The striking blue façade that I (prematurely) posted about a few weeks ago is getting a dash of color. Renowned local artist Ani Hoover is turning the façade of the Starlight Studio and Art Gallery into a vibrant work of art. The art studio at 340 Delaware Avenue, just blocks from Allentown, is directly across the street from Babeville.
Established in 2005 by the Learning Disabilities Association of Western New York (LDA of WNY), Starlight Studio and Art Gallery opened its doors as the first art studio for people with disabilities in Buffalo. Starlight Studio provides individuals with the opportunity to build art portfolios, exhibit and sell their artwork for profit, learn about the local arts community, and collaborate with professional artists.
In an effort to enliven downtown and further establish Starlight as a member of the cultural community, Starlight has undertaken the creation of a public artwork with the prominent Buffalo-based artist, Ani Hoover. To achieve this goal, Starlight Studio raised funds through a direct appeal to its and Hoover's supporters with the Ani Hoover and Starlight Paint the Town Campaign.
Hoover's work has been featured prominently at the Burchfield Penney Art Center, and at the Albright-Knox Art Gallery. Her paintings are all created using ink, watercolor, spray paint, and acrylic paint on a synthetic plastic paper. Using this plastic paper, she develops a painting style that allows her to add and remove paint easily from the paper's surface. She uses circle shape as a vehicle for applying paint and painting experimentally, often employing different kinds of paint and applications on one painting's surface. Her paintings are manifestations of the collecting process and she uses color to bring movement, emotion and temperament to the paintings, a perfect addition to the Delaware streetscape.
The Starlight Studio and Art Gallery has played an integral role in securing and diversifying the downtown arts community with an ambitious studio and exhibition schedule drawing nearly 150 visitors to its art openings and receptions.
The first phase of the project includes transforming the Starlight building façade into a work of art. This dynamic painting will draw attention to the Starlight Studio and Art Gallery at 340 Delaware Avenue while simultaneously beautifying the block. Furthermore, it will provide another worthwhile opportunity for the Starlight artists to interact and work with a professional artist. The starlight artist will be assisting Hoover in the painting of the public art project. The first phase will also include interchangeable banners to serve as signage. The second phase entails the addition of awnings with the Studio's name printed on the valence. The third and final phase consists of illuminating the exterior of the building to display the painting and banners after dark. As Starlight Studio and Art Gallery expands and continues to grow as an arts center, it is imperative that the building's exterior reflects the innovative work occurring inside.
Hoover has started a blog about the project to follow her as she transforms this corner of Delaware Avenue into one of the city's largest public art displays. She explains the collaboration:
I was approached by Carrie Marcotte of Starlight Studios and Gallery to create a public art piece for the front of the their building at 340 Delaware Ave. in Buffalo. I had to agree w/ Carrie that front of the art center did look a bit "bland" but I wasn't sure if I was up creating a painting so large and in such a public way. It took me a while to make up my mind to accept the challenge, but I did for these reasons....because Starlight runs a great program that I believe in and because I saw it as opportunity to challenge myself as painter and a person by doing something I had hadn't done before.
She also explains the color selection:
While Carrie and her colleagues at Starlight went about raising money for the project I went on with my normal studio practice and pretty much didn't think about the project for a while until it was time to pick a base coat of the project. A few colors were mentioned, including yellow and pink but the color blue was ultimately decided upon. I personnally liked the color blue, because I thought blue would lead the viewer up and toward the sky.
With the work just beginning this week, on lookers can see the building transform over the next few weeks and is expected to be finished by October 1.
More information on Hoover and examples of her art can be found here. Façade Proposal and pictures by Ani Hoover.
Bring on the funk!