Acclaimed contemporary American painter Sonya Sklaroff’s solo exhibition, “Escape to the Garden,” premieres this week at the iconic Montauk Beach House (55 S Elmwood Avenue, Montauk, NY). The immersive art experience will feature Sklaroff’s works in oil on canvas and paper, formed by the luxurious natural beauty at the Montauk Beach House. After a private reception and premier, “Escape to the Garden” will be open to the Hamptons public from August 9 to August 14, 2024.
Especially in the Hamptons, gardens are part of our identity. We have some of the most beautiful gardens in the state, and, South of the Highway in Sagaponack, it feels like an interconnected garden. Madoo Sanctuary and the LongHouse are unreal and highlight the artistry of gardening.
Montauk Beach House is the perfect gallery for garden-inspired art in the Hamptons, bright and open, manicured and meticulously cultivated, itself an elevated canvas.
Curator of the Montauk Beach House, Walt Zamora Lindveld, says, “Sonya’s subject matter for this show lends itself perfectly to the east end’s nature-centric environment. Furthermore, the sort of impressionist approach to her strokes mixed with her almost Afro-Caribbean use of color and hyper-skewed perspectives (typical of her renowned cityscapes), produces an incredibly rich series of works that go way beyond the traditional landscapes you would be accustomed to seeing in the genre. I am excited to see all the beautiful pieces up in our Lobby Gallery!“
The exhibition displays a captivating collection of works created during and after the pandemic, including pieces inspired by gardens in New Jersey, Connecticut, New York State, as well as Italy and Switzerland.
“Escape to the Garden” is more than representative, literal gardens; still, her work is lush and alive, incorporating impasto paint and palette. Her art speaks to the importance and power of the garden in our lives, providing solace, joy, and inspiration. Her work resonates with so many in no small part because of our universal relationship with the Earth.
Sklaroff’s art is transportive and evocative. Her work in “Escape” is not to avoid or flee, but rather to relish the moments when we are removed from the world around us. Gardens are themselves an art, the cultivation, design, and care.
On the inspiration of this show, the artist adds, “During the pandemic, my family and I were confined to our New York City apartment. Our daily walks along the East River became a cherished escape. As spring unfolded, we were uplifted by the emergence of tulips, cherry blossoms, and the presence of butterflies and bees.”
Skarloff’s art speaks to an easy calm and inspiration we find in nature. Like so many of us, during COVID, we were forced to find our own “sanctuaries” while we were locked down. I can relate so much to Skarloff’s statement, “…gardens allowed me to reconnect with my artistic spirit and the beauty of the world.” We all have our own garden of peace.
If you love gardens, and I don’t believe you if you say you do, this is the show for you. Plus, no allergies. And, there is an accompanying hardcover, color book that offers an in-depth look into Sklaroff’s creative journey and artistic process.
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