Batavia Society of Artists

Matthew Liebler was awarded this year's Virginia Carr-Mumford Scholarship from the Batavia Society of Artists on Thursday at the BSA's annual spring show opening at the Richmond Memorial Library.

Liebler is from North Java and just completed his first year at Genesee Community College, where he's majoring in Digital Arts.

The spring show's first-place award went to Richard Ellingham for "Dusk Reflection."

David Burke received a second-place award for "The everchanging beauty of this body that I share with every living thing." He also received a third-place ribbon for "Still life with skull and mannequins."

The Batavia Society of Artists will host its kick-off event for 2019-- a free Artist Mixer -- from 7 to 9 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 12, at GO ART! 

It is located in the historic Seymour Place building in Downtown Batavia, 201 E. Main St.

Attendees are encouraged to bring a piece of their artwork to display for the evening.

Enjoy some wine and cheese and talk with other artists from the area.

All levels and mediums welcome.

An Art Book Sale will be available to benefit The Batavia Society of Artists.

Dues to join the society are $30 a year for an individual; $50 for a couple; $10 for students; the drop-in fee for events, programs and demos is $5.

The Board of Directors is comprised of: Teresa Tamfer, Nicole Tamfer, Nancy Brown*, Carole LaValley, Shauna Blake*, Amy DiSalvo and Karen Crittenden. They meet on the second Tuesday of the month.

(*New Board Members)

Here's the rest of the year's lineup; all demos (except En Plein Air) are held at GO ART!:

• March 12 -- Colette Savage Demo of warm undertone painting with pastels, 7 to 9 p.m.
• April 9 -- Mike Killelea Demo of adding people and animals to finished watercolors for interest, 7 to 9 p.m.
• May 9 -- Spring Art Show Reception at Richmond Memorial Library, 6:30 to 8 p.m.
• May 18 -- Saturday Sketch Out -- Genesee County Park & Forest Nature Interpretive Center in East Bethany, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• June 11 -- Linda Metcalf Hands-on Demo of encaustics, 7 to 9 p.m.
• July 9 -- Picnic at Kiwanis Park & En Plein Air Demo with Sue Meyer -- Bring a dish to pass, 6 to 9 p.m.
• Aug. 15 -- GO ART! Show Reception -- Upstairs in the Batavia Rotary Club Gallery, 6:30 to 8 p.m.
• Sept. 10 -- Shauna Blake Hands-on Demo of alcohol inks, 7 to 9 p.m.
• Oct. 8 -- Chris Humel Hands-on Demo of caricatures, 7 to 9 p.m.
• Nov. 12 -- Becky Maynard Demo of acrylic pour ornaments, 7 to 9 p.m.
• Dec. 5 -- Winter Art Show Reception at Richmond Memorial Library, 6:30 to 8 p.m.
• Dec. 10 -- Christmas Dinner Party at Dibble Family Center, $20 per person, 6 p.m. - 'til ?

CORRECTION: In the origianl version of our post, we switched the first and second place winners.  Our apologies to Rick.

The Batavia Society of Artists held its opening reception Thursday night at the Richmond Memorial Library of its Winter Art Show.

Rick Ellingham won First Place for his painting, "Adirondack Sunset."

The show runs through Dec. 27.

Karen Crittenden won Second Place with her picture, "Bug."

Photo of Rochester artist Brian O'Neill, courtesy of Batavia Society of Artists.

Information provided by the Batavia Society of Artists:

The Batavia Society of Artists is excited to announce that the demonstrating artist at GO ART! on Tuesday, Sept. 11th, will be Brian O'Neill, a Rochester Art Club Signature Member and internationally known fine art painter.

The artist's contemporary, dynamic and expressive abstract paintings are really fantastic, says Nikki Tamfer, of the Batavia Society of Artists, and he is also known for his oil realism.

The demo will be held in the historic Seymour Place home of GO ART! in Downtown Batavia from 7 to 9 p.m. a week from today. It is located at 201 E. Main St.

The event is free for Batavia Society of Artists' members; $5 for non-members. 

"It's All Abstraction" will consist of an artist talk and PowerPoint presentation. O'Neill will illustrate through a visual presentation how all form can be broken down into simple, dark and light abstract shapes for more believable realism work. And he will offer insights into the inspirations for his abstract painting and relate them to environmental realities. 

O'Neill has a working and teaching studio in the Hungerford Building in Rochester, which is at 1115 E. Main St. His work has been showcased in galleries across the United States, Canada, England and Japan. He's a graduate of the Ani Art Academy apprenticeship program, where he trained with renowned realism painter Anthony Waichulis.

His formal training gave him the freedom to create in worlds both recognizable and imagined. 

In his bio statement, O'Neill, born in 1969, says: “My responsibility as an artist is one that asks me to create not because I want to, but because I have to. My goal with each painting is to infuse my passion for beauty in a language that can be read and felt by all people that view my work. I challenge myself to always remain open to learning and making work at the highest level possible.”

Find more examples of O'Neill’s work as well as student creations here.

Below, "Homestead," oil on canvas by Brian O'Neill.

Below, "Pause," oil, whitegold, gold, silverleaf by Brian O'Neill.

Below, "Turquoise Twilight," acrylic with silver, goldleaf by Brian O'Neill.

Below, "The Chase," oil on canvas by Brian O'Neill.

Bottom, "Winter Glow," oil on canvas by Brian O'Neill.

Kevin Feary with his painting "Distance From Transit Rd.," was the winner Tuesday night at the opening of the Summer Art Show for the Batavia Society of Artists.

The show runs on the second floor of GO ART! through Oct. 5.

Kate Engle's "Badge #2," a pencil and felt pen drawing, took third place in the show. The drawing is of her great-grandfather, who was a Batavia police officer and wore Badge #2.

JL Wenrich, who could not attend the opening, placed second with "Back Yard Chickens," a pen and pencil drawing.

A pen and ink drawing by Rick Ellingham of the Swartz Hotel (the Stumblin' Inn) in Elba.

Deb Meier, a retired Batavia art teacher, provided a demonstration in watercolor plein air painting for members of the Batavia Society of Artists at Kiwanis Park on Monday.

Painting en plein air, or outdoor painting, which often requires the painter to work quickly in direct response to the scene before the painter, was a technique favored by the French impressionists of the 19th century and has continued to remain popular with artists.

The Batavia Society of Artists opened its annual spring show at the Richmond Memorial Library.

Tessa Lynn, a resident of Batavia, received Virginia Carr-Mumford Scholarship.

Lynn believes art is the culmination of all of human history and like art of the ancient past, she tries to focus on visual stories that may inspire a more considerate future. After attending Genesee Community College, she plans to pursue a bachelor's degree in Fine Arts. Eventually, she would like to illustrate books.

"My hope is to always keep creating art," she said. "I don't believe that there is ever a point where a creator should stop learning, even after years of practice and observation. My artist journey has only just begun."

Brian Kemp won first place in the member's competition.

Karen Crittenden, second place.

Third place went to Nicole Tamfer.

GO ART! hosted the opening of its annual juried art show Thursday night at Seymore Place in Batavia.

Top prize this year was awarded to Alex Sergovia for his painting (top photo) Celestial Blues. Sergovia could not be present at the opening last night.

The work displayed was selected from numerous entries by the jury, which also selected the winning entry.

Above sits Artist David Burke. His three paintings are the tree on the left, and the two paintings above him on the right.

Press release:

A collection of artwork created during the Batavia Society of Artists' October demonstration will be sold and all proceeds donated to the Donald R. Carroll Toys for Kids Toy Drive.

The "art collaboration" pieces were made during a hands-on demonstration by artist and BSA Member Brian Kemp. He guided attendees through his art process, one that explores art "through creating as he goes, allowing the artwork and canvas to help direct the finished piece."

Attendees were given their canvas and directed to use their choice of a few mediums and color choices. Halfway through the demonstration, Kemp collected everyone's artwork and distributed the pieces to another artist to finish. 

The results are being displayed for the first time at this year's Winter Art Show presented by the society. It is on display now through Dec. 27th in the Gallery Room at Richmond Memorial Library, located at 19 Ross St. in the City of Batavia.

The public is invited to the opening reception from 6:30 to 8 p.m. tomorrow, Dec. 7. Take a look at the demo collaboration pieces and consider buying one to help the toy drive for local children.

To join the Batavia Society of Artists or for more information, contact Teresa Tamfer at 506-2465 or email   BSA.BataviaSocietyofArtists@gmail.com

The Batavia Society of Artists hung their artwork today at the Richmond Memorial Library for their annual winter show.

The show opens Monday with an opening reception Thursday from 6:30 to 8 p.m.

The monthly meeting of the Batavia Society of Artists last night featured a demonstration by Patricia Tribastone in a style of painting known as Alla Prima.

The Alla Prima style of painting is a technique in which the artist completes a painting in one sitting. The painting is done “wet into wet” and the main characteristics are fresh color, minimized detail, and brush work. 

Tribastone, who is involved in numerous national art organizations and has won several awards for her pastel and oil paintings, set up a still life scene for the demonstration and explained how she arranged her subject and the materials she used to complete the painting.

Tribastone has a gallery and studio in Canandaigua at 32 S. Main St.

Terry Weber, a member of the Batavia Society of Artists, has opened an art gallery and antique shop and has an art studio in the Old General Store on Route 63 in East Bethany.

Hours are noon to 5 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays -- or anytime you see the "Open" flag flying outside.

If you are a member of the Batavia Society of Artists and mention your membership, you'll get a 15-percent discount on your entire purchase.

The location is five miles south on Route 63 from Batavia.

The Facebook page is under "Bethany Arts."

The Batavia Society of Artists will host a picnic and plein air art demonstration featuring watercolorist Michael Killelea on Tuesday, June 13, at Kiwanis Park. It is located at 3808 W. Main Street Road, Batavia. The event begins at 6 p.m.

This event is free but YOU MUST RSVP BY 7 P.M. TODAY so ample food and refreshments can be purchased. Organizers are going shopping for the picnic supplies later tonight.

Please call or email Teresa at 506-2465 or ttamfer@yahoo.com to give a head count so she knows how many hamburgers and hot dogs to buy.

Also, please bring a dish to pass and a lawn chair. Water will be provided, but feel free to bring another beverage.

Organizers want to make sure that Killelea can set up to paint wherever he picks and that they have enough chairs just in case they are needed.

The weather is going to be warm and it looks like it will be a wonderful night for this.

About Michael Killelea

Killelea’s paintings, headlined as “exquisite watercolors” in a Spring 2005 feature article in "American Artists’ Watercolor" magazine, were featured again in their Winter 2012 issue, and also in their 2006 Watercolor Highlights annual.

He is an inveterate plein-air painter who carries paper and brush with him almost everywhere he travels and loves to connect with his subjects off the beaten track, and often without speaking their native language.

He is actively involved in, and on the board of directors of a number of WNY and national arts organizations. He's also a member of the Niagara Frontier Watercolor Society and the Buffalo Society of Artists. He is a Navy veteran, and has spent his working life as an art director and photo editor in major newspapers, and in the production of annual reports.

Killelea’s watercolors have been exhibited in a many national museums, as well as in the U.S. Capitol building, and numerous community displays. His work and bio are included in the Smithsonian Museum and the Library of Congress, and he was recently invited into the Burchfield Penny Art Center’s collection of featured Western NY artists.

A graduate of SUNY Farmingdale, he has attended Pratt Institute and the School of Visual Arts. When not traveling, he teaches and presents on watercolor painting. His award-winning work is in many private collections and has been reproduced in two books he wrote and illustrated on Long Island’s rural North Fork.

A copy of both Watercolor magazine articles on his work can be downloaded from his website www.killeleart.com. Additional examples of his work can also be found on his “Killeleart” Facebook page.

Jenny Wood hosted the Batavia Society of Artists today at her home on West Main Street Road, Batavia, for a "sketch out," a chance for artists to paint and draw the landscape of her yard, which is well known locally for the annual bloom of forget-me-nots.

David Burke is the winner of the 2017 Spring Art Show hosted by the Batavia Society of Artists at the Richmond Memorial Library. Burke received his award at the show's opening last night.

Richard Ellingham received second place and Kevin Feary received third place.

Rachel Beck, a Genesee Community College student and resident of Attica, received the Carr-Mumford scholarship.

The Batavia Society of Artists opened its winter show last night at the Richmond Memorial Library.  

Brian Kemp, above, received the Best of Show award.  

In the photo below, Kevin Feary, of Batavia, explains the technique behind his second-place photo.

The Batavia Society of Artists sponsored a Sketch Out/Paint Out event in Jackson Square on Wednesday evening, featuring cast members from the Batavia Players upcoming presentation of "Guys and Dolls."

The event gave local artists a chance to paint or draw characters from the famous musical.

The Batavia Society of Artists 2016 Spring Art Exhibit will be held at Richmond Memorial Library from May 9 to May 29.

The Opening Reception with artists will be held from 6:30 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, May 12. At 7 o'clock that night, the society will present the Virginia Carr Mumford Memorial Scholarship to a student from Genesee Community College.

Carr Mumford was a long-standing member of the society and over the years her family has graciously continued the yearly scholarship.

In addition, at the reception there will be award recognitions for the 2016 show and the drawing of a raffle winner of Brian Kemp's demo painting. It is a collaborative abstract painting titled "#17." Raffle tickets will be availble for sale until 7 p.m. They are $5 each or three for $10.

All proceeds will help the society to hold more art demos.

For additional information, contact Terry Weber at 993-0509 or ebgs55@yahoo.com.

Richmond Memorial Library is located at 19 Ross St. in the City of Batavia.