Photos of the First Day of Winter 2016/17

Last light on the first day of winter

Not only the first day of winter, but also the shortest daylight hours of 2016.

Gallery 54 artist/photographer Tom Dwyer braved the cold and wind on this first day of winter 2016/17 to  capture a couple images that he's making available in the Gallery beginning tomorrow, December 22. Stop by Gallery 54 on the 22nd or even the 23rd and Tom will do his best to have them custom framed in time for Christmas delivery.

The light at the end of the shortest day of 2016

Free Gifts at Gallery 54 (with the coupon below)

New looks for the Gallery

A small part of
Kathy's new look

We get a lot of compliments from our guests about how beautiful Gallery 54 always looks. Three of our owner members deserve the lion's share of the credit. Stained Glass artist Liz Micho, Jeweler Donna Smith and Ceramic and Mosaic Artist Terry Askey Cole are constantly on the lookout for ways to present artwork in the gallery to its best advantage. With the holiday season upon us the frenetic pace they normally maintain pales.

We're excited to show some
Kathy's newest work.

That started in earnest this week with Liz spending most of Friday figuring out how to fit the new work of many artists, who are stocking-up in anticipation of the season.

Between now and Thanksgiving the pace will pick-u[ even more and their creativity will come front and center as holiday decorating is added to their efforts to make sure each and every piece of fine art and craft is showcased to its best advantage.

Earlier this week Painter Kathy Schneider and Photographer Tom Dwyer undertook major moves at the gallery and Kathy's paintings now featured in the front of the gallery (across from the sales counter) and Tom's photography has found a new home on the east wall of the Lake Room.

Tom's new location allows him to feature larger pieces.

Already, both have received kudos from fellow artists and gallery guests alike.

We hope you'll stop by soon to see for yourself.

The gallery is open from 10 am to 5 pm Sunday through Thursday and from 10 am to 6 pm Friday and Saturday.

Gourdlania Comes to Skaneateles

Graham Ottoson will be at Gallery 54 on Friday,
November 4, from 5 - 8 pm.

“I start with a gourd, a gourd is in the middle and I end up with a gourd. And, I try not to mess it up.” So says gourd artist Graham Ottoson by way of describing the artwork that will be featured by Gallery 54, here, beginning on the First Friday of November, November 4.

It's safe to say that Graham isn't overstating her creative efforts. It's equally save to say that those who visit Gallery 54 for November's First Friday opening of Graham's Gourdlandia show will likely find themselves standing in wonder at the creativity of a unique artist.

Graham was introduced to gourd-crafting by a fellow midwife who was dabbling in guard art. “Then, one day,” she recalls, “some gourds at a roadside stand caught my eye. I had to have them.” The very next year she was growing her own gourds and the rest is history. “The way my husband tells it, 'I came home one day and she was making a lamp out of a gourd,' “ she says.

Graham was attracted to gourd art by what she calls “the compelling shapeliness of gourds.” Some are perfectly round, others somewhat elongated, some pear-shaped, and some can only be described as irregular in shape. While the shape is certainly a key element in the design of the final work, how Graham adds her creative instincts to achieve the final product is really the soul of each presentation.

“I get a particular joy out of creating lamps with my gourds,” she says. The special collaboration between her and each unique gourd is where the beauty of each creation is to be found. “To my knowledge, I'm the only person who is persistently making lamps where gourds are both the base and the shade of the lamp,” says Graham.

“The work is so interesting,” she adds, “. . . growing, designing, waxing, scraping, carving, beading, etc. etc... I get to use skills that I've developed over a lifetime of dabbling, all in one medium. They (the gourds themselves, keep me interested. And then, there is the moment of turning on a lamp for the first time . . .”

Graham will be on hand at Gallery 54 to meet guests and discuss her work from 5-8 pm on Friday, November 4. Her work will be featured throughout the month of November.

Light refreshments will be served. Gallery 54 is located at 54 E. Genesee St., Skaneateles, NY.

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

Gallery 54 artist makes it BIG

Jay Seaman and his eagle

There's more than one way someone can interpret the phrase "making it big" and, when applied to the latest piece of metal sculpted Jay Seaman, both are appropos. Jay, whose work has long been exhibited and available for purchase at Gallery 54 in Skaneateles, not only sculpts very large pieces of various metals, his work is fast becoming a cause celebre as evidenced in the newly landed American Bald Eagle at the Montezuma Wildlife Refuge, near Seneca Falls, NY.

On Tuesday, October 11, with the assistance of the refuge staff, the eagle "landed"  and Jay's reputation as a fine art metal sculptor took off . . . to even greater heights than before. Now Jay's bald eagle overlooks New York State's "main street," the Thomas E. Dewey Thruway, from its perch in the refuge.

The Eagle, just before "landing" at Montezuma
Wildlife Refuge

With a wingspan of 22-feet and weighing in at 1,300 pounds, Jay's eagle stands as a tribute to the efforts the refuge has made in the recovery of "America's bird" from near extinction in Upstate New York.

Jay began work on his large masterpiece early in Spring this year and was on hand to secure his creation into position in the wildlife refuge.  "We started out," recalls Seaman, "planning to sculpt a 10-foot eagle." Behind his home in Trumansburg, NY, he admits to having taken "some artist's license." As the individually hand-cut and hand-forged feathers began to pile up, he finally arrived at the point where each feather would be welded to the sculpture. That's when the eagle really spread its wings.

The Eagle lands at Montezuma 

An American Bald Eagle sculpted by Jay Seaman

To see more of Jay's creations visit Gallery 54, at 54 E. Genesee St. in Skaneateles, NY. The gallery is open Sunday through Thursday from 10 am to 5 pm and Fridays and Saturdays from 10 am to 6 pm.

Lisa Jane Smith is October Gallery 54 Guest Artist

A quick visit to http://www.lisajanesmithart.com/ tells you what's important to know about Lisa Jane Smith. It's simple. It's clean. It's whimsical. It's fun. That pretty much describes her art, too.

Lisa Jane Smith

Lisa Jane refers to herself as “artist and maker of stuff.” How fun is that?

On Friday, October 7 Gallery 54 in Skaneateles will welcome a very special month-long show of Lisa's “therapy” product. In her own words, “Illustrating and painting have such a relaxing effect on me, it's my daily therapy.”

Hailing from Webster, NY, Lisa was raised in a creative environment by her seamstress and master carpenter parents to “be creative and imaginative with insane attention to detail. My Mom was the most creative person I ever met and was never afraid to try new things, but more importantly, she wasn't afraid to fails at them.” Both Lisa Jane's imagination and attention to detail can be readily seen in her art.

It would be difficult to be more straight-forward in describing her work than she is herself, calling it “sophisticated doodling,” she adds, “I think it make the ordinary seem a bit more interesting.”

Lisa's art is often available at Rochester area art festivals. She also licenses her art to manufacturers and had her kitchenware debut this past summer. If not already, her work will also be available in a collection of fabric this fall.

The artwork included in the Gallery 54 show will feature illustrations of common fruits and vegetables along with the tea towels and books regularly available in this popular upscale gallery of fine art and crafts. All, her work is sure to find its way into Central New York homes.

Lisa Jane will be on hand at Gallery 54 to meet guests and discuss her work from 5-8 pm on Friday, October 7. Her work will be featured throughout the month of October.

Light refreshments will be served. Gallery 54 is located at 54 E. Genesee St., Skaneateles, NY.

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

Finger Lakes Impressions

Adriana Meiss

Gallery 54 presents "Finger Lakes Impressions: Pastels and Oil Paintings by Adriana Meiss" opening September 2 from 5 to 8 pm and running through Sept. 30. 

Adriana is a plein air painter with many of her paintings painted on Otisco, Skaneateles, and Canandaigua Lakes. Meet Adriana and enjoy music by Chris Molloy and his Electric Blue Harp. 

Light refreshments will be served. Gallery 54 specializes in fine art and craft by Central New York artists and is located at 54 E. Genesee St Skaneateles. September hours are Sun-Thur10-5 and Fri-Sat 10-6. 315-685-5470 www.gallery54cny.com

Coming, coming, coming . . .

We don't often get to see the work of our most popular artists, unless it's in the gallery in finished form.  Certainly that's the case with artists like Sallie Thompson. Recently, Sallie provided us with a photo of some of here pottery designs at a mid-way point . . . ready to be fired. I'm going to ask her to give us a photo of this work in its final form so we can see the transformation.

"New designs awaiting the fire of transformation"

Sallie  is from Skaneateles Junction and she combines her love of nature, printmaking, and pottery to create pieces influenced by the diversity of form and texture found in the Finger Lakes region. 

She studied pottery at the Oregon School of Arts & Crafts and earned a B.F.A. from the N.Y.S. College of Ceramics at Alfred. She was a 2006 Ceramic Artist in Residence at Byrdcliffe Arts Colony in Woodstock. She has taught pottery at Clayscapes and Veterans Administration 
Community Care Center in Syracuse, New York.

4 Ethical Brands You Can Totally Rock This Summer

Below is a article that features one of the artisans from Gallery 54, Renee Stawicki of Songbird Sewing Co.  Be sure to stop into Gallery 54 and see Renee's work, to full appreciate it.

Being born into a society that values low price tags and high fashion, it can be difficult (and let's be honest, nearly impossible) to keep up with the trends of an ever-changing fashion industry. After countless hours of shopping, hands tired from perusing through racks, back aching from bending over to try on those delicious new Steve Madden sandals from the 2016 summer collection, there is no better feeling than finding a great deal on, well, anything. But what are you really paying when you find that perfect floral sundress for $7 at the mall? Too often we buy items that are cheap, easy, and have a low impact on our everyday lives without giving a second thought. What we, as a society, neglect to question is what happens on the other side of the transaction. Most of the products we purchase in the U.S. are still made by the hands of slaves, both domestic and international. Sure, an inexpensive dress sounds good to your wallet, but by supporting mass producing companies without researching the origin of their products, you are also supporting the sale and use of slaves in the industry. So how can you combat these unethical practices? Shop consciously! Here are four brands that slay when it comes to creating a more socially sustainable fashion industry.

1. rePURPOSE Accessories

With an array of hair accessories, scarves and apparel, rePURPOSE has become a powerful platform for combating human sex and labor trafficking (while taming my crazy summer hair). The brand was founded by Jessica Burt and features products that are all domestically hand-made by refugees. All of their beautiful products are created from fair trade and thrifted fabrics. And the best part? 100 percent of the profits made are sent to three organizations that benefit the cause: Exodus Road, Make Way Partners, and The Thirst Project.

2. Alex and Ani

This well-known and loved jewelry brand was founded by Carolyn Rafaelian and continuously creates innovative, energy-packed pieces with eco-conscious roots. From Alex's Lemonade Standto Global Fund, the Charity By Design collection at Alex and Ani has donated to non-profits all over the world. And as if you need another reason to hit up their website, all of the jewelry is made right here in the United States!

3. Songbird Sewing Co.

*Swoon.* Let's talk about handbags for a minute. Whether you're in the market for a new wallet, clutch, or tote, Songbird Sewing Co. has got you covered. Founder Renee Stawicki creates each unique piece in her home studio, which guarantees that your products are being made with love and fair labor. Songbird Sewing focuses on small batch orders and selling one-of-a-kind accessories to match every outfit.

4. LuLaRoe

Founded by DeAnne Stidham, LuLaRoe is an apparel brand that does nothing but impress. Made from the softest material you will ever feel (yes, you heard me right) the bold printed leggings, skirts, dresses, and tops are a must-have for fashion lovers of every age. Produced without the use of slave labor, the brand has become a success across the country, offering loyal fans the opportunity to sell LuLaRoe themselves.

Mentalist/Artist is August Guest Artist

 Renowned singer Tony Bennett told Gallery 54's guest artist for August painting “. . . will help you with all aspects of our life . . . I paint every day and you should as well.” Fortunately Bob Lawson, mentalist and abstract painter, took Bennett's advise to heart.

Lawson's artistic roots are definitely in Central New York having apprenticed working with scenic design for the Famous Artists Theater in Fayetteville, NY as a youth. “The idea of creating something that would bring people happiness was always what gave me the most satisfaction,” he says.

Lawson loves abstract because, “it gives me the freedom to express what I feel inside and to truly create from scratch.” While many of his friends are realists and very good at painting what they see, he enjoys the opportunity to create something “that has never been seen before I painted it.”

In addition to his paintings that have been regularly exhibited at Gallery 54, August will also feature free standing “sculptures”. “I have so many people,” says Lawson, “who have loved my work but didn't have wall space for more of it.” His abstract sculptures became free standing pieces that are paintings that stand alone on a table or on a shelf in different sizes and shapes. He call this his “Off the Wall Series.”

Lawson points to one of Syracuse's great artists, the late Jans Junga, who he took water color classes from, as one of his inspirations for the work he does today. He also studied art with John Morrow of Ogdensburg, NY.

“I love to paint, to have something in my mind and to be able to put it on canvas and make people react in a positive way, to make people happy, to reach that innermost place inside them . . . that gives me joy,” he says, adding “To me, this is the most rewarding thing in life.”

That also explains why Lawson likes doing his theater shows. “I get do take people on a journey into places they have never been, to see things they have never seen or done before, amazing things, pretty much like art,” he adds. Lawson was mentored by the late Joan Fontaine, who opened many doors for him in theater including his opportunity to become a technical adviser to the TV show, The Mentalist for six years.

Gallery 54 is in pretty elite company as it features Bob Lawson's art. He also has work in such prestigious venues as the Leepa-Rattner Museum of Fine Art in Tarpon Springs, FL; the Wandering Eye Gallery in Ybor City, the National Historic Landmark City in Tampa, FL as well as the Galeria Berata in Venice, Italy. In addition, Lawson's work was part of the set for the major motion picture, The Bastards, starring Owen Wilson. His work was also part of Joan Fontaine's collection auctioned for charity by Christies in New York.

Lawson's show, titled The Colors of My Mind will open at Gallery 54 on the First Friday of

August, August 5, with a meet-the-artist event from 5 to 8 pm. It will continue on display throughout August.

Light refreshments will be served. Gallery 54 is an upscale gallery of fine art and crafts, located at 54 E. Genesee St., Skaneateles, NY.

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

July's First Friday – “What you see, is what you see”

Chuck Laman is an artist. Pure and simple. The twists and turns of the creation he is working on run through his mind and into the art. He doesn't ask why. Press him to distill his thoughts on creating his art and he'll quote another famous artist, Frank Stella, who said “What you see, is what you see.”

Chuck Laman works on a piece
destined to be part of the
Gallery 54 show, beginning July 1.

Gallery 54 in Skaneateles, NY is going to be overflowing with creativity beginning on July 1 when Chuck's abstract impressions, ranging from metal and wood to paint and stone, take center stage for the opening of a July-long show titled with that quote, “What you see, is what you see.” Chuck will be on hand to welcome guests from 5 – 8 pm at the gallery, 54 East Genesee St., Skaneateles, NY.

Many people were first introduced to Chuck as their dentist and for more than three decades were first-hand witnesses to his creative approach to life and its challenges. Where other dentists would default to a standard treatment or “technology de jour” Chuck was always anxious to trying something, to be creative . . . just because he thought it might work.

Patients could not help identifying with his creativity. Even as they approached his offices the hallway regaled them with his photography. In the inner sanctum of the dental office, the books available to help wile away the minutes often featured fine art or the simple beauty of nature.

From the dental chair each visit was an adventure as they explored walls often decorated with Chuck's latest painting, wood carving, photograph or sculpture.

As an artist he feels “art should speak to the viewer . . . if it needs translation . . . it has failed, hence the 'what you see” thing.' Art happens at the intersection of the piece and the viewer. Critics need not apply,” says Laman.”

Visitors to his July show at Gallery 54 will discover his special perspective on art is not just abstract, it's wide open to interpretation. His take? . . . “Middle America needs to look beyond matching frames to furniture . . . no initiation is required . . . no pretension . . . no art speak . . . simply time to see with and through one's eyes. Art is a personal experience that need never be defended.”

Chuck recalls always being drawn to specific elements in any piece of art whether it be its lines, its colors or its shapes. “Negative space always fascinated me,” he says, adding “The Japanese notions of Wabi-Sabi, Ma and Mu, attracted me. I recall a Japanese exchange student when I was in the 12^th grade, “pointing out to me 'Americans arrange the flowers . . . Japanese arrange the space around the flowers.'”

Finding it difficult to describe his own creations he suggests that “most have a deep color and linear sensibility . . . negative space is a frequent feature and I particularly enjoy creating pieces out of construction scrap.”

Noting that “symmetry bores” him, he tries to avoid it. Chuck will combine both random and prescribed patterns in the balance of his pieces that clearly lean toward abstraction. Even when creating a figurative or more narrative work, he manipulates his materials in unexpected ways. Compositional subtleties are planned and often become the “most fun end point of a piece,” he'll tell you.

Gallery 54 visitors will quickly discover “to just be involved in the creative process . . . that part where the basic outcome is envisioned but not yet obtained, where the surprises happen” is what Laman finds most rewarding . . . and, hopes you will, too.

Light refreshments will be served. Gallery 54 is an upscale gallery of fine art and crafts, located at 54 E. Genesee St., Skaneateles, NY.

CNY Photo Expo's a hit

Autumn Mist by Claudia Schellenberg

Initial reports indicate that the opening of Gallery 54's CNY Photo Expo this past Friday (May 6) evening, went a long way to making the day the gallery's best day of 2016 to date. But, it's more than sales numbers that are worth noting.

The traffic created by the exhibition of so many fine CNY photographers has been equally impressive. In the few days since the show opened, it would be hard not to notice how many people are stopped in their tracks by the impressive collection.

Trumpeter Swan by Charles Letterman

Blue Sunrise by Sherry Dans

Sixteen photographers had images selected for the show. The variety of striking images range from nearby Otisco Lake to Oswego Harbor to Mono Lake in California and even Iceland with an obvious collection in between that covers the gamut not only geographically, but also includes subject matter including wildlife, fireworks, state parks, and the four seasons.

If you haven't taken in the show yet, there's still time. As images sell, they are being replaced and the collection will be front and center through-out the rest of the month of May.

On the left three stars of the show . . . just to give you a taste of what to expect.

Gallery 54 Photo Expo

The jury's in.

We didn't set out to make life difficult for the recent artist jury at Gallery 54. Still, it turned out to be a challenging assignment as each of three artist/jurors set out to select the images that will be featured at the Gallery 54 Photo Expo, slated for May 6 to May 31.

Some fresh wall space, readied for
 the opening of the Gallery 54 Photo Expo.

The expo will feature images submitted by local photographers in a month-long exposition that will begin with a gala opening May 6 at the Skaneateles gallery. Looking forward to the expo one juror commented on the images, “These are just beautiful,” she said, “it's too bad we don't have more room. If we did we could have selected many more.”

Even though the Expo was only promoted locally, entries came from as far away as New York City, Kentucky and Montreal, Canada. The general public is invited to meet and mingle with many of the photographers who will be on hand for the May 6 opening.

The expo was the idea of artist/photographer Tom Dwyer, who promoted the opportunity on his blog and fine art nature photography forum. “We wanted to encourage our fellow, local photographers to create artistic images, images with feeling and 'something to say' to those who view them, versus simply composing pretty pictures. The work that we received is proof positive that Central New York is blessed with many creative and accomplished photographers,” he added.

Most of the images have been captured in Central New York, the Finger Lakes and the Adirondacks, while a few of the jury favorites were brought home by local photographers after visiting other areas of the country. All the seasons are represented and, besides the grand landscapes, some incredible close-up flower photography as well as wildlife photography is sure to impress visitors to the gallery.

Which images have been selected for the expo will remain a secret until the evening of the May 6 opening. “Even then,” the gallery owners note, “three featured images won't be unveiled until after the show opens.” All images will be available for purchase, as Giclée prints, framed and unframed. Special orders will also be accepted.

Light refreshments will be served. Gallery 54 is an upscale gallery of fine art and crafts, located at 54 E. Genesee St., Skaneateles, NY.

Go Orange!

Okay! Many of us . . . perhaps even most of us in the greater CNY area, will be glued to our TVs on Saturday, cheering the Orange men and women in their respective NCAA Final Four games. By the end of the day we'll be exhausted.

There are countless ways to arrange a collection of spring images

So, though perhaps a bit crass,  I'm taking this opportunity to piggy-back on the great success of "our teams" (as though we have anything to do with their success). Rather than partying too much the day before the semi-final games, I'm suggesting that everyone take it a bit easy and rest-up for the challenge of being an enthusiastic cheerleader. 

Tom's images will be displayed throughout Gallery 54

 

May I suggest spending Friday evening, April 1st, in Skaneateles.  Enjoy a relaxing dinner at one of the village's fine restaurants and (before or after dinner)  take a stroll to visit Gallery 54 for its Spring is springing show opening. Before dinner you can enjoy some light refreshments and after dinner maybe a light dessert along with some Anyela's wine . . . all while viewing a special presentation of Tom Dwyer's spring floral images.

 

Then, you'll be nourished and rested to take in the game.

Go Orange!

Lake Limo and Anyela's join us for Springing into Spring

Who ever stops to think that his or her creative juices might flow to the concrete benefit of others? That has certainly not been common in my experience. Oh sure. I've had the occasional request for the donation of an image to a fundraiser of one sort or another. That, I'm afraid, is common to anyone occupying a retail establishment of almost any sort.

Spring Blossoms and an old stone barn.

But, in a week, I have the opportunity to benefit a whole community through the sale of my photography.

A couple months ago, with the painful recognition that my gallery sales were abysmal, I decided to try and do something about it. I totally understood that in shops such as ours at Gallery 54 in Skaneateles, traffic and therefore sales are typically poor from January through April and even May. So, I wasn't really beating-up on myself or anyone else. I just wanted to try for a better outcome . . . or maybe I should really say "a better income."

Rudbeckia speciosa

At any rate, with the support of my fellow owner/artists at Gallery 54 I targeted the month of April for an experiment. I had wondered to myself as well as to others if it was possible to get people interested in coming out before summer is upon us. April is often linked to the beginning of Spring (even though we all know the first full day of spring is March 21) so what better excuse to get people out . . . we'd plan a gala of sorts to help everyone Spring into Spring.

As it happened, the First Friday of April falls on April 1st this year . . . April Fools Day. How could we miss with this combo? But, rest assured. This is not a prank.

First signs of spring at my house are these backyard tulips, planted in the woods.

So, we agreed to host a Springing into Spring opening, featuring a special collection of my flower and garden photography.

"Let's take this a little further," I told myself. "let's offer something other than the standard fare, something other than photographs printed on paper and mounted in frames. The result has proven to be a labor of love. Right now, sitting on the counter in my office, are three boxes of images. Some are printed on canvas and wrapped around frames, others are printed and fused to plexiglass (wow!), some (panoramas) are printed on canvas and mounted/wrapped on slabs of wood, still others in printed traditionally (both color and black & white) but displayed in special wooden stands crafted by a fellow Gallery 54 owner, Fred Weisskopf. Nothing standard here.

This collection caught my interest in Manhattan.

As our target date grew closer, so did other ideas about how to make this event into a real celebration of spring. How could we make this meaningful to others beyond our Gallery 54 family? Immediately we agreed to use the April 1 opening to benefit a Skaneateles area charity. Quickly we settled on one, Laker Limo, whose transportation services benefit countless local people. It was agreed that 10% of all photo sales during the show would be donated to support Laker Limo's services to our community.

What else could we do? Well, normally, our fellow Skaneateles retail owners and operators are petty much tied to their stores on First Friday evenings (in Skaneateles the First Friday Art Trail begins in May and runs the first Friday of each month through December) so we decided to reach out via the Chamber of Commerce to invite these folks to join us for the fellowship the evening promises.

Then, Terry Askey-Cole, ceramicist and fellow Gallery 54 owner (who I think really does know everyone in Skaneateles . . . just saying) had the idea to invite Skaneateles' own, Anyela's Winery to join us. So, Anyela's will be serving their marvelous wines all evening.

Remember the date and make plans right now to join us:

Friday, April 1 from 5 to 8 pm

                                        Gallery 54, 54 Genesee St., Skaneateles

And the winner is . . .

As you likely know if you read this blog regularly, this coming Saturday, March 26, is a big day for Gallery 54. Since between noon and 3 pm we will have the pleasure of hosting portrait artist John Fitzsimmons as he paints the portrait of one of our customers. For those who have seen John's portraits it's easy to understand why we are excited. For those who haven't why not join us Saturday afternoon?

A recent portrait by artist John Fitzsimmons

Well, someone else is probably excited by now, too. Since we announced, a few weeks back, that John would be painting a portrait at the gallery, we've been encouraging gallery visitors to enter a free drawing to be the subject for this portrait. Today, we drew the name of the lucky person who will be going home Saturday afternoon with a free portrait. We're happy to announce that the winner who will sit while John works his magic with a paint brush on Saturday is . . .   
               Danielle Bouchard, from Freeville, NY. 

While we cannot offer any more free sittings, we hope a lot of our friends will stop by on Saturday and congratulate Danielle while taking the opportunity to witness an accomplished artist at work. John will also have a number of his other paintings on display for the afternoon.

Waiting for “Real Spring”?

Even though winter was unusually mild for Central New York and the official start of spring will arrive on schedule, many of us cannot wait for spring to really arrive . . . Gallery 54 certainly isn’t waiting. 

Regardless what the weather channel might say, on April 1 it will be spring at the gallery and “that’s no April Fool’s Day prank,” says photographer Tom Dwyer, one of the eight artist/owners of the popular gallery. “From the moment you arrive you’ll find it difficult to not ‘Think Spring,’ ” he says.

Spring Crocus

Beaded spring by Judi Witkin

Dwyer has created a new, special collection of spring and spring floral images on canvas, mounted on plexiglass, and matted for framing.

From 5 to 8 pm on Friday, April 1 the gallery will host a special opening of the spring season which will last throughout the month of April. 

Dwyer’s spring images will be available with special pricing, included special collections that gallery customers will be able to create for themselves. “Whether for your home or business,” Dwyer notes, “we want you to be able to select images that say spring to you, so images will be available in a variety of sizes from 8”, 10” and 14” square canvas wraps to panoramic canvas, 8" x 10" matted prints up to 16” x 20” matted prints behind glass and ready for framing.”

Pink Lady on canvas

Ever wonder how many beads it takes to
a piece like this . . . Ask Judi April 1

Just the beginning

It’s not only photography that’s going to have the spring accent as several Gallery 54 artists are working hard to add spring to their collections as well. Bead jeweler Judi Witkin; Ceramic artist Terry Askey-Cole; Glass painter Nella Joseph; and Potter Sallie Thompson will all have unique, new work to share.

Special invitations bring special prices, too

Special invitations are going out to greater Central New York flower and garden clubs, nurseries, landscape architects, interior designers and home builders all of whom have a special interest in the arrival of spring. In addition, “members of the Skaneateles Chamber of Commerce are also receiving special invites,” says Dwyer noting, “Typically, on the First Friday of each month beginning in May, Skaneateles businesses are preoccupied with their own businesses as the village hosts extended business hours for First Friday Art Nights. We’re extending special invitations to our fellow Skaneateles business people,” says Dwyer, “so they can enjoy their last free First Friday evening of 2016 . . . as the guests of Gallery 54.”  

Spring blossoms and an old stone barn

During the opening evening on April 1, those who bring their invitations with them (or a copy of this article) will receive a special 10 percent discount off the already special pricing set for Dwyer’s spring collection.

Gallery 54 is an upscale venue for Central New York artists that showcases and sells unique, inspired, and timeless art in a diversity of mediums.

CHECK BACK BETWEEN NOW AND APRIL 1ST FOR MORE ABOUT 

THIS SPECIAL SPRING OPENING!