OPEN STUDIO, a new gallery dedicated to building the careers of artists living with disabilities and increasing the visibility of the studios that support them, opened earlier this month on Manhattan’s Lower East Side. Founded by Rachel Carle Cohen of Shelter Gallery and David Fierman of Fierman, it is currently presenting two exhibits: Lozenges, a solo show of paintings by the hugely inventive John Tursi at 127 Henry Street and Introducing Open Studio, a delightful survey of works by over two dozen artists at 119 Pike Street.

The untitled image featured above was painted with acrylic on canvas by Queens-based artist Nyla Isaac, who maintains a studio space at the Living Museum on the grounds of the Creedmoor Psychiatric Center. Several more images that we captured while visiting the opening of Introducing Open Studio in both spaces follow:

Self-taught Fountain House Gallery artist Maxx Reith “Club Gemini,” 2024, Mixed media on paper

Brooklyn-based LAND Gallery artist Michael Pellew, “Taylor Swift,” 2025, Acrylic on wood

Luca Treppiedi, “The Beach,” 2024, Acrylic on canvas

Living Museum artist John Tursi, “Untitled,” Acrylic on canvas

PASC Detroit artist Chantell Donwell, “A Diversity of Cultures,” 2025, Pen and watercolor on paper

Living Museum artist James Kusel, “Ego,” 2014, Ink on paper

The artworks can be viewed Tuesday through Friday from 12-6pm or by appointment (david@fierman.nyc) until August 9.

Photos of images: 1-5 Lois Stavsky 6 & 7 Tara Murray

The striking abstract expressionist portrait pictured above, Hour of Incence, was fashioned with “acrylic, oil stick, oil pastel, Lawry’s Seasoned Salt, and the Holy Spirit” on canvas in 2022 by the largely self-taught devotional artist Genesis Tramaine. I came upon it last week while visiting “Revolutions: Art from the Hirshhorn Collection, 1860–1960” at the Hirshorn Museum in DC.

What follows are several more images of faces — created by self-taught artists in a range of styles and media — as seen in a variety of settings from art fairs to galleries and museums.

Self-taught Norwegian painter Trude Viken, “Woman 3,” 2024, Oil on canvas

Oregon-based artist Anne Marie Grgich with Sandy Combes, “Florence Giving Flowers Quilt,” 2024, Sewn fabric collage

New Jersey native and Vietnam veteran Gregory Van Maanen, “Untitled,” 2025, Acrylic on board

The late Alabama-born artist Thornton Dial, “A Shadow of Life,” 1994, Charcoal on white paper

Photos by Lois Stavsky

Showcasing a mesmerizing selection of Australian First Nations art—ranging from the seemingly simple to the richly intricate —  SIGNIFICANT remains on exhibit at D’Lan Contemporary on Manhattan’s Upper East Side through July 3.

The image featured above, Rockholes Near the Olgas, was painted in 2008 with synthetic polymer paint on linen by the late Bill Whiskey Tjapaltjarri, a Pitjantjatjara artist from Central Austrlia. Renowned for his vibrant dot paintings depicting his people’s rich heritage, Bill Whiskey Tjapaltjarr first began painting on canvas at age 85. What follows are several more images we captured while on our recent visit to SIGNIFICANT:

The late Aboriginal Western Australian painter and printmaker Paddy Bedford, “Twenty Mile,” 2005, Earth pigment with synthetic binder on linen

The late Australian Aboriginal abstract painter Yala Yala Gibbs Tjungurrayi, “Two Old Men,” Synthetic polymer paint on compressed fibreboard

The late Naata Nungurrayi, a leading woman artist in the Western Australian desert art movement, “Karrilwarra,” 2004, Synthetic polymer paint on linen

The late Western Australian Aboriginal Artist Ngarra, “A Suite of 9 Paintings,” 2004-2006, Synthetic polymer paint on paper

The late Aboriginal painter and ceramic artist Pepai Jangala Carroll, “Yumari ,” 2019, Synthetic polymer paint on linen

Located at 25 East 73rd Street on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, D’Lan Contemporary is open Tuesday-Friday 11am-6pm.

Photos by Tara Murray & Lois Stavsky

We first came upon Nicolaus Myers‘ artwork at  Fountain House Gallery, where we were immediately drawn to his distinctly raw expressionist aesthetic. After further viewing his paintings at the Outsider Art Fair and then at Culture Lab LIC, we had the opportunity to meet up with him and pose a few questions to him:

When did you first start painting?

Although I’d always been into music, I came late to art. And even though my grandmother was a folk artist, I never did anything until I took a painting class in college.

What was that like?

I didn’t like the class. I couldn’t follow instructions, but I discovered that I loved to paint.

What inspires you to keep creating art?

Everything. I love owning a piece of my life that doesn’t have any rules.

Who are some of your favorite artists?

I love Tom Waits — both his music and his photography. I also like the late Chuck Close, and I am a fan of Basquiat. I also love the Spanish artist Salvador Dali.

What about your cultural influences?  Can you tell us something about them?

I come from a family of carnival folk and prostitutes. My mother told me that her great great-grandmother came to the US from Wales. And because she needed money, she started a brothel. She, herself, then got pregnant and her child became a circus performer.

Is there a central or overall theme that ties your work together?

Absolutely! It reflects a world I don’t understand. Stories of folks who live really rough lives.

How has your artwork evolved in the past few years?

I’ve gotten much better at telling a narrative story — either mine or someone else’s.

Have you a favorite piece of what you’ve created?

Yes. “Where Fear and Hope Converge” — I painted it in 2023 with acrylic on burlap and exhibited it in the recent Fountain House Gallery exhibition Meticulous Markings.

How long do you usually spend on a piece?

Generally around four weeks. When I’m off from work, I can paint 14 hours a day straight.

What percentage of your time is devoted to art?

About 40%. When I first return home from my “day job,” I spend time with my family, and then I return to my painting. Luckily, I don’t need much sleep!

What are some of your other interests?

I play the guitar and I love music — everything but polka!.

We’ve seen your paintings at Fountain House Gallery, at the Outsider Art Fair and just recently at Culture Lab LIC. Have you exhibited elsewhere?

Yes! In a range of places — from alternative spots to established galleries. About 40 in total, including spaces in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Ohio.

How important is the viewers’ response to you? Is it important to you that others like your work?

Yes and no! I’d like them to like it, but it’s more important to me that my work is honest and that I can feel proud of it.

What are your favorite media to work with?

Oil paint.

What is your main source of income?  

My work as a psychiatric nurse.

How does your family feel about what you do?

My wife is amazing! She and my son are great about it.

What do you see as your role as an artist in society?

My role as an artist is to share a world most people don’t know about.

Interview conducted by Lois Stavsky with Tara Murray; photos of artworks by Lois Stavsky

Curated by Fountain House Studio Director Karen Gormandy and Fountain House Gallery Director Rachel Weisman, “Compulsive Genius…” presents a wonderfully diverse selection of over 90 works by 12 artists created during their Long Island City studio residencies.

The intriguing image featured above was fashioned by the ever-inventive NYC-based Puerto Rican artist Alyson Vega. Titled “Tag City,” this mixed media work is described by the artist as her homage to NYC’s graffiti. A small selection of images captured on our recent visit to Fountain House Gallery follow:

Queens-based multidisciplinary artist Susan Spangenberg, “Girl In Restraints Asylum Doll (Average Gals),“ 2021, Unstretched canvas, marker, metal, fabric (hand-sewn) with polyester stuffing and pencil armature

Colombia-born painter and costume designer Guiomar Giraldo-Baron, “Black Tree,” 2019, Acrylic on paper

Queens-based multidisciplinary artist Bradford Scott Stringfield, “Distance,” 2025, Acrylic on canvas

Multidisciplinary artist Boo Lynn Walsh, “Midnight Monoprint (#6),” 2017, Japanese ink, metallic filings, acrylic paint, and various mediums

Self-taught artist Maxx Reith, “People in the Window,” 2025, Acrylic on canvas

Romanian-born multidisciplinary artist Ella Veres aka vermillon, Mixed media installation featuring fiber art, dyed vintage handmade lace, ribbons, twine lace, repurposed objects and drawings fashioned with acrylic markers

And this Friday, June 6, a Virtual Artist Talk will take place with Maxx Reith, Susan Spangenberg and Alyson Vega. Check here for further information about this event, and here for information about Virtual Artist Talk II featuring Angela Rogers and Tom Schneider, who are also featured in “Compulsive Genius…”

“Compulsive Genius…” can be viewed at 702 Ninth Avenue at 48th Street in Manhattan: Tuesday 12 – 6 p.m., Wednesday 12 – 5 p.m., Thursday and Friday 12 – 6 p.m. and Saturday 1 – 7 p.m.

Note: Fountain House Gallery and Studio provides an environment where artists living with mental illness can express their creative visions, exhibit their work, and challenge the stigma that surrounds mental illness.

Photos of artworks: Lois Stavsky

The image featured above, “Nazare,” was painted with oil on canvas by the Afro-Brazilian self-taught painter and textile artist Madalena Santos Reinbolt. What follows are several more artworks of landscapes and cityscapes fashioned by self-taught artists — seen in a range of settings from galleries to museums to art fairs.

Also by Madalena Santos Reinbolt, “Untitled,” Acrylic and wood on burlap

The late German-born self-taught artist Gustav Klumpp, “Dream Vision of Visible Souls,” 1974, Oil on canvas

Self-taught multidisciplinary artist David Syre, “Universe as Seen from Madeira,” 2024, Prisma crayon and gel pen on black paper

The late Canadian self-taught artist Matthew Wong, “Pastoral,” 2018. Watercolor on paper

The late Southern self-taught artist Reverend Howard Finster, “World of the Happy and Free,” 1986, Mixed media

Fountain House Gallery self-taught artist Roger Jones, “Love is Love,” 2021, Acrylic on stretched canvas

Photo credits: 1, 3, 5-7 Lois Stavsky; 2 Tara Murray & 4 Shalom Stavsky

Featuring an intriguing array of artworks — from the playful to the poignant — Threads of Resilience: A Mental Health Exhibition opened last Thursday at Culture Lab LIC. Curated by Dawn DeVito, it invites its viewers it to reflect on the nature of healing in our uncertain times. Featured above is “Silent Dust, Quiet Night,” a riveting oil painting by Fountain House Gallery self-taught artist and psychiatric nurse Nicolaus Myers. Several more images of artworks captured at its welcoming opening reception — with drinks, bite, and music by Rebecca McCartney and Mark McIntyre — follow:

Visual artist Lindsay Liang, “Draining,” 2025, Acrylic on canvas

NYC-based illustrator and art professor Eva Redamonti, “Headspace 4,” 2024, Graphite on paper

Queens-based Fountain House Gallery multidisciplinary artist Issa Ibrahim, “Rogues’ Gallery,” 1997, Latex and enamel on unstretched canvas; this painting was done while Issa was a patient at Creedmoor Hospital.

The acclaimed Brooklyn-based Korean artist Yun Jang, “An Exhausted Man,” 2022, Acrylic on canvas

Artist and educator Camille Butterfield, “Electrified,” 2017, Acrylic on canvas

Self-taught painter Kelly Nicole, “Forget Me Not,” 2024, Oil, acrylic and chalk on canvas

The exhibition remains on view through June 1, 2025 at Culture Lab LIC. Located at 5-25 46th Ave in Long Island City, it is open Thurs & Fri: 5-9PM and Sat & Sun: 2-9PM.

Photos of artworks: 1, 3, 6 & 7 Sara C Mozeson; 2, 4 & 5 Lois Stavsky

An artist-led digital photography residency for NYC youth, NYC Salt was established to “engage, inspire, and empower youth to reach their full potential and develop a sense of agency, belonging, and integrated identity through the lens of a camera.” Currently on view through June 6 at Clement Clarke Moore Park on 10th Avenue and 22nd Street in Chelsea is “The Moment It Clicks,” an outdoor gallery featuring a delightfully diverse range of works by dozens of NYC Salt participants, as the non-profit celebrates its 20th anniversary. Pictured above is Mamiwata by Malike Sidibe. Several more images we recently captured while visiting the site follow:

Christian Ogando, “Domino Sugar Factory“

Danny Martinez, “Throwing Fire”

Aldo Sorcia, “Monster”

Josue Loayza, “Moment”

Suquann Alexander, “Self Portrait”

To the right of Malike Sidibe: Rami Abouemira, Siara Ramos, Austin Canales and Merelyn Bucio

Wide view

You can view additional photographs on exhibit and buy prints of NYC Salt student photos here.

Photo credits: 1, 3 & 6 Lois Stavsky; 2, 4, 5, 7 & 8 Tara Murray

Showcasing an alluring array of artworks marked by scrupulously crafted details, Meticulous Markings invites its viewers to immerse in a richly imaginative alternative universe. “Bipolar Party,” the enticing image pictured above, was fashioned with mixed media on an unstretched canvas in 2024 by Brooklyn-based artist Michael Kronenberg. Several more images captured on a recent visit to the exhibition follow:

New Jersey-based, largely self-taught artist Nicolaus J. Myers, “Where Fear and Hope Converge,” 2023, Acrylic on burlap

Manhattan-based, largely self-taught artist Roger Jones, “Love to Go,” 2024, Acrylic, marker, and found objects on canvas

Queens-based self-taught multidisciplinary artist Susan Spangenberg, “Edgar Allan Poe (Asylum Doll),” 2025, Charcoal, acrylic on unstretched canvas (hand-sewn) with polyester stuffing

NYC-based fiber artist Alyson Vega, Deep Forest, 2019, Layered fabric and fiber, machine sewn

Also on view in Meticulous Markings are artworks by Kelly Han, Annie Poon and Karen Zechowy.

And click here for specific information re: these two upcoming Virtual Artist Talks:

Curated by Jennifer Lauren Gilbert, the director of the Jennifer Lauren Gallery in Manchester, UK, Meticulous Markings remains on view through April 30. Located at 702 Ninth Avenue at 48th Street in Manhattan, Fountain House Gallery is open Tuesday 12 – 6 p.m., Wednesday 12 – 5 p.m., Thursday and Friday 12 – 6 p.m. and Saturday 1 – 7 p.m.

Note: Fountain House Gallery and Studio provides an environment where artists living with mental illness can express their creative visions, exhibit their work, and challenge the stigma that surrounds mental illness.