Artist and Friend: Ralph Carpentier 1929 – 2016

by Arlene Coulter

Ralph Carpentier was a “Man for All Seasons.” We of APC like to claim him as our own because we all loved him; but he was loved — and returned that love —wherever he walked. He was one of APC’s early members but did so much for our town, with so many East Hampton organizations, that we have to share him.

In 1955, Ralph moved to East Hampton; he was a young man back from the Korean War and newly married. He had done undergrad and graduate studies in art at NYU, and when offered a job teaching art at East Hampton High School, he and Horty relocated and fell in love with the world of nature here.

Then he proceeded to design and direct the Marine Museum; be a founding member of the Artists Alliance; function as Executive Director of the Historical Society; teach art; and serve on the Architectural Review Board, APC’s steering committee and as a East Hampton Town Trustee. And paint. And paint.

The thing about Ralph — you never learned from him about all he had done — you simply heard, wherever you went, that “Oh, yes, Ralph did that for us.”

And then, we will always have his paintings, his beautiful testament to our world. APC was proud to feature Ralph’s work at our IMAGES OF ACCABONAC show this past October. Thank you Ralph.

Editor’s Note: Find wonderful, more extensive stories about Ralph on Dan’s Papers website, the 27East website and others—just Google Ralph Carpentier.