Photo by TJ Clemente

Hampton Tradition XXX - Romany Kramoris

By T.J. Clemente

For the last 31 years Romany Kramoris has been marketing her stained glass art in Sag Harbor. What started on card tables back in 1977 is now featured in her Gallery on Main Street next to the American Hotel. Kramoris, of eastern Slovakian descent, was born and raised in Milwaukee. She came to New York to study dance and movement therapy at NYU. But she found glass and glassblowing fascinating, and got involved in what was to become her life's work. Living in the city's West Village, Kramoris missed the water of Lake Michigan's shores. An acquaintance recommended Sag Harbor - a place with "lots of artists and lots of water."

"When I arrived in 1977, Sag Harbor was a place with lots of small galleries and lots of fine crafts like pottery and ceramics," said Kramoris. "It was like a little Bleeker Street in Greenwich Village." She set up her card table and sold small stained glass objects that she made. At that time, Kramoris put a small ad in Dan's Papers requesting stained glass commissions and landed a job at Bridgehampton's Candy Kitchen where her work is still on view. Her second job from that ad was at the Sag Harbor Jewish Temple. This success propelled Kramoris to rent space on the edge of town in Rocco Liccardi's building. Five years later she moved to the old Sag Harbor Post Office space and landed a commission to do the large 60-foot stained glass window of the Incarnation Lutheran Church at Hayground and Route 27 in Bridgehampton. Another breakthrough for her at this time was the project to create an eight-foot curved arch window for the Pintauro family in Sag Harbor.

In 1992, given the grace of 30 days notice to move her business of ten years, Kramoris went across the street and bought the 1850s building that the Romany Kramoris Gallery now calls home. Downstairs is her studio, upstairs is an apartment - unchanged from the 1850s - with a window with a seaward view, used in those days to spot incoming vessels. But Kramoris is most likely found propped behind her desk in the middle of the first floor gallery, helping longtime friends and customers find something special. One such customer is Joan Trabulsi, who said she has been "a great fan for years and years." She added how proud she is that Kramoris has given "unique support to lots of artist over the years."

Over the last 17 years Kramoris has done work for Alec Baldwin, Lauren Bacall, and painfully recalls the late Roy Scheider coming in just before he passed away, with his wife Brenda, to commission work on their new home. She sold her Corning Museum of Glass award-winning piece to Mr. and Mrs. James Brooks, and did custom work with leaded glass for John Avildsen in Sagaponack.

Kramoris has shipped her stained glass to places as far away as Egypt and England. She also does part-time guest teaching at the Ross School - something she truly loves. She is proud that, at one time, she was authorized to market the blown glass art of Dale Cahihuly in Sag Harbor.

The Kramoris Gallery also features CDs of contemporary and classical music, books on art and architecture, and original glass art works. Kramoris believes the building that houses the gallery was first a mid-19th Century grocery store. Then it was a Montgomery Ward, and a seashell shop just before she purchased the building. She has watched many businesses come and go over the years on Main Street. She seems concerned that too many "mom and pop" businesses are being driven away by recent economic realities. One of her wishes is to keep Sag Harbor a village that supports independent stores. As she told the tales of commissions and sales over the last 31 years, Kramoris became very animated. She participated in the great artistic rediscovery of glass in the last quarter of the 20th Century and now helps pass on her knowledge. Kramoris, who greets many customers by their first names, has come a long way from her card table and 1,600-square-foot gallery. She has been able to maintain her high standards and succeed while so many artists starve. Kramoris summed it all up by saying, "Everybody seems to be happy that I am here. I am happy I am here."

Romany Kramoris Gallery is located at 41 Main Street, Sag Harbor. Call (631) 725-2499.

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