There is an art gallery just as fascinating and captivating as the galleries that are seen in the neighborhoods of the city and in downtown Brooklyn.  Most of us are comfortable living in the neighborhood of the Bay Area and the neighborhoods that border it and are proud to call it our home.  However, while the Bay Area and areas around it are rich in many things, they are not known to be rich in art.  However, that is changing.  With many thanks to the Brooklyn Streetcar Artists’ group (BSAG).

The Brooklyn Streetcar Artists’ group is currently holding it’s first ever exhibit and it’s in Coney Island Hospital.  Coney Island, an area notorious for fun and exciting festivities and landmark places to visit, will now be more complete with a diverse collection of art.  Decorating the recreational second floor of the hospital are 49 pieces of diverse art from 22 unique artists, mostly from Brooklyn.

A piece that was a magnet for attention was “Wedding” by Joseph Manutti.  The oil painting is a body of a woman in a burgundy red dress with golden-yellow tones as hands embraced by a paler hand, the paleness possibly representing the unknown, the new life that one starts after marriage.  The picture is powerful and its deep colors make it a clear stand out.  Another piece that attracted attendees was a painting positioned near Manutti’s, also with deep and rich captivating colors by Audrey Anastasi, co-director of the Tabla Rasa Gallery in Sunset Park.

More pieces that drew crowds included one from Joe Cook, who painted a Brooklyn street with brush strokes reminiscent to well-known historic artist Vincent Van Gogh’s brush strokes, creating the feeling that the trees and leaves are moving in the painting.

In addition to those paintings on display, are some watercolor paintings by Anthony Marra, an artist with impaired vision.  The watercolor paintings consist of laid-back earth tone colors such as greens, light golden yellows, and earthy browns, and deep forest greens, showing nature in a peaceful relaxed light.  Marra said he chose to paint something he remembered from his childhood.   Many also gathered around a set of etchings by Jai Seok Kang that successfully showed the intensity of emotions and facial expressions.

Also on display were a handful of diverse photographs that successfully captured the personality and beauty of their subjects- one being a photo of a tall stack of succulent pancakes with blueberries by Victoria Lapin.  Also on display are photographs highlighting Brooklyn and New York such as close-ups of the glamorous participants of the Labor Day parade in the Eastern Parkway section of Brooklyn by Gerard Barbot, and detailed photographs of flowers from the New York Botanic Garden by Steve Kompel.  Some photographs displayed went long distance.  Richard Resnick has two black and white photographs up, from Fort Morrow in Puerto Rico.

Coney Island wasn’t forgotten in this art show either.   After all, it is fitting.  Some pieces that depicted places in Coney Island was “Nathan’s Famous” by Bill Storoniak, a lively photo so bright and vivid, there’s no guarantee it won’t induce hunger when glaring.  There’s also “Astroland” by Deborah Matlack, showing all the food shops primarily consisting of shades of reds and blue.  There are also more paintings that give Brooklyn and the city attention such as “Brooklyn Bridge” and “Washington Mews" from Harriet Piltch, who masters the realistic two-dimensional style, bringing what she paints to life.  Takeshi Yamada, a resident of Coney Island also had a piece on display called “Time is Money” with sharp colors that were executed immaculately.

Also Featured in the art show were also Mother-son duo Beryl Brenner and Michael Brenner.  Beryl has a unique series of pieces she made consisting of fused glass and paper and mixed media.  Michael has two paintings- one is a portrait of a fellow artist, and the other is of his hand enlarged with imaginative colors and vibrant brush strokes, creating a fiery glow.

Speaking of glows, the Brooklyn Streetcar Artists’ Group has officially brought the glow of art to Coney Island Hospital and to South Brooklyn through this exhibit.  While this is their first exhibit, it opens doors for the group’s future.

“We’d like to have our own art center in Coney Island, to have a gallery space to display art, classroom space, and an auditorium and a studio for performing arts,” said Arthur Melnick, the executive director of the Brooklyn Streetcar Artists’ Group.

Melnick, along with some others, founded the Brooklyn City Streetcar Company in Late 2001-early 2002.  The non-profit organization was originally created to bring pollution free transportation to Brooklyn in the form of historic trolleys.  In 2008, the organization also decided to start a dedicated artists group.

The exhibit also opens doors for the future of the hospital, and the neighborhood.

“This hospital is the birthplace of the art scene for Coney Island,” said Beryl Brenner in a press release.  Beryl was also thrilled to have her art exhibited in the area she grew up in.

“Manhattan has hundreds of art studios, why can’t we,” said Councilman Domenic M. Recchia Jr., chairman of the Cultural Arts Committee.

“I know how important it is to support local artists, and Coney Island is a vibrant community with a rich history,” Recchia said.  “This artwork will create an atmosphere of warmth and healing for the people who come here.”

This concept, that the art will create a more pleasant atmosphere for those reluctant to visit hospitals is something that many agreed with.

“It’s an unexpected pleasure,” Associate Executive Director of Coney Island Hospital James Saunders previously told the Bay Currents.

“Hospitals are places of healing and nurturing and it is only fitting that we nurture local artists and their works within this healing space,” Arthur Wagner, senior VP executive director of Coney Island Hospital said in a press release.

“We’re very grateful for Coney Island Hospital for providing this opportunity for our wonderful artists and to James Saunders in particular for his devotion to bringing this project to fruition,” Melnick said.

The exhibit also creates an art world of its own for Southern Brooklyn.

“This begins the art world’s invasion of Southern Brooklyn,” Melnick said.

The diversity of the South Brooklyn section was touched on as well.  South Brooklyn has become a highly diverse area, and it’s only fair that it has something everyone, no matter what his or her native language, can understand together- art.

“There are so many languages spoken here but there is one language that is uniting everyone, and that language is art,” said Assemblyman Alec Brook-Krasny.

The exhibit runs on the hospital’s second floor, down the hall from the cafeteria runs until November 27, weekdays from 9 a.m.-6 p.m.  This time, no one should feel reluctant to visit a hospital.  Don’t miss out on the newest universal language in South Brooklyn, the magnificent language of art.

If you have an image of librarians as dour old ladies with out-of-fashion glasses, get ready for your preconception to be shattered.

Just catch a gig by “Lost in the Stacks,” a group of performers who are Brooklyn Public Library librarians by day but hip musicians by night.

“It was destiny,” said Eileen Kassab, vocalist and guitarist. “We all fell into place and stayed into place.”

“Libraries attract artists,” said Sharon Tidwell, who plays the flute and percussion. “The hours are conducive since we are not open late -- it’s an easy transition from being a librarian.”

“Lost In The Stacks” – with a performance coming up Aug. 4 near KeySpan Park in Coney Island -- started in 2004 with seven members and eventually expanded into its current nine. In addition to Kassab and Tidwell, there are Jack McCleland, guitar, keyboards; Clyde Kerlew, vocals, guitar, and other instruments; James Shanahan, bass guitar, guitar, banjo, and vocals; Stephen Stickney, 6- and 12-string guitar; Richie Araldi, drums, percussion, vocals; Matt Cole, alto and bari sax, percussion; and Harold Stern, trombone and percussion.

SHEEPSHEAD BAY -- Emmons Avenue along the Bay has long attracted people from the five boroughs and beyond for the restaurants, the fishing boats, and the nearby beaches. There are few things more pleasant than sitting in the sun or under the moon and stars, viewing the water as a soft breeze comes in.