INTERVIEW: Artist Paul Dempsey Talks A Duo Of Memorial Day Weekend Art Events

Renowned East End-based artist Paul Dempsey was excited to share local art happenings this Memorial Day weekend with us. He talked about ArtRemsenburg, who is holding several events this summer, and he is also on the Board of the Southampton Artists Association. Therefore, he had some news about the Memorial Day weekend events for that organization too. “With so many homes bought and sold during this recent East End real estate boom, there are plenty of walls in homes that need artwork to be hung on,” he said. Then Dempsey told a story of how he was blown away when he discovered one of his pieces in an unexpected spot. “I was with a friend, who walks dogs for an estate owner, and I went with him to put the dogs back in the home where the dogs stay and passed a room in the home and on a wall prominently being displayed was one of my pieces,” he shared. “I didn’t say anything to my friend about it, but it was a very good feeling. I was totally surprised.”

He went on to discuss a duo of upcoming local events. “I am going to do two different events on Memorial Day, because I am with two groups now. The first one is a Memorial Day exhibit for ArtRemsenburg. We are calling it Art @ The Academy Presents Spring Into Summer 2021, featuring: Larry Agnello, Jean Arena Barbieri, Jacques LeBlanc, and Pamela Bracken Morrison. I am excited about showing their work and having this year’s event not be virtual, but live – but still limited by CDC guidelines for social distancing, with exactly 20 people permitted in gallery at a time. And yes, masks are required.”

He continued, “It will start Friday, May 28th, but on Saturday, May 29th will be the reception from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. with wine and other goodies. The viewing hours in general for Spring Into Summer will be Friday through Sunday from 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. and I believe it will be a full-blown turnout and well attended.”

Dempsey then shifted gears and spoke about the Southampton Artists Association Exhibit and Sale, which is an annual Memorial Day weekend event. “We didn’t have any food or drink at any of our receptions lately, but this time we [SAA] are going to have a ‘Meet the Artist Reception’ on Saturday May 29th from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at the Southampton Cultural Center in Southampton on Pond Lane. We will have over 40 artists participating in this show with 80 pieces of art on display.”

Then he added, “I want to mention the Southampton Artists Association is doing the ‘Art in the Park,’ in July in Agawam Park in Southampton Village. Last year we had to cut our capacity in half, but this year we are hoping, like everything else, to get back to normal. This event is open to artists all over the Island, or if they want to come from out of state, they are welcomed, it’s up to them. That is a two-day event, July 10th and 11th, Saturday and Sunday. It’s 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. both days. It’s a fine arts event, not a craft event. Artists not crafts, it’s got to hang on the wall, paintings, photography, we even have one person who paints surfboards.”

As for the rest of the summer, Dempsey shared a few more happenings. “The SAA will have our Labor Day Show at the end of the summer. We will be busy, we will have shows every month,” he said.

ArtRemsenburg will present Animal Kingdom from Thursday, June 10 through Sunday, June 20. “It’s open Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. It is an ‘animal’ themed exhibit,” Dempsey noted. “There will be a Reception and Bide-A-Wee adoption truck and student ‘love your pet’ art contest on June 12th, from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. (https://www.bideawee.org/2021-love-your-pet-art-contest), and we are having a third event called Under The Strawberry Moon, which will be a summer themed exhibit.” Under The Strawberry Moon will be on view Friday, June 25 through Sunday, July 4. “It opens Fridays and will be also opened Saturdays and Sundays from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. I am most excited because at the reception the art sale will benefit Ellen Hermanson Foundation and that’s on June 26th.”

Dempsey’s work will also be on view this August at Art Market and Design, held on the grounds of The Bridgehampton Museum, showing with karyn mannix contemporary.

For more information about Southampton Artists Association, visit southamptonartists.org. For more information about ArtRemsenburg, visit www.facebook.com.