THE HUDSON INDEPENDENT

THE HUDSON INDEPENDENT
Thursday, 30 May 2013 03:56 
Written by Morey Storck
 
Studio A Gallery
Athena Bing He, artist and owner of Studio A Gallery, located at 52 Main Street, opened her studio/gallery in late 2009.  It was, as she called it, her “combination” space, which included her own art studio and gallery area, as well as space for student teaching. She was able to show and sell her own work, plus paintings from outside artists and outstanding students. “But, as you suggest, it is hard to run a gallery, do my own painting, present art-shows, teach and be a mom all at the same time,” she said.
Bing He originally moved to Westchester in search of good schools, country air and nature’s beauty.  “Too much time is spent on the computer. At the end, we have computer skills, but where is the art? How do we attain a balance? A machine does not give us that ability to express ourselves, to express nature.  We must keep that path to art open,” she said.
Her training in China was rigorous, rigid and traditional. The goal was “fast and good!” But, one of her main mentors at the school was a Russian, so she received a firm, well-grounded foundation going forward, though in the traditionalist mode.  Today, she lives in a spacious 1865 Dobbs Ferry castle and is known in the village as the “Lady from the Castle.” “It has good light, good storage, a good view of the river, and is very good for private lessons,” she said.
Her Studio A Gallery in Tarrytown is basically a storefront on Main Street. “I always wanted a gallery in front of my studio so that my clients, students and other artists could exchange ideas. I am traditional, but my guest artists are not necessarily so. Therefore, they add another dimension to my students’ study and a varied nature to my gallery walls. We try to have a new show every third Saturday of the month.  We participate in Tarrytown’s Third Friday with a preview, but we open our show, officially, the following day so as not to conflict with the village,” Bing He said.
After searching the area, she decided on locating her studio/gallery in Tarrytown because it is a “place of destination which is good for business.” In the beginning, Bing He advertised for students and serious artists who needed representation. Today, she relies mostly on word-of-month. Her students’ ages range from 5 – 85. Many of them come from Sleepy Hollow High School.  
“They have excellent teachers there, but they come here for a different approach, to meet professional guest artists for discussion, and for practice,” she said. “I see them grow, get into college, and become part of a family.”
As far as her own work is concerned, “that is a life’s journey. I am happy in the moment now and every moment is important. As for the future, who knows?”

Tappan Z Gallery
Ray Endreny, director, opened Tappan Z Gallery in the fall of 2008, at 51 Main Street. It is a tasteful, explorable collection, showcasing contemporary American fine arts and crafts, in an almost hidden-away, boutique gallery that fairly screams out for attention and discovery. And rightly so. Endreny has put together a potent exhibit of talented American artists working and creating in the disciplines of painting, sculpture, photography, and jewelry that incorporate and utilize a variety of materials in imaginative combinations.
“What we are doing here,” he explained, “is showing and selling art for the consumer who loves it and wants to hang or place that art in their home for their enjoyment and to improve their environment. And, at prices that make sense. In New York, dealers are selling to the one percent of the one percent. They buy on spec with an eye on resale, or they are giant private and corporate collectors with multiple properties for storage. Peak prices are not uncommon. Our intention is to make Tappan Z Gallery the most affordable in Westchester.”
Endreny is constantly visiting local art fairs, looking for talented artists who are looking for representation. For many, the big city galleries and well-known reps are not open to emerging artists without reviews and established reputations. “But, throughout New England, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and right here in our own backyard, there are so many talented artists and artisans who are perfect for a budget-minded collector. The Hudson Valley is, historically, the mother-lode of an early American art-culture that exists today. We found those representative artists and craftsmen who create their art with the skill and craft so representative of those early origins, as well as artists who infuse a measure of contemporary style and flair for a more adventurous direction.”
Tarrytown was chosen as the desired location for Tappan Z Gallery because, as Endreny pointed out, “this village has become a destination,” which is a comment recently heard more and more. His purpose is to create an art space for tourists, as well as local buyers, to collect something to remember that is better than a postcard;  to provide the “ average single-family home owner the ability to put their special touch on that home, not just above the couch, but something wonderful and functional for every room in the house.”

Canfin Gallery
Since March, 2005, the award-winning Canfin Gallery has confidently established itself as an area mecca for dynamic, contemporary fine art, distinguished by renowned, widely collected international artists.  The collection suggests the passion of its curator and owner, Jean-Claude Canfin, to educate the public to an artworld of vibrant color, dramatic composition and sensual discovery. “There must always be the opportunity to challenge the commercially marginal, the daring, and the explorations into new media, texture and style.”
Again, the phrase Tarrytown as a destination comes into play.  “It is. Tarrytown is. I can see that from my Main Street windows. That’s why I decided to locate here in the first place,”  Canfin explained.“The tourists, the serious collectors, the window-shopping walk-ins, and the designers, architects, small homeowners and corporate art-hunters are all eager to fill walls or an isolated space with art they love.” 
Because of his faith in Tarrytown, and in the growth of Canfin Gallery, Canfin will very soon embark on a very ambitious renovation and construction plan that will add as much as 40 percent more gallery space to show the work of his artists to clients.  A complete renovation of the basement has been completed, to be used for storage, work-stations, and additional paintings not hung upstairs.  Upstairs will show the more obvious changes, with separation walls being replaced by open areas.  And of course, the 40 percent extension will bring more natural light and open surroundings for maximum viewing.
Francoise Collandre, from June 1-16 will be their final show until late September or early October.  Forged in her determination to be free from the literal dictates of her craft, she has found her own unique voice. Collandre has exhibited her work since 1981 and continues to be held in the highest regard.