Casa de Arte’s primary objective is to open people’s eyes to the world of Mexican culture through its ability to take on the roles of both art gallery and cultural exchange program. Those roles have brought a number of visiting Mexican artists to Buffalo to showcase their works in Allentown. Co-owner and manager of Casa de Arte, Rick Williams, is in the business of opening the eyes of Buffalonians to artwork that they would not normally have a chance to see without making a trip to Mexico. At the same time, he is giving invaluable opportunities to Mexican artists to come to Buffalo to showcase their artwork – an opportunity to reach a foreign audience. “Casa de Arte’s next art opening is rather unusual and perhaps a first: A catholic nun with an MFA who does marvelous stained glass art and has taught art making and art history for decades with a Mayan artist from Mexico (Antun Kojtom Lam),” said Rick. “They have more in common than one might think.”
As luck would have it, in this case the featured artist exhibiting at Casa de Arte is one of our own. Her name is Sister Mary Ann Therese Kelly (adjunct professor at Villa Maria College in fused and leaded glass for the Interior Design department), and she happens to run Illumination Stained Glass Studio (Facebook) right here in Greater Buffalo. Her specialty is architectural stained glass that she creates for churches, chapels, retreat houses, and residences (fusion, painting, and glass etching).
Reception for the opening of the art exhibit Illuminations: Art and Spirituality on Saturday, August 17, 2013, from 6 to 10 pm.
The subject matter of many of her stained glass projects is “The Canticle of the Sun” written by St. Francis of Assisi in the 12th century.
Illuminations: Art and Spirituality will also include Antun Kojtom, an indigenous (Tzotzil Mayan) from Chiapas, who uses Mayan symbolism in his etchings, oils, and murals. The self described “campeseno intellectual” has lectured extensively on art and Mayan spirituality.
The exhibition runs through September 16, 2013.
Casa de Arte
141 Elmwood Ave. (between Allen and North)
Buffalo, New York 14201
716-240-9248
www.casadeartegallery.com
www.facebook.com/marayrick
www.buffalo-cuernavaca.com
