Scout Conference to Feature Works By Island Artist

Gregory Perillo’s paintings on the Lenni Lenape Indians will be sold, with proceeds going to the Boy Scouts

Artist Gregory Perillo of Tottenville and his paintings of original Staten Islanders – The Lenni Lenape Indians – will be featured at the National Conference of the Order of the Arrow, The Boy Scouts of America’s honor society, through Thursday at Michigan State University, East Lansing, Mich.

“The Legend Lives On,” a 24-inch x 30-inch commissioned original oil painting by Perillo, which is expected to hang at the Scouts’ National Museum in Irving, Texas, will be presented.

Reproductions – lithographs, giclees, woven tapestries, figurines – will be sold, with all the proceeds donated to the Order of the Arrow’s National Endowment, to help support various Scouting activities.

On display and for sale will be about 30 other Perillo paintings of the Lenni Lenape in actual island settings (South Beach, Martlings Pond, Flagg Pond, the Arthur Kill) in such activities as fishing, clamming, canoeing, living in a longhouse and marriage ceremonies.

Perillo says he got the idea for these paintings while on daily walks through Tottenville. During the conference, Perillo will lecture about the history of the Lenni Lenape on the Island, his research in connection with it and his life’s work painting native American subjects.

Perillo and his work will be the subject of a multi-media presentation. According to Stan Hoff, who operates the endowment’s merchandising program, four-stamp cachets will be issued by the Post Office, with Perillo’s logo as part of the special cancelation.

The Order of the Arrow was founded in the 1915 on the native American principles of brotherhood, cheerfulness and service. Its membership is comprised of Scouts and leaders elected by their peers for exemplifying and living in accordance with the highest ideals of the Scout oath and laws.

“The Legend Lives On” depicts Lenni Lanape chieftain Chingachgook telling his son Uncus the legend of braves who were willing to give themselves to serve others.