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Top painters shepherd guild’s success
Shelley Holtzman, Illene Silberstein foster growth of Art Guild of Port Washington over decades
BY KARINA KOVAC
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The Art Guild of Port Washingtont has become an accolade-rich artistic community, thanks to the intertwined journeys of two artists, Shelley Holtzman and Illene Silberstein. Together, the decades-long acclaimed painters have worked together as copresidents to build the guild from four to 410 members.
Holtzman has been instrumental in shaping the guild’s direction and fostering its growth. Her artistic passion started during her time as an art director in TV and print advertising after graduating from the University of Michigan.
She always enjoyed using markers to create big bold lines and decided one day to take some classes in the area. Then she discovered her love for vibrant, bursting fowers.
“Once I realized I really loved fowers,” she said, “I’m going to paint them. That’s how I started.” Now she oil paints full time in her retirement and says the key to painting is “all about observation.”
In 1999, when the guild was still in its infancy with only four members, Holtzman discovered the budding organization. Throughout her tenure as co-president, Holtzman has played a pivotal role in strategy, event plan- ning, and show organization alongside Silberstein. Their dedication and unwavering support has enabled the guild to evolve from a small, volunteer-based endeavor into a prominent artistic institution with a dedicated staf.
In 2007, the guild acquired a building, the Elder Fields Preserve, from Nassau County, providing a dedicated studio space for local artists.
Holtzman’s artistic style is characterized by her vibrant and bold use of color. While initially drawn to watercolor, she later explored oil and acrylic, fnding joy in creating unique landscapes with fantastical elements, blending the beauty of nature with imaginative portrayals of animals.
Her artistic endeavors extend beyond the guild, as she’s also a member of the National Association of Women Artists and the Port Washington Art Advisory Council. Holtzman’s artistic prowess has garnered recognition, with her winning the “Second Best Painter” award and the guild winning “Best Art School and Gallery.”
For Holtzman, art is a means of bringing joy to both herself and viewers. Her vibrant palette and distinctive style aim to elicit smiles and evoke positive emotions.
“I just do it because it makes me feel good,” she said. “And, hopefully,
I’ll make somebody else feel good.”
Silberstein, recipient of the esteemed “Painter of the Year” award, embarked on a diferent artistic journey before fnding her calling as a painter. She initially pursued a career in clothing design at Aileen, a now defunct clothing brand, specializing in knitwear and separates.
Her love for fowers bloomed, however, when she was working as a forist at John Smith Flowers in Port Washington on the weekends while taking care of two babies at home. This led her to explore painting, a medium through which she could capture the delicate and always shifting beauty of nature.
Silberstein joined the Art Guild about a year after Holtzman. Through the guild, she found an environment conducive to the exchange of ideas and artistic inspiration. Silberstein said she cherishes the camaraderie among fellow artists, emphasizing how the supportive community helps artists recognize and address aspects they may have missed.
“When I have a success, all the people around me feel good, and when somebody else has success, I feel good about them. It’s really wonderful.”
In 2011, the guild faced a setback
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