Friday, December 29, 2006

"Art gallery rises from storm's fury"

Do you know the story of how Delavan Art Gallery came to be? Read about the beginning in an article from the beginning, which is posted online. The article, titled "Art gallery rises from storm's fury," written by Annemarie Kropf for the CNY Business Journal and published on September 5, 2003, is posted online HERE

The article begins...

"SYRACUSE - Five years ago, the Labor Day storm severely damaged the Delavan Center building in downtown Syracuse. Parts of the roof were torn off, and the rain ruined much of the flooring.

'I had to tear down the walls,' says William Delavan, owner of the Center. 'The more open it became, the more it looked like a great art gallery.'"

...more at FindArticles.com

Thursday, December 28, 2006

Clayscapes staff exhibiting ceramics

Two staff members of Clayscapes Pottery Inc. in Syracuse were featured in Delavan Art Gallery's recent exhibition "Holiday Presence." Shawn McGuire (Operations) and Tim See (Educational Development) both exhibited their own ceramics and are listed on the Clayscapes Pottery Inc website: www.clayscapespottery.com

It's December 28th and Delavan Art Gallery's "Holiday Presence" exhibition is now closed. However, the gallery will continue to show selected works by David Beale, Robert Kasprzycki and the Syracuse Ceramic Guild in its "Holdover" section, an ongoing section of the gallery showing works by previously featured artists. The upcoming exhibition will include selected works by Shawn McGuire, Tim See and other members of the Syracuse Ceramic Guild in addition to works by David Beale and Robert Kasprzycki.

Friday, December 22, 2006

Last Minute Gift Ideas

In case you're still shopping, Delavan Art Gallery is open today, Friday, from noon - 6 PM and tomorrow, Saturday, from 10 - 4 PM.

Here are some gift ideas for you...

Raku vessels by Soon Ceramics / Lisa Goodlin, 4" to 6" high, $40 - $55 range



Do you know someone with a new home?
"Keys" by Vincent Fitches, $75



Do you ever feel like time is getting in the way?
"The Intruder" is one of many original pen and ink drawings by John (Jaws) McGrath, $65

Thursday, December 21, 2006

David Beale features images of his watercolors at Delavan Art Gallery on his website davidbealeartist.com

Many artists have websites. Some artists keep their websites updated. Cortland, NY watercolor artist David Beale goes the extra mile by having a page on his website devoted to his art at Delavan Art Gallery in the current exhibit which lasts through Saturday, Dec. 23. Would you like a preview of what's hanging? Visit Beale's website www.davidbealeartist.com

Some favorites are pictured below:


"Winter Solstice" Times Square in NYC during the Christmas season


"Winter Sentries"


"Bucking a Head Wind"

David Beale's Artist Statement from davidbealeartist.com:

"A major project of mine over the last few years has been building a small cottage on the edge of a seven acre wildlife pond where my wife Kathie and I now reside. Many of my paintings have their inspiration from hours of observation and reflection at McCloy Pond.

Three other major influences on my art are my lifelong fascination with mathematics, my love of flying, and my father who enjoyed drawing and painting throughout his life.

My approach to living has continually been that of an artist even though it has manifested itself in different outlets. The important and fascinating facets of music composition, carpentry, gardening, flying, and painting all have involved a creative point of view emphasizing observation, studying and thinking, combined with attention to hands-on craftsmanship."

Wednesday, December 20, 2006

A Tale of Two Paintings, Together a Diptych

A woman just came into Delavan Art Gallery and bought a diptych (two paintings that go together) for a present. She is giving the paintings to a couple for Christmas. One part is being given to the husband, who just moved to NYC for a job. The other part is being given to his wife, who is staying in Pennsylvania to finish out the school year with their daughter who is a high school senior. When the wife moves to NYC and the couple is reunited at the end of the school year, both parts of the diptych can again hang together. This is our favorite story at the moment. Very sweet.

Thursday, December 14, 2006

"Holiday Presence"

Delavan Art Gallery presents the exhibit "Holiday Presence" featuring watercolors by David Beale, oil and acrylic paintings by Robert L. Kasprzycki and ceramics by nine members of the Syracuse Ceramic Guild: Sue Canizares, Dee Gage, Soon Ceramics / Lisa Goodlin, Bobbi Lamb, Shawn McGuire, Paul Molesky, Lauren Ritchie, Tim See and Burton Thomas.. The exhibit opens on Thursday, November 30 and continues through Saturday, December 23, 2006.



David Beale draws upon a broad range of lifetime experiences in his approach to painting watercolors. His need for artistic expression began after joining the Peace Corps and visiting Abrego, Columbia during the revolution. When he returned, Beale studied music composition at Duke and Cornell Universities with the intention of becoming a professional music composer. One of his early pieces, "Reflections on a Park Bench," was performed at Carnegie Hall in 1972. Beale soon turned to carpentry and in 1975 founded Southern Exposure, a remodeling company based in Ithaca. He ran Southern Exposure until 2000, when he and his wife Kathie (also an artist and teacher) opened The Picture House Frame Shop in Cortland, NY. David Beale's medium of choice changed at 50 when he took a workshop in watercolors. Beale recently built a cottage-sized house adjacent to a seven acre wildlife pond, McCloy Pond, which provides inspiration for many of his paintings.



Robert L Kasprzycki has worked most of his life as an industrial designer and manager, designing innovative products and mentoring others within industrial design. There are several design patents and a mechanical patent to his credit. Kasprzycki was first interested in art at the age of 8 when he began drawing cartoons, then expanded his interest to scenery and received his first instruction in fine art at Syracuse University while working toward a Bachelor Degree in Industrial Design. For the most part, he is self-schooled in oil painting techniques. A number of commissioned artworks have been completed, including a depiction of an 1800 steam locomotive and railroad station in Meriden, Connecticut. Born in Connecticut, Robert Kasprzycki now lives in Central New York.





Syracuse Ceramics Guild has returned for a second exhibition at Delavan Art Gallery, featuring ceramics by nine of its members. Selected works include porcelain double-wall bowls and basket forms by Sue Canizares, Raku vessels painted with metallic luster glazes by Dee Gage, small Raku and wood-fired vessels by Soon Ceramics / Lisa Goodlin (in her first show as a ceramist), imaginative and functional forms by Bobbi Lamb, wood-fired and Raku pottery by Shawn McGuire, wood-fired functional ceramics inspired by the chance of harnessing earth, air, water and fire by Paul Molesky, stoneware lanterns by Lauren Ritchie, Raku, wood-fired and porcelain vessels by Tim See and bronze glazed and Raku wall sculpture by Burton Thomas. The Syracuse Ceramic Guild, established in 1947, is a not-for-profit organization of potters dedicated to the promotion of awareness and understanding of the ceramic medium.



Delavan Art Gallery is a 3,800 square foot showcase and sales venue for fine art created by area artists. Located in a convenient, downtown location at 501 West Fayette Street, Syracuse, the gallery is free and open to the public. Off-street parking is available and the gallery is handicapped accessible. Delavan Art Gallery opens “Holiday Presence” from 5 - 8 p.m. on Thursday, November 30, and is open through December 23 on Thursday and Friday afternoons from 12-6 p.m., Saturdays from 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. and at other times by appointment. Please note, Delavan Art Gallery will also have special holiday hours from noon - 5 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, December 18 - 20, 2006.


Artists in Attendance: Saturdays from noon – 3 p.m.
December 2: David Beale
December 9: Robert L. Kasprzycki
December 16: members of the Syracuse Ceramic Guild: Sue Canizares, Dee Gage, Shawn McGuire, Paul Molesky, Tim See
December 23: members of the Syracuse Ceramic Guild: Bobbi Lamb, Burton Thomas

Welcome!

Hello!

Please leave your thoughts on anything and everything about art in Syracuse and Central New York! We are proud of recent efforts to make the visual arts more prominent. If you are involved in one of these efforts, please tell us about it. If you would like to share something positive about the scene, please communicate it. If you have an issue pertaining to the visual arts in the area that you would like addressed, please do so. Let's start the conversation!

-The Folks at Delavan Art Gallery