Exhibitions & Events
September Exhibition
Rotunda Gallery
CONDUITS OF LIGHT AND FORM
New and Recent Works by
Lawrence Kinney and Ginny O’Brien
Opening Reception: Thursday, September 7, 6-8PM
On view Sept 1-30, 2023
Artists Lawrence Kinney and Ginny O’Brien are intrigued with the dynamics of how color, shape, and form interact in the art they each make. Working with these elements both artists create work expressing individuality through the methods, materials, and processes they employ.
Lawrence is interested in how color, shape, and translucent light unify to imply a sense of space, if not movement, through it. He combines solid planes of metal, translucent colored acrylic panels, and painted surfaces to depict a view of the world that can be broken down into basic shapes that present shifting color and light depending on objects surrounding them. His sculptures, made of fabricated and found objects, hint at architecture, organic or geometric forms.
Ginny makes mixed media paintings using cloth digitally printed with images of her original art. She isolates and cuts away selected motifs from the cloth to use as collage material for painted canvases, a process that opens up negative space and allows for new compositions and paint color options. Additionally, Ginny adheres her silk cloth paintings to adhesive coated canvases and hand shapes the cloth to create three-dimensional surfaces that emphasize alternating light and shadow effects.
Viewers are invited to interpret the interplay between each artists’ works installed in a well-lit and expansive gallery space, using one’s own unique vision in imaginative ways.
September Exhibition
East Gallery
GARAGE SALE
Artwork by
John Szablewski
Opening Reception: Thursday, September 7, 6-8PM
Artist Talk: Saturday, September 23, 1PM
On view Sept 1-30, 2023
Garage Sale is a phrase that has an interesting connotation. Some believe that a Garage Sale is a place where your “stuff” is sold off to become someone else’s stuff. I always believed that a Garage Sale is a place where things have the opportunity to get a new life. I’ve found some really exciting things at Garage Sales. Something that seems to be at Garage Sales all the time is art supplies. These items are just begging for a new start. All of the artworks in this show were mostly created with supplies that were “rescued” from Garage Sales. Paints, canvases, frames, you name it. They have been repurposed so that they are able to experience a new start. . .on the wall in your house.
The works displayed in this show have no real rhyme or reason. There is no over-arching theme in the content. These pieces are made from items that someone was trying to get rid of. You‘ll see some unique items, along with some familiar images. It is my hope that when you view the work on display, it brings some joy to you. There is nothing serious about “Garage Sale.” It is meant to be humorous, and fun.
John Szablewski is a visual arts educator in the North Tonawanda School District, where he teaches middle school students. He holds two bachelor’s degrees from SUNY Buffalo State (Television and Film Arts 2013, Art Education 2017) as well as a Master’s Degree (Creativity and Change Leadership 2021). An author/illustrator, John released two children’s books in 2020 and 2021 respectively. “Hey! I’m Clay” and “Hey! I’m Sketch” were his first picture books. In 2021 he also published “The Absurd Sketchbook” for teens and adults to embrace their inner creativity. Later this year, John hopes to have another exciting children’s book ready for publication.
A member of the local theatre community, John has directed, music directed, and acted in numerous shows, but his favorite part of theatre is set design. John has designed and built sets for such shows as “Clue: Live on Stage,” “Miracle on 34th Street,” “The Somewhat True Tale of Robin Hood,” “Alice in Wonderland,” and many others.
In 2020, John’s painting – “A Quiet Queen City” won the People’s Choice Award from the Queen City Fine Arts Center.