Hey you,
This summer is shaping up to be somewhat busy, featuring intermittent art events and appreciable time at the New London rental, visits with old friends and family, and studio time. Here’s the layout for June.
On June 2, 6–8 pm, I’ll be taking part in book launch and panel discussion at the Bowery Poetry Club (308 Bowery, NYC) centered on the new Cora Cohen monograph – a wonderful collection of images and texts about her work, beautifully designed by Miko McGinty Studio. Cora’s paintings are grand and exciting — full of energy as if they’re perpetually in the process of becoming. If you haven’t spent time with her work, this is a great excuse to dive in, first at the talk and then with the book. In an interview with artist Jason Stopa, included in the book, Cora talked about something I think about — migrating away from the standards taught in school. “The whole idea of paintings working and being pushed and all of that … I don’t know. It seemed kind of stupid. Like, why should a painting ‘work.’ Maybe it should ‘play.’” The panel will include Rebecca Ness, Barbara MacAdam, and me, and Raphael Rubinstein will moderate the discussion.
Opening June 11: I’ve got a couple paintings in a group show called “Twenty by Sixteen” at Morgan Lehman in Chelsea, from June 11 through July 31. Swing by for the opening reception on Thursday, June 11, 6–8 PM. It’s the fourth iteration of an exhibition originally conceived by curator emeritus Geoffrey Young and will be the inaugural show in Morgan Lehman’s newly expanded space in the Chelsea Art Building. Thanks Jan and Sally.
Morgan Lehman Gallery, 526 West 26th Street, Suite 410, New York, NY
Opening June 25: “Volcano Garden,” This past year, I’ve been the mentor for an international ten-artist cohort in The Canopy Program, an innovative artist-run project in NYC. My year with this talented group culminates with a short exhibition in the Canopy Studio in Chelsea. The opening reception is Thursday, June 25, 6-8 pm. Please stop by — it’s conveniently located in the same building as the show at Morgan Lehman. Thanks to Brittany and Catherine for making this possible.
The Canopy Studio, 508 West 26th street. #6E, New York, NY. Gallery hours are Thursday evening, 6-8 pm, Friday and Saturday, 12-5pm.
May 31–June 5: Two Coats of Paint welcomes Mirabel Wigon as our resident artist in June. She is a California-based artist whose work draws together ecology, philosophy, and visual art. In her drawings and paintings, she constructs and dismantles plant forms to explore what she calls “messy entanglement” – the overlapping relationships that shape life on the planet. Her art moves well beyond botanical illustration, building a visual mythology in which flowers and plants become central characters in stories about disruption and resilience. Open Studio: Please stop by Two Coats of Paint HQ for Mirabel’s Open Studio on Wednesday, June 3, 5–7 PM. We’ll also have Open Studio hours in July and August for different residents; details to come.
Two Coats of Paint, 22-19 41st Avenue, 6th Floor, Long Island City, NY
On the jurying front: This month I’ll be selecting work for a national group show at Axis Gallery, an artist-run space in downtown Sacramento with a reputation for presenting challenging exhibitions. If you want to apply, don’t delay — the deadline is May 31. I have Immense gratitude for the organizations that invite me to select their shows, and the artists who participate in the competitions. I love seeing what artists who are based outside of New York are making, and the fees help support Two Coats of Paint.
I recently selected work for a national group show at Prince Street Gallery in Chelsea, and out of more than 450 submissions, I had to narrow it down to 45. I rejected a slew of good work – enough for several group shows! I decided to focus on abstraction and unusual uses of materials rather than choosing one painting in every genre and category. The show runs from July 7 – 25, so I hope you’ll stop by and take a look. If you want to learn more about the selection process, I’ll be giving a casual talk at Prince Street Gallery in July. There’s no date set yet, but it will be on a Saturday at 2 PM.
Ongoing exhibition: Green Wall 3 remains on view at Art Cake in “Abstract by Definition: An Index,” the historic American Abstract Artists’ 90th anniversary exhibition, through May 30. On Saturday, the last day of the show, a panel discussion, moderated by Jason Stopa with member panelists Liz Ainslee, Marthe Keller, and Russell Maltz will close the show. The beautiful exhibition catalogue will also be available, and I’m looking forward to getting my copy. I’ll see you there.
Art Cake 214 40th Street, Brooklyn, NY
Writing: Based on my notes for a panel discussion about abstract painting that took place on May 9, 2026, at Art Cake, I published “How the term “zombie formalism” killed the next generation.” at Two Coats of Paint.
“In 2014, a single phrase reshaped the trajectory of contemporary abstract painting. When the late Walter Robinson – painter, critic, and veteran of the Pictures Generation – coined the derogatory term ‘zombie formalism’ in an essay for Artspace, he set off a chain reaction that would stigmatize a generation of young abstract artists and cast a long shadow over abstraction in general….” Read more.
I can’t say everyone agreed with me, but I think it’s worth a discussion. Read an excellent response from Becky Brown, an artist and professor at SUNY Buffalo, here.
Panelists were Saul Ostrow and myself, with Tom McGlynn as moderator. Catch the video of the discussion here.
Literary Journal: Several paintings are included in the Spring/Summer 2026 issue of The Evergreen Review alongside poetry by Erin Redfern. For more info on this project, check out the May Newsletter.
Future plans: Later in the summer, I’ll be heading up to New Berlin, NY, for a visit with all the wonderful people at the Golden Art Foundation. I plan to do some research on alternative printmaking materials and processes. I’m also looking forward to seeing “Made in Paint” an exhibition featuring the 18 artists who were 2025 residents at Golden.
Ok, it looks like summer is going to be busier than I thought. I hope to see you somewhere — maybe at Ocean Beach, which was voted one of the top ten boardwalks in the country. If you’re in New London, give me a shout — I’ve got a parking pass for the beach 🙂
Thanks for reading.
–Sharon
For more info and images of work, visit www.sharonlbutler.com. Follow me on Insta @sharon_butler
About the author: Sharon Butler is a painter and the publisher of Two Coats of Paint. Note: This piece was originally published in Sharon Butler Notebooks on Substack. Subscribe here.
