Category Archives: art group

Me & My Membership

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

  • It is $2 per visit and free for members.

From their web-site:

RoCo was founded as the Pyramid Gallery

In 1977, a small group of artists led by Tony Petracca, John Kavanaugh and Albert Robbins joined together to exhibit their artwork, present an alternative to museums and commercial galleries, and expand the cultural offerings in the region.

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.

Harvesting 2025

I spent the day selling artwork at this Harvest Festival at The Neat Whiskey Bar, 6706 E. Seneca Turnpike, Jamesville, New York 13078.  The event included music, alcoholic beverages, food trucks and art.  There were nine of us settled into a brand new event center.

Thank you to my fellow artists for a wonderful day (noon – 6:00 PM) and to all the amazing patrons.  I enjoyed sharing my art with you.

I’ve got a couple of group exhibitions coming up.  Stay tuned!

Betsy Menson Sio

On a recent visit to Cazenovia Artisans, 39 Albany Street, Cazenovia, New York, 13135, I met co-op member Betsy Menson Sio, a former art teacher in the Jordan-Elbridge School District, now working as a full-time artist and jewelry designer.  She is selling earrings made of vintage tins that speak of recycling paired with sterling silver.

The pieces are whimsical, meant to be worn for fun with everyday casual gear.  She calls her business East Street Tins.

This is a materials driven art form.  She must first find the vintage tins – soda cans, candy or coffee canisters, perhaps even motor oil containers – then decide on the shape and cut forming two symmetrical bespoke pieces.

She also creates necklaces and bracelets when not taking her weekly turn as salesperson at the gallery.

As mentioned, Cazenovia Artisans is a co-op.  Artist members must be voted in with the understanding that they will commit to retail sales as well as providing cohesive artwork for sale and paying a monthly fee.  There are other avenues as well – offering work on consignment or being considered as a guest artist.  All information is listed on their website.

Current hours of operation:

Mon

10:00 am – 06:00 pm

Tue

10:00 am – 06:00 pm

Wed

10:00 am – 06:00 pm

Thu

10:00 am – 06:00 pm

Fri

10:00 am – 06:00 pm

Sat

10:00 am – 05:00 pm

Sun

10:00 am – 04:00 pm

Suburban Sketching

I have been getting emails from the Urban Sketchers group.  I decided to visit them in action today.  They have monthly gatherings all over the Syracuse area.  Today they set up around the swan ponds in Manlius, New York (Route 92).  Some artists preferred sketching the buildings in the area.  They were only there from 1:30-3:30 PM.

Urban Sketchers is an international organization.  The Central New York branch artists are currently exhibiting  their work at the Baldwinsville Public Library. 33 East Genesee Street
Baldwinsville, NY 13027.  The show runs through October 2024.

If you are interested in joining this group, they have a group page on Facebook.  They’ve posted more pictures of the event there.  So fun!