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Area painter featured at Bryant Library Following her retirement in 2005, she became involved with the Art League of Long Island Susan Bird, a former kinder- and fellow artists across the garten teacher turned surreal island. Working with fellow crepainter, takes inspiration from atives — many of whom are the generation of art students former teachers, according to Bird — allowed her to discover she instructed. “There’s nothing more cre- a distinct style of painting. ative than a five-year-old,” she “I work in acrylic, which is a said. “They’re just so free and water based medium,” she just see things we don’t see.” explained. “I do so because B i rd t a u g h t at w at e r i s a v i t a l Harold D. Fayette ingredient of my Elementary School work.” in Mer rick for 20 Bird uses water years. During that carefully to reshape time, Bird walked paint on the canvas, her students through often making use of a variety of art proj- SuSAN BIRD materials like burects, some of which Painter lap to add texture to were put on display the work. in the Boston Children’s Muse“I’m a process painter,” she um. said. “I begin with no idea, “I think art is extremely image, or goal. I address the important for the development canvas in a way that I let the of children,” she said. “I canvas tell me what needs to always wanted to be a teacher. come next.” It was something really imporWendy Curtis, owner and tant to me.” operator of the Huntington Art Bird quickly became the Center, met Bird as a client for executive director of the Bell- the center’s picture framing more Child Care Prog ram, service about four years ago. which had centers in Bellmore, “I think her work is wonderNorth Bellmore, and North ful,” she said. “It just seems to Merrick, overseeing 600 chil- pulse with energy. I fell in love dren, in addition to other after with the work and with her, and school programs for over a asked her to have a show with decade. Continued on page 21
By JoSEPH D’AlESSANDRo
jdalessandro@liherald.com
I
Courtesy Merrick Union Free School District
Students head back to school Pool days turned into school days and hallway hellos, fresh sneakers, and brand-new backpacks were out in full force on Sept. 2 as students across Merrick bounded back to class. Above, Chatterton School Principal Dana Bermas met her students with smiles and hugs as they entered the building. Right, friends at Harold D. Fayette School were excited to see each other again on the first day. Story, more photos, Page 10. Courtesy North Merrick Public Schools
’m a process painter.