At Home With Walter Us - 27 East

Arts & Living

Arts & Living / 1367882

At Home With Walter Us

icon 5 Photos
Work by Walter Us in his Sag Harbor home. MICHELLE TRAURING

Work by Walter Us in his Sag Harbor home. MICHELLE TRAURING

Walter Us in his studio on the second floor of his Sag Harbor home. MICHELLE TRAURING

Walter Us in his studio on the second floor of his Sag Harbor home. MICHELLE TRAURING

Walter Us's studio. MICHELLE TRAURING

Walter Us's studio. MICHELLE TRAURING

Walter Us in his studio on the second floor of his Sag Harbor home. MICHELLE TRAURING

Walter Us in his studio on the second floor of his Sag Harbor home. MICHELLE TRAURING

Painter Walter Us in his Sag Harbor home. MICHELLE TRAURING

Painter Walter Us in his Sag Harbor home. MICHELLE TRAURING

authorMichelle Trauring on Mar 28, 2012

On May 15, 1988, painter Walter Us got a divorce in the morning and went to his father’s funeral in the afternoon.

Then he hopped a plane to Europe, where he stayed for five weeks touring the continent, visiting relatives in Slovenia—his childhood home—and searching for freedom. When he returned to America, he traveled from the east coast to the west, painting and drawing what he saw along the way.

The walls of his 1,500-square-foot Sag Harbor Cape-style home, which he bought 17 years ago, reflect the journeys and adventures that eventually brought him here. Large hanging canvases are painted with landscapes he saw across America—the deserts of New Mexico, the mountains of Montana, the harbors of Bellport and the farmland of the East End.

“My friends’ paintings, I put them in the basement,” he laughed, his words still spoken with the trace of a European accent. “I need to see what I’m doing, you know? That’s it.”

Though his studio is upstairs, Mr. Us sometimes converts his living room into a workspace, he said. At the time of the visit, the second floor space housed a large oil painting of an after-the-storm seascape that is in the works.

Usually, his home smells overwhelmingly of paint, he said. But on a particularly chilly morning earlier this year, the scent was absent as he happened to be renovating the house.

“Somebody’s gotta do it,” he said, taking a sip from a cup of Chai tea with honey. “I’m working on my house all the time.”

That’s a reality the artist knew he’d be taking on when he bought the house in 1994, he said. Originally, he was house hunting in Amagansett, he recalled. When a prospect fell through, he broached the topic of the mysterious “Sag Harbor” he’d been seeing signs for with his realtor.

“She said, ‘You don’t want to live there,’” he said. “I said, ‘Why?’ She said, ‘It’s run-down.’ ‘Run-down? Okay, I want to look. I like run-down.’”

The house was dark and trees pressed in all around. It needed a lot of work, to say the least. But it was perfect for him, Mr. Us explained.

First, he replaced the windows, put in a swimming pool and deck, he reported. Then, he took care of the landscaping, planted grass and tended to interior repairs, like changing out the hollow doors for solid ones, sanding the floors and installing new lighting. He’s even painted the house several times—but out of necessity, not nostalgia for his earlier house-painting career.

Before coming into his current profession, Mr. Us entertained a bevy of careers—from art reproductions of famous works and illustrations for businesses and scientists, such as Robert Woodward and Noam Chomsky, to painting houses, working in a meat plant and playing guitar in a rock and roll band.

“That was part of my growing up: self-sufficiency,” he said. “That’s not a bad tool to have as an artist.”

And it’s a tool he’s needed. Mr. Us was born on August 29, 1944 in an Austrian refugee camp during World War II. His parents had 15 children. He was number 14.

“They needed workers for the farm,” he grinned. “But when the second World War happened in that region, before I was born, the Germans blew up their whole village, destroyed the whole village. Then there was a lot of chaos.”

His parents, Peregrin and Maria, had no choice but to wander, just trying to survive with all of their children. They ended up in Spital, a very small town in Austria surrounded by mountains.

“My youth was full of hiking through the mountains, eating fresh fruit, and that was it,” Mr. Us said. “The mountains, to me, were magical. They were snow-capped during the summer. You could go up there with the fresh air. The beauty of the mountains is always with me. That’s why I go to Montana.”

The Us family migrated to New York City in 1952. Mr. Us, whose name changed from “Valta” to “Walter,” was only 7. When the family arrived, they were met by a swarm of reporters and cameras. The 17 of them even appeared in The New York Times, Mr. Us said.

“A big family coming over made a big hit,” he said. “They were throwing money at me and I was like, ‘What are they doing?’ All I was looking at were the buildings and the color in New York City. Big beautiful colors and exciting new stuff.”

He said he thought, “We’re going to live here? This is incredible.” Then they moved to Bridgeport, Connecticut, where they were again hounded by the media.

It was the same year that Mr. Us picked up a paintbrush and a guitar. He was 12. He painted every day, copying everything from da Vinci to Van Gogh to Cézanne to Caravaggio.

“Especially Leonardo,” Mr. Us sighed. “I really thought Leonardo was it. That’s the end of life.”

But a year and a half into his education at Silvermine College of Art in Connecticut, he dropped out to pursue classical guitar and joined a few bands. At the time, he was into Jackie Wilson, James Brown—the blues. Music was essential, he said, but he quickly realized that art would pay the bills.

He traveled across the country flexing his creativity. In New Mexico, he’d drive around playing Mozart and Beethoven on his radio, pausing occasionally to do watercolors of the scenery.

“I felt so free,” he said. “I felt this freedom in the desert. The first time I saw it, I hated it. It looked like a big construction site to me. It was brown. The longer I stayed, the more I realized the colors were very subtle. Once I realized the beauty of it, it was limitless. Like anyplace, really.”

When he settled in Sag Harbor, Mr. Us re-created the scenes from memory with oil paints. One of the larger reproductions hangs in Katie Couric’s East Hampton home.

Lately, the painter has been toying with the idea of getting back into classical oil paintings that include figures, he said. Back in the 1980s, he experimented with mixing wax into his paint, but that phase is over.

“I like stories,” he said. “Ultimately, that’s my favorite. Human stories of some sort, though I do love open air. I like the fields out here the best. Certain lighting. It’s an exquisite experience driving along. I say, ‘I’ve got to go home and get my canvas.’”

Though, sometimes, all the painter has to do for a little inspiration is look out his window, he said, and into himself.

“Looking back in my life, I was really searching for something,” he said. “And I’m still doing that, actually. When I practice meditation, that’s close to what I’m trying to get to. The freedom, internal freedom. We all find it. It doesn’t last forever. But it’s there.”

You May Also Like:

Springs Artist Fitzhugh Karol Debuts Outdoor Sculpture Show at Duck Creek

The Arts Center at Duck Creek will present “Fitzhugh Karol: On the Grounds,” a site-specific ... 8 Jul 2025 by Staff Writer

La Goulue Sur Mer Arrives in Southampton, With a Dash of Chaos and a Side of Style

“Is it true?” said the anxious DM on my Instagram account. “Is La Goulue really ... by Steven Stolman

Art on a Line: Guild Hall’s Clothesline Sale Hangs Tough for 2025

Guild Hall’s beloved Clothesline Art Sale returns on Saturday, July 19, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The annual event, a Hamptons tradition since 1946, transforms the museum’s lawn into a sea of original artwork — hung on clotheslines — and offers visitors the chance to purchase local art at accessible prices. Jackson Pollock once sold a painting at the sale for $250, and past participants have included Lee Krasner, Alfonso Ossorio, Elaine and Willem de Kooning and other art-world icons. The event continues to offer a rare opportunity for the public to view and purchase work by East End ... by Staff Writer

The Climate-Friendly Fitness Routine

“Live simply so that others might simply live” — Mahatma Gandhi The first time I ... by Jenny Noble

Joy Behar Gets the Last Laugh in ‘My First Ex-Husband' at Bay Street Theater, July 14-19

Emmy Award-winning comedian and co-host of “The View,” Joy Behar stars in “My First Ex-Husband,” a bold, funny and heartfelt new play based on true stories from her life. The limited engagement runs July 14 through 19, at Bay Street Theater in Sag Harbor. With razor-sharp wit and no filters, “My First Ex-Husband” explores the messy, hilarious truths of love, sex and relationships. Adapted from Behar’s personal experiences, the show is both deeply personal and widely relatable. Behar will appear on stage on July 14, 18 and 19. Also appearing nightly, July 14 through 19, are Veanne Cox, a Tony-nominated ... by Staff Writer

Experience the Rhythms of Brazil With Nilson Matta’s Voyage Quartet

Grammy-nominated bassist Nilson Matta will lead his Brazilian Voyage Quartet at The Church on Friday, July 25, at 6 p.m. The concert is part of Hamptons JazzFest. The group features acclaimed guitarist Chico Pinheiro and offers a rich exploration of samba, bossa nova and modern Brazilian jazz. Matta, a founding member of the renowned Trio da Paz and longtime collaborator with Yo-Yo Ma on the Grammy-winning “Obrigado Brazil” project, is known for blending traditional Brazilian rhythms with contemporary jazz. His lyrical bass playing and deep rhythmic connection have earned him international acclaim. Guitarist Chico Pinheiro, recognized as a leading voice ... by Staff Writer

At the Galleries for July 10, 2025

Montauk The Depot Art Gallery, at the Montauk railroad station at the corner of Flamingo ... by Staff Writer

Round and About for July 10, 2025

Fireworks Shelter Island Fireworks The Shelter Island fireworks will be held on Saturday, July 12, ... by Staff Writer

Curtis Institute of Music Alumni and Faculty To Perform in East Hampton on July 22

Talented alumni and faculty from the world-renowned Curtis Institute of Music will tour the East Coast this summer, with a concert scheduled for Tuesday, July 22, at 7 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church of East Hampton. The event is presented by Music for Montauk. The program features beloved melodies ranging from Gershwin’s “Porgy and Bess” to works by Brahms and de Falla. Performers include mezzo-soprano Katie Trigg, violinist Elissa Lee Koljonen, pianist Hanchien Lee, and Curtis Institute President and violist Roberto Díaz. The concert program includes: Manuel de Falla’s “Suite Populaire Espagnole,” performed by Díaz (viola) and Lee (piano); ... by Staff Writer

'Bonnie & Clyde' Cast and Crew Announced for Bay Street Musical

Bay Street Theater has unveiled the complete cast and creative teams for its pulse-pounding musical ... 7 Jul 2025 by Staff Writer