JULY 2026 NEWSLETTER
Selfie by Cheryl R. Riley
Dear Readers,
As always, I am grateful for your feedback, questions, and offers of support. The Wife and I have completed the requirements to become residents of Portugal. It is a wonderful new experience to be able to walk to so many destinations, to avoid the sound of impatient drivers honking, and to enjoy temperate weather that is neither too hot nor too cold.
I am grateful that The Wife was attentive to both my needs and hers as we entered this next stage of our lives together. The only difficulty I have encountered is learning the language. I have studied Spanish, Italian, and Japanese with less difficulty. I’m not sure how much of the difficulty is due to my age or whether Portuguese really is more difficult. Fortunately, many Portuguese people speak perfect English. Still, I feel an obligation to be able to communicate, especially with elders who do not speak English. So those brain cells are getting needed exercise.
Next up is looking into possibilities for me in the new world. If you have any suggestions, don’t hesitate to share.
Blessings,
Cheryl
“THINGS THAT LOOK LIKE MAGIC: CHERYL R. RILEY & WHARTON ESHERICK”
LongHouse Exhibit
Curated by
GLENN ADAMSON
133 Hands Creek Road, East Hampton, NY 11937
May 2, 2026 – September 6, 2026
Those of you who have spent time in the Hamptons may know about and have visited LongHouse. This nirvana, created by textile designer Jack Lenor Larsen and inspired by Native peoples, was designed and built as a summer home, arboretum, and art park filled with wonders of the world. Jack and I were longtime friends. We both served on the board of the American Craft Museum, now the Museum of Arts and Design (MAD), in New York City.
I spent many enriching days with him, learning about his newest plants, all while being chauffeured in his golf cart. His sharp eyes and years of experience enabled him to spot even the smallest or most camouflaged weeds. We received rich insights into the monumental sculptures dotting the property, which changed each summer.
If you go to the Hamptons before September 6, do visit the esteemed LongHouse. There, you can view my exhibit, where multiple media of my work are paired with that of the late artist Wharton Esherick. In that spirit, many objects that inspired my sculptures or may potentially be included in them are being shown.
This entire exhibit is sponsored by my dear longtime friend and generous patron, Barbara Tober. Esteemed curator Glenn Adamson, together with Director Carrie Rebora Barratt, chose and is displaying a diverse collection of morsels, both small (spheres) and large (the Arizona/New Mexico Mirror), from my Jersey City studio.
McCOLL CENTER FOR ART + INNOVATION - Artist Residency
July 20, 2026 – August 25, 2026
Charlotte, NC
Photo by Cheryl R. Riley
I am currently in what we artists consider “heaven on earth”—a residency. This is one of the best I have been awarded. The McColl Center in Charlotte, North Carolina, has everything one could hope for to enable complete immersion in one’s creative self.
My living quarters are conveniently located in an apartment complex directly across the street from the studio building, so I can work any hours I choose without having to deal with transportation distances.
I have a huge studio here, which enables me to work on several projects concurrently. Yesterday, I set up the jewelry table in colorways for a workshop program in my studio. It is a give-back requirement for all resident artists, and I always enjoy and appreciate the opportunity to bring in the community and inspire youth and older children.
I conducted a workshop on July 23 with locals who made “Sculptures in the Form of a Necklace.”
Created with an array of objects from my collection, as well as bracelets on stretch bands. I was enchanted by their excitement and their headlong plunges into my cache of beads and objects. Even the Executive Director and Chief Curator, Asa Jackson, shown in the last image, made a bracelet for his daughter. Need I say more? A great time was had by all. It was wonderful to see what they selected and how they paired the eclectic components.
I am grateful for this opportunity to focus solely on making art and plan to create a cache of new Sculpture Necklaces. I look forward to sharing them with you in the next newsletter.
SCULPTURES IN THE FORM OF A NECKLACE SALE
Three of my Sculptures in the Form of a Necklace are in the permanent collection of, and on permanent display at, the Museum of Arts and Design at Columbus Circle in New York City.
All of the necklaces shown below are one-of-a-kind. If none of this first group suits you, not to worry, I will share another group on August 20.
These are special sale prices, which will increase after November 1, 2025. Necklaces will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis. This is a limited-time offer, and no orders will be accepted after August 20.
To purchase, please email me at cherylrriley@gmail.com with your first and second choices, along with your mailing address. Once I receive your information, I will calculate the packing and insured shipping costs and send you an invoice. Payment may be made through Zelle or Venmo. Once payment has cleared, I will ship your necklace promptly.
Photo by David Livingston
Left to Right
1. Wood, plastic, and glass beads on copper wire
$500
2. Marrow bone dipped in gold paint, with wood, plastic, and glass beads on a leather cord. The cord can be adjusted to any length by untying the knot and trimming the excess if desired.
$400
3. Wood, metal, and orange ceramic beads with a tassel on a brown leather cord
$300
4. Metal, glass, rhinestone, and mother-of-pearl beads on copper wire
$600
Note: Prices do not include packing and insured shipping. These costs will be calculated based on your mailing address and added to your invoice before payment is made through Zelle or Venmo.
EXTRAORDINARY THINGS
FLINN GALLERY
101 West Putnam Avenue, Second Floor, Greenwich, CT 06830
Opening reception: Thursday, May 7, 6–8 p.m.
Artists Talk: Sunday, May 17, at 2 pm
May 7, 2026 – June 17, 2026
Great Migration Suitcases, 2018. Photo by Tatsuro Nishimura
Works from my Transcendence Preserved sculpture series were recently featured in extraORDINARY things, a four-artist group exhibition at The Flinn, curated by Ellen Hawley. The exhibition, which ran from May 7 through June 17, explored what household objects can reveal about our histories, domestic lives, and identities.
In Transcendence Preserved, areas touched or handled by the body are treated with gold. The series honors the resilience of my family and of generations across races and nationalities who have survived, thrived, and excelled despite prejudice, racism, and imposed boundaries.
Reggie Van Lee, my good friend and major collector, acquired the Singer sewing machine and the typewriter for his family compound, where custom pedestals are being fabricated for their display.
@BLACK_UNBOXED
Check out this Instagram for brilliantly investigative descriptions about the works of artists and designers of the Black African diaspora. I am honored to have been included some months ago and thrilled I stumbled upon it thanks to the Instagram filter that suggested it to me.
CHERYL’S ARTIST PICK OF THE MONTH ADEBUNMI GBADEBO
I’m so happy I was able to attend the Venice Biennale and see the latest ceramics and paper compositions created by my ‘goddaughter,’ the amazingly talented and intellectual artist, Adebunmi Gbadebo. I’ve shown her work before in a gallery and also at the Metropolitan Museum, which acquired one of her clay vessels ornamented with my hair.
