Reading and looking at artifacts is one way to learn about history, but one area artist is able to bring history alive through his paintings.
Len Tantillo has spent a good portion of his life painting, but he has put a unique focus on trying to precisely recreate historic scenes and landscapes.
Tantillo’s historical-themed paintings, with several pieces focusing on the Capital District, will be on display at the Schenectady County Historical Society’s new George Franchere Education Center located a the Mabee Farm Historic Site. The opening reception is on Friday, Sept. 23, from 6 to 9 p.m. and his artwork will be displayed until Dec. 16. The reception also marks the first event and exhibition at the education center.
Ryan Mahoney, curator for the SCHS, said the desire to showcase Tantillo’s work really started after the artist displayed his work last February at the Schenectady Colonial Festival. After the festival, said Mahoney, people were requesting to see more of Tantillo’s work. The event is one of the biggest, “if not the biggest,” event the society has put together, said Mahoney.
“For a long time we wanted to do a show with Len and highlight his work,” said Mahoney. “His work really allows you to step back in time and get a vision of what this area looked like … it really brings history to life.”
The historic scenes Tantillo paints are not just merely what “he thought” it looked likeong ago, said Mahoney, because Tantillo does research to depict accurate portrayals of a forgotten time. Mahoney said people are able to get an idea of their roots and the area’s rich history.
“He researches every single detail as in depth as possible to create the most realistic vision in his paintings,” said Mahoney. “It is easy to get lost in his artwork and the details of his artwork.”
For Tantillo, art is something has always been a passion.
“I think it is something that I have always been interested in,” he said. “When I was growing up, there was never I time can’t remember not drawing or painting. It is sort of a life-long fascination with art.”
Growing up in New Paltz, he said he was always aware of history from the buildings surrounding him. Growing up in the Hudson River Valley also nudged him toward an interest in art.
After attending the Road Island School of Design he worked as an architectural designer from 1969 to 1976. Then he became a freelance architectural illustrator and in 1984 he left commercial art to work full time on his fine art endeavors.
Besides his works appearing in exhibits throughout the country, his work was also featured in September 2009 at the Westfries Museum in the City of Hoorn, Netherlands, and over 10,000 visitors attended the exhibit.
Tantillo said in Holland there is a small group of people interested in colonial Dutch history and the curator at the museum was familiar with work he was doing 10 years ago. The curator featured Tantillo’s work in a commemorative American exhibit featuring the Henry Hudson expedition.
“I felt like a real celebrity over there,” said Tantillo of Holland.
One interesting thing he noticed was the Netherlands has a similar culture to upstate New York.
“It is an interesting culture and they are different, but they is not a lot of difference, especially the Dutch,” he said. “We still have this kind of residual bit of behavior from when the Dutch were here.”
Still, he said he enjoys having a show in the Capital District.
“I always enjoy an exhibition here in the Capital District because it is an opportunity to share my work with my friends and my neighbors,” he said. “When I create the work I am thinking, ‘those are exactly the audience that I am interested in’ … I love the chance to be able to do the show here.”
He hopes painting history allows people to better imagine what the area would look like going back to the 17th century.
“I have tried to paint historical subjects and it really doesn’t matter what time period it is, it could be the history in the area that goes way back or it could even be 20th century history,” he said. “I always felt that making pictures of it would help people imagine it better and make people a little more aware what interesting history we have here in the Capital District.”
Another unique element of the upcoming exhibit is people will be able to see how his work has evolved over time. He will be showing 30 years of work and is expected to have 50 paintings on display. One third of the work being shown relates to Dutch history, another third later state history and lastly, there will be a selection of regional landscapes.
“My painting style has sort of changed as I have gotten older,“ Tantillo said. “It is what happens to a person as they mature and as their view on life evolves. For an artist, their work also evolves.”
The opening reception will include some brief remarks, as well as a silent auction, live music, and Hors d’Oeuvres. Proceeds raised from the reception will go to preserving the collection of the Schenectady County Historical Society at the Mabee Farm Historic Site.
“It is a beautiful spot and a perfect place for this kind of thing,” said Tantillo. “There is a feeling of history just with the land that is there.”
For tickets call the SCHS at 374-0263, email [email protected], or visit the Historical Society at 32 Washington Ave., Schenectady.
