June Silverberg: On Water and On Land
June Silverberg, photo of plein air painting in the park, circa 1998.
This blog post is for the upcoming popup show in honor of longtime Bowery Gallery member, June Silverberg, who passed in June of 2024 at the age of 89. To honor her life and commitment to the gallery, I composed this post from comments that members shared about June when she passed, along with more substantial thoughts that were offered from those who knew her well.
Many spoke of June’s friendship, her commitment to art making, and to the gallery. At a time in history where people are often criticized for being a member of a party or a group “in name only,” June’s commitment to the gallery never ceased, despite having left her full membership to the gallery in 2006 to become an associate member in 2007. In fact, gallery membership was an arbitrary line in the sand for June–a mere technicality. It is not merely the commitment to her own art making that made her so special–it was her active engagement in others’ art making, which was so palpably felt by gallery members long after she left the gallery.
Dena Schutzer wrote, “June once shared a perceptive observation with me on my work that fortified my path in a certain direction. That moment embodied the Bowery Gallery community spirit for me. Although she was not visibly present at the gallery that much in the past few years, she kept up avidly with gallery business through our minutes and came to see our shows.”
Naomi Nemtzow shared, “Parker tells me that June came to most of our shows, up through Simon's last show in March 2024. I hadn't appreciated that fact. She came during the day on weekdays in recent years, rather than to openings, so many of us missed seeing her. I do know that in recent times, getting around had become challenging - so her making that effort speaks to June's continued commitment to Bowery Gallery - to our work and to our community. She truly, deeply loved art and the people who make art.”
June Silverberg, Untitled watercolor 6, 6×10 inches.
Walter Stratch also shared, “June, a good friend of Barbara Goldstein and therefore a good friend of mine, was someone I’ll never forget. She always had a good word for everyone–including me!! Her steadfast art was always an assurance that some of us remained true to their purpose. I hope that everyone remembers her as I do.”
When members were discussing the idea for the popup show, Mary Lou Schuck replied, “June was so connected to the gallery during all her years as a member and to all its members as shown by her commitment to visit all the shows, to study the work and leave her praise, suggestions, encouragements, etc. She believed in the gallery and its artists. She would be astounded and honored to have such a remembrance!”
Barbara Grossman
I always really admired June’s exhibitions at Bowery Gallery. Her work was always poignant for its delicacy and its marriage with the strength of her conviction. She worked in a number of mediums and each one was in tune with her observations….
more slithery in watercolor…
June Silverberg, Untitled watercolor 3, 4.5×11.5 inches.
more geometric in oil paint…
June Silverberg, Untitled, boats on river with refinery at night, oil on masonite, 10×12 inches.
more evidence of strokes in colored pencil and speedy marks in the charcoals.
June Silverberg, Untitled charcoal 2, charcoal on paper, 6×9 inches.
They are all beautifully constructed and in all, the forms are wedded to color.
Many artists who live and work in the city make images of their experiences there, but June’s touched on the core of what living there means. Nothing was about the highlighted buildings or accouterments of a nice New York life. No, they are the scenes of the everyday engagement of a native New Yorker. Often, she captured people in Central Park making their way or lounging on the grassy fields. She was particularly taken by the nature that is accessible to us, such as the trees as they transformed from one season to another. The emphasis was on the density of the branches and colors of the blossoms or the turning leaves, with the sky holding it all together. Color was always part of the feeling and was built along with the structure she so keenly observed. They feel very ‘naturally found’, but underneath is an incredibly skilled and knowledgeable eye and hand.
June Silverberg, Untitled charcoal, (trees, figures), 6×9 inches.
Gael Mooney
June took pains to divert attention away from herself, wishing instead to focus on others rather than burdening them with her problems. This often made it difficult to draw her out and to give her the support that she needed and deserved. These very qualities, however, I believe are what made June such a great painter. June was attuned to all of the subtle nuances of her surroundings. Returning again and again to her same cherished motifs -- the Eastside harbor, the trees in Washington Square park, her flower paintings -- getting to know them intimately as one would a close friend. With her penetrating gaze and discerning eye, June brought to light the inherent gifts of her chosen motifs and what made them so special.
June Silverberg, December Roses, oil, 8×6 inches, 2021
As she wrote to me on the back side of the color xerox of this painting, in this small painting entitled December Roses (2021) measuring 8 x 6 inches, June wanted to capture the “roses blooming while their leaves are turning.” How many people would have noticed the ongoing transformation that the leaves were undergoing, much less been able to capture this mysterious process in a painting?!
Untitled (Cherry Tree in Bloom), watercolor, 6x9 inches, 2021.
Similarly, in Untitled (Cherry Tree in Bloom) -- also measuring just 6x9 inches -- June captures that moment of exaltation when the cherry blossoms fill the sky making us see and experience the world in a new light. With her ever patient and discerning eye, all of June’s work are celebrations of the hidden beauty of creation that is so often obscured in the hustle bustle of daily life.
Rita Baragona
My connection with June is through the Bowery Gallery. June and I became friends when she was a member. We stayed friends long after that. She came to all our shows at the Bowery, when no one was there, not only to see the art but to stay in touch. She sometimes wrote me a note telling me how much she loved it. Her connection was far deeper to the art than making small talk at an opening. She was so happy to see me, when we met on her street or at Curry in a Hurry. She will always be in my heart as a fellow lover of painting. Our friendship was cemented by our deep love of and caring for the beauty of the world around us.
To focus deeply on one thing is to find in it purpose, meaning, and solace. You can feel it in her paintings, especially the small intimate ones. Something deep inside her needed to be said through color, form, and light. The color and light so richly perceived, whether in the deep darks of the buildings at night or the glow of the sunlight on the river.
June Silverberg, Untitled, city at night
June’s paintings exude that deep focus and connection that a true lover of seeing has. Painting quelled June’s soul. Like Emily Dickinson, June lived her life for her art. She saw beauty around her and in her heart. June has touched us all with the depth of her seeing. In the words of Mary Oliver,
Whoever you are, no matter how lonely,
the world offers itself to your imagination,
calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting —
over and over announcing your place
in the family of things.
East River Evening, oil on masonite, 6x7 inches, 1984
Lastly, I stumbled upon a couple of quotes from June from the gallery’s file, which speak to how she perceived her own work, and on a grander level, on what painting is. To that end, I think it is appropriate to conclude this post with June’s own words on her work and on painting, itself. She writes,
“The impetus for the work is a direct response to the sensual world of appearances. By a slow process of distillation during the construction of the painting out of the initial feeling - materials, motif, and formal means are transformed into an expression of aspects underlying appearances - yet known to the spirit.”
June Silverberg, painting in the park.
Finally, from June, on 4/2/80:
“Why paint?
Metaphysical sense in touch with underlying forces in universe - light and space as metaphors - infinity.”
June Silverberg: On Water and On Land is on view from June 17-21, 2025, with a reception on Thursday, June 19th, 5pm-8pm. Conversation and remembrances of the artist will begin at 6:30 pm.
-Eileen Mooney.
