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Former Syracuse University Art Professor Michael Sickler knows how to put on a show.  I stopped into the Community Library of DeWitt and Jamesville again (5110 Jamesville Road, DeWitt, New York 13078), and this time the tiny gallery space looked vastly different.  Sickler’s collage pieces are pure harmony.  From the process and the materials to the size relationships and the framing, this presentation is truly exceptional.

It is a series of collage pieces, rectangles adhered together with a sort of natural (read nature-based) thread.  Drawings/scribbles are juxtaposed with leaves and patterns from textiles, as well as with pages from vintage wallpaper books to form an edited narrative depicting a landscape of perception.

Items are layered on balsa wood to create a variety of planes.  There is precision in his process.  He alludes to an interest in fragments, as in how we, as a society perceive information that seems random yet can be organized to reveal relationships.

This is recent work on a small scale, which has been captivating him lately, along with his strong interest/second career in poetry.  The exhibited art is indicative of visual poetry in the way that dreams are subconscious thoughts.

Formal principles of art dominate and allow for a lovely flow from piece to piece.  This library is the perfect place to showcase these beauties because they are child friendly – Sickler is planning a presentation in the library’s Community Room on Tuesday, April 7, 2020, at 7 PM.  He will discuss his process in an hour-long lesson/lecture.  Registration is encouraged for this free demo.  I’m sure the local art crew will be there in full-force for this gem, but I would love it if there is plenty of room for kids too, as in, I hope some of my students will take advantage of the opportunity to meet and know Michael Sickler.  <3

The exhibition runs through April 2020.  Call (315) 446-3578 for more information.

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