Members of the freshman class of the New York
Foundation of the Arts (NYFA) MARK Buffalo program will hold an exhibit of
their artwork at Artspace, 1219 Main Street in Buffalo, with the opening to be
held from 6-10 p.m. Saturday, April 4.
The
artists who will be exhibiting are Val Dunne, Lukia Costello, Jax Deluca, Iris
Kirkwood, Connlith Keogh, Kara Daving, Kevin Kegler and Dennis Bertram. The
Artspace gallery hours are from noon-4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday or by
appointment.
MARK
is the (NYFA) new statewide six-month program, started in late 2007, for visual artists who want an
opportunity for individualized focus on the professional side of their creative
practice. MARK addresses the concerns of artists living outside of New York
City while providing them with a new network statewide. Participating artists
can expect MARK to spark goals and help to define concrete steps while
providing individual and group feedback on how to better present themselves.
The
MARK Program includes focus on how artists can expand their visibility,
emphasizes goal setting and includes using the Internet effectively,
strengthening grant or project applications, improving writing and speaking
about their work and identifying exhibition opportunities. Between seminars, artists
will be assigned projects related to their specific goals and individual
feedback given to all participants. The first class of Buffalo MARK artists
traveled to New York City as the conclusion of the program to present
themselves and their at to curators and gallery operators there.
The
following are artists’ descriptions:
Kara
Daving: Kara Daving’s work represents a marriage of two contradictory worlds:
the natural and the synthetic. She explores the similarity between jellyfish
and plastic bags while examining the ramifications of when they are commingled
in the oceanic abyss. Recently her
work has been shown in Las Vegas, San Francisco, Kentucky, Ontario and New
York.
Kevin
Kegler: This past year, Kevin Kegler had solo exhibits of his recent paintings
and mixed-media constructions at the 10th Street Community Garden and at Chow
Chocolat, both in Buffalo. He is preparing for two more exhibits in Western New
York this year at Art Dialogue and the Meibohm Gallery
Lukia
Costello: Lukia Costello is an award winning local exhibitor and arts volunteer
working to local artists and arts organizations via board membership of
Artspace Buffalo Alliance, The Urban Canvas project and volunteer with the
Buffalo Society of Artists and the Arts Council of Buffalo. She also donates
artwork and photographic services to non-profits.
Dennis
Bertram: Dennis Bertram is currently completing a large 60 by 72 inch painting
at the Buffalo Arts Studio, one of his “flying” series of paintings.
Dennis Bertram will be giving a painting demonstration and artist talk at the
East Aurora Art Society on April 17.
Val
Dunne: Is currently working in both traditional black and white photography, as
well as digital color formats. The resident photographer and artist member of
the board of the directors at the Buffalo Arts Studio has shown her work at the
Buffalo Arts Studio, CEPA, Hallwalls and the Olean Public Library, and recently
had a successful solo show at Betty’s. She has donated her work to various
charities, including AIDS research and the SPCA.
Image: Val Dunne