On March 24th, 2025, students from various art classes at the Wheatley school came together to go on an exciting field trip. The classes visited the Nassau County Art Museum located in Roslyn Harbor, New York. As an Art student, I am very happy I was able to visit. I found the museum to be both educational and enjoyable; I learned so much and had a great experience!
The Nassau County Art Museum hosts various exhibitions year-round. When the Wheatley School visited, we were there for the ‘Deco at 100’ exhibition. This was an exhibition that included art pieces from the Roaring Twenties and The Jazz Age. This era, known as the Gilded Age, played a key role in Long Island as it marked the beginning of a cultural advancement. As someone who loves both history and art, this museum was so interesting to me! Some of the artists who created works in the Deco at 100 exhibition include: Louis Comfort Tiffany, Fernand Léger, Guy Pène du Bois, Gaston Lachaise, Elie Nadelman, and Reginald Marsh.
Beyond the three-story Georgian-style mansion housing these artworks, the museum also sits on 145 acres of land, which the art classes had the opportunity to explore. Art students were able to walk around the outdoors and observe over 40 sculptures that the museum has on display. After the students took pictures or drew sketches, we met up to discuss our next activity. Each student found a scene or structure that they wanted to sketch out. I chose to draw the mansion that housed the artworks that we had previously observed during our trip. I enjoyed this activity because it gave me the freedom to sketch anything on the museum’s scenic grounds. This enabled me to capture the beauty of the mansion and the historical elements in its architecture. During our tour, we also learned about The Frick Family who once owned the mansion.
Visiting the Nassau County Art museum during the “Deco at 100” exhibition was a spectacular experience. The paintings, sculptures, furniture, and fashion all brought the 1920s and 1930s to life. I am grateful that I was able to attend this trip and I hope to return in the future.
