Christmas Eve 2011

So here it is Saturday December 24^th.

Anticipation is high

Expecting shoppers and visitors to Gallery 54.

We are still amazed at how many new faces we see stopping in;

This being their first visit to Skaneateles.

The beauty of the day has a dusting of snow that we all

(well maybe not everyone) have been waiting for.

It is Christmas Eve after all.

We were visited today by the queen and the duchess.

These regal women stopped by to purchase a few last minute items to put under the tree.

Later on in the day Charles Dickens himself was here.

Funny how they fit in with the modern day shoppers.

Across the street the Temperance Ladies were gathered

Signs telling all who passed by of the evils of drinking.

What fun to be a part of Skaneateles on Christmas Eve.

Expressions of Joy

Decking the halls couldn’t have been more fun here at Gallery 54. We sat through our monthly meeting with the aroma of pizza in the air.  Our meetings are an opportunity to discuss the working aspect of our co-op gallery.  Each voice gets heard which makes for some lively discussion. After this month's meeting we decorated the gallery for the Holidays. You would have thought we were a big happy family decorating the tree… what fun.

We have found some new artists to bring in as consignees. Most notably here is Lauren Bristol. Her coiled baskets are exquisite and we are honored to be able to share them with our customers. Some of our regular artists are bringing in all sorts of wonderful Christmas gifts.  There will be something for everyone here at Gallery 54…. Even toys!

The member/owners of Gallery 54 invite you to come out over the weekend to do your holiday shopping.  We encourage you to come out and support independent artists and local business this Holiday.  This is a wonderful way to find truly unique gifts and support your local community and economy.  We will be open Friday the 25^th from 10 to 8 and Saturday the 26^th from 10 to 5. Let us help you get all your shopping done, all in one weekend. For those of you who prefer the thrill of last minute shopping…… we can help there too!

                                                                                                                                    

This month's First Friday Opening on December 2^nd will feature our “Expressions of Joy” show. The Gallery 54 artists invite you to celebrate the joy of the season with fine art, wonderful harp music, wine tasting and treats. We hope to see you then from 6-9.

In The News

The artists that love/work at/run Gallery 54 are a group of passionate men and women, passionate about their chosen art/craft.  We work hard to produce only the best for the gallery. We put in time …. not always recorded on the hours log …to make Gallery 54 a place that our customers will want to visit again and again.

As of this musing one of our painters was in the news again. Kathy Schneider’s work was used to promote the Dickens Christmas by the Post Standard. If you haven’t yet experienced “A Dickens Christmas” in Skaneateles you are in for a treat.  Starting the day after Thanksgiving, weekends are alive with your favorite characters from A Christmas Carole. So come on out… bring your friends…. Stay for the day…. Shop…..Shop…..Shop.

Our First Friday feature is “Best if Used: Functional Pottery by Jim Burke" opening Friday November 4 from 6-9 pm at the Gallery. We will have live entertainment by Christopher Molloy and his Electric Blue Harp and wine tasting by Giancarelli Winery.  Man…. It doesn’t get any better than that.

Color Abounds

  Ceramic sculpture by Terry Askey-Cole

                                                  Found object assemblage by Donna Smith

                                                  Gourd masks by Andree Newton

                                                   Sunflower lantern by Lauren Ritchie

                                              Landscape by Kathleen Schneider

Color….. no other time is it more spectacular in Central New York than in Autumn. A drive down any street or road – a stroll beside the lake – down a path along a river – everywhere the eyes rest will be glorious color. The garden flowers are finishing up their stay even as the first leaves fall from the branches above. We turn our gaze upward and are greeted with reds, oranges, yellows, greens and browns of the turning foliage.

The artists at Gallery 54 bring these beautiful colors to their work. Always evolving – ever changing, the gallery is filled with the shapes and colors of the season.

Our October featured artists are Terry Askey-Cole and Donna Smith. They present Autumn Hues, a collection of ceramics, assemblages and jewelry.

We are open to inspire the artist in everyone every day as we celebrate Autumn in Skaneateles. 

How It Works

Painting by Lisa Noviasky, our September featured artist

Once a month

Sitting in a circle

Agenda in hand

Respect in the room

Each item checked off

Each discussion thorough

Everyone heard         

Till at last

We tire

Give it a rest

Drive our separate ways

Into our own evenings

Pottery by Jim Burke, with branches

Does rain keep our customers away? First thing we find this rainy Sunday morning…..Visitors.

This town continues to offer up its best, even with inclement weather.

Does the rain keep us from creating? Do beautiful paintings still show up on our walls?

You bet they do.

Come by Gallery 54 on First Friday, September 2^nd from 6-9 as we present “Hanging Out To Dry” Completed works by Lisa Noviasky – one of our owner/members.

The entire town of Skaneateles celebrates First Friday with music, food and great times in a festive atmosphere.

Gone Fishing

Summer is in full swing here in Skaneateles. Breezes blow in from the lake to cool the air.

Visitors, local residence and tourists all stop by the gallery as they stroll the sidewalks.

We have updated our look with several new display cases and many new items. We hear wonderful comments from those who come to check out what Gallery 54 has to offer.

Last week our huge purple fish metal sculpture by James Seaman swam away with a customer to go live by a beautiful swimming pool. We hear he is quite happy there (well he could be a she I suppose). His/her departure left space for a whole school of fish to swim in. Look by the front door to see Sallie Thompson’s ceramic fish. Maybe one could swim into your heart and go home with you.

We invite you to come by for our First Friday opening on August 5^th when Gallery 54 will join the other businesses in Skaneateles as we celebrate from 6-9 PM. Our August featured artists are Heather Henningan who works in glass making fabulous one of a kind jewelry, and Kathy Schneider, an award winning painter.

August First Friday Opening

You’re invited to our August First Friday Event

 “Notes of Color”

Featuring Paintings by

Kathleen Schneider,

 Glass Jewelry by

                      Heather Hennigan and      

Music by Harpist Chris Molloy

                   Friday, August 5, 6-9pm             

Join us for beverages, snacks, and fine art in the company of our artists.  Everyone is welcome.  We hope to see you there!

Little Visitors

Some little folks have shown up at Gallery 54. They are quietly residing in the Lake Room of the gallery. “Kate” sits atop the jewelry case with her pocketbook in hand while “Clove” with leaf wings spread flies above her head on the brick wall. These sweet faced assemblages are work by Donna Smith. Donna’s creations are made from reclaimed/found objects such as spice tins, thimbles, buttons and china doll faces, each with a unique personality. We wonder what they might be saying when we close the door and turn out the lights at the end of the day. Do they whisper to one another about being adopted by one of our customers?

A word about First Friday: the village of Skaneateles rolls out the welcome mat for visitors to stroll the sidewalks enjoying the evening filled with entertainment and art opening receptions at the galleries in town.  Gallery 54’s opening, “Fiber and Ore”, will feature the work of Dana Blythe Stenson, metalsmith jeweler and Sharon Bottle Souva, quilt maker. The restaurants and many of the stores join in the evening’s festivities. So come on out July 1st from 6-9.

July First Friday - You're Invited!!

You’re invited to our July First Friday Event

“Fiber and Ore”

Featuring Fabric Art by

Sharon Bottle Souva and

 Metalwork Jewelry by

Dana Blythe Stenson

                  Friday, July 1, 6-9pm              

Join us for beverages, snacks, and fine art in the company of our artists.  We hope to see you there!                

Dragonflies!

Who doesn’t love dragonflies? Just sit in a room and mention them and sure enough the stories will start. Someone will show a beautiful tattoo, another will tell about witnessing a hatch, while another will remember trying to catch them when they were young. Books are filled with images and tales of their spiritual meaning.

Gallery 54 honors these beautiful winged creatures during the month of June. Member artists have created various dragonfly themed works in a special exhibit. You will find glass, pottery, wood , paintings, fiber and jewelry all celebrating the dragonfly.

Stop by and see the dragonflies before they fly away.                                  

Members of Gallery 54 have been busy outside of the gallery as well. Check our website for details.

Kathy Schneider – painter  was highlighted in the magazine “Life in the Finger Lakes” and has become a Signature Member in The Central New York Watercolor Society (www.centralnewyorkwatercolorsociety.org) which has only 200 members throughout the United States.

Sharon Bottle Souva- quilt maker  has a quilt in the international exhibit “Art-Quilt-Experience” at the Stone Quarry Hill Art Park in Cazenovia as well as winning a 3^rd place award in the Allentown Society  Arts Festival in Buffalo NY.

Remember Gallery 54 participates in First Friday in Skaneateles. 6-9 PM we have our doors open and are ready to greet you all.

Sprucing up for Spring

 Pottery by Sally Thompson.

Stained glass "Garden Art" by Liz and Rich Micho

If you haven’t stopped by Gallery 54 recently please make a visit to the gallery. We have been sprucing up as we usher in the spring. More and more visitors are coming to town. We especially have enjoyed getting to know all the lady bowlers in the area for the convention.

Every day we greet someone visiting Skaneateles and our gallery……. Wow we get to meet people from everywhere.

We have some great new plants out front and a new flag sporting our famous dot. The window is dressed up in spring duds and throughout the gallery you will find evidence that we artists have been bitten by the spring bug. Now I’m not advocating here that we like bugs. And I for one am not a fan of mosquitoes, which I’m sure are getting ready for their annual visit.

We enjoy everything from fresh new spring paintings to glass garden décor. The colors are fresh…. The pottery is inviting… and the wearables reflect the time to shed the heaviness of winter.

May’s First Friday event “ Light and Fire” ushered in the spring theme with beautiful glass pieces for the garden by Liz and Rich Micho, a great compliment to Sallie Thompson’s funky, eclectic pottery. The gallery was filled with old and new friends; the evening, soft and warm with music in the air. If you have yet to come to a First Friday in Skaneateles…… put it on your calendar for June 3^rd ,when we will be exploring a dragonfly theme.  

The entire town is hopping.



Westcott Art Trail

Several Gallery Artists will be participating in the 10th annual Westcott Art Trail in Syracuse, NY: 
Sat. June 4, 10-5pm
Sun. June 5, 12-5
There will be over 60 artists in 25 locations throughout the neighborhood.
Free maps are available for download:  www.westcottcc.org or pick one up at Galleries around the Syracuse area including Skaneateles.  At the Westcott Community Center (corner of Westcott St. and Euclid ave.) there will be several artists including the Lost Boys of Sudan, a Save the Rain exhibit with free rain barrels, a farmers market  and much more.  The Westcott neighborhood is a Syracuse treasure, filled with wonderful shops, eating establishments and general funkiness.

In Love With Humpty Dumpty

It seems that many of us here at Gallery 54 are in love with Humpty Dumpty. He sits on a pedestal with his hands raised in a kind of wave, or perhaps the pose that comes just before a fall. His shoes are antique shoe forms, polishes to pleasant shine. A ceramic egg head sits on a steel body. Ah, perfection. There he sits as we walk by. He is an awesome sculpture by local artist James Seaman.

Humpty and James Seaman's most gorgeous fuchsia  gold fish are here at Gallery 54 waiting for someone to take them home.

We are so happy to see that spring is really here. The evidence is all around. We have Kevin Ridgeway’s bird houses in the tree outside the gallery, and plenty of art that speaks to the spring in our steps.

We have a special feature in the gallery for the month of April. The member artists have put together a “Self Portrait” show in a variety of mediums.

We are now open every day of the week Sun-Fri  11-5 and Sat 10-5. We look forward to your visits and would love to help you with your next purchase.

Welcome to the Artists' Blog

We welcome you to our newly-created blog!  In the upcoming months, our artists will be sharing with you our creative processes, stories, new works, and updates on our endeavors.  We welcome you to visit our blog frequently, and let us bring you with us on our journeys.  Be sure to visit the Gallery this coming Friday, April 1st, for our Gallery opening and exhibit of self-portraits created by our artists.  Join us from 5-8 for refreshments and meet the artists.