Valley Stream’s Mike Stanko said he has not given much thought to his legacy as an artist, but now his art will indefinitely leave a mark on Nassau County as his painting of the county’s executive and legislative building hangs inside it.
“I was totally blown away when it sunk into my head,” Stanko said. “…It is going to be there forever. I am just so totally honored and first of all I am very privileged that Bruce asked me to do this because this is going to be there a lot longer than I’ll be here on earth.”
Stanko, a self-made painter, was commissioned by Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman to paint a picture of the Theodore Roosevelt Executive and Legislative Building for the county’s 125th anniversary.
The painting was unveiled on July 12 at the anniversary ceremony where the building’s namesake, former President Theodore Roosevelt’s great-grandson Tweed Roosevelt, was in attendance.
Stanko has been an artist, beginning to explore his craft in childhood.
Although it started as a hobby, Stanko has been making a living selling his paintings for the last 25 years.
“It’s turned into a way of life,” Stanko said. “…Like everything in life, you should really enjoy doing it and have fun, obviously, if you can, and I still have fun. I still enjoy painting.”
Stanko said Blakeman approached him a year ago to make a painting for the county’s 125th anniversary. The painting was to be of the Theodore Roosevelt Executive and Legislative Building.
He said he was honored and excited to produce the painting, which he gladly accepted.
But Blakeman and Stanko’s relationship preceded the anniversary celebration by decades, with the duo meeting for the first time in the first grade. They both lived in Valley Stream yet followed down different paths from there.
“Bruce went into politics and I went into art,” Stanko said.
While their lives drifted apart, Stanko said they crossed paths once again about five years ago when they frequented the same local Valley Stream cafe, where they would catch up and discuss various topics.
Stanko was also commissioned for a painting by Blakeman to honor his nephew killed during the Sept. 11 attacks in 2021 for the 20th anniversary. The artist said he was proud of this painting.
Two years later, Blakeman asked Stanko for another painting, this time for Nassau County.
The painting took a month to produce, which Stanko said is longer than his typical timeframe of one week.
Although Stanko said he takes artistic liabilities in his representation of scenes, waning from a realistic interpretation, the artist opted to take a more accurate approach in his painting of the county government seat.
Stanko’s pop art-style paintings embody mysticism and surrealism, using big, bold colors. He typically paints familiar scenes, drawing influence from everything around him.
As a child of the 1960s and an avid Beatles fan, Stanko said much of his style is inspired by the period.
He spoke fondly of the impact the Beatles’ 1969 album “Yellow Submarine” had on him, which encompasses the same bright colors and surrealism often found in his paintings.
To capture the building accurately, Stanko said he spent many trips to and from the building to take photos from multiple angles and accurately understand the colors and details.
The painting will be hanging in the building it conveys for an indefinite amount of time, which Stanko said will encapsulate his legacy as an artist beyond his time here.
The artist said that this is another painting he is proud of.
Stanko’s art is displayed throughout the island, with his next gallery opening at The Christensen Gallery in Babylon on Oct. 11.
