art

The work of Pamela Dayton, a local artist who chronicled daily life through a series of photographs in a Syrian refugee camp, can be seen at The Gallery at Blue Pearl Yoga beginning today. The exhibit will be on display through June during normal gallery hours. The public is invited to a free opening reception on May 9.

Dayton traveled to Lebanon in 2013 with a short-term mission group from the Wesleyan Church of Hamburg. She became involved with a compassionate ministry to Syrian refugees while spending three weeks in a tented settlement in the Bekaa Valley, Beirut. Embedded with a team of doctors and nurses, she chronicled a “day-in-the-life” of a refugee in an attempt “to validate their existence and document their experiences for the wider world,” she explains. “My photographs illuminate the life of war refugees: the tragedy, sorrow, and tedium of living within a refugee settlement, as well as the beauty and strength of the Syrian people.”

Using a Sony a300 camera, Dayton took nearly 16,000 photographs -- or about 2,000 per day. Choosing which images make the cut has been “difficult” but Dayton hopes that people who visit the gallery will be able to identify with her subjects.

“There is one photograph of a mama holding a toddler that wanted no part of sitting on her lap. People are so similar, whether you’re in a makeshift tent in a Third-World nation or having coffee in my living room,” she says.

Pamela, who lives in Batavia with her husband Jon and their four children, plans to return to Lebanon this summer with the mission group. Then she will begin studying at Kilns College in Bend, Ore., to obtain a graduate degree in Social Justice and Theology in September.

“My heart is broken for refugees and families stuck in the cycle of poverty. There is an enormous refugee community in Buffalo, and poverty is a big problem in Genesee County and the Western New York area,” she says, “so I feel confident that I can make an impact here.”

An opening reception is planned for 6 to 8 p.m. on Friday, May 9, on the third floor of Blue Pearl Yoga, 200 E. Main St., Batavia. Gallery hours are Monday, Thursday, and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.; Monday through Thursday from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. For more information, call Blue Pearl Yoga at 585.230.5430 or contact Ms. Dayton at thedaytontime@gmail.com.

A new exhibit featuring the work of local photographer Susan Meier is on view at the Gallery at Blue Pearl Yoga through the month of January. The show is free and open to the public during gallery hours.

Meier, a lifelong resident of Genesee County, currently resides in East Pembroke. A self-taught artist, she began taking photographs as a preteen.

“I won a camera in a coloring contest and that sparked my interest,” she says.

After graduating from Genesee Wyoming BOCES with a degree in Cosmetology, Susan operated a hair salon out of her home for several years but continued her interest in photography, joining the Batavia Photography Club in 1995. She began photographing weddings in the late '90s and by 2001 she graduated from Genesee Community College with an AAS in Commercial Art. In 2010 she moved her business to the Harvester Artisan Center. She is a member of the Professional Photographers Association, past president of the Batavia Photography Club, and is active in 4H and the Genesee County Fair.

She continues her professional development by attending workshops throughout the country where she’s learned techniques like off-camera flash and studio and portrait lighting. Her work has been shown at the Richmond Memorial Library where she’s won multiple People’s Choice Awards, Moon Java Café, Genesee Community College, GoArt!, and Muller Quaker. Aside from her work as a wedding photographer, Susan’s professional work includes high school senior portraits, professional head shots, as well as newborn, family, and maternity photos.  

“The 11 images in the Blue Pearl exhibit feature a mix of fashion/glamour, boudoir, concept shoots and some photo digital art,” Meier says. "Concept shoots are ideas or unique concepts brought to life.

The concept images on display include Feather, 1940s Glam, Steampunk, Snow Princess and Flower. Her training as a cosmetologist allows her to construct elaborate styles for her models.

She is available for private photography lessons. You may contact her at 585-861-0415 or visit her studio at the Harvester Artisan Center, 56 Harvester Ave., on the first floor. Her social media presence includes Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, 500px, Google Plus, Shop Batavia.

The exhibit can be seen during gallery hours on Monday, Thursday, and Saturday from 9 to 11 a.m.; Monday through Thursday from 5 to 7 p.m.

For more information, call Blue Pearl Yoga at 585.230.5430.

Lynette Gawron, clinical supervisor and licensed creative arts therapist at Genesee/Orleans Council on Alcoholism & Substance Abuse (GCASA), proudly presented clients' artwork at the "Fall Recovery Art Show" on Saturday.

Organized in groups of eight people or less, art therapy sessions focus less on the finished product and more on the creative process. For this reason, Gawron likes to meet with people individually before they start. She says people sometimes come into it with the misconception that it is "arts and crafts" or training in how to be a better artist.

In reality, the process is quite different.

"It's about getting in touch with your true self," Gawron said, adding that the "true self" tends to be suppressed by addiction.

Gawron said art therapy helps to bring the unaddressed problems and issues that fuel or are suppressed by addiction to light.

"The emotional bubbling-up can be overwhelming," Gawron said. "(Art therapy) can be a way to channel that."

Samples:

The artist made this to show how her faith in God is helping her to "pick up the pieces" of her life and move forward.

Another made and showcased three masks:

One representing lovableness and happiness, but with memories of his/her deceased father, uncles and grandmother on the inside...

...another with various colors symbolizing the artist's hopes, fears and mistakes throughout the years...

...and a third depicting a calm exterior with "chaotic" emotions inside that come out "a little at a time."

This poster reflects the unidentified artist's anger at what addiction has done to his/her life.

Here is the bottom half:

Here is the artist's own description of this work: "This is about Light on the face and a path like the 'yellow brick road.' I look through the windows on my path at new things as I make choices in my life."

The artist who made this was present at the event. She said this represents, at the same time, the oppression of her addiction and the freedom (symbolized by the butterfly) of her recovery.

Other projects in which the clients are involved include:

1. Altered books...

...such as this one containing tiny drawers, pockets, pictures and other items. Gawron described it as a kind of journaling. Each page might have a separate theme relevant to the artist.

2. Writing about all the negativity in one's life, painting over the writing and overlaying it with positive words and/or imagery.

For more information, call Gawron at 815-1850 or e-mail llex@gcasa.org.

Submitted by Patricia Hawley:

A group of local fiber artists have gathered at Blue Pearl Yoga to show their work. “Mandala Quilts” features 10 pieces based on the Mandala -- a spiritual representing the wholeness of the Universe. The basic form of most mandalas is a square with four gates containing a circle with a center point. The show hangs through mid-November.

ArtCGirlz started about eight years ago when members of the Museum Quilt Guild began a niche group concentrating on Art Quilts. While every quilt tells a story, art quilts differ in that “they are meant to hang on a wall as art,” says member Martha Lorshbaugh. Her quilt, “Zendala Mandala,” incorporates intricate stitching using fushia-colored thread. According to organizer Elaine Ross, “Art quilters rarely follow a strict pattern. We love to change things around.” Many of the quilts contain embellishments like beads, sequins, buttons and embroidery.

The 11-member ArtCGirlz’s meet the second Tuesday of each month; the location varies so check out their blog at ArtCGirlz.blogspot.com. To view the show, visit the gallery at Blue Pearl Yoga, 200 E. Main St., third floor, in  Batavia. The gallery is open during class times; call ahead for details or check their Web site at www.bp-yoga.com or find them on Facebook at Blue Pearl Yoga. Admission is free.

Top photo: Mary Ellen Casey.

Michael Bow has had a pretty good year professionally -- and, knock on wood, it will keep getting better.

Bow, 27, runs "Bow Original Woodworking" out of his home in East Bethany. He builds furniture, cabinets, and other things per client request. Clients come to him from throughout Genesee County and as far away as Massachusetts.

Here are some samples of his work:

Originally from Attica, Bow has lived in East Bethany for two years. He started his own business in October 2012, around the time his mother became ill.

"I had worked in a couple different shops," Bow said, "Then I received a lot of requests for work, and my mom got sick. It seemed like the right time to go off on my own so that I could spend more time with her without affecting anybody else."

He learned woodworking on the job as an employee of Eurostyle Woodworking in Colorado. He credits the owners, Doug Stahl and Marco Dehm, with helping him to develop the skill level he enjoys now. They were not only his employers, but also his mentors.

"They're geniuses," Bow said. "They could touch a board and make a piano."

At one point, he got to travel with Dehm to the latter's native Switzerland and get a firsthand look at his training ground.

"When I saw how the Swiss learned," Bow said, "and what 16-year-old first-year woodworking students were doing, I was humbled by how advanced they were. I know guys here (in the United States) that have done woodworking for 30 years, and there's no way they could do what the kids are doing over there."

The following interview was conducted at Bow's home:

How would you describe woodworking for the layman? How is it different from carpentry?

Woodworking is a very in-depth trade. I think that's what I love about it. You have so many different ways to do so many different things. And then you've got so many styles. There's a European style, a Japanese style -- the Japanese are phenomenal craftsmen. There's so many different ways, for example, to build a cabinet, to set a door, and to join everything. Even after 30 or 40 years you still won't know anywhere near everything about woodworking.

There are different aspects of woodworking, but it generally involves more of a finished product. To me, when someone says "I'm a carpenter," I think they're more of a framer, more of a rough builder. And that's definitely respectable. These are just two different disciplines.

Is there a typical request you get from clients in terms of what they want?

Something cheap. (laughs) My slogan is "Design & Function." People usually want something for a specific purpose. Like if it's for an entertainment center, they'll want something that can hold a flat-screen TV, space for books or a DVD player, etc. So obviously it's designed around a specific need -- that's the function in "Design & Function." You can't have one without the other. If you've got the function and there's no design to it, what good is the function? And if you've got a good design and there's no functionality to it, then what good is the design?

How do you decide what kind of wood to use for your products?

Generally, it depends on what people want. If they want a painted product, usually I'll use either soft maple or poplar. If someone is looking for a certain kind of grain, I'll offer one type of wood. If someone is on a budget, I'll offer another; cherry generally stains very well -- and it's fairly cheap. It's pretty much about what the customer is looking for. Usually when I first meet with somebody on a job I'll tell them to get on the Internet, or get a magazine, and show me what they want.

Where do you get the wood for your projects?

It depends on what work I'm getting. Usually I don't need a big quantity of wood. I go through Attica Mill most of the time. I get some specialty hardwood from someone in South Warsaw, too. And then sometimes some of the customers will have wood that has been dried, cut or milled up, and I'll take it.

How did you get started in woodworking?

(When I was a kid) my uncle, Keith Bow, was always doing something with wood. He's a genius. I always would see his work and think, "Wow!" And I admired that "wow" factor.

My dad is kind of a hobbyist; he's a good craftsman. And my brother is a woodworker down in Florida. It's just in our blood, I guess.

I think the biggest thing (I enjoy) is that "wow" factor -- especially having my dad look at something I made and say, "Wow, that's cool."

In my late high school years, when I started realizing what I wanted to do, I went that route (toward woodworking). I was fairly confident with my skills and ability and knowledge, because I have the drive.

What are some of your hopes going forward?

My hopes are to always progress, always become more efficient...basically to strive for perfection. I want to become better at what I do. I want to be able to do more unique projects and constantly do something that is "one-and-only."

I don't expect to make a million dollars a year, but I would like to get to a point where I make enough money to live well and, here and there, take a few days off to do something outside of work.

Right now I'm busy, but not swamped. It's hit and miss (from week to week). Sometimes I might be working 60 hours a week. But I love what I do -- it's an addiction.

For more information, contact bow at 409-8127 or e-mail mjbow85@gmail.com.

Sample photos courtesy of Michael Bow.

The colorful and vibrant artwork of Esther von Kramer is on display this month at the Richmond Memorial Library.

The artist was born in Buffalo in 1893, but spent much of her adult life in Batavia and was an original member of the Batavia Society of Artists.

She died in 1981 at the age of 88 in East Aurora.

Her grandson, Eric von Kramer, helped organize the show, pulling together pieces of her work from family and friends.

Esther von Kramer's work in the show is comprised primarily of still lifes and a few landscapes, with work on canvas as well as household items such as serving trays, chairs and milk buckets.

Von Kramer had to move east to work during the war, but returned when it was over and opened a studio and shop in her home. She was an art instructor for adult education programs in Corfu and Le Roy. She also taught painting at the YMCA.

"Those years were some of the happiest of her life, filled with all the dear people who came as students and customers, and remained as lifelong friends,"  according to a family biography.  "She loved everyone!"

There will be a reception at the library tomorrow (Tuesday) from 7 to 9 p.m.

This afternoon, I made the rounds on a portion of GO ART! 2013 Artists Road Show.

Above, Bernice Yunker and Marilynn Palotti at the studio of artist Terry Weber, 5769 Ellicott Street Road, Bethany (the former East Bethany General Store).

Below, Heather Burroughs, of Alexander, gives a pottery demonstration at Ivy Lane Pottery, 3384 Broadway Road, Alexander. Burroughs is a student of Jean Grinnell and started pottery lessons a year ago when she received the lessons as a birthday present from her parents. Grinnell said Heather has picked up the craft quickly.

Bottom photo, Anita Haefner at Sticks and Stones, 2339 Broadway, Darien Center. Our photos of Michael Haefner, unfortunately, did not turn out. He makes rock sculptures.

Jennifer Spychalski, a freshman at Genesee Community College, is the winner of the college's "Fine Arts Student Show."

Her work, and that of other students enrolled in GCC's Fine Arts program, will be featured in an exhibit that will be open through Thursday.

According to a press release from Elisa Di Pietro, this exhibit "features two- and three-dimensional artwork" and "reflects the diverse coursework from drawing (to) painting, photography, 2D and 3D design and ceramics."

The exhibit is at GCC's Rosalie "Roz" Steiner Art Gallery at 1 College Road in Batavia.

For more information, contact Di Pietro at 356-2338.

Photo and information submitted by Elisa Di Pietro.

The annual student art show by GCC's fine arts students opens at the Roz Steiner Art Gallery, GCC campus, March 25 and runs through April 25.

The opening reception is at 12:30 p.m., Thursday.

Photo, from left: Holly Hosmar, from Pike; Sarah Bosa, Buffalo; Petra Dietrich, Batavia; Josh Coughlin, Churchville; and, Nicole Crossett, Batavia.

Yesterday afternoon I stopped by GCC to meet artist Dale Inglett and see the installation of his new show at the Roz Steiner Gallery. From what I could see during my short visit, the show looks like it will be visually interesting and well suited to the bright space and clean lines of the gallery.

Here's a press release from GCC about the show:

The large, clean and adaptable space of the Roz Steiner Art Gallery will host an exhibit by Alfred University Assistant Art Professor Dale Inglett, slated to open on Thursday, Nov. 15, and continuing through Jan. 3. Inglett's "Transient Beings" series includes large-scale canvasses, drawings and videos that examine both the connections and the divisions between the mind and body.

Gallery Director Shirley Tokash Verrico says the figurative images "allude to human transformation and capture a sense of transience and movement. It's an exciting opportunity to see an artist explore a unified concept through a variety of media." She notes that the artworks are an ideal fit for the new gallery which continues to draw more than 300 visitors each month.

Inglett is the recipient of a Strategic Opportunity Stipend from the New York Foundation for the Arts and has exhibited around the world, including the Neon Gallery in Brosarp, Sweden; the Georgia Museum of Art in Athens, Ga.; and Hallwalls Contemporary Arts Center in Buffalo. His works in painting, printmaking and video explore aspects of identity, time and existence. He received his MFA from Studio Art, Lamar Dodd School of Art in 2004 from the University of Georgia, and his BFA from Augusta State University in 1998.

Inglett's "Transient Beings" exhibit stems from an investigation "between physiology and psychology and include the viewer in an exploration of mortality. I make figurative images that allude to human transformation and non-objective images that capture a sense of transience and movement. My studio practice centers on painting and incorporates drawing, digital media, video and, at times, printmaking."

He uses the printmaking processes to create the footage for the video "Patriarch, Matriarch," yielding both prints and video in the exhibition. The content of the video work is ephemeral and fluctuating with images dissolving and continually shifting to indicate a mutable, transformable nature of identity.

The paintings, however, build on patterns and reticulations of fluidly painted surfaces. Through the pairing of individuals with fleeting qualities in the different media, Inglett alludes to human transformation, transience and passing. While informational aspects of historical photographs are diminished, relationships and family are emphasized.

For further information about this exciting artist visit his Web site: http://www.daleinglett.com/index.html

An artist reception is scheduled at 1 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 15 at 1 p.m. Mr. Inglett will also visit the Batavia campus and his exhibit on Tuesday, Dec. 11 as part of the special Encore Celebration. It will feature the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra performance for Genesee Community College Foundation's annual student scholarship fundraising gala.

The Rozalie "Roz" Steiner Art Gallery is adjacent to Genesee Center for the Arts at Genesee Community College Batavia Campus, One College Road, Batavia, NY 14020. The gallery hours are generally Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. and during special events or by special appointment. Contact Shirley Verrico at (585) 343-0055 ext. 6490 or stvierrico@genesee.edu. The gallery Web site: www.genesee.edu/campuslife/arts/gallery/

For door-to-door driving directions visit: http://www.genesee.edu/about/visit/maps.cfm.

Amy Worthington and Stacy Mullett celebrated the opening of their respective businesses, "Amy's Fluffy Friends" and "Phoenix Creatives," on Saturday.

Pictured are Katie Chapell-Vaught -- proprietor of "Athena's Bakery," which specializes in dog treats that are sold at "Amy's Fluffy Friends" -- Worthington (holding Clifford) and Mullett at the grand opening. It was held at the two businesses' shared space at 238 Ellicott St. in Batavia. 

"Amy's Fluffy Friends" offers grooming services for canines of all sizes, including (but not limited to) baths with massage, premium shampoos and conditioners, brushing, nail trimming, hair removal and sanitary trim, as well as skunk and flea treatment.

Worthington carries a variety of shampoos, including kinds that are designed for dogs with sensitive skin. She is open to customers bringing in their own shampoos if they prefer to do so.

In honor of the opening, she will offer free nail trimming for the first month.

"Phoenix Creatives," meanwhile, features custom printing, art, beaded jewelry, painted glass and secondhand items.

Mullett is offering 50-percent off of custom printing orders and "U-Pick" T-shirt designs for the first month.

Worthington and Mullett were friends and coworkers well before they decided to share business space.

"(Then one day) we said, 'We should go into business together,' " Worthington said. "It was almost like a joke. But then the thought stuck in our heads. It was a good idea."

"Amy's Fluffy Friends" is open from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. Monday through Friday (Worthington said she will stay until 5 p.m. if need be) and on Saturdays by appointment only. For more information, call 300-8765.

Hours of operation for "Phoenix Creatives" are 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and noon until 4 p.m. Saturdays. For more information, call 298-2045.