Artist Statement
Inspired by the light on the water and landscapes of Long Island’s East End, I began oil painting when I moved to Sag Harbor in 2007.
Modern life is filtered – through electronic communication, computers, Internet. I’m intrigued by the breadth of our vision, how elastic and fine-tuned, unhampered by those filters. Painting plein air, direct observation, is essential to my work. There is something quietly profound in deciphering what is happening visually, paring it down to essentials, and trying to translate that into paint. When a painting is successful, I think that fundamental authenticity resonates with the viewer.
As artists, we all try whatever we can do to retool our vision - turn the canvas upside down, look at it with a mirror, squint – to get past preconceptions and actually see what is there. Maybe, more than anything, that’s what I want to create with paint... the experience, the truth, of being there.
“There” is equally important…the farms, meadows, wetlands, dunes and open vistas of the East End. As a member of Plein Air Peconic, in concert with Peconic Land Trust, I hope my work can play a part in preserving those spaces.
Biography
A graphic artist since graduating with a BFA from NY School of Art & Design at Alfred, Ms. Kusick began oil painting in 2007, after moving to Sag Harbor NY. Her instructors have been Casey Chalem Anderson, Tom Shelford, The Teaching Studios’ Rob Zeller and Kristin Künc, as well as workshops with Ben Fenske, Marc Dalessio, Grand Central Academy’s John Morra, and Chris Pugliese.
In 2011, Ms. Kusick exhibited as a guest artist with Plein Air Peconic at Ashawagh Hall, East Hampton NY. Ms. Kusick was one of the group interviewed by Sag Harbor Express in advance of the show, which appeared with a photo of her painting “Haven’s Beach”. On Montauk magazine’s fall cover was “Early at the Lighthouse”. Ms. Kusick was also selected to exhibit in “Local Color” at Gallery North, Setauket NY. At the end of the year, Ms. Kusick was invited to become a permanent member of Plein Air Peconic,
a group of artists dedicated to depicting and promoting preserved sites of Peconic Land Trust.
In 2012, Ms. Kusick showed with Plein Air Peconic as part of a permanent installation at Bridge Gardens, Bridgehampton; “Light on the Water” at Sag Harbor Whaling Museum (June); and “Plein Air Peconic VII”
at South Street Gallery in Greenport (September). She was selected to be part of South Street Gallery’s juried show “Landscape: East End Artists” featuring Ty Stroudsberg (August). Ms. Kusick’s painting “Sag Harbor Jetty” was seen in Sag Harbor Express and Fine Arts Magazine.
Resumé
EDUCATION
2009–2012
Teaching Studios of Art, Oyster Bay NY
2008
Long Island Fine Art Academy, Riverhead NY
Ben Fenske, Plein Air workshop, Sag Harbor NY
2007
Casey Anderson Studio, Sag Harbor NY
Tom Shelford, cast drawing @ Grenning Gallery,
Sag Harbor NY
1980
B.F.A. Alfred University, Alfred NY
PUBLICATIONS
2014
• TSR: The Southampton Review, Volume VII No.1,
Spring 2014
EXHIBITIONS
2014
• Gallery North, “Poetry & The Art of
Eating” (juried), East Setauket, NY
• Water Mill Museum, 22nd Annual
Members’ Show, Water Mill, NY
• Bridgehampton Museum, “Bridgehampton Past
and Present”, Bridgehampton NY
• Ashawagh Hall, 1st Hampton Plein Air
Invitational (juried), East Hampton, NY
2013
• Bridge Gardens, “Plein Air Peconic”,
Brigdehampton NY
• Dodds and Eder, “The Natural World”,
Sag Harbor NY
• Ashawagh Hall, “Art in the Open”,
East Hampton NY
• Neoteric Gallery, “A Varied Form”, Amagansett NY
• Ashawagh Hall, “Thank You Show”,
East Hampton NY
2012
• South Street Gallery, “Plein Air Peconic VII”,
Greenport, NY
• South Street Gallery, “Landscape: East End
Artists” (juried), Greenport, NY
• Sag Harbor Whaling Museum, “Light by the
Water” Sag Harbor, NY
• Ashawagh Hall, “Thank You Show”,
East Hampton NY
2011
• Gallery North, “Local Color” (juried),
East Setauket, NY
• Ashawagh Hall,“Open Spaces: Bays, Beaches
and Back Roads”, East Hampton, NY
• Ashawagh Hall, “Thank You Show”,
East Hampton NY
2010
• Guild Hall Members Show, East Hampton, NY
GRANTS
2011 Special Opportunity Stipend/
N.Y. State Foundation for the Arts
Anita Kusick
© 2013 Anita Kusick. All Right Reserved.