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!