Camaraderie, one of the paintings in my “Futura” series from 2017 and newly framed, will be on display in the upcoming exhibition at Mohawk Valley Center for the Arts, 410 Canal Place, Little Falls, New York 13365.
The exhibition is titled Women. Art. Voices.
It is scheduled for March 6, 2026 – March 27, 2026 with an opening reception on March 6, 2026 from 5:00 – 7:00 PM.
Thursday – Saturday: 12 pm – 4 pm
Sunday – Wednesday: Closed
Holidays: Closed
It started snowing at 9:00 AM and now, at 5:00 PM we have already had what I think is eighteen inches of snow. It has been relentless, but, no biggie, because we all knew it was coming.
So happy that my art studio is in my house because I’ve been working all day. I added to the crown paintings – they are almost done.
Before I did that, I heated up the beeswax-filled crockpot then placed three coats of wax on 6″ x 8″ Ampersand hardboards and then traced the tree stencils onto them.
There are twenty-four boards and each will have a different tree design. They are fresh and modern, and fun! I’m excited. I am an avid hiker. I finally realized that trees should be an important part of my encaustic iconography. Today was the day!
In fact, I had a realization about my artwork that I will share with you soon. My series of crowns, horses, fans, bungalows, hearts, targets and now trees are all connected and I hope that they can all be shared together in one (or more) large gallery in the near future.
The overlap is a bit out of control focus-wise because, let’s face it, we are all attracted to the new thing, the latest thing. I don’t want to rush the conclusion of these crowns. I may have rushed adding collage materials today – I will allow the experience to digest and look at the work again with a fresh perspective later tonight or tomorrow.
I am loving my productivity though. I think I am an Existentialist and this is my purpose. A vocation rather than a business. I trust that the business and financial element will follow because I have already secured so many shows for 2026.
In that realm, next up is the Art Haus group show with a drop off in late February and the reception scheduled for Saturday, March 7, 2026 from 2:00 – 4:00 PM. I will be at the East Syracuse Free Library during May and June 2026, the Fayetteville Free Library in July 2026, the Hazard Branch Library in August 2026 and the drop off for another group exhibition in mid August at the Edgewood Gallery. That show will be up through October 3, 2026.
Penny Santy, Michelle Keib, John Paul Gardner, Robin Cortese and Karmin Schafer are the artists exhibiting in the new show at Art Haus (120 Walton Street, Syracuse, New York 13202). Marianna Raineri-Schwarzer has put together a lovely show for us to ponder – the exhibit is called Ponderance.
Penny Santy has been represented by Art Haus for the past year. If you want to buy something of hers, you must act fast. She sold two paintings at the reception yesterday and possibly more – I left before it was over. Penny is also a graphic artist.
Michelle Keib comes from a family of artists. Although she is self taught, she is quite proficient in her renderings and her line quality is exceptional.
John Paul Gardner is a trained artist/scupltor and art teacher from Utica, New York. His artwork here – paper collages that he plans to use as paper maquettes for future sculptures.
This is Robin Cortese’s first foray into sharing her paintings. She brought a slew of collectors (from her charitable fund raising volunteering) to the reception (and cookies!). I think she sold everything in her collection.
Texture is a big component in Karmin Shafer’s artwork. I did not see her at the reception so no photo. Hers were the curled birchwood pieces and some abstract text paintings.
The show and sale runs through February 21, 2026.
Michael Sickler and Carmel Nicoletti are the participants in “On the Edge,” the latest art exhibition at Edgewood Gallery, (216 Tecumseh Road, Syracuse, New York 13224).
Sickler’s mixed media collage pieces dominate the walls. Nicoletti is doing double duty as jeweler with hand made copper items – necklaces, earrings and rings in the jewelry case – and glass sculptures on the shelves.
Nicoletti is an art professor at Syracuse University. Sickler is a former art professor. They worked together in the ’90s.
The show will continue through February 27, 2026.
Some of these butterfly paintings will be showcased at Art Haus, 120 Walton Street, Syracuse, NY 13202. The opening reception will be February 28, 2026 from 2:00 – 4:00 PM.
I loved the challenge of making butterflies in encaustic and collage, using paint brushes as thoraxes. Encaustic is a combination of beeswax and oil paint.
If you are in the vicinity of Little Falls, New York, there is a little festival happening this weekend (Dec 12, 13, 14, 2025). In addition to the activities listed, the shops are open during their regular hours through Christmas.
I have two paintings for sale at Mohawk Valley Center for the Arts, 410 Canal Place, Little Falls, NY. They created a show of work priced at $100 and below to encourage art enthusiasts to purchase art as gifts for the holidays and to buy local.
You will be getting a deal because these are normally $125! They are from my first horse series created in 2012 – encaustic & collage, 12″ x 12″ mounted on 18″ x 18″ chalkboard painted masonite.
I am a member of the Rochester Contemporary Art Center (137 East Avenue, Rochester, New York 14604. My encaustic & collage painting, “Girl”, is there (above). It is from my Fan-Girl series.
The Rochester Contemporary Art Center’s thirty-fourth Member Exhibition is in full swing through February 14, 2026. There are over five hundred pieces of art in this show and it is AMAZING!
All artwork is for sale with a portion of the proceeds going to the gallery. This exhibition is a must see! I think what happens is you will be drawn to a few things at eye level then you’ll step back and see that there is so much more. Sculpture, ceramics, paintings, photographs, abstracts, realism – it is the most eclectic mix of talent.
To the volunteers who erected this art show- I commend you! It must have been a giant puzzle to solve to place everything in such a way that each piece gets the respect it deserves. It is a glorious achievement.
The gallery hours –
Wed. – Sun. 12-5pm
Fri. 12-9pm
From their web-site:
Early on, the crew faced considerable obstacles. Only days after the grand opening there was a significant fire that left the small Monroe Ave. storefront and many artworks damaged. Fundraisers were held and walls were rebuilt. Thanks to the perseverance of the founders and their fellow artists, the Rochester art community has been the beneficiary ever since. After formalizing the organization began to receive New York State and foundation funding and soon began to play a significant role in the artist-run space movement of the era. Still there was uncertainty and challenges. The Culture Wars and shifting foundation priorities altered the funding landscape. Through the decades and several different locations, RoCo’s individual members have provided a stable base for the organization. This significant community support has enabled RoCo to survive and thrive when other small art centers have struggled and even closed their doors. In recent years RoCo’s membership and stature has grown significantly. Now as we celebrate our 40th Anniversary, we’ve achieved outright ownership of our facility and are approaching 1,000 members for the first time in the organization’s history.
I was lucky enough to spend the day with my dear friend and fellow artist, Penny Santy. It was a lovely day for a drive to Little Falls, New York where Penny’s art show, Intertwined, is currently on exhibition at the Mohawk Valley Center for the Arts (MVCA), 410 Canal Place, Little Falls, New York 13365.
Penny gave a talk today explaining her process and the emotion that defines her work. It is to do with motion – in winds, in ocean currents and in the way people must physically move, working together to attain goals, helping each other rise up the emotional ladder too, all while intertwining with nature.
Ghostly figures emerge from the abstracted canvases, which are inspired by her personal life, one of beach water sports, travel and enjoying time with family and friends. In addition, she infuses a tribute to Native American mores and interprets favorite poetry stanzas then titles these oil paintings accordingly.
There are seventeen paintings in the show. Several are still available for sale. You can view this exhibition through November 14, 2025. See the MVCA website for the deets including hours of operation.
