TOMMY MAY

Sammy's

Opening: June 17th, 6-8 PM

June 17th - July 10th, 2026

I sat on a piece of drift wood at Sammy’s beach with my dog Hampton 15 who

had somehow yet again escaped deaths door. The younger two, Lulu, 9 and

Ruby, 2 walked with Gwen and her mother down the beach to the inlet. It was a

surprisingly warm day in the wake of a blizzard. The crisp air hit my face with a

refreshing suggestion of spring and the inevitable joy of summer.

Sammy’s is a freedom — a barrier beach separating three mile harbor in East

Hampton from Gardeners Bay.

The dogs run wild, darting from the trodden path, most of which is a desire line.

They stop only for a short swim to cool off at the halfway point at the peninsula.

The small crabs disappear as the three come racing into the water for a reprieve.

In summer we swim here too.

There is a spot that the sand gets so smooth it feels like silk. Just past the path

of samphire on way to the inlet.

In the winter we take the middle road to avoid the wind.

The dogs don’t mind the cold and meet the walk with the same enthusiasm as

on Sammy’s hottest day. The light here is nothing less than inspiring. It’s clear,

pure. Electric. Sammy’s has seen me on my best days and my worst days. So

has the sun and the moon and the dogs have always been there. I sat on that

piece of driftwood at Sammy’s with Hampton on that blue day in March and I

couldn’t think of anything more important to make paintings about.