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“There’s always been an artist community in Yonkers,’’ said Perelman, who has been on the board of the non-profit center since it opened in 2002. “It’s been rather quiet. But there are a lot of artists.”
Blue Door Art Center has been one of the key hubs for Yonkers arts and is dedicated to bringing art programs and exhibition venues to local communities throughout Westchester County that are currently underserved. Blue Door produces exhibitions, educational programs and workshops, public art projects, poetry readings, performances, and special events.
Blue Door Gallery also presents fine art exhibitions, publishes books, and conducts community art programs. The Artist Association organizes public art projects with the support of public and private funding, and works with local artists to install public art throughout the city. The Association also offers art workshops for children at local art festivals and in the gallery.
“Blue Door is unique for a city of this size,’’ Perelman said. “We have been instrumental in a number of public art projects. We were behind the installation of a sculpture along the city front and at City Hall Park, and the decoration of concrete planters along South Broadway. We are instrumental in promoting the arts and providing opportunities for local artists.”
Perelman, who was born and raised in New York City, has been an artist for his entire adult life. He is a formally trained architect, and worked in architecture and city planning for many years. He has also worked in a variety of media, including watercolor, painting, assemblage and culture. His work has been exhibited in museums in New York and throughout the Northeast.
Yonkers also expects another huge addition to its art community soon. Collector Daniel Wolf and his wife, architect Maya Lin, purchased the former Yonkers City Jail last year and plan to transform it into a space for Wolf’s collection as well as studios and a gallery for other projects. Perelman believes the facility will be a welcome addition to the burgeoning artistic community in Yonkers.
“I think anything that brings art to the city is a positive,’’ Perelman said. “We have a dearth of places to display. This will be a great addition, assuming it becomes an art gallery. I think it’s a great idea.”
Yonkers’ reputation as a thriving artistic community may have been under the radar in the past, but that does not seem to be the case any more.
“I hope it’s beginning to change,’’ Perelman said. “We just had a Yonkers Arts weekend with many venues and a pop up gallery. It was a wonderful exhibit and it had never happened before. These things take time, they don’t happen instantly. Hopefully, more artists will be attracted to come here.”
Learn more about Blue Door Art Center on its website or Facebook page.
