Veterinarian couple bets on local artists

Red Eft gallery opens in Wurtsboro

By FRITZ MAYER

WURTSBORO, NY — Dr. Linda Tintle is no newcomer to the area. She’s been practicing veterinary medicine in Wurtsboro since 1986. Her husband, Dr. Dean Tintle, joined her to expand the practice to become a full-service veterinary medical facility 11 years ago.

Both Dean and Linda are, however, new to the art world. Even so, when they bought the building next door to their clinic on Sullivan Street, they decided to open an art gallery.

At a ribbon cutting ceremony at the newly renovated Red Eft Gallery on August 9, Linda said, “As a business person, I thought this would be the best use for the building, and would be good for the community.”

The couple hired Mamakating artist Roberta Rosenthal to serve as curator and artistic director. Rosenthal said in preparing the opening exhibit, she visited the studios of all 18 artists featured in the opening exhibit, and even commissioned a couple of pieces.

Rosenthal said the gallery will focus on local artists, and all of the artists on display in the opening live in Ulster, Orange and Sullivan counties. The works are all for sale at prices ranging from $30 for a small bowl by potter Cecily Fortescue to a $10,000 painting called “Schnookems” by painter Jennifer Finch.

Tintle said the gallery is a commercial venture, and would not go the non-profit route; she said, “We didn’t want to take the building off the tax roles.” There are a few other commercial galleries in the area, but none of the size and scope of Red Eft, which has 92 works of art on display.

Tintle said the target is to stage eight to 10 exhibits a year. The building also houses an art instruction school, and Tintle hopes the revenue from the classes will help offset some of the cost of mounting the exhibits.

New York State Senator John Bonacic put in an appearance at the ceremony to help launch the venture. He said he met Tintle when she was lobbying in Albany with the state association of veterinarians, and she invited him to the ribbon cutting.

Bonacic said, “This is the kind of activity we need, because of the kind of people coming up here. This is for all people, don’t get me wrong, but I’m pleased to see this. It’ll bring more people to Wurtsboro.”

Finally this question: So what’s a red eft, anyway?

A red eft is the pre-adult stage, but post-tadpole stage, version of the common salamander. After being born as a tadpole, the baby salamander develops legs and crawls around on land for a few years as a red eft, before returning to live in the water as an adult newt.

Visit www.redeftgallery.com for more on the gallery.