Box Art Benefits East End Hospice

[caption id="attachment_54854" align="alignnone" width="800"] Box art by Jackie Fuchs.[/caption]

By Dawn Watson

Not everyone on the East End will need to use the services of the East End Hospice, which provides care and comfort for terminally ill patients. But most people who live here know someone who has.

Over the years, the not-for-profit, certified in 1991, has provided services to more than 7,500 patients, their families and loved ones. No one is ever denied care because of inability to pay.

Since the beginning, support has been a necessary two-way street for East End Hospice, which depends on its community as much as the community depends on it. Volunteerism, donations, benefits and fundraisers are the lifeblood of the group, which is located in Westhampton Beach and services both the North and South Forks and Brookhaven Township.

One such money maker, the annual Box Art Auction, is the perfect example of how the East End Hospice and the community it serves all benefit from giving. Attracting work from some of the most prominent artists around, many of whose lives have been touched by the work of East End Hospice, the popular fundraiser was started 16 years ago with the mission of bringing out great art for a great cause. Each year since, approximately 100 artists have participated by donating their take on box art.

“EEH is one of the most loving organizations when the light dims near the end of living,” says participating artist Hans Van de Bovenkamp. “To help thru donating, such as artists do with their work, or through volunteering, is one of the most profound and satisfying acts.”

This year’s fundraiser will be held at Hoie Hall at St. Luke’s Church in East Hampton on Saturday, August 27. The benefit will celebrate the support of Susan Kennedy Zeller, who will receive The Spirit of Community Award. More than 80 local artists have donated their work this year, including: Abby Abrams, Shari Abramson, Mary Antczak, Marcel Bally, John Battle, Kathleen Bifulco, Stephanie Brody-Lederman, John Philip Capello, Linda Capello, Casey Chalem Anderson, Darlene Charneco, Marilyn Church, Judy Clifford, Pamela Collins Focarino, Jennifer Cross, Janet Culbertson, Mary Daunt, James DeMartis, A.G. Duggan, Louise Eastman, Melissa Elliott, Eric Ernst, Patricia Feiwel, Sue, Ferguson Gussow, Alice Forman, Jackie Fuchs, David Geiser, Nina Gillman, Margery Gosnell-Qua, Tracy Harris, John Haubrich, RJT Haynes, Alice Hope, Leif Hope, Carol Hunt, Sarah Jaffe Turnbull, Tracy Jamar, Margaret Kerr, William King, Bill Kiriazis, Mary Laspia, Rex Lau, Susan Lazarus-Reimen, Audrey Lee, Lynn Leff, Dennis Leri, Rocco Liccardi, Setha Low, Christa Maiwald, Elaine Marinoff, Bob Markell, Fulvio Massi, Diane Mayo, Barry, McCallion, Paton Miller, Roy Nicholson, Bo Parsons, Louise Peabody, Camille Perrottet, Betsy Petroski Smith, Daniel Pollera, Gabriele T Raacke, Lawrence Randolph, Stephanie Reit, Ronnette Riley, Dan Rizzie, Randall Rosenthal, Reynold Ruffins, Will Ryan, Anne Sager, Walter Schwab, David Slater, Julie Small Gamby, Judith Boucher Sneddon, Caren Sturmer, Grace Sutton, Gregory Thorpe, Pamela Topham, E. E. Tucker, Hans Van de Bovenkamp, Dan Welden, Nico Yektai, Charles Yoder and Michael Yurick.

[caption id="attachment_54856" align="alignright" width="546"] Box art by Nico Yektai.[/caption]

It takes a village for such a well regarded and community supported endeavor to continue on productively, says Box Art curator and committee chairperson, Arlene Bujese, who has worked on the annual fundraiser since 2003.

“There seems to be no end of creative ideas [and] artists who are willing to share,” she says, adding that there’s a wide range of work donated this year. Entries include a Western saddle purse, sculpture, works in fabric, beads, numerous found objects, clay works, architectonic, and microcosms of signature works.

It’s the first time donating for Sag Harbor-based artist Jackie Fuchs, who is also the owner of Salon 66 here in the village. Her entry, a navy blue carrying case with removable lid, is one of her slab ceramic box sculptures that are meant to hold things.

“My intent is to have each box look like leather or material other than clay,” she says.

Nico Yektai, who also calls Sag Harbor home, has donated an architectural piece made of wood. The work was inspired by and an homage to his father, the artist Manoucher Yektai.

“My cigar boxes are always a representation of two interests of my father’s: Art and Cigars!!!!,” he says.

Longtime contributor Michael Yurick, who lives in Hampton Bays, found his inspiration for his box art entry this year from his “Shadowplay 3D Collage Series,” he reports.

“It's a sculpture of distorted and elongated geometric shapes constructed to take the viewer into a dimension of space and movement of light and shadows,” says the artist.

Ms. Gosnell-Qua’s entry, “Salt Marsh 2,” is a take on her “Salt Marsh Series” of oil-on-canvas paintings, which she began creating on location in the salt marshes of Quogue in 2013. It’s also a nod to one of her creative heroes.

“Concurrent to the three-year development of this series, I began reading the 2012 biography, ‘Van Gogh: The Life,’ by Naifeh and Smith.’ A compellingly rich biography, I became enmeshed in Van Gogh’s story. As I learned about his misunderstood compassion for humanity, his unsung conquest in his work, and the emotional abandonment from all except his brother, Theo, I found myself championing his cause,” she says. “I see his hand in this series, albeit shrouded in my own. So, I thank Van Gogh for his influence, and respectfully nod in his direction.”

As for Ms. Bujese’s personal inspiration, it’s the opportunity to give back that really drives her, she reports.

“The satisfaction is helping to accomplish the goals of EEH, working with artists I have known and worked with for many years, and finding new artists each year to add to our list,” the curator says of what she most enjoys about the Box Art Auction. “The personal satisfaction is feeling that I am helping an important cause and the delight in working with the committee and artists involved. It really is great fun.”

The East End Hospice’s annual Box Art Auction will be held on Saturday, August 27, at Hoie Hall at St. Luke’s Church in East Hampton. Admission is $75 and proceeds directly fund Hospice care. Prior to the auction, the works will be on view at Hoie Hall on Wednesday, August 24, and Thursday, August 25, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and all are invited to a free “Meet the Artists” preview reception on Wednesday, August 24, from 5 to 7 p.m. Learn more at www.eeh.org.