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Unique ceramic art and post-impressionist paintings on display in new exhibits at GO Art!

By Howard B. Owens

Two art shows opened at GO ART! on Thursday night -- "Where Do I Go From Here?" a ceramics exhibit by Shirley Nigro, and "The Kite Boy,"  an acrylic exhibit by Alex Segovia.

Nigro is the owner of Fire Up Ceramics on Ellicott Street in Batavia. 

Her ceramic work is nothing like most people might associate with the word -- figurines and knickknacks to scatter around the home. Her work is complex and imaginative but still leaning heavily on realism.

The exhibit is a good demonstration of how ceramics can be used to create art.

Segovia is originally from El Salvador and now resides in Avon. He started painting three years ago after watching a documentary about Vincent Van Gogh. His work reflects that post-impressionistic style, though he says he's moving more toward abstract expressionism. The bright colors recall Henri Matisse or fauvism.

Both shows run through April 7. 

'The Kite Boy' -- An Acrylic Exhibit by El Salvadoran immigrant Alex Segovia now showing at GO ART!

By Billie Owens

The above work by Alex Segovia is entitled "A New Beginning."

Submitted photo and press release:

"The Kite Boy" -- An Acrylic Exhibit by Alex Segovia will be displayed in the Oliver’s Gallery in the Seymour Dining Room at GO ART! in Downtown Batavia now through April 7.

There will be an artist's reception from 6 to 8 p.m. on Sunday, April 15.

Segovia writes: "I was born September 4th, 1970, in El Salvador, Central America. I come from a very humble poor family. We were cotton pickers. I had a wonderful childhood, in spite of having limited resources and also my country having a civil war, that lasted 12 years.

"I was good at drawing, writing and making kites. Sometimes kids would come up to buy from me drawings and kites. I do not have any education in arts, but I did finish (high school) and since I went to an American school, by 14 years old, I was already speaking English.

"The 2 most important jobs I've held in my life, (are) making furniture and being part of an NGO that did social work in poor communities. Since most people don't make much money in my country, and I wasn't the exception, I could not buy the proper materials for painting. It was until I came to the U.S. that I eventually started drawing and painting."

GO ART!  201 E.  Main St.   Batavia, NY 14020

Gallery Hours: Thursday, Friday 11-7 / Saturday 11-4 / Second Sunday 11-2

585-343-9313
www.goart.org

Shirley Nigro exhibit opens tomorrow at GO ART!, artist's reception is Feb. 15

By Billie Owens

"Where Do I Go From Here?" an exhibit by Shirley Nigro opens Thursday, Feb. 8 at GO ART!. It closes April 7.

An Artist’s Reception will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 15 at GO ART!, Seymour Place, 201 E. Main St., Batavia.

Gallery Hours: Thursday, Friday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Saturday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.; and monthly on the second Sunday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Visit webpage: goart.org/galleries. Phone: 585-343-9313.

Submissions accepted March 1-3 for GO ART!'s second annual juried show, theme is 'ELEMENTAL'

By Billie Owens

Press release:

GO ART! is offering the opportunity to participate in the Second Annual Juried Show. The theme is "ELEMENTAL." You can interpret it any way you would like. Any Media. No larger than 3'x3'.

Submissions will be accepted March 1-3.

The exhibit will hang from March 8 - May 5. The reception will be held on March 15, 6-8 p.m. Cash awards will be distributed at that time.

The awards will be based on the amount received from the submission fees.

GO ART! Members may submit up to 5 works for $30. $5 for each additional piece.
Non-members may submit up to 3 works for $30. $5 for each additional piece.

Contracts may be found at www.goart.org/galleries

2nd Annual Juried Art Show reception at GO ART!

By Lisa Ace

GO ART! is offering the opportunity to participate in the 2nd Annual Juried Show. The theme is ELEMENTAL. You can interpret it any way you would like. Any Media. No larger than 3'x3'
Submissions will be accepted March 1-3, 2018.
The exhibit will hang from March 8 - May 5. The reception will be held on March 15, 6-8 pm. Cash awards will be distributed at that time.
The awards will be based on the amount received from the submission fees.

Event Date and Time
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Art show by Sean Madden opens at GO Art!

By Howard B. Owens

An opening reception was held at GO Art! last night for a show by artist Sean Madden.

Madden's work is recognized throughout Western New York. He is a teacher at Byron-Bergen High School.

Madden's early influences were Ernst Fuchs and Salvador Dali. He as also influenced by the psychedelic-era work of Robert Crumb, Robert Williams, and S. Clay Wilson.

In the paintings on display, Madden mixes well-executed realism with surrealism and his wild imagination and love of color.

The show runs through March 2.

GO Art! LIVE on WGRZ CH2

By James Burns

GO Art! will be featured on WGRZ CH 2 at about 6:25 a.m. and 6:55 a.m. They are here to do a community segment on the great works that are currently at GO Art! 

Pictured above Kevin O'Neill, Tammy Hathaway, Gregory Hallock.

Forum for artists with disabilities opens in Batavia Jan. 19

By Billie Owens

Press release:

The third ARTiculations Ability Exhibition -- a forum for artists with disabilities in Genesee, Wyoming and Orleans counties to display their work publicly -- will open at Independent Living of the Genesee Region (ILGR) in Batavia on Jan. 19.

Titled "8 X 10," it features the work of Chris Humel, who uses intensely hued acrylics, to depict postage stamps and other mail-related themes. Twenty years ago, he cofounded the still-active band BC Psychos; he will be teaching a five-week course, “Cartoons by Kids” for young people 10 to 15, at GO ART! (Genesee-Orleans Regional Art Council) in Batavia.

A product of a partnership between ILGR and the University Heights Arts Association (UHAA), the exhibit will be on display through March 29th. The opening reception, featuring Humel on his guitar, is 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Jan.19th at ILGR’s office, 113 Main St., Suite 5, in Batavia. 

In Humel's own words, "I am a person with disabilities. I am 55 years old. I have been battling schizophrenia and related depressing problems for most of my life. My work is about breaking out of isolation and 'going postal' in a good way, by making contact with artists, writers and through the Post Office."

Other artists with disabilities residing in Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming counties are encouraged to submit their work to this juried competition, as there will be additional ARTiculations planned quarterly exhibits in the future.

For over a year, ILGR has been “art partnering” for people with disabilities with the UHAA, a group of artists in North Buffalo with a commitment to community that places art in businesses and nonprofits through an established ARTpartnering program.

The organizers are pleased to note that the ARTiculations Ability Exhibitions has “mapped” into UHAA’s system by placing a plaque with a Quick Response (QR) code scatter bar graph that can bring up information about it when scanned by your smartphone.

For questions on the event, please call Patricia AbdusSalaam at (585) 815-8501, ext. 400

Independent Living of the Genesee Region (ILGR) is a member of the Western New York Independent Living Inc. family of agencies that offers an expanding array of services to aid individuals with disabilities to take control of their own lives.

Photos: Asian fusion demonstration and art show at GO ART!

By Howard B. Owens

At GO ART! on Thursday night, there was both a cooking class and an art show opening.

Joseph Rojo, above, provided a demonstration of Asian fusion cooking. Below, Kimberly Perl and Marie Scofield get to participate in creating a chicken adobo.

For the art show below, Judy Wenrich poses with her painting, "My 3 Pets." Look closely and you'll find three ferrets. The show features work by GO ART! members on the theme of "Juxtaposition."

GO ART! also has an art sale in the main gallery featuring both current member works and works from the archives.

Asian fusion cuisine cooking demo at GO ART! on Dec. 21, RSVP by Dec. 19

By Billie Owens
GO ART! is hosting a cooking demo of Asian fusion cuisine with chef Joseph Rojo from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 21.
 
Tickets are $10 per person. Space is limited for this event so reserve your spot before Dec. 19th!
 
Come and enjoy Asian fusion fare. Watch the cook prepare and then taste Shoyu chicken and luau brown fried rice with a delicious pineapple-based beverage to complement the dishes.
 
To reserve your spot email info@goart.org or by call (585) 343-9313
 
GO ART! is located in Downtown Batavia at 201 E. Main St.

Reception at GO ART! for Members' Challenge Show 'Juxtaposition'

By Billie Owens

There will be a reception for the Members' Challenge Show "Juxtaposition" from 6 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 21, at GO ART!

It is located at 201 E. Main St. in Downtown Batavia in the historic Seymour Place building at the corner of Main and Bank streets.

Event Date and Time
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Renewed GO ART! Ready for Christmas in the City

By James Burns

When was the last time you were at GO ART!? Well the Genesee Orleans Regional Art Council has been very busy over the last year. You may have noticed the Picnic In the Park on July 4th was a little larger and had more activities. 

GO ART! has been busy behind the scenes, too. At Seymour Place, where GO ART! is located in Batavia (201 E. Main St.), they have increased the galleries from one to four, tripling the amount of art on display at any given time. Currently all four galleries are filled. 

For Christmas in the City, and throughout the month of December, GO ART! has assembled more than 150 pieces of classic and contemporary art, including sculpture and jewelry that are offered for sale.

“GO ART! has been very lucky to have had many great works donated to us through the years," Director Gregory Hallock said. “So much so that we don't have room to store it all and for the first time we are offering those without stipulations and owned by GO ART! up for sale to the public."

They have not just been busy with art. GO ART! has reworked the kitchen, complete with four new Viking ranges, for culinary classes. The ovens received a bit of a workout yesterday as they made cookies for Christmas in the City.

Starting at 5 p.m. on Friday GO ART! will be hosting a Slavic Christmas complete with Santa Claus and an accordion band; sandwiches from Red Osier Landmark Restaurant will also be sold at Seymour Place for the event.  

GO ART! hosts book signing and reading event featuring local author Kathryn Donahue

By Billie Owens
Press release:
 
GO ART! is hosting the book signing of local author Kathryn Donahue's new book "The Dog Walker's Diary" on Tuesday, Nov. 28. It's at Seymour Place in Downtown Batavia at 201 E. Main St., Batavia.
 
She will be doing a short reading starting at 6:30 p.m. and the event runs until 8 p.m.
 
There will be a limited number of books for sale at the event ($14.99 each) so make sure you get here early before they are gone if you are looking to purchase a copy.
 
Here's the publisher's note about the book:
 
Donahue’s debut is a diverting delight from beginning to end. Combining the best of two worlds, it blends little amuse-bouche fantastical tales of lion tamers and buccaneers—as told by dogs—with sweet contemporary human romance.
 
Irish redhead Annie Doherty is not so much a dog whisperer as a dog listener. When she takes the job of walking L.A. literary agent Daniel Ashe’s dogs, she starts leaving him daily dictations of the stories that the precocious canines tell her about their other lives as circus performers or sea captains.
 
By all rights Ashe should be falling in love with the sprightly Annie, but he was frightened by a redhead when he was a child, so now he’s a confirmed gingerphobe; he pursues a tall, blond ice queen while awaiting his big professional break.
 
By the time he realizes that he does indeed love Annie, the plot takes a surprising turn and a wicked mystery ensues. Donahue packs a ton of refreshing fun into this clever take on modern romance.

Traditional Mexican Christmas fare demo at GO ART! by Orleans County chef Leonel Rosario, RSVP by Dec. 8

By Billie Owens
There will be a demonstration of preparing traditional Mexican Christmas fare by chef Leonel Rosario from noon to 2 p.m. on Second Sunday in December at GO ART!
 
Rosario is chef at Mariachi de Oro in Medina, which was named the 2017 Business of the Year by the Orleans County Chamber of Commerce.
 
The event is Dec. 10 and cost is $5.
 
Participants will get a chance to try their hand at techniques of making traditional Mexican Christmas food and taste samples of tamales, beverages and more.
 
Space is limited. RSVP by Dec. 8 via email at info@goart.org or by calling 585-343-9312.

GO ART! is located in historic Seymour Place in Downtown Batavia at 201 E. Main St.

Feliz navidad!

'Psychedelic Through Life' exhibit at GO ART!

By James Burns

Photographer Eian Windham’s exhibit (pictured above with his mother) “Psychedelic Through Life” had its opening Thursday night at GO ART! It was a very well attended affair in the Rotary Room on the second floor of Seymour Place. Quite a few of Eian’s images were purchased within the first hour of the exhibit.

Eian is a 16-year-old Batavia High School student.

When asked how he got started in photography, he said “It just happened. I used to take a lot of pictures with my cell phone. My dad bought me a camera and I realized I could take better pictures with it.”

While he is still developing his style for his images, it is clear nature and family relationships are of interest and important to him. A majority of the images are from a tour of Jamaica that the family took last year.

Eian’s exhibit runs through Nov. 25th. Go art currently has four exhibits on display. Exhibit hours are by appointment or Thursday and Friday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday from 11a.m. to  4 p.m., and every second Sunday of the month from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. GO ART! is located at 201 E. Main St., Batavia.

Photos and illustrations by local artist Jim Burns -- 'Cabal and Zen' -- at GO ART! starting next month

By Billie Owens

Photo courtesy of Jim Burns.

Information provided by GO ART!

GO ART! will present an exhibit of photography and illustration by local artist Jim Burns Nov. 9 through Feb. 3 at Seymour Place in Downtown Batavia.

Titled "Cabal and Zen," Burns says "The main portion of this exhibit was inspired by the tension of daily life and the desire for change. There are also individual images of beauty and peace."

There will be an artist reception from 6 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 16 at the gallery.

GO ART! at Seymour Place is located at 201 E. Main St. Gallery hours are Thursday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Saturday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.; and the second Sunday of each month from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

(Editor's note: The statement by artist Jim Burns was changed at his request.)

REMINDER: Donate $20 to hurricane victims and chalk the 'Walk of Hope' Saturday on Liberty Street, Batavia

By Billie Owens

GO ART! invites you to chalk the "Walk of Hope" on Saturday, Oct. 14 along the sidewalk at the Liberty Square Plaza.

For a $20 donation you can secure your spot along the sidewalk near Ficarella's Pizzeria's parking lot.

Artists can arrive at 7:30 a.m. and judging will happen at 2:30 p.m. You must bring your own chalk art supplies.

This is part of the (hurricane) "Harvey Festival," which runs from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Prizes -- sponsored by Adam Miller Toy and Bicycle, Pollyanna & Dot/The Hidden Door, Charles Men's Shop, Batavia Bootery, Main St. Pizza Company and The YNGodess Shop -- will be awarded for the best design in the following age groups:

  • 10 and below
  • 11 to 14
  • 15 to 17
  • 18 and up

All proceeds of the event will go toward aid for the victims of the summer's devastating hurricanes.

For more information, contact Jodi Fisher at   jfisher@goart.org or phone 343-9313.

GO ART! announces current board members

By Howard B. Owens

Here is a list of current members of the GO ART! board of directors:

  • Tammy Hathaway (Genesee County) - President
  • Thomas Jennings Sr. (Orleans County) - Vice President
  • Brad Eddy (Genesee County) - Secretary
  • Jennifer Neroni-Trupo (Orleans County) - Treasurer
  • Shane Ashton (Genesee County)
  • Karen Crittenden (Genesee County)
  • Julia Garver (Genesee County)
  • Tracy Jennings (Orleans County)
  • Stuart McLean (Genesee County)
  • Patti Pacino (Genesee County)
  • Barbara Pierce (Genesee County)
  • Idris Salih (Orleans County)
  • Mark Scarborough (Orleans County)
  • Mary Jo Whitman (Genesee County)

County historian to give talk on 'Becoming American: The Journey of Italians in Genesee County

By Howard B. Owens

Press release:

GO ART! is pleased to cosponsor this free presentation with the Oakfield Historical Society at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 3, at the Oakfield Community & Government Center. Michael Eula, Ph.D., Genesee County Historian, will speak on the history of Italians in Genesee County, a subject particularly interesting to the Oakfield community's history with the gypsum mine.

This talk is presented as part of GO ART!'s GO-C Series.

Eula gives the following introduction to his program: 

"On November 2nd, 1905, an Italian immigrant, Gaitano Valente, while working as a miner in Oakfield for the United States Gypsum Company, was killed in an avalanche of rocks that were being excavated. Less than a year later, on September 13th, 1906, it was reported that “200 Italians from New York City” were being brought into Oakfield to work as strikebreakers for that same company. It was assumed that a riot would ensue – and as a result, there was a collection of guns to be used in the expected confrontation.

"These two incidents took place within a national context of mass Italian immigration punctuated by a perception of Italians as the 'other' – a characterization capable of producing the largest mass lynching to ever take place in American history – the infamous murder of eleven Italian immigrants in New Orleans in 1891. This event served as a catalyst for attacks on Italians throughout the nation. The obvious question, then, is how the Italian immigrants of the late nineteenth century – the 'other' as depicted routinely in the newspapers of the day – could become, only a few generations later, a respected and influential member of American society.

Focusing on this question in terms of Genesee County, we will follow the journey of the typical Italian immigrant in the late 1800s as he or she, in subsequent generations, evolved from the outsider on the margins of society into a member of the mainstream of Genesee County – and American – life.

Becoming American: The Journey of Italians in Genesee County, NY
By Michael Eula, Genesee County Historian
Tuesday, Oct. 3, 7 p.m.

Oakfield Community and Government Center
3219 Drake Street, Oakfield
Free admission. Co-sponsored by GO ART!'s GO-C Genesee-Orleans Culture Connects Series

GO ART! hosts artists' reception for photos of Ireland and member show

By Howard B. Owens

Wyoming County writer and photographer Barbara Knight was on hand Thursday night at GO ART! for an artist's reception featuring her photos of Ireland. Knight has worked for 25 years as a writer and photographer and she traveled to Ireland in April. The photos on display at GO ART! capture the beauty and grandeur of what she saw during her visit.

GO ART! also opened its latest member show, "Guilty Pleasure."

Alex Segouia, of Avon, with his painting, "Lust." 

Lydia Zwierzynski with "Dreams of Fortune." 

Top picture, "West of the Fields" by Kevin Hammon, and "The Fishing Shack" by Julie Lambert.

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