Tag Archives: Syracuse New York art scene

art, art exhibition, Karen Tashkovski, mixed media, painting

Constructing Angela Fraleigh

Image September 26, 2016 Karen Tashkovski Leave a comment

So, this happened. ^^^^ Do you see the resemblance or is this just another one of my crazy thoughts – that I resemble this woman in the above painting? (Am I really a time-traveller or what?) It is the work of Angela Fraleigh, part of her exhibition in two galleries at the Everson Museum of Art in Syracuse, New York.

The show is titled Between Tongue and Teeth and, as the literature states, “co-opts the techniques, media, and styles of the European Old Masters to create monumental paintings of female figures that explore social constructs of gender, power and identity.”

These paintings are inspired by artwork from the Everson’s collections, as well as by other historical figures in the Arts & Crafts movement and from Central New York history!

It was such a pleasure to meet the artist (here I am in the above picture with Angela and sculptor Arlene Abend!) She is such an amazing talent.

She uses gold and silver leaf, and resin to create abstractions. The result are these divine modern takes on old world beauty.

Angela works in both Allentown, Pennsylvania and New York City. It is a wonderful thing to engage with a contemporary artist, find out how her mind operates and what inspires her. If you wish to do the same, she will be accessible via a gallery walk at the museum on October 13, 2016 at 6:30 pm.

Angela Fraleigh: Between Tongue and Teeth continues through December 31, 2016. You can visit the museum Wednesday-Sunday noon to 5:00 pm with longer hours (until 8 pm) on Thursdays.

art, art education, art exhibition, art for sale, Karen Tashkovski, mixed media, painting, sculpture

Pizza & Art

Image December 27, 2015 Karen Tashkovski 6 Comments

I’m not much of a drinker – I have a glass of wine socially, maybe, like, once a month (if that). I don’t really love the way it tastes and it gives me a headache afterwards so it’s not my “cup of tea”. And for that matter, alcohol in general.

I don’t eat bread or cheese. I don’t like spicy foods or garlic…. For these obvious reasons and probably others of which I am not yet fully aware, I rarely date Italian men for very long periods of time, lol. No wine, pasta, or pizza…no ice cream either. Am just not an Italian foodie, or foodie in general.

So what was I doing at a pizza-themed art show last night?

Yeah – there was a pop-up art exhibition last night at Spark gallery on Fayette Street in Syracuse, New York. Called The Passion of the Crust.

A tenner got me in to see pizza paintings and sculptures.

Many were painted on these pizza paddles. I loved the concept! It reminded me of a Project Runway fashion design challenge, only with artwork.

This would be a great art lesson for my Studio in Art students (or at least a sketchbook homework assignment)!

Some of the interpretations were kind of macabre…

And some quite literal.

Because it had been planned for the day after Christmas, many used religion to get their pizza messages across…

It really was a great concept. Dozens of artists sharing work on the walls in the gallery space. Music and pizza slices available in the back room.

A lot of the pieces had sold tickets on them, which was great, but unfortunately, there was no literature available as to making future purchases. I guess that is the very nature of a one-night only event. It’s kind of like a happening of sorts and I commend these artists on making this event happen. Syracuse has some really cool artsy people and part of what I am attempting to do with this blog is to make everyone aware of that. To bring the art scene to the public in a way that the regular Joe can understand it, like it, buy it, live with it, love it, etc.

The only person I knew there was Steve Nyland (above with the blue hair). He is an artist and art curator who lives and works in Syracuse and in Utica, New York. He said that many of these artists were from the Utica area.

Steve is curating a Star Wars and Star Trek art-themed show at the Syracuse Tech Garden next month! (Perfect timing, don’t you think?)

I really hope they decide to take this show on the road – like, get it seen in other venues, maybe a pizza shoppe or two. Get it resurrected? Call it The Dough Also Rises. Tastes like a plan….

art, art exhibition, art for sale, Karen Tashkovski, mixed media, painting, watercolor

Smarty Arty Marty

Image November 28, 2015 Karen Tashkovski 2 Comments

I stumbled upon the Syracuse Art Mart last night on my way to the downtown Syracuse tree lighting ceremony. It is in the Atrium at City Hall Commons located at 201 E. Washington Street in Syracuse, NY.

It will be open until Christmas Eve – Monday through Saturday, 11:00 am – 4:00 pm.

There’s lots to see and buy. Art and craft from local and regional artists like Judi Witkin (jewelry) and Jeanne Dupre (oil paintings) – that was a shout-out to Facebook friends….

art exhibition, Karen Tashkovski, mixed media, painting

Carrie Moyer Fan

Image September 28, 2015 Karen Tashkovski 3 Comments

I guess it’s an understatement to say I am obsessed with Carrie Moyer.

She is well represented in the Three Graces exhibit at the Everson Museum of Art in Sracuse, NY. I attended the opening last Friday night and I really could not get enough of her vibrant color palette, her use of solid areas including raw canvas juxtaposed with translucent layers of color and some sparkly bits!

I was especially fond of her monoprints, which I believe are a series of printing passes, one on top of the other, to create one vivacious singular print. They are just so beautiful! Abstraction made deliberate in a sort of Helen Frankenthaler meets Robert Motherwell brainiac-ism sensibility.

The whole time I was there, well, after I loaded up on turkey sandwiches (discarding the bread) and yummy cheeses while sharing the love of art with my friends Anne and Penny, I was wondering if the artist was in attendance. She works in Brooklyn, NY, described as an artist who writes (sounds familiar), having written articles for major art magazines and other publications. I didn’t know what she looked like so I Googled her just now –

I don’t remember seeing her, but I am terrible with faces. For a visual artist, that is probably the stupidest thing I could say, right? If you change your hair or throw on glasses, I have no idea who you are. I’m like Lois Lane that way. But, at any rate, Carrie Moyer will visit the Everson, along with her Three Graces cohorts Polly Apfelbaum and Tony Feher on Thursday, October 22, 2015 at 6:30pm. It’s a freebie, a guided gallery walk with the artists where, according to the Everson Bulletin (got mine in the mail today!) they will “discuss their contemporary art practices, materials and processes, and explore the inspiration of incorporating works from the Everson’s collection in their installation.”

These works include the Morris Louis piece that was the inspiration for Polly Apfelbaum’s rugs, a Helen Frankenthaler and this amazing print by one of my favorite artists of all time, Marisol!!!!! (see below)

As Tina Fey always says (stolen from her young daughter) I want to go to there. Oh, I am SOOOOOO there.

Find more of Carrie Moyer’s work here.

The Everson Museum of Art is open noon-5:00 pm Wednesday, Friday and Sunday, open 10:00 am-5:00 pm on Saturday and open noon-8:00 pm on Thursdays. It is located at 401 Harrison Street, Syracuse, NY 13202. (315) 474-6064. Contact www.everson.org for more information.