Before it closed this past October, Greenport Starbucks featured several paintings and photos from local artists, framed on the walls.

Now, one wall of Mattituck Starbucks is home to the collaborative work of New Suffolk-based photographer Connie Gillies and writer and artist Jeff Miller, who created the frames for the photos using North Fork snow fence.

Gillies, a 49-year-old who grew up like so many summering in New Suffolk, became a permanent resident last year and became reacquainted with several local beaches. She took many of the photos while monitoring piping plovers for North Fork Audubon Society.

“I became reacquainted with the beaches in the area, especially the beaches of my childhood at Nassau Point and fell in love with the trails at North Fork Audubon Society, Red House at Inlet Pond Preserve in Greenport,” she said. “The sunrises and sunsets are magical in New Suffolk.”

Gillies said that the seed for this photo/frame collaboration with Miller was planted last year when she posted a photo on Facebook of an old tree on Mill Road in Mattituck, and Miller "liked" the photo, commenting that the photo "...deserved to be framed and hung on a wall." 

“After completing his latest book, Jeff decided to create the frames for the photos using authentic North Fork snow fence, and we think the result is magnificent,” she said. “He always had a fantasy about becoming a framer.”

Gillies works as a substitute teacher in Centereach, and Miller is a former editor of The Suffolk Times. Gillies also plays piano and writes music to accompany her slideshows on YouTube (see attached video). She and Miller also play together in a ‘40s-style band called “HuttZutt, Ralston and the Rillerahs" and have played at McCall's Farm Winery in Cutchogue, Castello di Borghese in Cutchogue and DeLatte’s in Greenport.

Different sizes of the photos can be ordered at northforkphotoworks@gmail.com. The photos will be on display through the end of the month.