Tuesday, November 24, 2015

History informs paintings of Schramm & Balfour

Two notable Central New York artists reach back into history as they prepare to showcase their painting as Gallery 54's December guest artists.


Both Barbara Schramm and Joanne Balfour are well know in the Central New York art community. Schramm, a painter of old world Victorian Santa's and Joanne Balfour, whose theorem paintings draw on 19th century techniques for inspiration, will be on hand at the Skaneateles gallery from 5 to 8 pm on Friday, December 4. Their unique and interesting work will be on display throughout the months of December and January.

Joanne Balfour
Balfour was drawn to the history and type of home decorative arts done in 17th and 18th century England and America. As a member of the Historical Society of Early American Decoration she is always anxious to “promote the relevance of Early American Decoration’s craftsmanship and design”. Basically a self-taught artists, her work has received awards at the New York State Fair and at the yearly conventions of the Historical Society of Early American Decoration.

I find satisfaction in this artwork from the challenge of seeing the old designs studied, preserved and replicated as well as in educating the public and making people aware of our past art history through displays and presentations of techniques and history,” says Balfour.

Her theorem paintings exhibit a technique practiced by young ladies in early 19th century American academies. Stencils were often provided by their teachers and used in various combinations by the girls to create their oil paintings or watercolors on cotton velveteen, often embellished with freehand details. Work by Historical Society of Early American members like Balfour is based on using designs from 19th century originals.

From Costigan to Schramm

Barbara Schramm
Google the name John Costigan and if you are not already familiar, you'll be introduced to a noted 20th Century American artist and an important mentor of Barbara Schramm. “As a youngster I enjoyed visiting my aunt, artist Ella Ray Maccio and joining her at painting classes in Orangeburg, NY,” recalls Schramm. While she didn't recognize the importance of John Costigan and his role in the National Academy of Design, at the time she welcomes the impact her peripheral introduction to the world of art may have had on her passion today.

Schramm was one of the founding artists of Gallery 54 and takes a personal pride in "how well it continues to promote local artists and their work.

Visitors to Gallery 54 for this First Friday show will be treated to Schramm's old world, victorian Santa's (or Father Christmas') painted on quarter sawn Finger Lakes sycamore, oak or pine. The reverse of each painting indicates where in the world the depicted Santa became popular.

Schramm is pleased to credit young Matthew McNeil, a Skaneateles High School 9th grader, for his bandsaw creation of the shapes of each Father Christmas.

The award winning artist, who considers herself an “itinerant (self-taught) painter, also paints German brides boxes, women's academy art, wardrobes, and furniture.

Both artists will be on hand to answer questions and discuss their art with music provided by Chris Molloy and his Electric Blue Harp. Light refreshments will be served.

Gallery 54, located at 54 E. Genesee St in Skaneateles is an upscale gallery specializing in fine art and craft created by Central New York artists.
December hours are Sunday thru Thursday 10 am- 5 pm as well as Friday and Saturday 10 am – 6 pm.


Thursday, October 1, 2015

Gallery 54 October guest artist

Final showing of fabric
artist, Jan Navales
set for Gallery 54


The First Friday of October, October 2, will feature the fabric art of artist, teacher and entrepreneur Jan Navales at Gallery 54 here. You don't want to miss this opening to her month-long showing titled “My Fabric Art, since it will also be the last show she will do featuring her fabric art.

    First Friday guest artists have become a noted community tradition at Gallery 54 when visitors get to interact with an invited guest artist as well as some of the nearly 50 local artists regularly exhibiting at the gallery. Jan will be on hand to discuss her fabric art with guests between 5 and 8 pm. Her work will continue on exhibit throughout the month of October.
    The Syracuse, NY artist has enjoyed a broad artistic career including working as a textile artist, a master screen printer, dyer, block printing and deconstructive printing for more than 25 years.
She currently teaches two classes at Syracuse University: Textile Hand Printing and Dyework Design.
    As an artist who owned a large screen printing business for 30 years, she is also a watercolor illustrator.
    At this point in her life she says, “I'm going back to illustration on paper, with watercolor.
Enjoy the music of Chris Molloy and his Electric Blue Harp.    Light refreshments will be served. Gallery 54 is an upscale gallery of fine art and crafts, located at 54 E. Genesee St., Skaneateles, NY. 


October gallery hours are Sunday throughThursday, 10-5 and Friday and Saturday, 10-6.
www.gallery54cny.com 
315-685-5470.

Wednesday, August 26, 2015

Gallery 54 artist to speak in NYC

Gallery 54 photographer/artist, Tom Dwyer, has accepted an invitation from the New York City Sierra Photo Club, to be the guest speaker at its October 21 meeting at the Lincoln Center in New York City.

"What an honor this is," Tom says,  "especially when I look at some of the great photographers who have been their speakers in the past." Last year's October speaker for example, was Roman Kurywczak. 

Other role model photographers who have spoken include well know Adirondack Photographer Carl Heilman II, Tony Sweet, Steve McMurray, Jennifer Wu and too many others to list here.


Visitors are welcome, so if you plan on going to the PhotoPlus Expo or just happen to be in the city, why not stop by.

Monday, August 24, 2015

30 year journey arrives at Gallery 54

The Royal Raven
The artistic journey of Amy Bartell began some 30 years ago as a student on the shores of Lake Ontario. It was on the campus of SUNY Oswego that she was introduced to all things “art” and the mixed media approach to her art that she employs today. Eventually Amy would return to the Oswego campus where she currently teaches graphic design and illustration.

It's with this backdrop that Gallery 54, here, has invited Amy to be only its fifth Guest Artist of the 2015 season. Her show “Landings”, open Friday, September 4 from 5 – 8 pm and runs through September 29. Amy will showcase her series of “intimate and introspective bird portraits”. Her mixed media paintings employ the use of gouache, a thick, opaque watercolor medium, as well as pencil and more traditional watercolors.

Amy, who owns AE Originals, is also Assistant Gallery Director at SUNY Oswego. Her month-long exhibit at Gallery 54 will include original images as well as prints and notecards, all of which will be available for purchase.
Looking Back

The Friday, September 4 opening at Gallery 54 will provide the opportunity to meet Amy as well as to enjoy the music of Chris Molloy and his Electric Blue Harp. Light refreshments will be served. Gallery 54 is an upscale gallery of fine art and crafts, located at 54 E. Genesee St., Skaneateles, NY.


September gallery hours are Sunday through Thursday, 10-5 and Friday and Saturday, 10-6.
www.gallery54cny.com 
315-685-5470.

Wednesday, August 19, 2015

A Rare Experience


Looking for a rare experience? Wendy Harris, the August featured artist at Gallery 54, here, is worthy of all your effort to the Skaneateles gallery during the month of August.

With a heritage dating back to her grandfather's paintings in the 1930s, Wendy creates her Plein Air pastels as well as mixed media paintings motivated by “The loss of the family farm, the collision of corporate interests and healthful agricultural practices and the shrinking landscape to urban sprawl,” she says.

Wendy’s award-winning paintings are nationally collected and internationally published. In her first exhibition she captured the Judge's Choice Award, and the awards have continued over the years “making her quite a treasure for our community,” according to Gallery 54.

"I’ve had no greater honor than being selected as the only painter (among more than 80) to receive the one painting commission from Upstate Medical Center’s new $74M Cancer Treatment Center,” Harris said recently.


Her work has been recognized as Best of Show at the Women Artists of the Finger Lakes in 2011; Country Living 2nd place at the 4th annual Northeast National Pastel Show inn Old Forge, NY; Outstanding Landscape Award at the 3rd Northeast National Pastel Show, Old Forge, NY; First Place in the Plein Air contest at the Portage Hill Gallery, Westfield, NY; and the Judge's Choice at the Old Forge Art Center.

Opened July 2009, Gallery 54 is an artist owned and operated gallery. The member/owner artists are all local to the Finger Lakes/Central NY area and offer customers a wide variety of high-quality and unique fine art and fine craft, including paintings, mosaics, pottery, art quilts, jewelry, photography, stained glass, handbags, scarves, and more. More information on Gallery 54 and its upcoming artist shows is available at www.gallery54cny.com or by calling 315-685-5470.

Thursday, August 13, 2015

Clayscapes potter joins Gallery 54

 Despite already being home to an impressive collection of pottery produced by established potters who have been part of Gallery 54, some since it was established in 2009, we were excited at the opportunity to welcome Syracuse's Clayscapes Pottery founder Don Seymour. His unique approach to pottery has been developed over 30 years and both Don and his work are respected throughout the clay community.

Don's been involved in everything from pottery material distribution to teaching classes and of course display and sale of finished work.

We hope you'll take time to visit Gallery 54 and enjoy Don's work . . . and perhaps add a piece or two to your collection.

Monday, August 10, 2015

John Fitzsimmons joins Gallery 54

One look at the paintings of John Fitzsimmons, recently hung at Gallery 54, and you know why the gallery reached-out to bring John and his work into the gallery.

The paintings you'll enjoy currently are not the standard grand landscape you might expect from a painter who self-describes as a figurative and landscape painter. Instead, you'll appreciate John's delicate touch with various elements that often only play supporting roles in a more traditional grand landscape.

A new selection of John Fitzsimmons paintings.
When John starts a painting he tends to have a strong visual idea, any changes tend to be reductive, where he removes elements and simplifies form and color. John says he like the hard, low winter light and heavy massed forms that the light has to fight its way around.

John says, "I am often uncomfortable with the images when I am done with the paintings but avoid reducing the tensions and conflicts which are important to the work. Often an idea is in my sketchbook for months or even years and I play with those ideas with more drawings or small paintings. 

John prefers painting in oil on plywood or Masonite panels and sometimes uses scribers and scrapers to incise lines, modify edges or add detail. 

"I feel that the painting has to have a life of its own and what is important once it leaves the studio, is that it resonates with the viewer," John says.

When you next visit the gallery, be sure to ask to see John's paintings.

Sunday, August 9, 2015

"Famous Artist" visits Gallery 54

Saturday was a red letter day of sorts for Gallery 54. Unfortunately, at the time we really didn't know it.

As is common practice at Gallery 54, Kathy Schneider and I were engaging visitors as they arrived and perused our gallery. As we interacted with Jamie Treadwell, and a few other visitors who were with him, we didn't realize we were speaking with an internationally respected artist.

In the few minutes that we spent with Mr. Treadwell and his friends he focused our discussion on a unique family reunion that was underway in Skaneateles. He and 58 others from around the world were in Skaneateles for what he called the Lee Descendants Reunion . . . descendants of one Seth Lee. We took enough information to try and interest a local newspaper in their interesting story before they departed for the next stop on their visit to Skaneateles.

We did learn that Jamie Treadwell was currently from London and others from throughout the US. And, the reunion included four generations ranging from ages18 months to 94 years of age. Most had not even known of each other until research traced their respective ancestries to Skaneateles. Kathy and I thought it might be an interesting story of one of our local papers.

After the group departed, one man returned to tell us, referring to Jamie, "He's too humble to tell you this himself, but Jamie is a well known and accomplished artist. Look him up."

We quickly Googled his name and the first reference to come up included a photo that was that of  the Jamie Treadwell who had been in our gallery moments earlier. We clicked on "about art" and discovered that we had missed an opportunity to introduce ourselves to an interesting artist in his own right. Take a look for yourselves... Jamie Treadwell.

Monday, July 13, 2015

John Volco Art recognized

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Gallery 54's John Volco was honored  recently to have one of his beautifully turned bowls chosen as a cover photo on the World of Woodturners web page.
This is an invitation only website and some of the most talented woodturners in the world are members. John's bowl was chosen after only a month of his becoming a member!

Monday, June 29, 2015

Watercolorist Bob Ripley July Featured Artist

Wildlife Watercolorist Bob Ripley
Featured at Gallery 54

Gallery 54 artist, Bob Ripley, is the gallery's featured artist for July. “Familiar Waters" opens Friday July 3 from 5-8 pm and runs through July 31.

Bob is a watercolorist and works in very fine detail to capture moments of beauty from our fragile, natural world.

Bob's paintings result from a combination of reference photography, field notes and observations. A painting's composition is very important to him, and working in fine detail allows him to get into the animal or fish's skin.
His ultimate goal as a wildlife artist is to capture a wild moment in the beauty of our fragile, natural world for others to enjoy.

Bob's work, originals, framed and matted prints and cards are now available at the Gallery.

Tuesday, June 2, 2015

Tim See to be June's guest artist

Tim See’s wood-fired pottery will be featured in Gallery 54’s First Friday Opening, June 5, 2015 from 5 - 8 pm.


New work, unloaded from the wood kiln during the end of this month, will be on display. Tim creates industrial-inspired tableware, including complex pouring vessels composed of both wheel-thrown and hand-built parts. Many of the porcelain pots are decorated with hand-painted illustrations, some of which depict scenes from his Buckethead Story, an original parable of an apocalyptic future.

Tim’s work has been shown at the Smithsonian Museum in Washington, D.C., the Everson Museum in Syracuse, NY, and the Memorial Art Gallery in Rochester, NY as well as in many other galleries and shows. 


Tim teaches beginning, intermediate and advanced pottery to adults at Clayscapes, Pottery, Inc.. As a founding member of the Independent Potters Association, Tim works collaboratively with fellow artists to organize and implement group exhibitions and several charitable and educational events each year.  

Tim began working in clay while an art student at Onondaga Community College and completed his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Ceramics with Honors at Syracuse University in 2004. 

Central New York has been his home all of his life; he currently lives in Bridgeport, NY with his wife Brenda Pierce and their cat, Viggo.


Gallery 54 is an upscale venue for Central New York artists to showcase and sell unique, inspired, and timeless art in a diversity of mediums.

Monday, June 1, 2015

Bob Ripley piece – "for the birds"

Gallery 54 is happy to report that one of our newest artists, wildlife watercolorist Bob Ripley, is one of a select group of amazing artists invited to exhibit at The View's international exhibition titled "For the Birds," June 27 - August 2, with an artist reception June 27.

The View, is an art center in Old Force that seeks and exhibits various works. In this case the art is inspired by the avian species which will be exhibited in the national juried exhibition. Few species have captivated the human imagination more than birds—often the subject of myths and legends, we observe and study them, feed them, provide housing for them and create works of art dedicated to them—this exhibition stands as a celebration of our feathered friends.

Monday, March 23, 2015

Custom Mosaics by Terry Askey-Cole

Terry recently completed two beautiful custom mosaics.  Most of the artists at Gallery 54 are agreeable to custom work for you or your home.  This is a great option to consider if you have something very particular in mind!  These are part of a "Seasons" series, "Winter" and "Fall".


New Work from our Metalsmith Jewelers

We wanted to share a couple of the gorgeous new pieces at the Gallery by our 2 metalsmith jewelers, Dana Stenson and Donna Smith.  These pieces are both currently available, but not for long!
Sterling silver, 14k gold, chrysocolla "Frida" cuff bracelet celebrating Frida Kahlo and the Mexican "Dia de los Muertes".  Dana Stenson, jeweler.

Carved bone dove and cameo set in sterling silver, hanging from a vintage 1930's celluloid chain with carved coral, turquoise and enamel. A statement piece!  Donna Smith, jeweler.

Monday, March 16, 2015

Todd Bachta

One of the newest additions to Gallery 54 is fine charcoal drawings by Todd Bachta.  Todd is native to the Finger Lakes region.  He graduated from RIT with a degree in Illustration and Graphic Design.  Todd currently teaches art in the East Syracuse-Minoa school district.  We are very pleased to have his work at Gallery 54 and encourage you to visit and see it in person.

Pen and Ink House Portraits

Kathleen Schneider recently completed this gorgeous pen and ink portrait of her home.  The detail is exquisite!  Kathy continues to be very versatile in her mediums and this work is another fine example of that.

Monday, March 2, 2015

New Work by Sharon Bottle Souva

Sharon Bottle Souva is a fabric artist and long-time member of Gallery 54. We are pleased to announce that Sharon Bottle Souva's "Goddess Tree Quilt"will be included in the 2016 Women Artist datebook. This quilt is currently hanging at Gallery 54 and available for purchase.

Sharon's quilt "Fields 6: Splitting the Land" has been juried in to the Lakeside Statewide Art Exhibition at the Oswego Art Association's annual statewide exhibition.


Thursday, February 5, 2015

In Memory of our Beloved Member, Lauren Ritchie

Lauren at work on one of her lanterns.
Gallery 54 is sad to share with you the unexpected passing in January of one of our founding members, Lauren Ritchie.  Lauren has been a co-owner, friend, and vital part of Gallery 54 since the very beginning. She was a well known member of the Central New York art community, beloved by many, and will be eternally missed.
Lauren was well known for her hand-carved ceramic lanterns.  They have been widely exhibited and collected by many.  She was a mentor to other ceramic artists, and cofounder of the Westcott Art Trail.


Lauren's garden dragons were illustrative of her whimsical and fun-loving personality.  She always had a laugh to share and never shied away from a new adventure.


Lauren's contributions to her community will live on for many years to come.  We will keep Lauren's friends and family in our thoughts and always treasure our memories of her.   

Gifts for your Sweetheart!!

Valentine's Day is just around the corner.  Gallery 54 is a wonderful place to find a unique gift for your sweetheart.  Everything in our shop is handcrafted by local artists and sure to make an impression.

We adore this newly completed heart mosaic by Terry Askey-Cole.  Terry makes her mosaics using broken pieces of her pottery that are carefully arranged to make one-of-a-kind framed mosaics for the wall.  This piece is currently available at the Gallery, and best seen in person!

Kathleen Schneider is one of our talented and versatile painters.  Kathy works primarily in watercolor and acrylic.  She recently completed this watercolor portrait.  Her most recent works are on display at our shop.