East Hampton Town Board Welcomes Frank Sofo Painting

The Town Board of East Hampton recently accepted a donation of a painting by the late South Fork artist Frank Sofo. 

The artwork — a long, horizontal landscape that according to the board depicts 66 Wainscott Main Street — was gifted by his widow, Vincenza. The board officially welcomed the artwork during their Feb. 6 meeting.

“The Town of East Hampton gratefully accepts this generous donation from Vincenza Sofo in recognition of their longtime residency and Frank Sofo’s lasting contributions to the South Fork art scene,” said Councilmember Tom Flight.

The board noted that the East Hampton Arts Council will provide a plaque to accompany the artwork.

Sofo was a prolific figure in the local art community who created colorful, expressionist paintings, often depicting the beach and coastline. He passed away in January 2024 at Stony Brook University Hospital at the age of 80.

During his lifetime, his work was presented at many local venues such as the Guild Hall in East Hampton, the Crazy Monkey in Amagansett, and the Southampton Cultural Center, among many others.

Beyond painting, he was also an advocate for the arts and served as a board member on the Artists Alliance of East Hampton for many years. He also helped to found the Wednesday Group Plein Air Painters of the East End.

In addition to his own paintings, he illustrated children and young adult books, including cover artwork for titles such as the Nancy Drew series.

In an artist’s statement from the Southampton Artist’s Association’s website, Sofo described his own work, writing, “I paint what I feel about what I see. I like my paintings to have a sense of movement, to have a life of their own. I paint what moves me, the world around me.”