Celebrating Dan’s Papers Covers at Reboli Center's Newest Exhibition

Dan’s Papers covers have become ubiquitous with Dan’s Papers itself. The works of art showcased on the cover are beloved by readers, with many collecting them each week. Starting January 30, the Reboli Center for Art and History in Stony Brook will host Dan’s Covers, a celebration of the artwork Dan’s Papers has featured, as well as art from several of Dan’s Papers’ most prolific cover artists.

Fine art has been featured on Dan’s Papers covers since 1987. After Lee Krasner died in 1985, Dan’s Papers founder Dan Rattiner was the chair of a committee to explore whether East Hampton could purchase her home and turn it into a study center. Although the executors of Krasner’s will eventually chose Stony Brook University to run the Pollock-Krasner House and Study Center, Rattiner’s interest in the art community had deepened, leading to Elaine De Kooning as the first cover artist for Dan’s Papers.

Lois Reboli, who named the Reboli Center after her late husband and four-time cover artist Joseph Reboli, had the idea for the Dan’s Covers exhibit during the Dan’s Papers 60 Summers celebration in 2019. “I taught in Southampton for 25 years, and I used to hang up Dan’s covers in my art room because they’re so impressive,” she says. “Most of the artists for the show were chosen from the 60 Summers book.”

Reboli, whose husband died 16 years ago, says that Joseph loved Dan’s Papers and being featured. “It was always an honor for him,” she says. “He was always very, very proud of that! I have many of the original ones from way back in the ’90s, because it was an exciting thing to be chosen for Dan’s covers. I think it’s a coveted honor for a lot of artists.”

“Dan’s Papers, with artists on the cover, has played a huge part in getting artists of all levels recognized with their work,” says featured artist Daniel Pollera. “If Dan didn’t come up with this great idea, the art community would not be as popular as it is today. It’s a great advertising vehicle to let people see art that would not have been viewed. It was a catalyst in creating awareness of what artists were doing.”

In addition to Reboli and Pollera, Dan’s Covers will feature the covers and other artwork of Casey Chalem Anderson, Marc Dalessio, Keith Mantell, Lynn Mara, Lynn Matsuoka, Mickey Paraskevas, Doug Reina, Gia Schifano, Mike Stanko, Ty Stroudsburg and Charles Wildbank. “It’s just a very exciting opportunity,” Reboli says. “I know quite a few of the artists, like Charles Wildbank, and it’s just an honor to have Dan’s covers and some of the original art from the artists.”

The Reboli Center itself is a tribute to its namesake. “I always wanted there to be someplace where we could show his work, where people wouldn’t forget him,” says Reboli. “He loved [Stony Brook] so much. Thankfully, he was very important to a lot more people than just me, so everybody has just come together and helped this happen…We’ve been open for a little over three years now. We’ve become a destination. Every year we see it growing and growing. There isn’t anybody that comes in that doesn’t enjoy the peace of the place. They feel welcomed and that was our goal—to have a place where people could come for free, rather than have any charge to get in, and we were hoping to have a museum, gallery and we’ve got a wonderful design shop. It’s a lot of work and almost nobody gets paid, even the people that work for us, but everybody is doing it out of love, so it’s a joyful enterprise.”

See Dan’s Covers at the Reboli Center for Art and History, 64 Main Street, Stony Brook, from January 30–April 26. There will be an artist reception on February 21, including a talk with Dan’s Papers President and Editorial Director Eric Feil. Visit rebolicenter.org for more information.