Artist Registry

Artists are welcome to join the ARTIST REGISTRY Available to all BVAC Artist Members

Contact Rose Norman at 631.669.1810 or email rnorman@babylonvillagearts.org

Nelson Arcensio

My career commenced in the comic book industry in 1994, penciling backgrounds and inking for an independent comic book company. In 1997, I moved to design work in the toy industry for such companies as Toybiz, Marvel, Star Trek, Star Wars,Kiss, Eminem, just to name a few. My work includes turnarounds for action figures, as well as concept designs. I also partnered with the graphic design department to conceptualize the packaging for various projects. My experience includes a transition from toy designer to senior art director, within the 2d and sculpture departments. In 2005, I established my first design studio and worked with companies such as Gentle Giant, Jakks Pacific, Sideshow collectible and Diamond Select. Currently, I continue to work for various entities within the toy industry and have recently collaborated with Playmates Toys to design a Billie Eilish action figure.My impetus is to work on personal projects and encourage the notoriety of other designers within the toy industry. My innovations include creating Intellectual property such as a fantasy character named Chuki, with its line of plush and collectible figurines. As well as releasing Chuki NFTs in the near future.

Jeanine Aufiero

Artist
Contact: Coming soon!
Jeanine Aufiero is a New York artist who highlights the beauty of the world painting seascapes, landscapes, and fantasy. She has exhibited her work both locally and internationally including her painting being featured on the label of a beverage can. In her work, Jeanine invites the viewers to look within themselves for evidence of the unseen. She highlights the beauty of the world by trusting herself to move from intuition to a finished canvas. Jeanine explores a wide range of subject matter, from seascapes to landscapes to bustling city streets and loves the use of vibrant color in her work. The inspiration for these paintings were born from her lifetime of enjoying the beautiful beaches of Long Island N.Y. And visiting the historic Montauk Lighthouse.

Don Bartsch

Artist
Contact: Coming soon!
Coming soon!

Jacqueline Bisson

Artist
Beachwood wind chimes and decor. Growing up on Long Island Jackie enjoyed the beautiful parks and beaches. This inspired her to create beautiful decor for the home. Her art is natural and original.

Robert Carpentier

Woodworker
Robert Carpentier is a retired music teacher living in West Islip. He began his woodworking career in 2010 and is a member of the Long Island woodworking club. He has done many solo art exhibits displaying over 60 pieces in fretwork, intarsia, inlay and segmentation. Robert has also been a contributor to Scrollsaw Woodworking and Crafts magazine since 2020. You can reach out to Robert via e-mail atrcarpen51@yahoo.com.

Eileen Carr

Artist
My name is Eileen Carr and I reside in West Islip with my husband, Jim. I have been a registered nurse at Good Samaritan Hospital for many years, retiring in 2018. I started drawing and painting many years ago although found to be partly color blind. I started initially using only pencil or charcoal for portraits. In 1994 I started using acrylic paints, painting churches, schools and homes on glass ornaments, for friends and family to celebrate various occasions. These ornaments have made their way to many towns, cities, states and several foreign countries. I have since painted on a variety of surfaces, most recently, as shown by my display here at Sterling National Bank, on repurposed wood pallets. These pallets are dismantled, reassembled and sanded in preparation for my painting. I have had my work displayed in local libraries, as well as the Islip Art Museum. I have also had work selected to be shown at the Fire Island Light House Preservation Art Show in 2018 and 2019.

Kathy Cunnigham

Artist/Art Educator
Contact: www.kathycunningham.net Facebook - @Kathy Cunningham
Kathy Cunningham is an artist/art educator who has lived in West Islip for 30 years. She retired from teaching art for 31 years in the North Merrick Public Schools. She also taught art at Taipei American School, Taiwan. She has been published numerous times in School Arts and Arts & Activities magazines and was a member of the American Press Association. She has taught teacher workshops, and has had several workshops at the West Islip Public Library and other Suffolk County libraries. Besides showing at Art by the Falls in Babylon Village, she also has exhibited at the Nathaniel Conklin House; the Carriage House at the Bayard Cutting Arboretum; the Southampton Cultural Art Center; the Huntington Arts Center; Emma Clark Library, Setauket; and the East Islip Arts Council. She has had several one-person shows at the West Islip Library. She is a member of the Babylon Village Arts Council. When not doing art work, she can be found running, at the library, or at the Bay Shore YMCA.

Danielle DiSantis

Assemblage/ Mixed Media Artist
Welcome to the eclectic mind of me. I have a very open mind so come on in and enjoy the view.
My name is Danielle, a Long Island based assemblage/ mixed media artist, born and raised on Long Island. I was blessed with a mind that has an urge to constantly create, a body that can not sit still and a soul that is always open to new and exciting things. Most of my ideas are inspired by music, movies, the mind of a child and other artists. I became fascinated with mixed media art ten years ago by accident when I ran out of paint. I love the challenge of creating something out of nothing. I’m a little odd and so is my art.

Frank Duffy

Artist
Nautical and city images mounted on seasoned planks from aged wood pallets.

Tom Finn

Artist
As a kid, all I needed was a cardboard box and left over crayons. An hour later I would have an entire city complete with bridges and highways for my Matchbox cars. Middle school wasn't fun except for art class and wood shop. At home, my ever-developing tree house and many precarious bike ramps in the street dominated the next few years. I grew up liking ‘art stuff’. I enjoyed it. I was ‘good’ at it but I never took art seriously. Thankfully my parents and  teachers recognized that art was a huge part of me. I didn’t know it but they were guiding me along the way. At the age of 14, a chance encounter with an osprey inspired me to pick up a camera. I needed to share my experiences with others through photography. For the next 12 years, photography was my world. Then it was painting and ceramics, then woodworking and finally it was becoming an art educator. Ultimately, the visual arts led me to me.

Susan Gromatsky

Artist
The Artist Currently Known as Q” obtained her pseudonym from the nickname “Susie Q.” She has a wonderful significant other and four amazing, grown children. When not painting, she creates other, useful art: hand painted seashell soap dishes; hand crocheted ponchos, shawls, and afghans; and beaded jewelry. “Q” grew up in the Philadelphia area and moved to Long Island over 35 years ago. She has lived in Dix Hills and Huntington, and now resides in Amityville. Her father still paints, and serves as a huge inspiration. He taught her to use oils at a very young age; after dabbling in airbrush, pen and ink, and colored pencil, she has also picked up acrylics after missing the feeling of holding a brush. There is always some new tool or medium to try...

William Horan

Artist
Born and raised on Long Island, William Horan is an emerging artist, chiefly employing the use of oils and acrylics to express a truly unique vision.After bouncing around between jobs and trying to find his place in society, William found a true passion in art. Using skills learned during his time in Bay Shore High School under the tutelage of some very talented and attentive instructors, he began painting for therapeutic reasons several years ago and has not been able to put down the brush since, constantly working on new projects.Deriving his main inspiration from the darker side of life, he uses striking colors and brushwork to create stunning images.

Sal Ingoglia

Artist
Portrait artist whose focus and intention is to really capture the essence of the person or animal.Ingoglia is a portrait artist with a focus on capturing the essence of the person or animal he is painting. His aim is to bring the painted portrait to life when he is finished. He takes great pride in having the eyes be soulful. He works in pencil and charcoal to create realistic, custom handmade portraits. He explores watercolors and oil paint as well as acrylics. He recently has found inspiration in the Renaissance masters. Ingoglia is an active member of the Babylon Village Arts Council Visit www.jbellarts.com to view his work or contact him.

Christine Kling

Artist
Contact: Coming soon!
My name is Christine Kling. I live on Long Island, NY with my husband and three children. Going to the beach and walking along the shoreline looking for beach glass and shells has always been a favorite passion of mine. I recently got into the hobby of collecting seaweed and creating unique pieces of art with it.
Each piece I have created is different and beautiful in its own way.
I hope you enjoy my artwork as much as I love making them!

Tara Kawas

Artist
Tara Kawas is in an experimental stage of her artistic journey, not wanting to be confined by specific labels, materials, or styles. She typically creates torn magazine collages by combining a variety of colors and textures, and paints with watercolor, gouache, and acrylic. Sometimes she leans more towards realism, while other times her artwork is more expressive. Tara is inspired by the natural world. Her wide array of subjects can range from oysters and crabs, to fruits and fungi. Recently, she has been participating in group shows, exhibiting her work at local art galleries. In her free time she also paints windows and murals for local businesses. The artist was born in Queens, New York, but currently resides on Long Island. This is her 9th year as a Visual Arts teacher for the Department of Education. In college she received a BFA in advertising design from the Fashion Institute of Technology, and later earned two degrees in art education, a BFA from LIU Post, and a MSEd from the Queens College University. Tara has always considered herself an artist, but only started to take her art career more seriously in the last couple of years.

Bill Kuchler

Artist
Much of my photography is associated with my interest with the natural world. I’m not sure which came first, though. I’ve long been fascinated with the nature…the sheer beauty of a landscape, the complexity and symmetry of animals and plants and even the amazing intricacies of microscopic life. John Muir said it well, “… into the forest I go, to lose my mind and find my soul”. For me, interacting with nature is restorative. It’s relaxing and enjoyable, and when you successfully photograph that momentary glimpse of a scene, rewarding. Recently, my photography has mainly involved New York and New England landscapes with other travel shots and event photos (airshows and fireworks) mixed in. Previously, I focused almost exclusively on birds, and still seek out Snowy Owls and Bald Eagles when they’re around. My interest in photography started in college when I took a course in Scientific Photography offered by the Physics Department. I borrowed a 35-mm camera and almost exclusively shot with Ektachrome slide film (the only color film the Department had available, for free). For a final project, I took advantage of research I was doing on fruit-flies for a genetics course and photographed various life-stages of the bugs through a stereo-microscope. I was hooked. The microscopic world was mesmerizing. Little did I know at the time however, it wasn’t done with me. After graduate school I took a job in the environmental field monitoring marine water quality in the bays and harbors around Suffolk County (NY). When not on a boat, it wasn’t long before I found myself behind a microscope again, this time enumerating and photographing various phytoplankton (micro-algae) species, including the infamous brown and red tides.

Steve Kuhn

Artist
Contact: Coming soon!
Coming soon!

Melissa Maiello

Art Educator/Artist
Melissa Maiello is an artist and art educator living and working in Long Island, New York. Maiello received a B.A. in Art Education from Adelphi University. While pursuing her undergraduate degree, Maiello studied art and art history internationally at S.A.C.I Florence in Italy. She also acquired an M.S. in Special Education from Dowling College and her MFA at Long Island University. Maiello’s primary medium is charcoal, however she is also an active photographer, exploring different environments in an effort to document her surroundings. She has shown her work in local galleries, libraries and art fairs throughout New York.
Melissa Maiello - Summer Days at Robert Moses

Stephen Mastrorocco

Photographer
By his very nature, Stephen Mastrorocco is adventurous with an insatiable curiosity. Mr. Mastrorocco explores the world and its scientific and archeological mysteries with the spirit of a child. He has explored the pyramids in Egypt, sailed across the Nile, rode through the desert on a camel and ridden hot air balloons over Africa. He continually strives to communicate nature’s complex wonders in a beautiful way. He uses airplanes and helicopters as an artist would use a brush. From above, he captures the very essence of nature’s wonders. Graduated from University of Michigan in 1983 with degrees in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering along with Graduate Studies in Business. He not only makes his cameras sing, but continually invents new equipment to enable his images to match his vision. Ranked as one of the top Photographers in the World, he competes internationally with his photographs. His image of the Stony Brook Gristmill won Best Print in the World in 2002 (ICPC Competition). He has also has been honored with over 300 awards and recognitions over the last 5 years for his spectacular work. His work on oil canvas has received critical acclaim and exhibits a painterly quality. His recent series on Europe and the Mediterranean included renowned photography of the Vatican, The Holy City, the ruins of Pompeii, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, The Parthenon, and the canals of Venice and Rome. This work is currently on exhibit across the United States. His yachting photo work is on permanent exhibit at the Herreshoff Museum and the America’s Cup Museum. Other photos currently are on exhibit in countless museums and libraries. Mr. Mastrorocco’s work has been published thousands of times in local and national periodicals. His photograph of the bald eagle has been considered for the next United States postage stamp. Chances are that once you have seen one of his photographs you will remember it for the rest of your life.

Maria Mastrorocco

Artist
Contact: Coming soon!
Coming soon!

Donna Moraff

Artist
Donna Harlow Moraff the Babylon Village Arts Council featured artist at the Babylon Public Library. Moraff is a popular teacher, workshop instructor and art show judge. She is a Signature Member of the Pastel Society of America and President/Coordinator of LI Professional Artists Showcase which produces the extraordinary 7&7 Shows. Her paintings are representational and full of color. She loves painting Long Island and, in particular, the wetlands. She is proficient in all mediums but chooses Pastel and Watercolor as her ‘favs’. Getting people excited about painting and teaching them “to see” is her joy.

Denise Rafkind-Moyano

Art director, Photographer and Graphic Designer
Babylon resident Denise Rafkind-Moyano has applied her creativity as an art director, photographer and graphic designer in the advertising field for over 25 years. Her lifetime passions have been traveling, helping others and photography, so combining these interests came naturally. Everything takes on new meaning through her camera – brighter, vivid and more appealing. Even in her own neighborhood, the most ordinary object are seen in a new light through her lens. Denise has always been attracted to the endless possibilities of color, lighting and composition in photography. Whenever she sees a photo of a well-known landmark, she dreams of rediscovering that familiar image from a unique perspective. Denise has been thrilled to experience the beauty and history of many diverse cultures in her journeys. She hopes her photography will inspire others to travel, explore and see the world with new eyes. She started Photography For a Good Cause, and has worked with many non profit organizations and charities such as The Food Bank For NYC, Tuesday's Children and Nassau County Museum of Art. Recently, Denise became a Master Reiki Practitioner and is studying aromatherapy, along with creating crystal pendants and essential oils blends in her new venture Monarch Nature. She is always looking to grow, explore and find new creative outlets, while trying to help others in the process. Please follow Denise Rafkind Photography, Photography For a Good Cause and Monarch Nature on Facebook and Instagram for updates and latest creations.

Bernice Rausch

Artist
Rausch is an artist recognized by her peers, having had a painting shown at the Society of Illustrators. Originally from Brooklyn, she graduated from Parsons School of Design in New York City with a major in Illustration. Through her career Bernice has illustrated for magazines including National Review, drew technical drawings and layouts for catalogs, and created slide presentations for Chase Manhattan Bank and other corporations. Bernice is presently focusing on paintings on canvas in acrylic, creating landscapes, figures, animals, portraits and flowers. Her work has been featured at the Amityville, Babylon, Copiague and Deer Park Libraries. Also at the Firefly Gallery in Northport and Islip Arts Council Gallery in Bayshore.

Al Ruggeri

Photographer
Al Ruggeri has been a Babylon Village resident for over 40 years. He is married and he and his wife, Kathy, raised two sons. After a successful career at New York Life Insurance Company, he is now retired.
Throughout his years in the Village, he has been involved in many local civic groups and activities. When his children were young, he coached in the Babylon Little League, he was a founding member of the Babylon Schools Friends of the Arts, and served as the Treasurer for the Babylon Boosters for a number of years. He is currently on the Steering Committee for Conklin House.
Al's love of photography has grown during his retirement years, as has his love of travel. Many of his pieces were taken on vacations and trips both in the U.S. and abroad.He can be reached at: alruggeri@aol.com

E. Lisa Samperi

Artist
Contact: Coming soon!
“As an artist, I like to capture a special moment and make it last forever in my paintings.”I retired from the William Floyd School District where I taught art to middle and elementary school students for thirty years. I am now a working freelance artist doing portraits of people of my customers. I also paint and sell landscapes, seascapes, and cityscapes at various galleries in the Long Island area. My passion for painting is a lifelong one.The use of oils convey the illusion of light and atmosphere in my portraiture. The deep, rich and vibrant colors in oil give me full freedom to capture the beauty of the subjects that I paint.

Stephanie Small

Artist
Contact: Coming soon!
Stephanie Small is an American artist based in Long Island, New York. Picking up art from a very early age, her journey pursuing art began after attending NYSSSFA over one summer, which led to her attending Parsons School of Design in New York and Savannah College of Art and Design in Atlanta for graphic and advertising design. After 15 years of working in the finance industry, she turned to art as an outlet for creativity and burn out during the pandemic.
Today, Stephanie is determined to be more active in the industry that she loves. She is appearing at many art festivals, applying to various opportunities and has her art available online. Stephanie is an active member of several local art councils and organizations, and is planning a solo exhibition in the near future.

Robbin Turpin

Artist
After growing up in Babylon, N.Y. and many years of studying and creating, I think about my process of creating Art. With a transition into a conscious flow towards an increasing awareness, I find myself naming spirituality to be the foundation of my actions. It holds everything together for me. As I look, listen, and feel with focus on spirituality and inner peace, I express through drawing, painting, and writing.

Allyson Uttendorfer

Art Educator/Artist
Contact: Instagram - @uttendorfer_art @auttendorfer
Photographer, Allyson Uttendorfer, of Babylon, is an artist and art educator currently working at Half Hollow Hills High School East. Uttendorfer is on exhibit at the Library. Uttendorfer explores digital and 35 mm film photography and utilizes the darkroom to create one of a kind Gelatin Silver prints. Uttendorfer is the current Vice President of the Babylon Village Arts Council and has been an active member since 2016.

Shawn Uttendorfer

Art Educator/Artist
Contact: Instagram - @shawnutt
Shawn Uttendorfer is an art educator in the public school system as well a painter. He is currently developing a series of works on paper. Shawn holds an MA from Long Island University (Post) and a BFA from the School of Visual Arts. He has participated in solo and group shows at the School of Visual Arts, the Art League of Long Island, the Islip Art Museum, the Hillwood Gallery (Old Brookville, NY), several area libraries, the Conklin House, and the Babylon Citizens Council of the Arts. His work hangs in the permanent collection of the New York Institute of Technology. He has executed several mural commissions, including for the Bay Village Diner in Amityville. Connection and unity are two underlying themes that Shawn discovered throughout society and religion’s use of design language. These two concepts remain the idea and tone in all of Shawn’s work. His exploration of the historical role of Celtic knot imagery, its complexity, and its spiritual influence on culture and religion has led to a deep fascination, and to discover a strong connection between Arabic, European and Asian design, all of which influenced, and in turn were strongly influenced by, Celtic culture.

Gena Vaccarello

Artist
My art is a visual extension of my soul. Gena is a retired language teacher who is also a poet, artist and a guide for meditation. Her artwork is done mostly in acrylic. Her vividly colored paintings are in close touch with reality but surprise the viewer by including subject matter that resonates fantasy.

Steven Walker

Artist
Steve, an award-winning artist, was inspired by his mother who dabbled in art and did some incredible drawings while being legally blind. However, it wasn’t until after retirement that Steve started drawing as a hobby. Steve is a self-taught artist and never attended art school or took extensive classes to how to become an artist. He loves using charcoal which allows him to produce detailed images that are visually bold with an element of drama. He introduced pastels into many of his pieces for color and additional contrast and vibrance. Steve’s main focus is landmarks and architectural structures on Long Island and in New York City but includes scenes from Europe as well.
Steve’s hobby has blossomed into a fulfilling passion during retirement. He has had many solo art exhibits at places such as Barnes Gallery in Garden City South and Daniel Gale Sotheby’s Gallery in Northport. In addition, Steve has exhibited in numerous library galleries which include the Huntington Public Library, Farmingdale Public Library, Bethpage Public Library, Smithtown Library, etc. Since October 1st 2022 Steve was invited to become a premier member artist at the Firefly Artist Gallery in Northport Village where his art has found a new home.
Steve is also a civic- minded individual who grew up in Long Beach and currently resides in East Northport. After retiring from the corporate world, where he worked as a Corporate Accountant and an Enterprise Technology Account Executive, Steve joined a nonprofit, Rebuilding Together Long Island, as a volunteer. After starting out as a Home Visitor, then Outreach Coordinator, he became a Board Director and is currently helping the organization run as Vice President. The charity utilizes volunteers to provide free safety repairs to homeowners who are financially and physically unable to maintain their homes. Clients are low-income seniors, veterans, families and those with physical limitations.

Brian Ward

Artist
I am the third son of a woman who immigrated to America on the SS United States in 1952. A decade earlier Mom experienced WWII as a child in southern Germany. War had left an indelible mark upon her... From my University of Iowa dorm room in the Fall of 1978 I envisioned writing a story of my experiences on the Great South Bay, hence ""Bay Brothers"", an epic tale of a clam pirate hellbent on destroying the corrupt, insidious law.Enlightened by the wonderful world of children's literature in my masters program at Stony Brook University I was inspired to create several picture books, Gus, the Crab Man, The Sea Horse Fountain, Three Trees Outside the Outfield, and a chapter book novel, Attack of the Blue Claws"

Robert Waters

Contact: Coming soon!
Much of my photography is associated with my interest with the natural world. I’m not sure which came first, though. I’ve long been fascinated with the nature…the sheer beauty of a landscape, the complexity and symmetry of animals and plants and even the amazing intricacies of microscopic life. John Muir said it well, “… into the forest I go, to lose my mind and find my soul”. For me, interacting with nature is restorative. It’s relaxing and enjoyable, and when you successfully photograph that momentary glimpse of a scene, rewarding.
Recently, my photography has mainly involved New York and New England landscapes with other travel shots and event photos (airshows and fireworks) mixed in. Previously, I focused almost exclusively on birds, and still seek out Snowy Owls and Bald Eagles when they’re around.

Ray Wright

Artist
Hi my name is Ray Wright.I’m a graphic artist/ wood worker. I been doing wood crafts for over 15 years. I love working with my hands and painting. All my wood creations are handmade and detailed by me I have a work shop in my home town Sayville. I can be found at all craft fairs on weekends. I’m very well known at Argyle lake fair. Please check out my fb ray wright wood works and home decor.

Jonathan Zamet

Stoneware and porcelain artist. Everything is handmade in Babylon, for your home or special gift. I was born and raised in England. My parents ran a ladies' clothing store. My father had been trained as a Savile Row tailor and was also an accomplished cabinet maker and a capable upholsterer.
I studied history at Oxford University and then, after a spell in financial jobs in London, came to the US to pursue a doctorate in American History at Columbia.
But, I guess, craft was in my genes and not to be denied. I took a pottery course at Riverside Church across the road from Columbia and haven't stopped since!
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