Harriet Tannin

Harriet Tannin of Wittenberg Road, Bearsville, NY died August 18, 2009 at her home. Harriet was born April 26, 1929 to the late Dr. Nathan and Vera Palley, in Brooklyn New York. She received a Bachelor of Arts from New York University in 1951, and worked as an elementary school teacher in Bedford-Stuyvesant until she met and married her husband of 58 years, Albert. The couple moved to Lausanne, Switzerland, and returned to the United States in 1958, living in the New York area while Albert completed medical training. She moved to Kingston in 1965, where she was involved with Congregation Ahavath Israel, Haddassah, the League of Women Voters, and the Kingston Historical Society. It was also at this time that she began her interest in painting which developed into a passion for the rest of her life. Along with Harriet's strong interest in painting, she also had a talent for photography, which she had learned as a girl from her father, an early photography buff. Harriet studied with a number of Woodstock artists beginning in 1969, including her mentor, Rolph Scarlett. In 1975, she completed a Master of Fine Arts in painting and photography from SUNY New Paltz. She moved to Bearsville in 1986, to immerse herself in the Woodstock arts community. She has had numerous solo exhibitions at museums and galleries in Woodstock, Kingston, New York City, Washington DC, and elsewhere, as well as being represented in many group shows. One project, "100 Portraits of Woodstock Artists" is in the permanent collection of the Samuel Dorsky Museum in New Paltz NY. She was also very proud of her "potholder" woven photographs, one of which won the Karasik Prize from the National Association of Women Artists. In addition to her primary interests, she was also an author, and advocate for the current resurgence of nonobjective geometricwriter, and advocate for the current resurgence of nonobjective painting. She is missed by her husband Albert, her sons Mark of Irvine California and Bruce of West Hurley, grandchildren Alexis and David of San Juan Capistrano California, her sister Ellen Eras of Fairfield Connecticut, and numerous nephews, nieces, great-nephews and great-nieces. Funeral Services will be conducted Friday at 12:00 at the Simpson-Gaus Funeral Home, 411 Albany Avenue, Kingston, to be followed by interment at the Woodstock Artists Cemetery, 22 Rock City Road, Woodstock. Rabbi Didi Thomas will officiate. Memorial Contributions may be made in lieu of flowers to either the Woodstock Artists Association, 28 Tinker Street, Woodstock, NY 12498 or Congregation Ahavath Israel, POB 3063, Kingston, NY 12402.