Last Henpeck Mural Completed!

August 18th, 2010

Henpeck Park Public Mural Ribbon Cutting: 10am, September 17th

Why the 17th? It’s the Friday before the World Canal Conference, hosted in Rochester, NY this year. Check out the schedule – there are lots of events happening on Sunday that are open to the public. Our goal was to have the murals installed in time for the Conference. We have plenty of time to spare, so be sure to swing by Henpeck Park after September 1st to check out the murals under the bridge. Let me know what you think!

For the sake of maintaining an element of surprise, I’m going to wait until after the ribbon cutting to post pictures of the entire murals. Here’s a detail of the last one! The boat is definitely my favorite part.

Steamboat Barge, Detail of Henpeck Park Mural

Monday was spent tweaking a few details on the third and last panel for Henpeck park. It was such a relief to finish the painting within the deadline. Then I spent most of today waiting for the threat of rain to pass so I could get on with the process of clear coating. Golden’s MSA Varnish requires an isolation coat of Soft Gel Medium. The medium dries to a moderate gloss and creates a permanent barrier to protect the painting in case the varnish must be removed. Little raindrops would not be a welcome addition at this stage!

The Great Lakes of Erie and Ontario, with the Niagara Peninsula in between, create some interesting weather effects. Sorta like big parallel stripes of clouds and clear skies that arch right over my house. It’s pretty neat! Today the very edge of the rain clouds hovered over the mural until 2pm, with clear blue skies to the North! Couldn’t the rain move just a LITTLE South?  It worked out alright since I had plenty of time to take care of a few other things, and finished the day by clear coating in the cool air and beautiful colors of twilight.

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Posted in Community, Erie Canal, Event, Greece Mural, In Progress, Murals, Painting, Public Art, WNY | 1 Comment »

Getting Close!

August 12th, 2010

Check out the article in the Democrat and Chronicle today! It features the Greece Mural, which will be installed as of the beginning of September. I love how they tied in Mural Mania and existing works along the canal. It gives readers a view of the vast picture of community art that this mural fits into.

Sally and Henry, from the completed second painting.
She’s a good ol’ worker an’ a good ol’ pal…..

This week I’m finishing up the last panel of the Henpeck Park public mural. Below is a reference photo of Junction Lock I’m using for part of the painting. Grainy old photos always make the details challenging to render!

Painting is going well and I’m definitely amped up about the installation! Transporting the nine finished sections of three 8′ x 12′ murals – to install on a barge over the canal! – will be the most exciting and nerve-wracking of my career to date. (I get giddy and paranoid just moving them into storage!)  I will be so happy to see them permanently  hanging in their new home under the Elmgrove Road bridge. I cannot way to see the final effect with all three sections working together.

I wonder what my next public art project will be? There are so many small towns along the canal with empty walls and piles of history. I would love to create another Treasures project like the one we just finished in Holley – art that illustrates a town by exhibiting historical and current points of interest, then provides them with an easy way to find all of that interesting stuff! All art has a function, but when you can really make it work for you – that’s even better.

19th century scene from the completed second painting.

Looking for something to do this weekend? The Rose Lummis is taking passengers on a scenic tour of the canal. I went last summer and it was a beautiful trip. I learned a lot about the canal, including what sort of creatures are swimming around in there. Tickets must be purchased in advance. I hope they have some left!

Painting is going well this week and I’m definitely amped up about the installation!

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Mural for Greece, NY

June 15th, 2010

Back in January I shared the news of this public mural commission for Greece, including an image of the sketch for this panel. Comparing the two is a good example of how a mural can evolve from sketch to finish!

Today a few representatives from Greece came by to check it out and give the thumbs up before I apply the clearcoat. Now that we have the all clear, I thought I’d share a few photos real quick. Unfortunately you can see a little gap between the second and third panels. That won’t be there when it’s installed. Hopefully it doesn’t disrupt your viewing experience! This section is 12′ x 8′. Click on the images for a larger view.

One of the biggest challenges for this commission is making sure that the painting is readable from 80 feet away. That’s where most people will be viewing it from, since it will be installed under a canal bridge on the other side of the canal! Of course, boaters will be able to see the brushwork.

Any comments, suggestions and criticism are most welcome! Thanks for looking.

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Posted in Art, Community, Erie Canal, Greece Mural, Murals, Painting, Public Art, WNY | 2 Comments »

Treasures of Holley Unveiling and LAUNCH!

May 31st, 2010

Monarch buttefly in the "Holley Glen Falls" panel.

Away she goes!

The unveiling for Treasures of Holley is only days away. June 5th, at 11am, the mural installation in Holley’s Canal Park (map) will be unveiled.

I’m very happy to be tying this event in with Holley’s Junefest. Crafters, many garage sales, a car show, chicken bbq and other festival food, drum corp show, 5k race, fun for the kids, fireworks!…. and of course an awesome mural!! There are a lot of reasons to come to Holley on June 5th.

Eight sided mural kiosk in progress.

The mural kiosk under construction. You can see the lift bridge and the canal in the background - great location!

It doesn’t seem like it was a year ago that I met Joyce Ridley, then president of the Holley Rotary Club. Somewhere in that first conversation the subject of creating a mural in Holley came up. Before winter hit I had spoken with the rest of the club about partnering with them for a community project, then applied for and won a grant through GoArt to fund the project. This project was even more involved, with way more potential, then we first anticipated. And this is just the beginning!

After all the work of the past year, it will be really great for everyone involved to see how this will all function on Saturday. The murals themselves were very well received at the preview (an article in the Journal Register Register). That was a great night! We saw more people then we ever expected, and the response to Treasures of Holley was just wonderful. Now it’s the other half of the project, the walking tour/treasure hunt that remains to be proven. We’ve tested the route several times to get the kinks out, but you know something will be not quite right, come the final reckoning. We’ve done enough ground work and preparation for it all to go smoothly enough, but I’m curious to see what the public will think.

That’s the moment I’m most looking forward to… when the murals are unveiled, the maps are picked up and people head out to explore the town of Holley. It truly is a launch, like sending a new boat into the water for the first time. Should I bring a bottle of champagne to smash?

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Treasures of Holley Mural Preview!

April 9th, 2010

A detail from "The Old Canal Spur" mural panel, Treasures of Holley

Spring has been a whirlwind of activity so far… or maybe a thunder shower, or a series of snow flurries would be a more appropriate metaphor.  This is Western New York after all, and while we’ve already seen temps in the eighties this month, today it snowed! So I reluctantly turned on the furnace, and spent the afternoon sending out promotional blurbs to local publications, announcing the ToH mural preview. I hope to see all of you there!

I eventually realized that the space I’ve been meaning to update for the longest time is still empty and waiting for some words. Sometimes it can really be a struggle to put the right words together! Sometimes it can be a struggle just to sit down and get close enough to this page to even begin thinking about finding the right words….But today, this is where the hard work and headache of composing press releases will pay off. Cut….and paste!

Treasures of Holley Mural Preview

On Saturday April 17th, from 4pm til 9pm, Marti’s on Main will be hosting an exhibit of all eight panels on April 17th from 4pm to 9pm, the first exhibit in Marti’s brand new second floor gallery. This will be the last stop before the mural is permanently installed in Holley’s canal side park.

Enjoy live music and refreshments, while you learn about the purpose and intent of this interactive mural installation. Limited edition prints of the mural will be for sale. Meet the artist, ask questions, and learn about Treasures of Holley. All proceeds benefit this community mural project. Stop by for a sneak peak!

(I included a summary with the press releases as well. I’ll post it here just in case some of my readers are unfamiliar with the idea behind Treasures of Holley.)

About Treasures of Holley

This mural isn’t just a painting – it’s a Treasure Map!

This interactive mural installation designed for Holley’s Canal Park has been one year in the making. A collaboration between Holley’s Rotary Club, OCALS, and artist Stacey Kirby, Treasures of Holley is a community project that seeks to show people all that Holley has to offer. Eight mural panels illustrate a variety of interesting features of the town; historical architecture, natural beauty, interesting people – they’re all a part of Holley, waiting to be discovered.

After June 5th, treasure maps can be found at the mural in Holley’s Canal Park. Use the map to explore the town of Holley, it will guide you to the different landmarks that are found in the paintings. Solve riddles, follow clues and answer questions as you go. The treasure hunt walking tour will be launched on June 5th, with the unveiling of the mural installation.

“People from all over the country and all over the world travel the canal, and they love stopping in Holley’s beautiful Canal Park to eat lunch, relax and rest. Until now, there hasn’t been anything to draw them into the town itself, where their business would be very welcome.  Treasures of Holley is a solution to that problem. The colorful murals show visitors what Holley has to offer, but that’s just a taste. With the treasure hunt walking tour, they can see the sites first hand and learn all sorts of interesting facts about Holley. This is great for people traveling the canal that are looking for a new activity, people from the area that would like to discover Holley’s hidden treasures, and even people that live here in town.  It’s free, educational and it gets people active outdoors.” – artist Stacey Kirby

Treasures of Holley

This mural isn’t just a painting – it’s a Treasure Map!

This interactive mural installation designed for Holley’s Canal Park has been one year in the making. A collaboration between Holley’s Rotary Club, OCALS, and artist Stacey Kirby, Treasures of Holley is a community project that seeks to show people all that Holley has to offer. Eight mural panels illustrate a variety of interesting features of the town; historical architecture, natural beauty, interesting people – they’re all a part of Holley, waiting to be discovered.

After June 5th Treasure maps can be found at the mural in Holley’s Canal Park. Use the map to explore the of Holley, it will guide you to the different landmarks that are found in the paintings. Solve riddles, follow clues and answer questions as you go. The treasure hunt walking tour will be launched on June 5th, with the unveiling of the mural installation.

“People from all over the country and all over the world travel the canal, and they love stopping in Holley’s beautiful Canal Park to eat lunch, relax and rest. Until now, there hasn’t been anything to draw them into town the town itself, where their business would be very welcome.

Treasures of Holley is a solution to that problem. The colorful murals show visitors what Holley has to offer, but that’s just a taste. With the treasure hunt walking tour, they can see the sites first hand and learn all sorts of interesting facts about Holley. This is great for people traveling the canal that are looking for a new activity, people from the area that would like to discover Holley’s hidden treasures, and even people that live here in town. It’s free, educational and it gets people active outdoors.” – artist Stacey Kirby

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Monochrome: Warm and Cool

February 28th, 2010

The seventh panel for Treasures of Holley is completed, but here’s a look at what’s under the finished painting.

panel7

My intention in this panel is to create a sense of the individuals that built the town of Holley, NY and made it what it is. The same kind of people that live here today: hardworking, enjoying life, lighthearted, solemn, and giving to the community in more ways then one. It was quite a task to select the right photos from the many thousands that historian Marsha Defillips has in her collection.

Click here to read on about painting in monochrome: Read the rest of this entry »

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A Public Mural for Greece, NY

January 24th, 2010

It’s difficult to know where to start, when so much time has passed! I have plenty of paintings to share, but I don’t have time to write ten or twelve posts at the moment, so I’ll just skip right to the big news and fill in the gaps later.

Over the next six months or so, I will be working on a public mural for Henpeck Park, in Greece NY. After a period of negotiations, the contract has been signed, the panels are ordered – it’s offical!

Panel 1 : Constuction of the Erie Canal through Greece, NY

Panel 1 : Construction of the Erie Canal in Greece, NY

Click here to read the rest of this post.>> Read the rest of this entry »

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“Read to Me”

November 22nd, 2009

This late-night post is brought to you by espresso! Feeling pretty foggy at the opening tonight, and finding myself in a coffee shop, I chose the not-so-smart solution of caffeine. Caffeine has a pretty serious effect on me – I try to use that effect to the greater good whenever possible. However, I will be paying the price for the next several hours and … most of tomorrow morning as well. Oh well, might as well get some good out of it right? And I have plenty to blog about, so here we go.

I will take the time to get a decent photo in the near future... but paintings always look better in real life - you should check it out!

The TAG group painting will be raffled off on Dec. 18th at Elsewhere Coffee shop. Nine artists contributed to this painting! (I will take the time to get a decent photo in the near future... but paintings always look better in real life -hint, hint!)

(Please read the previous post for a little background info on “Read to Me: the Art of Literacy” if you need it.)

The opening was fantastic. Another one of those jewel-like situations where people come together and the results are exponentially wonderful in many directions. I’m convinced there’s a Japanese term that perfectly describes this phenomenon. Meeting new and interesting people, chatting with good friends, ideas flying to and fro like gleeful canaries. Yes, canaries. Let’s just say it was a very fertile environment for the creative mind.

There are so many things I love about this show. First and foremost, the fact that two young, enthusiastic organizations have come together to share their resources and talents with such great success. Secondly: The Artist’s Group is a very giving organization, we all love the fact that our passion for creating artwork has given us this opportunity to benefit OCALS and our community. And because of this, the collaborative piece is fantastic – everyone wants to win it! It is steeped in the sentiments that went into it’s creation.  I’m telling you, you can’t get 9 artists to create one painting without a lot of love!

Contributors to the group painting pictured: Kim Martilotta, Lori Groth, Pat Greene, Connie Moser, Mike O'Keefe, Tom Zangerle, and myself. Contributors not picutred: Arthur Barnes and Tony Barry

Contributors to the group painting, from left to right: Tom Zangerle, Mike O'Keefe, Pat Greene, Connie Moser, Kim Martilotta, Stacey Kirby and Lori Groth. Contributors not pictured: Arthur Barnes and Tony Barry

And guess what! Raffle tickets are only ONE DOLLAR. Truly, there are few things that can be purchased for $1, and a chance to win this painting is a very good option, in my humble (completely objective) opinion.  Tickets are available for purchase wherever the painting is on display (destinations listed below), as well as a few other locations (details coming soon).

· The Book Shoppe, 519 Main St., Medina from Nov. 23 – Nov. 29

· Dr. Daniel Schiavone, DDS, 69 Public Square, Holley from Nov. 30 – Dec. 5

· Yates Community Library, 15 N. Main St., Lyndonville from December 7 – 12

· Swan Library, 4 N. Main St., Albion from December 14 – 18

The theme show itself – about 20 pieces by members of TAG – will be hanging in Elsewhere until mid January. As usual, it’s really fun and interesting to see completely unique interpretations of the same theme. The closing reception for the show is December 18th at Elsewhere, where we will find out the lucky winner of the raffle!

Thankyou to everyone that attended the opening, and helped us to make this such a successful event!

Thank you to everyone that attended the opening, for showing your support and making the opening such a successful event!

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Theme Show – Read to Me: the Art of Literacy

November 13th, 2009

Ok, you have to promise not to tell anyone… I’m not supposed to show you yet… but I just finished my part of the collaborative painting this morning and I can’t keep it to myself. It’s just a little sneak peak!

sneakpeak

This is a tiny part of a big painting that has gone the rounds among The Artist’s Group. By the time it’s finished, the work of about ten artist’s will be represented in one painting. I’ve never done a collaborative painting like this before, and I’ve enjoyed seeing how such distinctive styles can merge, creating one successful piece. Earlier today one of the painters commented on how this painting is very symbolic of our group; a range of unique individuals contributing their talent and skill to create one fantastic whole, The Artist’s Group!

This special work of art will be raffled off as a fund raiser for OCALS (Orleans County Adult Learning Services) an organization I’ve mentioned here before.  Discussions between Patty Hawley, (a member of OCALS and a very inspired woman) and members of our group led to the formation of a very beneficial partnership. Our two young organizations came together and planned a show of artwork created along the theme of literacy, with this collaborative painting as the centerpiece.

The show runs November 21st until January 8th 2010. Raffle tickets will be sold as the painting travels to different locations around Orleans County, while the show hangs in Elsewhere Coffeehouse in Albion. The raffle will take place at Elsewhere during the closing reception on December 18th. I’ll post more details as the date draws near!

Show Opening: Saturday, November 21, 6pm – 8pm

Unveiling of the Painting: 7:30

At Elsewhere Coffee House

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Events this Friday! 11-06

November 4th, 2009
November! Bringing us some of the last remnants of color before winter paints the world white.

November! Bringing us a brilliant show of color before winter paints the world white.

It’s time for another First Friday gallery event at Marti’s on Main! There are so many things going on in our scenic little town of Albion, (three art exhibits and two live music performances)  it looks like it will be quite a night!

  • Apple-icious First Friday Live music at Spotlight Studio, a variety of shops open late along Main St for a little early holiday shopping, Apple Wine and Hard Cider tastings for $7 at Elsewhere Coffee House, with more live music upstairs.
  • Closing Reception of Voices of the Earth at the Orleans County Chamber of Commerce 7pm-9pm. “The exhibit features more than a dozen pieces of pottery hand-crafted by Hispanic farm worker women who participated in a creative arts and English language program provided by the World Life Institute in Waterport. The program is supported by Orleans-Niagara BOCES and with a Reach Grant administered by GO ART!, funded by the state Council on the Arts.”
  • Art Opening at Salih Studio. Salih Studio is a beautiful space. I’m not sure what will be hanging this Friday, but judging by the shows I’ve seen there in the past it will be full of great artwork.
  • And of course the Exhibit at Marti’s. 5:30 – 9pm.  There are only two more First Friday events this year before Marti’s closes for the winter to begin renovations. When they reopen in the Spring, the gallery will have twice as much space to exhibit.

I hope you all have an opportunity to stop by and join in the fun – be sure to say hello if you see me there! It’s not just the events and activities that make First Friday great – it’s the friendly people and small town atmosphere. I love it.

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