Seamless artistic interpretations

Featuring drawings, prints, digital and film photography, Steve Breslow's "World in Prints and Photographs" exhibit, currently on display at the Hewlett-Woodmere Public Library, explores the perspective of an artist with a unique eye.

Breslow, 61, a Valley Stream resident and a patron of the Hewlett-Woodmere library whose two children all but grew up in the art section, is showing 84 pieces of his work in the Boehm Room and the Gallery in the lower level of the building through Oct. 24.

From a basic pencil sketch to line work using the Neo Paint computer program to straddling the divide between old-school film and modern digital photography, Breslow's work presents new takes on familiar people and places. "Many of my pictures are based on close observation of detail and real life, and in those I am more of an observer than an inventor," said Breslow, who trained as a master printmaker, works for the Social Security Administration and jokingly described himself as "the best finger painter in my [kindergarten] class."

From Elaine Lipitz, who was "a very popular teacher at Jamaica High School," Breslow learned a lot about using pen and ink, and at Queens College, where he earned his bachelor's degree and a master's in fine art, he began taking printmaking seriously. "I already thought of myself as an artist, but never considered it to be a formal pursuit," he said. "Professor [Marvin] Bileck showed me the engravings of Durer and the etchings of Rembrandt and Goya, and I was hooked."

But there were health considerations. Not wanting to breathe in what he called a "rich mixture of sulfuric acid, benzene and nitric acid" and not wanting "unremovable particulate manner under my fingernails," Breslow gave away his etching press and migrated to computer software. "The process and resulting artwork produced through a computer is very different in some significant ways from what was previously considered a 'print,'" he said. "To be honest, a lot of what is central to making a work of art is lost when using

a computer."

However, what is not lost in Breslow's work is the emotion one feels when viewing one of his drawings, such as "3 Views," showing the reflected profiles and a frontal view of a woman, or the startling color of one of his film photos of the Grand Canyon.

Two photographs in the show "Terracotta Warriors” (panorama) and “Grand Canyon” (panorama) are composed of three and two photos, respectively, pieced together, giving the viewer a terrific look at two huge spectacles.

Artists for the exhibits are selected by Librarian and Art Specialist Rick Fox, in collaboration with Library Director Susan de Sciora, and are typically recommended by area art groups. "We have very good feedback, mainly through our patrons, and the public is happy with many of the exhibits we've had," said Fox, who has worked at the library for the past nine and a half years — two and a half as a full time employee.

Breslow's exhibit features not only his print etchings, but photos from China (including one with his wife, Lily), Prague and New York City.

He has exhibited his work since 1974, and continues to come up with new ideas, though he admitted that they don't come as fast as they once did.

"To a great extent, you are producing work that meets your approval, and most artists are stubborn and self-motivated," Breslow said. "But you have to strike a balance between what it is that you want to do and making the work accessible to others."

An artist's reception is scheduled for Sept. 21, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the library.