
Story & Photos by Debbie Tuma
With her creative imagination, Riverhead artist Andrea Rhude has always been fascinated by the characters from Lewis Carroll’s famous book, “Alice in Wonderland.” Now she brings them to life in her own style, at her ongoing art exhibit at “Mugs On Main,” Riverhead’s new coffee shop, cafe and cocktail lounge on Main Street.
“I tend to go with the more fantastical things, like folklore, fairy tales and surrealism,” she says as she flops down onto one of the plush couches in the back room of this intimate hangout. “I try to make the fantastic look plausible.”
Her six paintings of “Alice in Wonderland” characters pop with vibrant colors against a dark blue back wall, and draw you in with their separate quirky personalities. And you can almost hear the hippie lyrics of Jefferson Airplane’s “White Rabbit” resounding in the background, as you see the “Hookah smoking caterpillar” portrayed in a large painting. The blue, cartoon-like caterpillar is surrounded by bright orange swirling smoke as it inhales from an elaborate silver Hookah pipe. And in another painting, there is the white rabbit himself, sitting up and stylishly dressed but looking scared, from when Alice had come looking for him down the rabbit hole.

One dramatic and detailed painting shows the Queen of Hearts, surrounded by white roses and holding a cleaver dripping with red paint, making this artwork appear rather macabre. Rhude explained that the Queen wanted her servants (portrayed as playing cards) to plant red roses but they planted white by accident. They were trying to paint the roses red to fool her, and when they were caught, she cut off their heads. The details in this and the other paintings are impeccable.
Then Rhude switches to another painting, called, “Looking In,” where Alice is supposed to be looking through a doorknob into a lush and beautiful garden. But instead of seeing Alice, we see a single eye staring at red roses in a patchwork quilt of green grass. Another surreal and detailed painting is “Tiger Lillies,” a gorgeous display of these orange flowers, but they are alive with eyes and mouths!

When asked why she chose this “Alice in Wonderland” theme, Rhude said it has always been one of her favorite stories, and she plans on doing more of these kinds of colorful, unusual paintings. “Author Lewis Carroll has so many surreal aspects,” said Rhude. “He went out of his way to poke fun at social norms and turn them on their heads. What I like about surrealism is that you can take an object, put it into a different time or place, and completely change the meaning. I like to make things that look strange, but they could exist in a different world.”
Rhude’s interest in art started long ago, from working alongside her mother, Linda McKnight, who was an artist and actress. Back then her family lived in Wading River, and Ruhde went to Riverhead schools and worked with her mother at the family’s business, “The McKnight Music and Craft Barn.” It was housed in a big red barn, consisting of fabrics, wood items, hobbies, fine art supplies, and musical instruments. Later on, the mother-daughter team started a business called “Interior Solutions,” consisting of mural paintings, kitchen renovations, color consults, and house painting. Rhude’s father, Warren McKnight, is a well-known musician who plays banjo, guitar and ukulele around his home of Riverhead, and the North Fork. With his full white beard, he has also played Santa Clause on holidays around the East End, and Linda McKnight acted in the area’s community theaters as well.
Andrea Rhude graduated from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn where she studied design and illustration. She is now studying online at the SmArt School, working with big name illustrators and fine artists. She met her husband, Eric Rhude, a dialysis nurse, at a Medieval Demonstration at Queens County Farm Museum, which is a working farm. Both shared an interest in medieval life.
Kasandra Watkins Schaeffer, who owns Mugs on Main with her husband Jeff Schaeffer, said she wanted to showcase local artists. “We collaborate with the East End Arts Council of Riverhead, and we also have artwork on another wall by Frank Cardino, who paints colorful nautical and summer scenes,” she said. “We also have permanent artwork, flowers and still lifes, by my late mother-in law, Mary Ann Soda.” Shaeffer added that she wants to make Mugs on Main a fun place for the community to come in, eat, drink and socialize. She has added several community events, including Bingo on Saturdays, and also Trivia games, Murder and Mystery nights, Speed Dating, and seasonal crafts. For more information, visit Mugs On Main at 33 East Main Street, Riverhead, and visit www.mugsonmain.com