I visited the Rockaways first in 2007 and again last summer. Here is a Movie Short sharing these moments, including bull dozers on the beach during the recovery efforts post Hurricane Sandy.
Have a Happy 4th of July!
Until next time.
Teresa, 51art
adventure is life, live it! ®
Fort Tilden has so much history. And it has been recounted in detail by experts and real life heroes.
So I give you these links and tell you it is worth your time. It is fascinating. You will have a greater appreciation for The Rockaways. Trust me.
Until next time.
Teresa, 51art
adventure is life, live it! ®
When I encounter something never seen before, I become a little unsettled. I think that is true for most people. Questions that came to mind quickly were: what the heck was this thing and what hid behind its walls? (see prior post.) Further research shows this is actually Battery Harris, a gun battery used during the war/s.
As I approached the stairs, a man was climbing down from the tower, so I stepped aside to let him pass. I wanted this space all to myself.
WOW. Incredible. To the East was Long Island. To the South the Atlantic. To the West New York Harbor and New Jersey. To the North Coney Island and Manhattan. And directly below, 173 feet below, dunes and natural vegetation.
I stayed up here for about 30 minutes. A cruise ship was leaving the harbor. Tankers were waiting at anchorage. Pleasure boats were cruising in and out of Jamaica Bay. And I had this place all to myself.
At some point a father and son started the journey up the steps and I used this as my cue to head out. Plus I needed to get those other shots before the sun finally set. And my bravery was starting to waver just a bit…
THIS IS NEW YORK CITY. crazy!
Until next time.
Teresa, 51art
adventure is life, live it! ®
Abandoned buildings, an old “watch” tower with amazing views of the city & the ocean continued to haunt my thoughts. What was out there? I usually play by the rules, but as I get older it seems these rules need to be broken; curiosity got the best of me.
Having discovered the Rockaway Artist Alliance on my last trip, I submitted work to one of their upcoming shows. To my delight they accepted 4 pieces into Artspash, a month-long show in the studios at Fort Tilden. As a participant, we were asked to spend time at the show to answer questions for the spectators.
A Sunday afternoon in early September, I volunteered my time. At 4:30pm it was time take that hike into the unknown. The sunlight and shadows were amazing and I was feeling brave.
I know that sounds a bit ridiculous me living in the city. Walking the streets of Manhattan even at 4:00am is much different from walking into the woods where everything is silent.
Here are the justified reasons why I had a touch of fear in my belly. My cellphone reception was minimal. I was walking alone with my camera in unfamiliar territory that was off-limits (meaning no one would be patrolling here). I didn’t have a map and I didn’t tell anyone where I was heading. There were abandoned buildings along this road and the trail took me in about a mile from civilization. Other than that, everything was just fine.
Capturing a great image was the driving force so I climbed over the fence into the forbidden territory. As I walked I began to relax taking everything in around me. The shadows and shimmers from the sunlight were giving me so many photographic opportunities, it was incredible.
A fork in the road and a building. What to do. I was in search of the tower and would revisit this building on my way out.
Birds flew over head, the sun was beginning to dip in the west. Passing another abandoned building I noticed it was covered in graffiti. This would be another great shot on the way back.
A bit further and a clearing came into view. Then I saw this massive, strange cement structure. I was looking for an open ranger/fire tower, one like I remember from childhood. No wonder I couldn’t see this in the distance. This tower was built into a hill with vegetation giving it cover. During wartime, this was a gun battery known as Battery Harris.
I had arrived. It was time to climb to the top.
Until next time.
Teresa, 51art
adventure is life, live it! ®
As I walked around the grounds of Fort Tilden that were “open” to the public a few things circled in my mind. This space is so vast; what went on here and why all these randomly placed buildings?
Some were made of wood, some of brick. Some were in use, some appeared to be empty for decades. Every once in a while a parks department vehicle would drive by.
A chapel stood in the center of it all; eerie shapes appeared through the windows as if they were ghosts. At the entrance was a very peculiar sign:
At this point I really had no idea what I stumbled upon as children were playing soccer and softball in the open fields. In the distance day campers were doing something with paint. And across the road from where they played were people working in the community garden ensuring those large sunflowers would grow to their full height.
When the ranger drove by again, I stopped him and began asking my questions.
When I asked him if I could walk around, he told me only in the designated area’s. Everything else was restricted.
Hmmmm….what was this place?
Joyous sounds were coming from the children at camp, so I walked over to discover this program was run by the Rockaway Artist Alliance. The RAA had 2 studio’s in these old military buildings; they worked with artists near and far. The councilors told me that beyond the fence to the west, was an old “watch” tower used when Fort Tilden was a military base. It was 173 feet high, with amazing views. But it was “off-limits” according to the park.
I thanked them for their time and information and continued walking up to the beach where I witnessed the destruction from the storm.
Until next time.
Teresa, 51art
adventure is life, live it! ®
Today my post comes to you in 5 parts. It continues the journey deeper into the Rockaways uncovering some hidden gems and forgotten spaces that have been abandoned by man and rescued by nature. It also explores a section of beach that has been impacted by nature and has not yet been returned to man.
Over the summer and into early fall of 2013, I returned to understand and document the impact Hurricane Sandy had to this area. More and more I became intrigued by the history and the stories the locals shared.
I hope you enjoy the journey:
Until next time.
Teresa, 51art
adventure is life, live it! ®
Over the past few years I have volunteered at ICP. I find teaching teenagers through the Teen Academy program most interesting-these young people continue to amaze me with their creativity.
As my relationship with the school grows, the continued networking with the educational staff stretches me artistically demanding a higher level of performance as a photographer.
On August 8, 2013 I received an email from the Coordinator of Community Programs at ICP regarding an exhibit that would coincide with the anniversary of Hurricane Sandy. The Museum of the City of New York (MCNY) would be pulling images exclusively from open calls for this show; they extended the offering to the ICP educational staff. Since I had images from the storm, I submitted to the call with no expectations. [I have submitted too many times to count to a variety of shows in the past and been “kindly” turned down, but continued with optimism that this time would be different…]
On August 16 I received an email with the subject Hurricane Sandy Exhibition. As I read the first line in the email, I expected a familiar response just like before. Basically “thanks for submitting, but no thanks…”
Instead this is what it said:
Thank you so much for submitting photographs of Hurricane Sandy in response to the Museum of the City of New York’s open call. I am writing to inform you that your work has been selected for a special preview exhibition, Rising Waters: Photographs of Hurricane Sandy, which opens on Governors Island on August 24th.
I was not expecting this. As the words processed in my brain, there were multiple emotions rising to the surface. I couldn’t help laughing, and then I couldn’t help crying. I kept moving around my apartment shouting and balling-my dog Kodi didn’t know what to do.
The joy and relief that if you keep persevering eventually a dream will come true. These few positive words launched a release of emotions that have been building for years-it was exhilarating!!
Saturday I visited the exhibit on Governors Island. It blew me away. Having lived through the storm, photographs of areas hit much harder than my part of town moved me in a way that can only be experienced first hand. The tragedy and the optimism-the human spirit that keeps moving forward.
I saw for the first time in my photography career my name and work projected on a wall over 8 feet tall. That made this all real.
The exhibit RISING WATERS: Images of Hurricane Sandy is on display through September 29, 2013. Please join me at the closing reception September 22, 1-4:00pm. You will be very happy you did.
Until next time.
Teresa, 51art
adventure is life, live it! ®
Act 1-It was summertime in the NorthEast. Having grown up on the ocean where I learned how to swim about the same time I learned how to walk, there was a natural pull to the coast as soon as the weather turned warm. Since a vacation was not in my future this year, being able to “get away” was going to be defined in a new way.
Act 2-As an artist, the lines between working and relaxing continually blend together as work easily takes over more and more of the day. To keep working without realizing that time off hasn’t been taken for days, weeks, even months becomes the norm. Creating something unique and inspiring would (and still does) have all cylinders running-the down time could wait. I needed to specifically plan time “off” to explore and recharge.
Act 3-Recent articles in the New York Times discussed how certain parts of the city were still having troubles rebuilding after Hurricane Sandy. I had never visited many of these areas and was curious to see these neighborhoods first hand. A specific article regarding Broad Channel gave me pause; my curiosity was peaked and I needed to explore.
The Connection
With all of this turning over in my mind, I consulted google. I looked for city beaches that would be less crazy; those that would remind me of what I experienced at the Jersey Shore many years ago with my grandparents. I wanted something I could get to by METRO card, that would bring me to places hard hit by Sandy.
A beach located in Queens that is part of the National Parks System fit the bill. July 17th I declared my first day of my “ONE DAY OFF A WEEK” project. I packed my bag with reading material, snacks and water for the day. And off I went by subway to Jacob Riis Park, part of the Gateway National Recreation Area that includes The Rockaways, Staten Island, and Sandy Hook, NJ.
This first day traveling (about 2hrs) was to get familiar with the trip. And to jump in the ocean and enjoy a bit of summer. These beaches have waves that are great for body surfing (if you enjoy that sort of thing…)!
Since then, I have traveled to the Rockaway’s once a week on my “Day Off” to continue the exploration and discovery, getting there a variety of ways. (Subway, Bus, Bike, Car)
One day I bicycled from Bay Ridge Brooklyn through Coney Island, over the Marine Parkway-Gil Hodges Memorial Bridge, into Breezy Point, (a closed community which I find very peculiar for a borough of NYC) and then on to the subway at 116th street (approx 25miles).
One day I explored Fort Tilden, a National Park where it’s beaches are currently closed due to Sandy. Serious erosion along the shore makes this stretch of beach unsafe, and rumor has it that ammunition from WW2 washed ashore during the storm. While there I explored the studios of the Rockaway Artist Alliance. (More to come later regarding this organization.)
One day I took the subway to Broad Channel and biked across the Cross Bay Bridge into the Rockaways riding along the (broken) boardwalk out to Long Island. On the way back I discovered Boardwalk Bagel at 108th street that makes the best crumb cake, the kind you can only find at the beach. I ate it on my $2.00 ferry ride back to Wall Street.
These are just some of the hi-lights of what I discovered, and still so much more I haven’t.
There is over 7 miles of beach and boardwalk that opens to the Atlantic Ocean. And then there is all of Jamaica Bay. This is New York City.
The NYC Parks Department manages most of the area, and the balance is maintained by the National Parks Service. Filled with rich history, lots of natural wildlife, and miles and miles of area to explore, I am blown away that this is still NYC. I can travel with $2.50 for the subway ride and a whole lot of curiosity. This is why I love this town!
And the people of this community are working hard to rebuild after Sandy. As I continue to visit this neighborhood weekly, I am discovering the strength of New York City. These visits have also given me the basis for my next documentary project. (Stay tuned…)
Until next time.
Teresa, 51art
adventure is life, live it! ®
When Hurricane Sandy was on it’s way, New Yorkers were still a bit skeptical about the storm’s potential based on our experiences from last year with Hurricane Irene.
As I did with Irene, my goal was to photograph the progress of the storm.
The city shut down late afternoon on Monday October 29, 2012 to brace for what was to come. That included all forms of transportation, so I spent time in my neighborhood.
I went out on 3 separate occasions during the 24 hours that Sandy came to town. The first was around 4:00pm on Monday, as winds began to pick up and the East River began to rise. It didn’t spill over at this time; that would come around 9:00pm when the tide was high and the moon was full.
During the peak of the storm, not realizing how powerful the winds truly were I headed down toward the river. (These images in the dark were taken around 9:30pm on Monday night.) As a result of not heeding Mayor Bloomberg’s warnings, a gust actually lifted me, blowing me up East 78th Street. I thank the gentleman (my guardian angel) that was ahead of me, as he stopped the momentum of that surge.
Next time the forecast calls for wind gusts of 80 mph+, I will think twice. Today I count my blessings that from that night I have just a badly sprained knee. However, I needed to document the event and would have stayed longer if not for what happened.
I did witness the East River at a height I’ve never seen before. As I stood on the corner of East 78th Street and the FDR Drive, the water was up to my knees.
Things could have been much worse, as many residents of my city have lost their homes.
This is why I am thankful for the many little things that come my way.
Until next time.
Teresa, 51art
adventure is life, live it! ®
As we all find our way and move forward after the incredible storm that hit the mid-atlantic coast, I find that a moment of reflection to what once was and to what will be is appropriate. As I mentioned in my July posting “The Merry-Go-Round”, I spent many a happy day at a boardwalk amusement park in Seaside Heights, New Jersey.
Photo courtesy of Fox News Latino
During the surge of Hurricane Sandy, this section along the Jersey Shore was one of many that has transformed from a thriving summer resort to a pile of rubble.
One has to stand in awe to the power nature truly has.
As painful as it may be to see the destruction of places and things we love, it helps put into perspective what things we really cherish: family, friends and memories.
And as we rebuild here in NYC, Long Island and New Jersey, we should keep the force of nature in mind to make sounder decisions. Change what once was so that the future will be stronger and brighter-allowing nature the space it needs to eb and flow.
I wish everyone a safe recovery.
Until next time.
Teresa, 51art
adventure is life, live it! ®
A Touch of Yellow in NYC 