"Connection" is the fourth exhibition in the inaugural year of the Reboli Center for Art and History in Stony Brook. One of Joe Reboli’s strongest assets was his connections. He had strong connections throughout his life to his community, to his friends, to the people who collected his art, and to the artists who attended his occasional workshops. Throughout his life, he continued to follow these associations.

Vicki Sawyer, whose art is featured in this exhibit, is one of his connections. Now a nationally recognized artist living in Franklin, Tennessee, Vicki lived in Stony Brook for 15 years. While in New York, she worked with Eva Glaser and Helen Del Guercio doing faux finishes and then began painting commissioned murals. She is one of the artists who attended an outdoor class taught by Joe. In that workshop, Vicki says that she learned about being aware of the darkest darks and lightest lights. She applies that knowledge to her paintings today. Her current paintings spring from a walk a few years ago, when it occurred to her that if birds could build nests, they could make hats. For the last 8 years that walk has been her inspiration for her bird and animal portraits. These portraits combine her love of nature and her goal of evoking feelings of peace, joy, and often humor.

Vicki Sawyer’s connections to our community, to her many friends here, and to Joe make for a fascinating and entertaining exhibit.