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Sourceline: MyLeisureTime.com

What did you want to be when you were younger? Are you living that fantasy now? Meet Gavin Spielman of Cutchogue,
who is living the dream he had as a child to be an artist.

'Pugliese's Barn (Long Island),' one of Spielman's work inspired by his Long Island home in Cutchogue.

CUTCHOGUE‹Children often dream of being a firefighter, a pilot or a ballerina when they grow up, but few actually pursue those dreams. Painter Gavin Spielman has beaten the odds, however. He¹s making a living as he lives out his dream to be an artist, because he had the courage to dedicate himself to his art. He said he felt there were two voices inside him that told him he should be pursuing his art. One voice was buried within that inner child that loved to go sailing with his family on Long Island Sound. It was that child who remembered communing with nature that inspired the adult Gavin to explore different areas of visual arts in an attempt to recapture that unity. The other voice came from his grandmother, who at 80, is still employed as a fine art restorer. She always had the ambition to create original works. Spielman sees his work as the fulfillment of that dream. That doesn¹t mean that he never went the conventional career route. Spielman said he started out doing commercial illustration. He tried the 9 to 5 grind, but said he knew it wasn¹t his calling ‹ he wanted to express himself without being inhibited by deadlines. So he started painting for himself and teaching; and before long, he had created a significant body of work. Spielman divides his time between his studio in Cutchogue, where the beauty of Long Island wine country is a constant muse; and his apartment in New York City, another inspiration for many of his pieces. His resume boasts numerous exhibitions and commissions for public works. There are also a number of notable private collections that include an original Gavin Spielman. His art has gotten kudos from both Newsday and the Daily News. And with all of this, Spielman still finds time to be the Sophomore Art Instructor at his alma mater, the Parsons School of Design. When asked how he would describe his art, Spielman responded by explaining that his work wasn¹t a realistic rendering of objects. Rather, he views his work as a realistic rendering of ³how his feelings meet what he sees.² It¹s no coincidence that he is influenced by both the Expressionist and Impressionist Schools. Names like Kokoschka, Sisley, Pissaro, Picasso, Van Gogh, Caillebotte and Jim Dine come up when he is asked about his painting style. But no matter what the influence, all of his work shares one important feature; each piece is a reflection of the integrity of his own feelings. His still life and portraits maintain simplicity. Each work has an emotional focal point to which the entire piece adheres. His favorite subjects are inspiring scenes and food. Van Gough is the most obvious influence on Spielman¹s technique. The rendering of any one object aims not so much for accuracy, but for a clearly evoked thought. Spielman recently closed a solo exhibition of 20 oil paintings at the Silver Swan Restaurant in New York City. His next exhibition is in September. It opens Saturday, September 1st (Labor Day Weekend) from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., and it will run through the month. It is at the Pugliese Vineyards Tasting Room on Rte.25 in Cutchogue. If you want more information about this or any other of his exhibitions, or if you want to see samples of his work, you can log on to www.gavinart.com.