‘I like to spread positivity and have an impact. The colorful vibes and happy messaging do that.’

Corey Paige, Old Westbury

“I like to say that I specialize in making happy art, and that my work is proven to give an immediate mood-booster, with the goal to brighten up your day. I love when people tell me that my art made them smile or feel better when they were having a bad day.

“I mainly enjoy spreading positivity and having an impact on others. The colorful vibes and happy messaging in my artwork helps me to do that. One project that is a perfect example of this is when I created artwork for exam rooms at a pediatric office. When the children come in for their doctor appointments and see fun imagery on the walls, it makes their doctor’s appointment less scary. I also value giving back and have donated murals to Sunrise Day Camp on Long Island, which is a camp for kids with cancer to attend for free with their siblings. I am also currently working with Cohen Children’s Medical Center to donate a mural for one of their wings.

You figure things out as you go, you don’t have all of the answers at the beginning.

“Social media, specifically Instagram and TikTok, have been such a big help with getting my brand out there. I attribute a lot of the successes I have had over the past few years to putting myself out there on social media. I love connecting with my followers online and in person when I do live events. However, working for yourself can feel lonely at times. That is one of the downsides of working as an artist, but I do think the pros outweigh the cons. I have some great assistants and have always had the support from my family from the beginning of my entrepreneurial journey.

“You figure things out as you go, you don’t have all of the answers at the beginning. It’s a lot of trial and error and a little ‘fake it ’til you make it’. I do feel like I am constantly on and always thinking about work. So, I’m trying to incorporate things in my life for myself that aren’t business related – hobbies like reading and embroidery. I’m working to find more of a balance. But I am very lucky that I love what I do, not everyone can say that confidently.”

Interviewed by Tracey Cheek

‘To most people, PD stands for Parkinson’s disease, but I say it stands for perseverance and determination.’

Old Westbury

“When I learned at 37 that I had Parkinson’s disease, I was devastated. As a podiatrist and foot surgeon, I knew my medical career was going to end, and I was worried about my health. But my depression didn’t last long. I returned to dancing. I had taken lessons since I was 2 years old and resumed classes again as a form of therapy.

“Dance has been clinically proven to improve some symptoms of Parkinson’s. The beats of music help an individual have more fluid movement, decrease tremors and curtail memory loss in some cases. It helped me, but I wanted to assist others, too. I connected with the Mark Morris Dance Company in Brooklyn, which had started a Parkinson’s program years earlier. I took their training seminars and created Dance Party for Parkinson’s Inc. And off we went!

“The Tilles Center officials at C.W. Post College contacted me about starting a program on Long Island. I, of course, was enthusiastic about the idea, but I wanted people to be able to take classes free of charge. And it happened! We’ve had this dance program for five years at no cost to the participants. We meet once a month with 20-40 individuals. We offer tap to ballet to hip-hop. I am involved; I don’t teach, but I do dance. My partner is a gentleman named Steve who has been coming since we began. Steve and I love to do the ‘stroll.’ Participants have told me that our dance classes make them forget even if it’s just for an hour that they have Parkinson’s. It’s been a godsend to so many people. And the Tilles Center has been most generous: They often give our participants free or discounted tickets to their dance shows.

“It’s been 14 years since I was diagnosed. To most people, P.D. stands for Parkinson’s disease, but I say it stands for perseverance and determination. I am hopeful that research will continue to find better treatments for this disease. In the meantime, I owe my life to my friends, family and the dance teachers who continue to keep me and hundreds of others moving. We will never stop dancing until a cure is found.”

Interviewed by Saul Schachter

‘Most Long Islanders remember our flagship department store in Westbury. I was 10 years old on opening day and I remember cutting the ribbon!’

Old Westbury

“I feel like it’s an honor to carry on the Fortunoff name. My grandparents worked hard to create their family business 100 years ago, and my parents spent their lives expanding it. My grandparents actually started by selling pots and pans, and my parents branched out into home goods and jewelry. My mother, in particular, was a jewelry expert, and she would take my sister Ruth and I around the world with her to meet different jewelry vendors. When my mother got older, Ruth and I took over for her. I have spent most of my career buying, designing settings for, and selling diamond, pearl and gemstone jewelry.

“Most Long Islanders remember our flagship department store in Westbury. I was 10 years old on opening day and I remember cutting the ribbon! It was wonderful to grow up in the store. My grandfather had an office on the third floor, and he specialized in lampshades well into his 80s. My grandmother, who had an office on the second floor, continued to focus on kitchen wares. My father dealt primarily with silverware, and my cousins purchased crystal goods for the store and would happily show me all the new acquisitions. My uncles and aunts specialized in furniture, which the store became quite well known for.

Throughout the 1980s, we were known for big bold jewelry as well as classic art deco looks, which never seem to go out of style.

“Three generations of our extended family were at that store several days a week. The busiest time of the year was the before Christmas, but it was also the most fun because it was bustling, which was exciting. We stayed open on Christmas Eve, and we always had a few last-minute shoppers stop in! We also had events where celebrities came to the store. We even developed jewelry lines for ice skaters and tennis players. Throughout the 1980s, we were known for big bold jewelry as well as classic art deco looks, which never seem to go out of style. In 2005, my grandparents sold the company, but I stayed on as an employee who specialized in the jewelry section, which is something I had been doing since I was 14.

“Ultimately, the store couldn’t survive the recession of 2008 and went into liquidation. The day the store closed in May of 2009 was very sad. Selling online is very different from selling in a store, but I also maintain an office in case clients want a piece of jewelry restored or customized.”

Interviewed by Meagan Meehan