One of my favorite things about living in the Hamptons is meeting new artists. The East End art scene is overflowing with talented, inspiring, and intriguing creatives. I’m so crazy about the work of a painter I recently met named Kerri Rosenthal. Kerri’s work is so happy, energetic, pretty and colorful ~ so perfect for a Hamptons beach house. Summertime in Amagansett is a constant source of inspiration for Rosenthal, discover why in Kerri’s NEW KDHamptons Art Diary below:

Kerri shares, “I have many influences, but I hold a special appreciation for the works of Wolf Kahn and his America series, Helen Frankenthaler, Joan Mitchell, Lee Krazner and Willem de Kooning.  My works today are inspired by the amplified interpretation of the colors I experiences on daily travels, passing through the vistas of the Saugatuck Valley, as well as the beach areas of Long Island Sound.”

KDHamptons: What do you love most about the Hamptons, and why is Amagansett so special to you?

Kerri Rosenthal: The Hamptons have always been freeing for me.  It’s where my husband proposed to me [on Georgica Beach], it’s where we come with our family every summer and it’s where I get so much of my inspiration for my paintings, especially my landscapes.  Amagansett is spectacular and slightly removed from the hustle of the other towns.  It’s vibe is totally unpretentious and chill- it just suits me best!

KDHamptons: Connecticut is home base for you, but where do you like to summer in the Hamptons?

Kerri: We rent a house in Amagansett typically, but I also discovered the Inn at Windmill Lane [below] by accident during a walk a couple summers ago.  It was as if we stumbled upon this most magical place.  We go there solo, while the kids are at camp.  It’s like staying in a low key five star hotel in the middle of Amagansett.

KDHamptons: What is your typical Hamptons day?

Kerri: We wake and go to Eli Zabar’s for coffee and breakfast- then for a run down Further Lane and over to the beach- Then off to the beach- usually Main Beach with the kids- or if we are alone, we will do one of the quieter beaches in Amagansett- we usually bring some kind of lunch from Zabars…. a little late afternoon shopping, [okay, a lot of afternoon shopping!] hanging back at our house or Windmill Lane, and off to dinner.

KDHamptons: What is your favorite restaurant?

Kerri: I love Tutto Il Giorno in Sag Harbor- we love to sit at the bar have cocktails and then eat dinner. The linguini with cockles is a must!

KDHamptons: How would you describe your work in a couple sentences?

Kerri: My work is typically filled with vibrant, happy colors that either take the form of a landscape, a flower-scape, or an abstract.  My art is really a reflection of how I feel when I start putting the brush to the canvas.  At some level, I follow where the brush takes me with the colors that are inspiring me in the moment.  The end result is the realization of a flowing joyous process.

KDHamptons: What makes your paintings perfect for a Hamptons home?

Kerri: My clients tell me that my art makes them feel relaxed and happy and that they enjoy the beauty of the colors in my paintings.  People summer in the Hamptons to experience the simple pleasures of a good life: beautiful surroundings, the roar of the ocean, the sun bringing color to their bodies, the happy faces of family and friends.  This is a nice fit. [Kerri’s recent installation in a Southampton home, below]

KDHamptons: Other than the artists you mentioned, what else inspires your work?

Kerri: My inspiration comes from the natural beauty of my home in the woods of Fairfield County, but I am also inspired by current fashions [I devour Vogue, Elle Decor, Architectural Digest].  I often create paintings by creating story-boards of images from fashion magazines utilizing the colors in the clothes that inspire me.  I find interesting color combinations everywhere I look- sometimes it’s hard to shut that off.   I”m always snapping pics, going home, printing them, and piling them up for future paintings.

KDHamptons: If you have to choose, who is your favorite painter [dead or alive] and why?

Kerri: OOhhh…hard question.  Wolf Kahn was my first love, but as time goes by there are so many more.  I guess Willem De Kooning at this moment in time, but that could change tomorrow :)

**To see more of Kerri Rosenthal’s work please go to: www.kerrirosenthalart.com