Art Opening Receptions: Friday, November 6, 2026 from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm
Carolyn Schlam – Victorian Gallery @ 9 Vassar Street
“Coffee” by Carolyn Schlam
Carolyn Schlam is an award-winning American painter, sculptor, glass artist and writer born and raised in New York City. She studied painting with Norman Raeben, youngest son of the Yiddish writer Sholem Aleichem, in Carnegie Hall Studios, glassmaking at Urban Glass in Brooklyn and wood sculpture at University of New Mexico/Taos. “My artwork is infused with emotional content, expressing the vulnerability and longing of mostly female subjects,” she explains. Carolyn explores figuration in its many aspects– traditional, in which appearance and character are foremost; expressionistic, in which the inner life is heightened; and stylized, in which the image becomes iconic. She is known for her use of exuberant color, elegant drawing and modern design. In 2013, Carolyn was named one of the 48 finalists in the Smithsonian Museum Portrait Competition. Her portrait, “Frances at 103” was exhibited in the National Portrait Gallery for one year and was subsequently acquired by the Museum. It is in the permanent collection of the Smithsonian Museum of African American History and Culture. Carolyn’s artwork has appeared in many publications, both covers and interiors, and is in a number of public and private collections. For her November/December 2026 Exhibition, Carolyn will be showing recent mixed media works, several of which she created at her studio in the Cunneen-Hackett Arts Center, some oils in her visual oxymoron series, and many that are embellished with other materials. “Some surprises will be in store too,” remarks Carolyn. “I will be offering oil studies and works on paper at excellent studio prices along with books and cards.”
Melissa Small Cooper – Reception Gallery @ 12 Vassar Street
“Elegant Pick” by Melissa Small Cooper
Melissa Small Cooper is an oil painter and art educator based in the Hudson Valley. Born in the Bronx in 1986 to Trinidadian and Jamaican parents, she was raised in Ossining, NY, and now lives in Beacon with her husband and three daughters. She earned her BFA in painting and photography from Hartwick College before traveling across the country to pursue her MFA in painting at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco. Cooper’s artistic practice is rooted in a profound connection to nature, especially the therapeutic act of caring for flowers and plants. This connection, part meditative ritual, part creative catalyst, guides her exploration of light, shadow, and the subtle narratives that unfold within everyday moments. “The first spark for my ongoing flower series came during a simple moment of observation of sunlight filtered across a cut flower casting an intricate shadow on the wall,” she relays. “That fleeting play of light became a point of departure for me examining the parallels between tending a garden and nurturing human relationships, including the evolving roles I inhabit as an artist, teacher, and mother.” Through the interplay of light, color, and gesture, Cooper aims to honor the idiosyncrasies of flowers and illuminate the quiet beauty in the way we nurture and are nurtured by the world around us. Her work celebrates the delicate strength found in both nature and human connection, inviting viewers to pause, observe, and reflect on the intimate moments that shape us. After completing her graduate studies, Cooper returned to New York where she began her career as a public school art teacher and currently teaches at Peekskill High School. She also leads community art workshops and maintains a dedicated studio practice.
Cristal Ortiz – Hancock Gallery @ 12 Vassar Street
Artwork by Cristal Ortiz
Cristal Ortiz is a contemporary artist from Sullivan County, NY receiving her AA degree from Orange County Community College. Working primarily in small-scale paintings, she explores still life, botanicals, objects, and everyday things that invite a sense of beauty and intimacy. Her work is rooted in careful observation and a fascination with the quiet presence of familiar objects, often treating small paintings as spaces for closeness and contemplation. Through oil, acrylic, and other traditional mediums, she creates intimate images that reflect the personal significance and simple beauty found in everyday mundane life. “I make small paintings as a way of slowing down and paying attention, and the small scale of my work is intentional,” Ortiz comments. “By bringing an image into a more intimate size, I want the viewer to feel close to notice the small details, textures, and beauty.” Ortiz is drawn to simple objects due to their simplicity, as well as the memories, emotions, and personal associations they can carry. She works primarily from still life, botanicals, and objects that she finds beautiful.
