In the Galleries: Boys of Summer

Above: Carlos Pisco, Meat Rack

Summer brings the annual weekend exodus to Fire Island Pines, the iconic beach community that, for decades, has come to represent liberation for generations of men seeking a release from the sweaty confines of New York City.

Pines Nude Drawing, founded in 2011 by artist Carlos Pisco, is a casual drawing group established to evoke the community's past as a haven for artists and intellectuals. The artists assemble each week to draw nude models, sometimes including friends and occasionally the curious onlooker. A key aspect of the group is its changing outdoor locations, which have included pool decks, a yacht, an elaborate English garden, and secret corners deep inside the Meat Rack, the Pines' infamous cruising ground.

In this weekend's "Boys of Summer" exhibition at the Leslie-Lohman Museum's Prince Street Project space, over 120 pieces of artwork by the group will be organized by location, allowing visitors to see different interpretations of the same scenes. Additionally, in the long hallway leading to the gallery, the Fire Island Pines Historical Preservation Society will display the past and present history of the Pines through photos and printed material. The participating artists include Grant Arnold Anderson, Rob Clarke, William Bil Donovan, Dan Evans, Anthony Gonzales, Richard des Jardins, John MacConnell, Robert de Michiell (pictured in exhibit T-shirt at right), Kenneth Nadel, Duane Neil, Carlos Pisco, Shungaboy, Ian Sklarsky, W. Douglas Topper, George Towne, and Todd Yeager.

About Pines Nude Drawing
Pines Nude Drawing is a group of artists that meets on summer weekends to draw male models, in both private and public settings, in the Fire Island Pines. For more information visit PinesNudeDrawing.com or Facebook.com/pinesnudrawing.

BOYS OF SUMMER: Artwork from the Pines Nude Drawing Group
Exhibition dates: April 6 & 7, 12-7p.m.

Leslie-Lohman Museum Prince Street Project Space, 127 B Prince St., New York City
Admission is free. The artwork will be for sale.

See more artwork from Pines Nude Drawing on the following pages.

By the Hot Tub, Anthony Gonzales, 2011

William Donovan, 2011

T.M. Davy

Cruising, Anthony Gonzales

Shungaboy

Lovers, Carlos Pisco

Robert de Michiell, 2011

Kenneth Nadel, 2011

Duane Neil

Robert de Michiell

Trio Lounging by Pool, Shungaboy, 2011