Dans Papers - May 25, 2007

Some call it "The Art Passageway," or the "Art Alley," or "Starbucks' Passageway," since the chain is conveniently located here, and who doesn't like coffee while touring great galleries? But whatever you choose to call it, this little brick alley opposite the East Hampton Cinema on Main Street has three amazing art galleries, including one that's been there for 30 years, and one that just opened.

Walk Tall Gallery, which recently opened at 62 Park Place, was formerly Wallace Frameworks, and before that, Millennium Gallery. The owner, Wendy Wachtel, has created a gallery of international artists, from her global connections as the former co-owner of Villas of the World, in Sag Harbor.

"At this company, which is still operating, we did real estate rentals, sales and development of private homes and villas all over the world," she said. "While visiting different countries, I met many fascinating artists, and some of them, like ones from St. Barts, have been invited to exhibit in my new gallery." Wachtel opened her own gallery - a dream since college when she earned a double degree in art and English literature. Being fluent in French and growing up with a mother who ran several art galleries in Manhattan and at Marymount Manhattan College, also helped.

"My family has a history of art collecting, and I was an art major at Parsons School of Design where I finished at their school in Paris. I also studied English literature at Wesleyan University and McGill University, where I earned my degree in English literature, and I also did graduate work at Pratt Institute," said Wachtel.

Her first gala opening is this Saturday night, May 26, from 5 to 7 p.m., of the works of master printmaker Larry B. Wright. He assisted Rauchenberg and worked with Jasper Johns' assistant.

"Since the idea of this gallery is world art, we'll be showing works this year from Yugoslavia (Walter Us), South Africa, St. Barts, to local art."

Wallace Gallery, located at 37A Main Street and Park Place Passage, has specialized, for the past fifteen years, in 19th and early 20th-Century American traditional art, including the Hudson River School and American Impressionism. Owner Terry Wallace is an art historian and writer, who has published over 30 articles and 50 catalogues on important American artists. He graduated from Adelphi University with a degree in American history.

Terry Wallace published a book, Caroline M. Bell and the Peconic Bay Impressionists, about the women on Long Island who were "Plein-Aire" artists, painting outside. These first six women taught other women this way of painting, before the woman's Suffrage Movement in 1920. A show of these women's work has been held at the Suffolk County Historical Society Museum in Riverhead.

The Vered Gallery, owned by Ruth Vered and Janet Lehr, has been located at 68 Park Place, in this same famous passageway, for the past 35 years. Vered, who hails from Israel and started this gallery in 1972, said, "Over the years I have added on to the gallery. It's been an art-loving passageway here in East Hampton, which I call 'Starbuck's Passageway' since I go there twice a day." The Vered Gallery buys and sells for clients and exhibits the famous works of Willem DeKooning, Milton Avery, Wolf Kahn, Bert Stern, Louise Nevelson and Steven Klein.

"We have the secondary market - the 20th and 21st-century masters," said Janet Lehr. "We also have a private gallery in New York City for our collectors, and we buy for them at auctions. Vered added, "We are also known for our exciting openings here. It's a festive gallery, with lots of celebrities dropping by."

This Saturday, May 26,Vered is having an opening reception for their show of artists Dale Chilhuly, of Pilchuck, WA, and Gloria Kisch, of New York City. Chilhuly has done blown glass installations worldwide, appearing in major museums with his luminous, colored glass creations. Gloria Kisch does stainless steel sculptures, including four-foot sunflowers. The show will run through June 20. The Vered's Semi-Annual Silent Auction, benefiting the Israel Defense Fund, will open June 29 and close on July 8, with artwork from Pollack's to Picassos - all in the Passageway!