekend. You are invited to a reception with the artists on Friday night from 5 pm to 7 pm with refreshments and live music. The gallery will also be open to the public on Saturday and Sunday from 12 pm to 5 pm.

Meet the Open Studio Artists

Charles Fazzino Art Studio at Museum Editions (32 Relyea Pl., NR; 914-654-9370; www.fazzino.com) Once a year the wildly popular pop artist Charles Fazzino opens his personal studio and showroom to the public for ArtsFest. Known as "the master of 3-D art" he has a truly international following -- and an obsession with bright colors and wonderful detail, infusing his work with frenetic energy. Visitors will have the opportunity to participate in an interactive project to learn how to create Fazzino's 3D Art. Fun for all ages and an ArtsFest favorite. Saturday 11 am to 6 pm; Sunday, 11 am to 5 pm.

HighBrook Studios (220 Highbrook Ave N, Pelham; highbrookstudios@gmail.com) Visit this dynamic artists collective with four floors of working artists’ studios; many of the works will be for sale. This year artists include: Amy Torres, B. Avery Syrig, Bardin Hernandez, Cliff Cozolino, Erika Hibbert, Giselle Torres, Massai, Postres by Patty, Scott Seaboldt, Stacy Miller, and Victoria Rolett. Saturday and Sunday 11 am to 4 pm.

Acupuncture Unlimited/ Amelia E. Jones (38 Lakeside Dr., NR; 914-356-2327) The art of Amelia E. Jones is informed by her experience as a board certified acupuncturist and herbologist with years of healing experience. She is opening her studio for a family-friendly event featuring artist market, open mic, literary pavilion and more! Saturday from 10 am to 6 pm and Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm.

Fran Sisco Studio (30 Mill Rd., NR -- adjacent to Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, 914-589-1013; https://transfransisco.wordpress.com/rb-filmmaking-e-g-happy-trans-girl-like-me/) Fran Sisco is a transgender multi media artist whose work includes sculptures and paintings as well as film and theater. Visit her studio for (1) a showing of parts of 6 of her films and (2) theatrical performances of parts of 5 of her plays and (3) a talkback and Q&A session. Adults over 21 only please.

Barry L. Mason Studio (The Life Storage Building, 320 Washington St., Mount Vernon; 914-649-2399; www.barrymasonart.com ) Barry Mason says he creates his abstract paintings on canvases that he shapes, stretches and sculpts so that the final piece appears to float in the air as opposed to being positioned on the wall. Stop by to meet Barry, tour his space and view artworks. All ages are welcome. Parking Available in front office parking lot entrance on Hartford Ave. Sunday, 11 am to 6 pm.

Emlyn Taveras Studio (The Life Storage Building, 320 Washington Avenue, Mount Vernon; parking available by front office parking lot entrance on Hartford Ave.; 347-228-6509, www.emlyntaveras.com) Emlyn Tavares is an Afro-Latina artist and educator whose work is a direct response to the environment, culture, and social climate. She will be available for a tour of studio space, exhibition of works and discussion of installations and mixed media process. Appropriate for all ages. Parking available in front office parking lot entrance on Hartford Ave. Sunday, 11 am to 6 pm.

Creative Explorations Ann Marie DeLuca (1600 Harrison Ave., unit G104:5B, Mamaroneck NY; 914-560-6408; www.explorationsincreativity.com ) Ann Marie DeLuca is a soulful multimedia artist whose expressive photography and eclectic mixed media collages stir memory and emotion. On Saturday from 12 pm to 5 pm visitors are invited to create personal mandalas using a variety of expressive materials in a calming, mindful space.

Michael Cammer (9 Vaughn Avenue, NR: 914-309-3270; https://microscopynotes.com/) One year: Art Made Since ArtsFest 2024 features new drawings by artist and research scientist Michael Cammer. Open 2 pm to 5 pm on Sunday or by appointment.

Aleathia's Original Artworks (AOA) (50 East Sanford Blvd., Mt Vernon; www.AleathiasArt.us) New to ArtsFest this year, Aleathia Brown is a native of both Harlem and The Bronx with a studio in Mt. Vernon. She will host a series of events under the title “A Luv Note 4 Art” including a family-friendly artist talk and reception Thursday night, a Friday night studio tour and meet-and-greet with the artist, a ticketed poetry event on Saturday afternoon featuring Live Poetic Storytelling and music by DJ Masai (tickets are $21.60 from https://square.link/u/X7j0hiUs) and an adult art workshop on Sunday afternoon (workshop fee $48.50 includes materials, snacks from https://square.link/u/QIEdkgvo). Sponsored by the Mount Vernon Arts Council and Harlem Arts Alliance.

Galleries and Exhibits

“Still/Life” at the NRCA Rotunda Gallery (NR City Hall, 515 North Ave., NR, www.newrochellearts.org) “Still /Life,” a dual location exhibit, is taking place at both this space and the Museum of Arts & Culture at NRHS. The show features works by 11 artists – Lisa Archigian, Mia Brownell, Suzanne Butler Richardson, Erika Hibbert, Emmanuelle Loiselle, Michael Manning, Moira McCaul, Kristen Osterberg, Christian Salvati, Scott Seaboldt and Ben Quesnel -- that elevate ordinary objects into personal artifacts, giving the viewer a chance to see the everyday made strange, fresh and alive. See “Still/Life” now at the NRCA Hall Rotunda Gallery from 9 am to 5 pm, Mondays through Fridays.

“Eye and Screen” at the Vanda Gallery (379 Huguenot St., NR; 917-547-5602; www.vandagallery.com) Gallerist Zahra Jlayer has created a haven for artists and art enthusiasts alike at Vanda Gallery, her elegant space in downtown New Rochelle. This exhibit features work created around the theme of post-digital and post-internet understandings of perception, considering how the screen impacts our relationship to lived experience. Open weekdays Monday through Friday from 11 to 5 pm, Saturday and Sunday from 12 pm to 4 pm.

NRAA 109th Annual Juried Show at New Rochelle Public Library (Lumen Winter Gallery, 1 Library Plaza, NR, 914-632-7878, www.nrpl.org) Since its informal inception in 1912, the New Rochelle Art Association has included among its membership many talented and internationally known painters, illustrators and sculptors. See it Thursday from 9 am to 8 pm, Friday from 9 am to 5 pm, Saturday from 10 am to 2 pm. On Sunday meet the artists at an Artists Reception from 3 pm to 4:30 pm.

Annual PAC Student Exhibit at the Pelham Art Center (155 Fifth Ave., Pelham; 914-576-7747, x115; www.pelhamartcenter.org) Artwork in a wide range of comprehensive media by the talented students of PAC will be showcased. The gallery space is open from 9 am to 5 pm weekdays, 9 am to 4 pm on weekends. In addition on Saturday from 12 to 2 pm the PAC’s Teen Artist Council will offer a a free family-centric art workshop.

"The Space Between: Photography and Painting” at Palmer Art (1947 Larchmont Ave., Larchmont; (914) 834-3627; palmerartny.com) View paintings of Jane Cooper and photography by Palmer Davis. The gallery is open Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 11 am to 5 pm; meet the artists on Saturday from 5:30 to 7:30 pm.

“Paint an Enso, Color in Stillness” at Empty Hand Zen Center (45 Lawton Street, New Rochelle; 914- 309-5403; emptyhandzen.org) Experience the tranquility of the Empty Hand Zen Meditation Center. Paint a One Breath Japanese Enso using water soluble paint (Enso in Japanese means circle, an expression of emptiness) then color in stillness while your Enso dries. You can also see a bit of New Rochelle History: The gallery’s building is the former site of the New Rochelle Trolly Turnaround Building. Appropriate for ages 4 and up. Saturday, 12 to 5 pm.

"All Star Awards Show” at Mamaroneck Artists Guild Gallery (Mamaroneck Artists Guild Gallery, 1987 Palmer Avenue, Larchmont ; 914-834-1117; www.mamaroneckartistsguild.org) Founded in 1953, the Mamaroneck Artists Guild has more than 150 artist members from Westchester County and the surrounding communities. The Gallery displays art and fine crafts by artist members.

"Still/Life” at the Museum of Arts & Culture (Museum of Arts & Culture, New Rochelle High School, North Ave. at Braemar) New Rochelle’s is the only high school in the state with its own museum: “Still /Life” is a dual location exhibit, taking place at both this space and the NRCA Rotunda Gallery at City Hall. The show features works by 11 artists that give the viewer a chance to see the everyday made strange, fresh and alive. The public can visit the MAC from 11 am to 3 pm on Saturday: Don’t miss a special spoken word performance at 12:30 featuring Westchester County Poet Laureate Phylisha Villanueva, Youth Poet Laureate Harmony Hopwood and members of the NRHS Poetry Club reading original “ephrastik” poems written in response to the art. You can also visit the MAC by appointment (email abrock@nredlearn.org).

“Queen Kitty City : Feline Fun by the Seaside” at the Queen City Art Gallery (Montefiore New Rochelle, 101 Glover Johnson Place, NR; 914-365-3468; montefiorenewrochelle.org) At Montefiore New Rochelle, the Queen City Art Gallery hosts rotating exhibitions. For ArtsFest “Queen Kitty City : Feline Fun by the Seaside” features fun and colorful art with plenty of “cattitude” by Nicky Serrano, whose works depict life with cats as she sees it. This exhibit at Montefiore’s art gallery is fun and interesting for all ages. Visit Sunday from 1 pm to 3 pm to meet the artist.

Art in Unexpected Spaces

For ArtsFest view installations of art in unexpected spaces:

18th Ward Brewing Taproom (40 Division Street, NR; 315- 291-5276 ; www.18thwardbrewing.com) The Westchester outpost of Brooklyn’s 18th Ward Brewing features fresh, handcrafted beer --- there is a rotating lineup of lagers, ales, and creative seasonal brews. For ArtsFest you can also enjoy live music from Singer Songwriters on Tap (Friday and Saturday night) as well as an exhibit of works by Stefanie Wolfson, a printmaker and painter whose work is based on natural landscapes. See more at stefaniewolfson.com

Alvin & Friends Restaurant (14 Memorial Hwy., NR; 914-654-6549; www.alvinandfriendsrestaurant.com) This popular restaurant with a menu of Southern and Caribbean favorites is also an art gallery featuring large scale oil paintings by owner Alvin Clayton. The self -taught artist paints engaging works infused with his Caribbean-inspired color palette. During ArtsFest enjoy live music and happy hour prices on drinks Friday and Saturday night and a Jazz Brunch on Sunday.

R Cafe & Tea Boutique (302 Huguenot Street, NR; 914-358-1841, @rcafeandteaboutique) R Café & Tea offers exquisite coffee, hand-blended teas, the finest pastries, plus a sisplay of works by local artists. Open Thursday through Saturday from 7 am to 6 pm, Sunday from 7 am to 5 pm.

The Dining Lab at Monroe University (434 Main Street, NR) For ArtsFest enjoy a pop-up exhibit of works by Anna Novakov, Richard Freeman and Brandon “THVNDER” Sindos in the corridor leading to the Dining Lab; inside Monroe’s student-run restaurant view an exhibit of work by food photographers Christopher Testani (@christophertestani) , Amy Lombard (@amylombard) and Johnny Miller (@johnny_miller_photography) curated by Christine Ramage.

Self Guided Tour of the NRNY Murals The 20 large scale #NRNY Murals make a statement about New Rochelle as a diverse city where art plays a pivotal role. Completed in 2022 the high impact murals were created by a group of world class street artists curated by Street Art for Mankind and sponsored by the New Rochelle Council on the Arts and the City of New Rochelle’s IDA. Take the free Culture Trolley on Sunday (departing from the Hotel NOMA parking lot at 11 am, 12:30 pm, 2 pm and 3:30 pm) for a guided tour of the NRNY Murals, or download the map at newrochellearts.org and tour the murals at your own pace. There is also a “Mural Run” organized by the New Ro Runners that leaves the NOMA parking lot at 8 am, returning by 9:30 am. Sign up in advance at https://runsignup.com/Race/NY/NewRochelle/NewRochelleMuralsRunWalk

ArtsFest is organized by the New Rochelle Council on the Arts. The mission of NRCA (founded in 1975) is to encourage the study and presentation of the performing and fine arts; for the complete ArtsFest calendar go to www.newrochellearts.org.

Sponsors for this year’s ArtsFest include Golden 50 Year Grand Sponsor Cappelli Organization and LRC Construction, ArtsWestchester, The Gwendolyn Appleyard Trust Fund for New Rochelle Charities, New Rochelle CLD, Montefiore New Rochelle, Town House Kitchen + Drinks, Alvin & Friends, Orange Bank and Tecas Tacos, plus in-kind donors The Dining Lab at Monroe University, AJ’s Burgers, The Picture House, the New Rochelle Public Library, The Atelier, and Hotel NoMa. The New Rochelle Council on the Arts is proud to be a grantee of ArtsWestchester with funding made possible by Westchester County government with the support of County Executive Ken Jenkins.