Happy Holidays!!!




"Birds in a Line" by Kathy Schneider

 The artists of Gallery 54 wish you a Happy Holiday and a wonderful New Year!  If you're still shopping for gifts we would love to help you find the perfect item for everyone on your list.  Drop by and have a look, or just to say hello.  We'd love to see you!

These two paintings by Kathy Schneider go so well with the Holiday spirit.  Her watercolors are lovely.  She has many original paintings in the gallery, as well as prints perfect for gift-giving.

 



"Country Winter" by Kathy Schneider



The Artists of Gallery 54

Cordially invite you to our

Holiday Open House

Friday December 7, 6-9pm

Several artists will have new work celebrating the season.

Refreshments will be served and Chris Molloy will provide music on his electric blue harp! 

Also join us for our

Ladies Shopping Event

December 11 from 10-8

Receive a $5 coupon when you spend $50.

Happy Holidays!!!

What's New at Gallery 54?

The Holidays are fast approaching and here at Gallery 54 we are working hard and ready!  We have recently added several new artists and all our artists are debuting new pieces for the season.  First Friday this month was a huge success and we are loving the new work by SallieThompson and Donna Smith.  If you haven't been by recently, take the opportunity to get out and enjoy a beautiful fall day walking in Skaneateles and be sure to include a visit to the shop.  For gift-giving Gallery 54 is a wonderful choice.  Each item is handcrafted locally, unique, and supports the local economy as well!



Butterfly wing pendants by Dana Blythe Stenson.  These are made in sterling silver with real butterfly wings, watch crystals and gemstones.




Mixed media assemblage by Donna Smith.  This lovely creation is also an earring holder!




Gourd mask by Andre Newton.




"Pods" with birds by Sallie Thompson.  These are ceramic and have so much character!




"Pinck", a doll by Nancy Christensen.  Nancy is one of our newest consigment artists.



November First Friday

Join us for our November First Friday Event:

“Vessels and Vestiges”

Featuring Vestigial Jewelry by Donna Smith

And Vessels by Sally Thompson

    Friday, November 2, 6-9pm          

Chris Molloy will provide live music on his electric blue harp. 

Complimentary refreshments will be served.   

Watching the Artists: Our First Friday Event

First Friday happens at Gallery 54 each month from April to December. Each First Friday brings a new featured artists’ work. October features Terry Askey Cole, one of our ceramic artists. The front of the gallery has a wonderful intimate area where the featured work is displayed. Shelves hold the precious objects and all the owners help to keep this space arranged to give our customers a feast for their eyes.  Every member has the opportunity to present his or her art in this way. April is a group self portrait show and December the annual holiday exhibit. The other months are shared between the 14 members. This brings up the whole concept of an artist owned gallery. All of the members have a hand in keeping our gallery working smoothly. First Fridays bring in food, wine and cooperation as the evening progresses. The flag goes out every month, one brings in the balloons, one the table as another brings out the table cloths and another makes the wine table ready. It’s a festive time for all as we gather to support and celebrate each other in an atmosphere of mutual respect.

Lunch with Lisa Noviasky

Tiny birds carved into found twigs.

"Everyday is a different medium".  This quote from Lisa perhaps most defines her artistic life.  While she is known for her oil paintings and sees oils as her primary and most comfortable medium, Lisa loves to experiment with new techniques and materials.  I recently had lunch with her, and saw some of her new creations.  Lisa has been experimenting with carving wood and building furniture and other items from found objects.  These are some of the products of her work!


One of the chairs Lisa and her husband John built from found wood.

Lisa has always been creative, but began to paint seriously about 6 years ago after taking classes at the Munson Williams Proctor Art Institute.  Lisa loves to do plein air work and has competed in several plein air competitions.  "Plein air" means to paint a scene outdoors in the open air, on location.  Lisa's plein air paintings are usually completed in one sitting and have a lovely, spontaneous quality.  For her outdoor work, she prefers water soluble oil paints because they clean up without solvents.  She also uses traditional oils when working in her studio and occasionally acrylics.  Lisa has a new studio space in a converted warehouse in Syracuse.  She hopes to transition into the new space as the weather cools and she is less able to paint outdoors.

Lisa Noviasky

What is most important to Lisa is not the painting of a literal image, but its impact on the viewer.  Lisa aims to evoke emotion with her paintings, whether they are recognizable images, or abstract.  She recently had a customer state that she "wished she could just fall right into the painting".  For Lisa this is a great compliment.  Lisa's paintings can be found at Gallery 54.  She has several new pieces available.  Come by and have a look!

One of  Lisa's recent oils paintings.

Introducing Photography by Tom Dwyer

Gallery 54 is pleased to announce the addition of work by photographer Tom Dwyer to the Gallery.  Tom has been a member of Cazenovia Artisans for many years, and has recently joined us as a consignment artist.  Tom's nature photography celebrates the beauty of our region, the Adirondacks and Fingerlakes of Central New York, in addition to other unforgettable locales.  Examples of his work can be seen on his website, http://www.tomdwyerphoto.com/, and can be found for purchase at Gallery 54. Stop by for a visit and see his work in person!

October First Friday Opening!

 Please Join us for our October First Friday Event:

“Drama from the Garden”

Ceramics and Mosaics

By Terry Askey-Cole

 "Every leaf speaks bliss to me, fluttering from the autumn tree." Emily Bronté

                   Friday, October 5, 6-9pm

Meet the artist and join us for beverages and snacks!

A Visit with Terry



Terry holding one of her beautiful leaf platters!

Terry Askey-Cole is one of the fine ceramic artists at Gallery 54.  A visit to Terry in her studio really illustrates the layers of creativity and talent that are part of her life.  Terry’s  artistic endeavors began with painting the walls of her bedroom as a child.  She later studied architecture for 2 years at Kent State University in Ohio.  Terry worked as a draftswoman in a firm and as a technical illustrator while finishing her degree in graphic design and illustration. 

Today, Terry runs her own business, Askey Design and Illustration, www.askeydesign.com.   Terry designs printed material for several companies and individuals in addition to being an accomplished ceramicist and painter.  She attributes her love of ceramics to the appreciation for 3-D work that she developed through architecture.  This combined with her love of nature is reflected in all of her work.  Her first ceramics class was with Lauren Ritchie, also a Gallery 54 artist!

Terry’s leaves are one of her most popular designs.  She started making them as a way to test glazes and they have evolved to include details, spirals, and many beautiful combinations of color. She uses redbud, oak, maple, and hosta leaves as models to imprint her work, all of which she picks in her garden.  

Terry at work on a mosaic, plus a close up of a one of her finished pieces!                            

In the future Terry looks forward to further developing her mosaics and sees this as a means to translate her painting into her pottery.  She enjoys telling a story through her work.  Her mosaics can take an afternoon or many days, even months to complete.  She uses shards from broken pieces, but will also sometimes make a piece specifically to use in a mosaic.  She incorporates broken pieces from other potters as well, which add variety to her work.  She will frequently have multiple pieces going at a time.

Terry loves being part of a gallery in order to have a home and audience for her work.   Because she runs her design business full-time, she appreciates that the gallery enables her to show her work without having to do shows.  You’re invited to meet her and visit her work at Gallery 54!

September First Friday Event!!

You’re invited to our September First Friday Event

          “The Tall and Short of It”            

Featuring:

Pottery by Jim Burke and

Paintings by Lisa Noviasky

                      Friday, Sept 7, 6-9pm

Meet the artists and join us for beverages and snacks!

                                        We hope to see you there!            

New at Gallery 54: Jo Krajci Papercutting

We are pleased to introduce work by a new artist, Jo Krajci.  Each of Jo’s original fine papercuttings begins as a pencil drawing on silhouette or parchment paper.  They are then carefully hand cut using scissors or craft knives.  Jo “handgrains” each of her wood frames as well using paint and oil glaze.  She has been working at her craft since the 80’s and is a recognized member of the Guild of American Papercutters.

Precious Hues

 You’re invited to our August First Friday Event

“Precious Hues” 





Featuring:

Fabric Art by Sharon Bottle Souva and

Jewelry by Dana Blythe Stenson

                   Friday, August 3, 6-9pm

Meet the artists and join us for beverages and snacks!

We hope to see you there!  

FIRE AND WATER

Please Join us at our July First Friday Event

"Fire and Water”

Featuring Vibrant New Paintings by

Kathleen Schneider

And Scultural Glass Jewelry by

Heather Hennigan

                    

Opens Friday, July 6, 6-9pm

Enjoy complimentary beverages and live Electric Blue Harp music by Christopher Molloy!!

Rain

It seems that we are back to spring momentarily. Today the weather has turned chilly with rain most of the day. Still a few brave souls have come to Gallery 54, some new to us while others are returning. The comment I hear from nearly everyone is “you have a beautiful shop” and “everything is fantastic - I keep finding one great thing after another”.

Dragonfly tile by Gary Quirk

One thing I overheard today was regarding the front window…….. which by the way is mostly the brilliant effort of Donna Smith, one of the owners. There are words painted on the glass that read “Fine Art – Locally Made.” This is such an important feature of Gallery 54. We jury in every artist’s work for quality, visual impact and marketability. In addition we make sure there is little overlap, making each piece of art is unique and well made....AND all from the region. Where else can you go for one-of-a-kind art and fine craft that is high quality and locally made?



Tree tile by Gary Quirk

Shop local…………………shop often!

Shaker Boxes by Fred Weisskopf

Our June First Friday Event will feature the work of Fred Weisskopf, woodworker.  Fred will be presenting his new collection of handcrafted shaker boxes and the process for creating them.  Many of our artists will be present and we will have live harp music and snacks as well.  Please join us June 1 from 6 to 9pm. It promises to be a lovely evening in the town of Skaneateles and many other First Friday events will be going on in addition to ours!

Below is one of Fred's handcrafted cutting boards, available in the gallery! 

LIVE FROM GALLERY 54!

This may not be the most creative blog entry that could come from Gallery 54, I admit. It’s not about the beautiful art we have. It’s not about the creative process….. or the colors of nature working its way into the visual experience. Nor is it about the joy of starting a new project.

This is about a POS (point of sale) system. Gallery 54 is proud to announce we are stepping into the 21^st century; We are streamlining our process of inventory control and accounting… but more importantly, instituting a better way to accommodate our customers at the checkout with a new state of the art computer system.

Our owners have been counting the inventory of wooden cars, glass flowers, dyed scarves and paintings to prepare for going live with the new system. Even though we are all on board with this transition there are still days of wondering if the anxiety of learning this new way of inventory management and ringing up sales is worth it. Is it less work in the long run? Are we ever going to get the hang of it?

We are now using the new system…….. working out the bugs……..calling our tech member on a regular basis (Thank you) and saying out loud “we will persevere, and we will become masters of this machine!”

Jennifer Wells Studio

Gallery 54 is proud to carry the fine beadwork of Jennifer Wells.  Jennifer is a graduate of the School for American Crafts at RIT in Rochester, NY.  Each of Jennifer's jewelry pieces is hand-sewn using an embroidery technique known as 'Applique' and finished with fabric, which adds a unique sculptural dimension.  She incorporates beads, gemstones, cabochons, and precious metals.  Jennifer will be featured in "Showcase 500 Beaded Jewelry" by Ray Hemachandra and published by Lark Publishing, to be released in August.

Creativity

 The Spruse Copse, Pastel by Adrianna Meiss

It turns out Gallery 54 owners aren’t the only creative folks in the shop. We have gathered work from some of CNY’s finest artists here as consignees:  From painted feathers and gourd masks to blown glass flowers; from ceramic cats to wearables that are unique, artistic and comfy all at the same time.

Cutting Board by Michael Parkhurst

Where does all this creativity come from? That question has been debated for years and years. Are artists born with the talents to create? Or do they learn from others who have sculpted, stitched, welded, assembled and created before them? There is a sense that it’s not all one or the other. There is an inherent core desire to work with our hands as we make a work of art. Even small children look at their scribbles as masterpieces.  Our artists have that inner spirit that brings them to explore a medium that they love. They/We study and experiment all the while we are making our art that comes to the gallery. That leads back to the original musing of which comes first……….heart and hand.   See the two previous postings for information on upcoming artist demonstrations and events at the Gallery.  We hope to see you there!

Garden Art in Glass and Clay

Gallery 54 celebrates First Friday in Skaneateles: "Garden Art in Glass and Clay" opening Friday, May 4th from 6 pm-9pm. The May show features stained glass garden art by Liz and Rich Micho and carved stoneware lanterns by Lauren Ritchie. Meet the artists and enjoy refreshments.  Spring hours Sun-Fri 11-5 and Sat 10-5.

 

Upcoming Artist Demonstrations

Gallery 54 presents Gourd Loon Mask Making Demonstration by Andree Dennis Newton on Saturday April 14 from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Carrying on the traditions of her culture, Abenaki Indian and Old Forge resident, Andree Dennis Newton, will design a dynamic mask. Using the popular Adirondack bird as subject,she will use a hard-shell gourd as the base, adding detail with burning pen, dremel, and acrylic paint. Feathers and beads will be added to finish.  She will also "show and tell" each phase of gourd mask making.

Amy E. Bartell will be demonstrating mixed media and collage techniques on Sunday, April 22 from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. at Gallery 54.  Bartell will demonstrate layering combinations of handmade papers, drawing, using gouache and line work to develop the rich surfaces and imagery in her mixed media collages.

Gallery 54 presents Weaving on a Triangle Frame Loom by Lynda DeLallo on Saturday April 28th from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Lynda DeLallo will demonstrate weaving a capelet on a triangle frame loom using hand dyed silk and yarns.

For the Birds

 

You know it’s spring when birds show up at Gallery 54. The birds we see little of from October to April suddenly appear bringing their beauty and joy into our lives. We have new herons here at Gallery 54. James Seaman again has created fabulous sculptures; spectacular and graceful to adorn any room or garden. You have to see these beauties in person.

Bird houses by Kevin Ridgeway and smaller bird sculptures by Candace Rhea give us anticipation of the season as it bursts forth - and burst it has. We have new flowers in our planters, fresh paint on the walls, the windows and doors stay open to bring the breezes from the lake into the gallery.

We’re gearing up for our annual Artists’ Self Portrait show which opens on First Friday, April 6^th from 6-9. The show will be up for the entire month of April.   Come out and help us celebrate local art.

Spring at 54!!

Spring has arrived earlier than ever here in Central New York!  Flowers are starting to bloom and color is popping up everywhere. There are many new things to see at Gallery 54 and we hope you will take the time to enjoy a stroll through Skaneateles and check out what's new. 

Coming soon the the gallery......a sterling silver spider brooch by Dana Blythe Stenson.



 Below is a fiber vessel by Lauren Bristol, one of our consignment artists.

This beautiful quilt by Sharon Bottle Souva will bring color and cheer to any room it is presented in.  Enjoy!

Musings of an Artist

It came to my mind the other day as I drove to Skaneateles for a day at Gallery 54, that we artists/owners of this gallery are among the fortunate. We spend time surrounded by beautiful jewelry, visually stimulating textiles and fiber art, fantastic pottery and paintings, each unique and spectacular in their own way. We sit with toys, birdhouses, colorful to die for glass garden art and a huge assortment of art and fine craft. It occurred to me that these are the things that enhance our loves and our homes, give joy to the spirit and add a measure of delight to our friends as we give a gift.  Above all art brings beauty to our world; without such beauty our days would be bleak and dreary. There is always the need for brightness, joy, beauty, pleasure and delight.

Yes…… we owners of Gallery 54 are indeed fortunate for the opportunity to visit with this art on a regular basis. And yes……….. on occasion, purchase something to take home for a continuation of the love affair.

This weekend is the Skaneateles Winterfest featuring ice sculpture, chilli and cider, and many activities in town.  Sharon Bottle Souva will be demonstrating her fiber collage techniques on Saturday from 12-3.  We hope to see you there!