‘Snakes on Downey Rd, Millerton, NY, 2025,’ a pigment print by Theo Coulombe and Eve Biddle, from the series ‘Fields of Snakes.’ Printed from an 8×10-inch color negative on archival rag paper, 32 by 40 inches, 2024.
Artist and Standard Space founder Theo Coulombe and Eve Biddle, artist and co-executive director of The Wassaic Project, share a fascination with land, body and transformation. Their recent collaboration is culminating in “Fields of Snakes,” opening at Standard Space in Sharon on Nov. 8.
The exhibit features new large-format landscapes by Coulombe alongside a collaborative body of work: photographs of Biddle’s ceramic sculptures placed within the very landscapes Coulombe captures.
Collaboration is central to both artists’ creative lives. Coulombe opened Standard Space in 2017 after decades in Brooklyn’s photography scene and has built the gallery into a space known for its collaborative spirit and sharp curatorial eye. For Biddle, collaboration is practically a medium in itself.
“I love his work,” Biddle said of Coulombe. “It’s so fun to collaborate with someone who thinks about the same things — about land and our physical relationship with land, and our body and looking and appreciating our local beautiful landscape.”
For Coulombe, the process of working with his 8x10 Deardorff camera — a slow, meditative tool — shapes both the work and his relationship to his subjects.
“You become part of the camera,” he writes in his artist statement. “You use a dark cloth and look at the ground glass on the back of — not through — the camera. You become an interior of the eye. You’re upside down and backward… the composition and the groundlessness is the canvas.”
That attentiveness to the natural world complements Biddle’s sculptural practice, which often explores the body and transformation through form and myth.
“The snake is really a symbol of resiliency,” she explained, “our ability to let things go in our lives — to still be the same people but shed what we don’t need. It’s more a metaphor for death and our contemporary experience as humans in our landscape.”
To create the work in Fields of Snakes, Biddle handed her sculptures to Coulombe with complete trust.
“It was all Theo,” she said. “I lent him the pieces and was like, ‘go nuts.’ That’s one of the fun things about collaborating successfully — really leaning into the expertise and skill set of the people you’re collaborating with.”
This show marks Biddle’s first exhibition at Standard Space. “I’ve been a huge admirer of Theo’s program,” she says. “There’s been wonderful overlap between his program and the Wassaic Project. He’s been really open and kind about those connections.”
For both artists, collaboration is a natural extension of how they move through the art world. Biddle describes her practice — from co-founding the Wassaic Project to making ceramics, curating, and building community — as “a big radical collaboration.”
“I don’t love working alone,” she said. “It’s important as creatives to recognize what drains us and what feeds us.”
And because no opening at Standard Space is complete without a touch of community celebration, there will also be a dance party after the opening at Le Gamin.
“We’ll have some purchasable wares as well,” said Coulombe, “like t-shirts, ceramics, and jewelry.”
Coulombe was referring to Biddle’s new limited-edition merch release. T-shirts and sweatshirts will be available only at Standard Space on opening day. They will be available later at the Wassaic Project Winter Wonderland Market which takes place the first two weekends in December.
Fields of Snakes is the 58th exhibition at Standard Space, but in many ways it is a new chapter — a show about reciprocity, risk and the creative ecosystems that emerge when artists trust one another.
As Biddle put it: “I really believe in bringing my full self to whatever I’m doing… and this show feels like a natural extension of that.”
CORNWALL — At the recommendation of the Cornwall Volunteer Fire Department, on Jan. 20 the Board of Selectmen voted to move forward with the purchase of two new trucks.
Greenwood Emergency Vehicles, located in North Attleboro, Massachusetts, was chosen as the manufacturer. Of the three bids received, Greenwood was the lowest bidder on the desired mini pumper and a rescue pumper.
CVFD’s Ian Ridgway sat on the truck committee and said Greenwood was not just chosen for the price, but also for the design of each vehicle. He said their models had a shorter wheelbase and more ground clearance, as well as extra storage space on board, compared to the next best bid.
After $100,000 in discounts offered by Greenwood, the combined purchase price for both vehicles was shown to be $1,200,408. The delivery time was estimated at 15 months.
CVFD raised $600,000 during its recent fundraising campaign, of which $500,000 will be given to the town to buy the trucks. That figure will be paired with $720,000 in town truck fund reserves. The additional donated funds will be used to outfit the trucks with equipment and tools.
“I want to praise the town of Cornwall,” said CVFD President Dick Sears. “We’re able to buy these beautiful new pieces of equipment courtesy of the tremendous citizenry of this town.”
FALLS VILLAGE — Robin Lee Roy, 62, of Zephyrhills, Florida, passed away Jan. 14, 2026.
She was a longtime CNA, serving others with compassion for more than 20 years before retiring from Heartland in Florida.
Robin loved the beach, sunshine, and gardening, and was known for her strength, humor, and unwavering support of those she loved.
She is survived by her daughter, Sierra R. Zinke, and brothers, Darren Roy and Todd Roy.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Sharon Thomkins Roy and Robert Roy, and her brother Nevin Roy.
No services will be held at this time.
SALISBURY — Marjorie A. Vreeland, 98, passed away peacefully at Noble Horizons, on Jan. 10, 2026.She was surrounded by her two loving children, Richard and Nancy.She was born in Bronxville, New York,on Aug. 9, 1927, to Alice (Meyer) and Joseph Casey, both of whom were deceased by the time she was 14. She attended public schools in the area and graduated from Eastchester High School in Tuckahoe and, in 1946 she graduated from The Wood School of Business in New York City.
At 19 years old, she married Everett W. Vreeland of White Plains, New York and for a few years they lived in Ithaca, New York, where Everett was studying to become a veterinarian at Cornell. After a short stint in Coos Bay, Oregon (Mike couldn’t stand the cloudy, rainy weather!) they moved back east to Middletown, Connecticut for three years where Dr. Vreeland worked for Dr. Pieper’s veterinary practice.In Aug. of 1955, Dr. and Mrs. Vreeland moved to North Kent, Connecticut with their children and started Dr. Vreeland’s Veterinary practice. In Sept. of 1968 Marjorie, or “Mike” as she wished to be called, took a “part-time job” at the South Kent School.She retired from South Kent 23 years later on Sept. 1, 1991.Aside from office help and bookkeeping she was secretary to the Headmaster and also taught Public Speaking and Typing.In other times she worked as an assistant to the Town Clerk in Kent, an office worker and receptionist at Ewald Instruments Corp. and as a volunteer at the Kent Library.
“Mike” loved the sun, sand and water and spent many summers at Westport Point, Massachusetts with the kids and their best friends, the Bauers.She was the consummate hostess, and a wonderful cook.She also appeared in several plays with The Sherman Players and also a show or two on special occasions at The Kent Community House.She took enjoyment from working outdoors doing chores around her home in North Kent.She lived in that house until she sold it and bought a condominium on North Main Street in Kent in May of 2003.She lived in the condo until 2018 after which her light began to fade and her last 8 years were spent comfortably at Noble Horizons.
“Mike” leaves behind her children, Richard (Susan) of Lakeville, her daughter Nancy Rutledge (Jim) of Salisbury; two grandchildren, Chandra Gerrard (Sean) of Litchfield, Matthew (Larissa) of Lakeville; three great grandchildren, Addison, Emilia and Everett, all of Lakeville.
She was predeceased by her beloved granddaughter Caroline in 2020.
All services are private.The Ryan Funeral Home, 255 Main St., Lakeville, is in charge of arrangements.
To offer an online condolence, please visit ryanfhct.com
SALISBURY -— Rafael A. Porro, 88, of 4 Undermountain Road, passed away Jan. 6, 2026, at Sharon Hospital. Rafael was born on April 19, 1937 in Camaguey, Cuba the son of Jose Rafael Porro and Clemencia Molina de Porro. He graduated from the Englewood School for Boys in Englewood, New Jersey and attended Columbia University School of General Studies. Rafael retired as a law library clerk from the law firm of Curtis, Mallet Prevost in 2002 and came to live in Salisbury to be nearer to his sister, Chany Wells.
Rafael is survived by his sister, Chany Wells, his nephew Conrad Wells (Gillian), and by numerous cousins in North Carolina, Florida, Wyoming, Arizona, Cuba and Canada. He was the eldest of the cousins and acknowledged family historian. He will be greatly missed.
A memorial service will be held at St. John’s Episcopal Church in June. Memorial contributions may be made to Salisbury Volunteer Ambulance Service, St. John’s Episcopal Church in Salisbury and Scoville Memorial Library.
The Kenny Funeral Home has care of arrangements.
