ded in the Black Rock Historical Society’s new travelling museum that will debut on May 20th at 2 PM at the Buffalo Religious Arts Center on East Street. Tonawanda & Amherst Streets is the location of the Black Rock Historic murals that were completed in October of 2011.
Where are you from originally?
Born and raised in Buffalo, grew up in Allentown.
What is your medium?
I’m primarily a painter so I use oils, acrylic, oil pastels and watercolor. For mixed media works, I use whatever inspires me or whatever I’ve been collecting or saving in the attic or cellar over the years.. I also love photography and use it in collages.
How has Buffalo influenced your work?
I love to shoot photos in the worst weather especially snow and frozen water. Buffalo usually has an abundance (except this winter). Also the artistic climate in Buffalo is stimulating.
Where do you draw your inspiration from?
Whatever moves me-literary, memory, beliefs, social issues, the beauty of nature. Twelve years ago I completed a large series of works inspired by a sentence that I read in a D.H. Lawrence novel thirty years before that.
Name an artist (or more) that most inspires you?
From studying and reading about art and architecture of the past and present, the more I learn or see of someone’s work, I find it in some way inspiring. However, Bernini, 17th Century Baroque painting, Gauguin, Cy Twombly, Matisse and Louis Sullivan come to mind.
What is your preferred subject matter?
My intellect addresses many things in the universe.
How do you feel you can best advance to the next level, or are you most happy where you are now?
I really don’t think of defining progressive levels of art. It is an evolution of a person’s work.
What is another medium that you would like to learn? Or that you have already learned?
I’d like to learn welding so I can create large sculptures.
Is there a purpose to your artwork?
The purpose of making art comes from a need deep within that manifests itself in the form of something physical. Therefore, the purpose is to create art in some form to stay sane and/or communicate.
How often do you work on your art?
Every day in one form or another. I also write for the Riverside Review and chair the Black Rock Historic Photo Project so I’m busy researching and writing for our forthcoming book.
What or who first prompted you to venture into the art world?
My parents who ceaselessly encouraged me.
Have you been schooled in art? Are you planning on attending art school? If so, where?
When I was twelve I went to Albright Art Gallery for lessons. In high school I wanted to be a fashion illustrator so I took advertising art. Nineteen years later I was admitted into the Fine Arts Dept. at Buffalo State where I got a BFA in painting and an Art History minor. There I learned the art of self- defense. Then I went to the University at Buffalo and received an MA in Art History.
Where is your favorite venue in Buffalo to exhibit?
You can’t beat Albright-Knox, Burchfield and the Anderson but I do own Artsphere Studio & Gallery on Amherst Street where I have great space and it is very well liked by many artists, authors, architects., etc. I am quite happy there working as gallery director and teacher.
Is there a gallery in Buffalo that you would like to show your work in, but haven’t yet?
The big guy-Albright-Knox.
Where did you learn your craft?
Mostly at home alone and drawing all the time. When I was growing up on Elmwood near Allen we lived next door to a printing company and the janitor would give my Father a big stack of paper on Saturdays for us kids to use as there were six of us on a very limited budget.
What are your strengths?
Commitment, honesty and humor.
What are your weaknesses?
Difficulty finding more time to devote to painting.
What’s the best thing about being an artist?
When someone’s interest is perked and they want to know more about my work. I like to work with ideas so some of my work is conceptual. Discussion with other artists can also be stimulating and inspiring.
Where is your current/next show in the city? Dates? Opening night?
I usually have a show of my own work at Artsphere each year. I just closed a figure drawing show titled “Line & Shadow” that I had four works in. That show sprung out of life drawing sessions in my loft studio. I’ll be in the Burchfied-Penny show in May and Artsphere’s 8th annual Garden Mystique show in July. One of my paintings titled “The Battle of Scajaquada Creek Bridge” has been included on the Olmsted interpretive sign at the site of the battle that will be installed soon. The same painting is also inclu
ded in the Black Rock Historical Society’s new travelling museum that will debut on May 20th at 2 PM at the Buffalo Religious Arts Center on East Street. Tonawanda & Amherst Streets is the location of the Black Rock Historic murals that were completed in October of 2011.
ded in the Black Rock Historical Society’s new travelling museum that will debut on May 20th at 2 PM at the Buffalo Religious Arts Center on East Street. Tonawanda & Amherst Streets is the location of the Black Rock Historic murals that were completed in October of 2011.
I painted the first large mural and Peter Porter’s map. Also an oil painting (I did when I was seventeen) is on permanent display in the Wrestling Hall of Fame in Amsterdam, NY.
Website: www.artspherestudio.com
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