Lorraine Kulik

Lorraine Harris Kulik, an accomplished artist and perceptive poet who had a talent for finding beauty in the everyday and was known for her deep thoughtfulness, careful listening, and wisdom passed away on the 10th of December, 2025. She was surrounded by her adoring children and grandchildren in the Dix Hills’ home she had shared with her husband Herbert S. Kulik for almost 70 years. She was 94.

Lorraine was born on June 27, 1931, in the Bronx, in New York—the only child of Ted and Anne Harris. She spent her youth in New York City searching for new vantage points that could inspire creativity as she began a lifelong calling to the arts. Lorraine turned the New York Cloisters into her second home as she played, worked, and painted amongst the medieval arcades, tapestries, and sculptures. She colored, drew, and made paper cut-outs that were spirited by everything she encountered: Whether neighbors, birds, figures, or landscapes.

She graduated from Columbia University in 1952 with a BS degree in art and art history, studying with some of New York City’s greatest mid-century artists and falling in love with a young engineer, Herb Kulik. They married and Lorraine declined a Fulbright scholarship to move with Herb to Europe. While living in England and Germany, Lorraine studied across the continent and relished her adventurous travels with her husband.

Lorraine and Herb ultimately settled in Dix Hills, on Long Island, where they raised their two children, Brandon and Rani, as they formed a strong company of friends and became active members in their community. Amongst her many civic associations and contributions, she helped to establish the Half Hollow Hills School District, the Dix Hills Library, and the Huntington Township Art League (now the Art League of Long Island).

Over the course of her career, Lorraine was prolific creator of art and proudly exhibited across New York. As the National League of American Penwomen—of which she was a long-time member—records, “Working in all of the classical mediums, Lorraine has received numerous prestigious awards and recognitions for her portraits, nature studies, abstract paintings and collages in oil, watercolor and pastel.” Her paintings now reside in public and private collections across the United States, England, France, and Mexico.

While also serving as a recurring art judge and curator for many exhibitions, Lorraine was perhaps best known for her teaching. She taught dozens of dedicated students out of her Dix Hills Studio for over 50 years. So strong was some her student’s desire for her perspective, that during the COVID-19 Pandemic some students would mail in pictures of their work or even show up in her driveway to hold their artworks in hand for Lorraine’s (less) distant evaluation.

While she loved her art and remained ever proud of her creations, her greatest source of love and pride was her family. In her own words, she wanted to be remembered most by her loving devotion and nurturing care for her children and grand-children. She was beloved by her family, her long-time friends, and even those fortunate enough to meet her only through happenstance—all of whom equally sought her out for life advice and guidance.

Lorraine is survived by her son, Brandon Kulik and spouse Jackie Kulik, daughter Rani Fogel and spouse Mark Fogel, and grandchildren Jess Kulik, Nathaniel Kulik, Arielle Fogel and spouse Jonathan Colen, and Benjamin Fogel. She is finally reunited with her husband Herb. “No matter how much time ‘we get’ to live together,” Lorraine once wrote, “it will not be enough. So love what we do ‘get.’”

Donations in honor her memory may be given to the Art League of Long Island at www.artleagueli.org