Centennial Artists Display Plein Air Paintings at Greenwood Lake Community Center

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By Peter Lyons Hall

On Sunday afternoon, June 2, 2024, a large audience of both residents and guests visited the Greenwood Lake Community Center on Waterstone Road to view dozens of paintings contributed by adult and K-through-third-grade students from the Elementary School who had participated in the Centennial homage to internationally renowned artist and former resident, Jasper Cropsey.

 In 1843 Cropsey, a trained architect who had worked for a firm in New York City, had become interested in landscapes and left for a two-week sketching trip to Greenwood Lake. His paintings were so well-received that he entered them in a show at the American Art Union in New York the following year. When he returned to Greenwood Lake he met Maria Cooley, the daughter of his landlord in the house he was staying in. They were later married in May 1847. He would eventually produce over 100 paintings of Greenwood Lake that would be exhibited in museums and private estates throughout the world.

 “When Cropsey visited Greenwood Lake, he started out at the southern end,” according to the Plein Air event coordinator and Village Historian, Marilyn Hayden. “And then he eventually explored and painted the lake from many different vantage points.” She had set out to honor Cropsey by inviting artists to participate in a plein air event that had allowed artists to be inspired by some of Cropsey’s famous views of the lake, for a 60 day period beginning in early April and lasting through the end of May. While several artists had completed the application and registered for the event, only five had actually participated and agreed to sit outside; some did original sketches outside but finished the work inside.

 Meanwhile, two elementary teachers took advantage of the opportunity to teach their students about the role that Cropsey played in revealing Greenwood Lake’s natural beauty to the world. They launched a boat onto the lake and took several pictures of different areas, then returned to the classroom and began discussions with all the students (kindergarten through third grade) about their local history and the part that artist Jasper Cropsey had in it. Then the kids were asked to select one of the photos and draw their favorite “lake scape” based upon their interpretation of the photo. They submitted 30 watercolor works of art to the Plein Air event and their art was also on display at Sunday’s gathering at the Community Center.

 “We are grateful to the Orange County Arts Council to be able to get the panels so that we could display all the art on them,” remarked Hayden. “We were really surprised at the turnout of families and visitors,” she continued. “We had over 100 people visit us throughout the day. And several of the artists even sold some of their works.”

 Lida Klenova, was one of the participating artists. “I enjoy the social connections here in Greenwood Lake. When I was painting these pieces, it was meditative for me, and I really enjoyed the process,” she revealed in her eastern European language while her daughter translated. Her painting “Autumn on the Lake,” across the lake arm from her home, demonstrates exquisite detail in the trees, house, and stone wall.

 “First of all I think it’s about community; they like art,” said another artist, Ping Moroney.  “The art brings everyone literally from everywhere so I have to participate; this is the number one thing I will do. I really like painting; that’s all I would do for the rest of my life after family!” Artist Patty Valens loves painting. “I love coming out where you have more than one location. I started right by the firehouse when you came into town on Lakes Road.” Her painting of the Greenwood Lake Country Store, across from the Park and Ride lot on Jersey Avenue, was a popular item for visitors because it was a landmark that they recognized, though not a likely candidate for one of Cropsey’s lake scapes.

 Artist Viviana Holmes lives in Greenwood Lake. “My painting was the moonrise. It’s so wonderful to live on the lake and watch the full moon rise and create the patterns that it makes,” she commented. “I want people to look carefully at the environment around here because it is so beautiful; there’s so much to look at and enjoy. I mean just a little scene right here, a cozy little scene there. Take a look at it, there’s a lot of beauty in this area. I think an exhibit like this will, perhaps, encourage people to spend more time looking around and looking at their environment.”

 The Centennial Celebration continues to accelerate as we approach the summer months. Watch for more exciting events described in the website, https://GwlCentennial.org