Meet Louis Bradbury, LongHouse Reserve Board President

Louis Bradbury wants everyone to come see where he spends his days. As president of the Board of Trustees of LongHouse Reserve, he gets to spend quality time in this sculpture garden in East Hampton. He has seen it in all four seasons and says that no matter what time you wander the 16 acres, you’ll experience something magical.

“The grounds are full of artwork, some permanent and some that rotate each season,” says Bradbury, who is active with a number of boards and organizations, and was surprised by hisinvitation to join LongHouse. “I had written them a letter thanking them for hosting an event for the LGBTQ community. About a year later I was invited to join the board.”LongHouse Reserve is named after the home on the property. Founder Jack Lenor Larsen (1927-2020) had visited Japan 39 times and was particularly drawn to the Shinto shrine on Ise and decided to build a similar house with his partner Peter Olsen. Many of the sculptures on the property were placed by his friends, including Willem DeKooning, Yoko Ono, Buckminster Fuller and Dale Chihuly. Each year new works of art come to the thrill of visitors. Before he built LongHouse, Jack built RoundHouse next door, inspired by travels to Africa.

“That house is a private residence today, owned by the gentleman to whom Jack sold it many years ago to build the bigger LongHouse standing,” Bradbury explains. Currently, only the LongHouse grounds are open to the public, but they are working with the Town of East Hampton on the approval process in 2027 to allow them to give public tours of the inside of the house.

“There’s a lot of things we have to submit for approval and then we’ll be curating a tour of the art and furnishings in the house,” Bradbury explains of the multi-year process.

Thankfully, you don’t have to wait until then to enjoy the grounds. Currently, LongHouse is hosting “LongHouse Illuminated” Friday and Saturday through Jan. 3. The immersive event is open from 4:30-7:30 p.m. Guests can wander through the illuminated garden and also enjoy performances by the Neo-Political Cowgirls. LongHouse takes on an enchanted vibe after dark, where glowing sculptures and light-lined garden paths transform the landscape into a winter wonderland. Kate Mueth and her Neo-Political Cowgirls Dance Theater Collective’s “ZIMA,” which means winter in Polish, offer an immersive walk through the illuminated pathways of LongHouse, with poetry, music and dance as they share a magical journey of folklore from diverse cultures. The walk takes about 30 minutes and ends at the holiday market in the pavilion with free hot cider and cookies.

The holiday market will be on the grounds through Dec. 20. The holiday market, curated by local merchant Heidi Humes of Sunshine, offers a selection of local artisans and artists and is an ideal place to do some holiday shopping. While you’re shopping, kids can get creative with festive crafts led by Shine Studio.“I am always surprised when I meet people who haven’t been to LongHouse,” Bradbury says. “It is a beautiful place to spend time year-round. People may think of coming in spring and summer, and even fall. But, you have to see it in the winter. The structures in the garden are more visible, the bare trees have a beauty all their own.”

Bradbury says Jack Lenor Larsen and Peter Olsen put so much thought into the garden and it shows in its year-round appeal.

“You have all the sculptures, but the trees and plants here were placed with a purpose,” Bradbury says with appreciation. “We opened an exhibit by Jill Platner this summer that involved hanging her sculptures in the trees. In summer, with the lush foliage, the pieces were hidden gems to look for. Now, in winter, especially lit up at night, visitors can really see and appreciate them.”

LongHouse also is a great place to experience nature, a sustainable, chemical-free haven for rabbits, squirrels, smaller mammals such as chipmunks, and all sorts of pollinators during the spring and summer. It also is a great place for birders, thanks to its wealth of habitats. In addition to walking paths, LongHouse has crepe myrtles, a pine allee, a moss garden and a rare stand of coastal redwoods. Yes, redwoods, LongHouse has one of the few redwood groves outside northern California.

“Being able to walk the grounds makes you feel special,” Bradbury says of the property that is handicap accessible, welcoming to children, and even offers benches for those who either want a break or to just sit and contemplate their surroundings.

“We even have days when dogs can be off leash and play in our grassy amphitheater,” Bradbury says of the collaboration with ARF called “Dog Days” and “Canines in Costume” (for Halloween). Otherwise, LongHouse allows service dogs only.

“Winter is still a great time to come,” Bradbury says. “When there’s ice on the sculptures, everything sparkles so beautifully. They are totally different structures at this time of year.”

You can even find a piece of art created by Bradbury. It is a woodpile constructed in the style of a German Holzhausen. Bradbury says splitting wood is his mode of stress relief, and building the house was his form of therapy.

“I don’t use a wood splitter,” Bradbury explains of the intricately stacked woodpile. “I use an axe.”

“LongHouse Illuminated” takes between 30 minutes to an hour, but you can stay longer. Cost is $45 for adult non-members, $30 members, $15 children. It is open Fridays and Saturdays through Jan. 3, 2026, from 4:30-7:30 p.m. The Holiday Market runs through Dec. 20. For more information, visit longhouse.org, 631-329-3568 or email info@longhouse.org.

LongHouse Reserve is at 133 Hands Creek Road, East Hampton.

Todd Shapiro is an award-winning publicist and associate publisher of Dan’s Papers.