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Vol. 90 No. 30
JUlY 24 - 30, 2025
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Freeport artist creates inner landscapes whole life,” Swersey said. “Each painting is different. When I saw the space at FreeIn the quiet corners of her port Library and how big it imagination, Freeport artist was, I realized that I could actuMichele Swersey weaves intri- ally show most of my work.” H e r re c u r r i n g i m a g e r y cate visual narratives that blur the lines between reality and evokes vulnerability and fear, but the scenes are not meant to dreams. Her July exhibition at the terrify. Instead they are whims i c a l , d re a m l i ke Freeport Memorial and layered with L i b r a r y, t i t l e d emotional complex“Dream Obscura,” i t y. O n e p i e c e , takes viewers on a depicts a girl with jour ney through an eye mask and deeply personal balloons. Another and surreal psychopainting explores logical landscapes the collective trau— a world in which ma of Sept. 11. s l e e p i n g f i g u re s “ M i c h e l e confront inner turmoil and fantasti- MICHele SweRSeY Swersey creates a fantastical world cal creatures. Freeport artist depicting what Swersey, 70, who makes dreams has been painting since childhood, found her delightful and terrifying,” Tanmost profound artistic inspira- isha Mitchell, the library’s art tion in personal tragedy. Six exhibit coordinator, wrote in an email. “Her paintings are very years ago, after the death of her closest friend, she began unique and reminiscent of a picture book.” exploring the liminal space of Swersey’s background is as dreams and grief through art. The 24-piece library show diverse and layered as her art. focuses on the disorienting, A Brooklyn native who later often paralyzing, space between moved to Baldwin and then settled in Freeport in 2002, she has sleep and wakefulness. Her work is far from conven- a degree in graphic design with tional. “I’ve been painting my Continued on page 10
By MoHAMMAD RAFIQ
mrafiq@liherald.com
T
Courtesy Charles Gilreath
Coach Charles gilreath, left, stands proudly with his county champion 4x400 relay team, at Freeport High School in 2025 including Jeovany Villatoro, Chase Holt, dorian Boyd, Jeremaiyh Burch, celebrating one of many wins in his remarkable coaching career.
Retirement celebrated for 40-year high school coach By MASHIAT AZMI Intern
Charles Gilreath, who coached track for 28 years from 1997 to 2025 at Freeport High School, was given a well-deserved sendoff during his retirement celebration at Eisenhower Park on July 12. Known as Coach G, Gilreath also coached track for 10 years at Roosevelt High School and wrestling for two years in Hempstead schools. Gilreath expressed pride witnessing students grow and achieve success, both aca-
demically and athletically, during his overall 40-year coaching career. “I’ve had student-athletes come out that have progressed from ninth grade to being champions by the time they were like seniors,” Gilreath, 62, a longtime Freeport resident, said. “I say, one of the biggest things was we’ve been very successful over the last 40 years of coaching.” Nassau County Legislator Olena Nicks joined the New Greater Hempstead Chamber of Commerce and dozens of well-wishers at Eisenhower Park to honor Gilreath upon his Continued on page 6
urning the obscure into a tangible reality is part of the magic.