Opening this fall, Preservation Long Island’s latest exhibition focuses on the life and work of F. Edwin Church, a celebrated twentieth-century portrait painter with strong ties to Long Island’s North Shore.
Location: Preservation Long Island Exhibition Gallery (161 Main Street, Cold Spring Harbor)
Duration: September 19 through December 21, 2025
Days and Time: Friday through Sunday, 11 AM to 4 PM
Despite sharing a name with the famous American landscape painter, Frederic Edwin Church (1876–1975) became a celebrated artist in his own right. He chose to sign his paintings “F. Edwin Church” to distinguish himself professionally as he endeavored to create his own artistic identity. Rooted in the traditions of Impressionism and Japonisme, Church’s work nevertheless reflects modern life in the twentieth century. Critics praised his opulent portraits featuring women in contemporary fashions blended with elements of Japanese art and design. He also found inspiration in the world around him, filling his canvases with vibrant flowers, birds, and urban and natural landscapes he encountered abroad and on Long Island.
