Painting for Preservation Joins BALLE conference in Buffalo, NY

 

Grain Silo_5, Buffalo, NY by Steve Siegel

Painting for Preservation will be participating in the opening reception and session of the BALLE  Conference (Business Alliance for Local Living Economies) by doing what we do… making on-site art at historic structures.  Come join us for a rare evening event on Wednesday, June 12th, 5:00pm – 7:30pm at Silo City.  Capture the majestic grain elevators overlooking the water at dusk.  Artists of all media and skill level are welcome.  The Facebook invite can be found at https://www.facebook.com/events/669510153074520/.

When Painting for Preservation introduced its program to hundreds of National Preservation Conference attendees in 2011, the response was overwhelming with many enthusiastically saying that they intended to share the idea with their home cities.  This uniquely Buffalo artists’ initiative showcases our grassroots spirit, our belief in Buffalo’s possibilities, and brings together two of our greatest assets – our architecture and our artists.  This is a great (and free) way to participate in the BALLE conference!

Here's a map of the location. Just down Ohio Street from Riverfest Park! http://goo.gl/maps/6pxbs Drive in, park and draw/paint/photograph, etc!

We recently held an event at Trico Plant 1.  See some of the great artwork and event photos below.  To learn more about the preservation issues surrounding this daylight factory style building, see
https://www.facebook.com/groups/203056219787921/?ref=ts&fref=ts

A very serious young artist.
 His completed work is hanging at the Jung Center with our Painting for Preservation group show



Making art on our city streets

Bernie Smith just starting out

Photograph by Steve Siegel

The beginning of George Gilham's painting -- it turned quite abstract!

Trico by Kaitlyn Gilham

Photograph by Steve Siegel (with Nancy Siegel)

Looking down Ellicott Street (or the view from Trico) by Bernice Smith

Drawing by Dana Saylor

Trico Entrance by Michael Killelea

36-50 E. Utica Street: A wonderful morning

The most recent art-in at 36-50 E. Utica Street exemplifies everything that P4P strives to do.  We were so fortunate that during the time we were there; the Utica Heights Block Club was also conducting a Spring Clean-Up and a community social hour.  We had the pleasure of meeting many local residents and hearing about their efforts to enhance the neighborhood.  Their vision for their community is really inspiring.  We had beautiful light, and so many artists made beautiful work -- we were taken in by the energy of the place.  We were joined by 4 young artists, always one of the things I love most about art-ins!

Here it is in pictures!  A list of the participating artists is located below.
Thanks to Steve Siegel for the photograhs!



Linda Ludwig

Jean Coffin

Carol Siracuse

Michelle Schroeder



Tim Raymond

Carol Siracuse

 

Artists included: Carol Siracuse, Dana Saylor, Michelle Schroeder, Abby Schroeder, Steve Siegel, Tim Raymond, Jennifer Fendya, Pat Pendleton, Bernice Smith, Linda Ludwig, Jean Coffin,  Mickey Harmon, Michael Mulley, Craig Gawlak, Christopher Byrd, Becky Harbison, Kathy Schifano, Sara M. Zak

Trico Plant #1 Art-In

Event: Trico Art-In
Date:  Saturday, June 1
Time: 9:30am -12:30 pm

What:
Join us for on-site art-making at the historic Trico Plant #1. Artists of all skill level and media are welcome as are any interested observers and community members. To read more about this location, check out this article from Buffalo Spree, http://www.buffalospree.com/Buffalo-Spree/March-2012/Preservation-Ready-Trico-Plant-1/ or join the Save Trico FB group https://www.facebook.com/groups/203056219787921/?fref=ts

This site is rich with Buffalo history and is a designated landmark on the National Register, however local preservationists are working hard to secure local landmark status to help ensure that it stays a part of our city's urban fabric. Our industrial history is a key component to our regrowth, and it is vital to the visual language and character of our city.

The oldest building within the complex, originally the Christian Weyland Brewery cold storage building, was built in 1890. The facade of this building is still visible from the Ellicott St. side and is situated within the larger additions from the 1920s (and onward) afterit was acquired by Trico to manufacture windshield wipers. The complex grew to include excellent examples of the Daylight Factory style. 

For those looking to portray Trico within the city, there are interesting views of downtown from this location as well.

Photo from http://buffaloah.com/a/washngtn/817/817.html

Three East Side Beauties + 23 North Street in pictures

Painting for Preservation will gather at three beautiful Queen Anne style townhouses on May 18, 2013, 9:30 am - 12:30 pm.  I remember driving with Meg to take a look at 53 Laurel Street as an art-in location; I pointed out these three homes as places I'd love to turn into an artist residency program.  I'm always picking out buildings that would make for great residencies or installation galleries (Buffalo's chock-full of them!) This past March, organizing P4P member Dana Saylor researched and wrote this great article for Buffalo Spree highlighting the homes.  I can't wait to make a painting of these, hoping for bright sun and beautiful shadows that fall across the white and red!

Mickey Harmon

On Saturday May 3, we gathered at 23 North Street in Buffalo's Historic Allentown.  The night before, a fabulous historian said he hoped someone would represent the building as red brick as it was originally instead of the "hideous yellow" that it is currently.  I am guilty of loving the hideous yellow and was happy to find that some of my color loving compatriots felt the same.  The light and shadows played joyfully across the building's surface.  We had the opportunity to talk to a few of the neighbors about the building and the lack of any movement on it.  We were told that some of the restored apartments across the street were going for as much as $2300 a month; so perhaps investing in the rehabilitation of this grand old mansion would be financially worthwhile. The images artists created of this place were truely inspired!  Artist participants were Mickey Harmon, Sarah Liddle, Dana Saylor, Michael Killelea, Tim Raymond, Marie Prince, Jon Furman, Michele Agosto (and sons!), Michelle Schroeder,  Kathy Schifano, Steve Siegel, Becky Harbison, Sara M. Zak

Michele Agosto

Mickey Harmon

Steve Siegel





Tim Raymond



Michele Agosto



Michelle Schroeder

Michele Agosto

Jon Furman



Dana Saylor and Nancy Siegel

Micheael Killelea

Kathy Schifano

Sara M. Zak

Steve Siegel

Michael Killelea

Launching Season 3!

We are really looking forward to the launch of our third season.  We're starting this year out with an exhibit -- Painting for Preservation: The Changing Atmosphere of Preservation -- at the C.G. Jung Center in Buffalo, NY; the opening is May 3, 2013, 6 pm -9 pm.  The Jung Center invited P4P to show as part of a program about being out in the community -- so what we do!  I'm really excited that this show will be a "living exhibit," growing in art and artists as our first four "art-ins" of the season occur.  I love the idea that the exhibit will mirror the initiative!  The exhibit will start with these initial seven artists (with P4P since very early on and frequent participants):

Steve Siegel (St. Adalbert Basilica)

                                                    

Michael Harmon (Wilkeson Mansion)

Amanda Maciuba (Fairfield Library)

Kath Schifano (Cobblestone District)

Tim Raymond (Wilkeson Mansion)

Sara Zak (Harris Hardware

Dana Saylor (Chicago Street Firehouse)

 

We will host at least 4 art-ins during the run of the show (closing June 30th) and will add the work of artist who participate in the events to the exhibit.  There will be an artist talk on June 7th and a closing (TBD) so that all the new work can be seen!  We hope to see you at the opening and the May 4th art-in at 23 North Street in Buffalo (9:30am - 12:30ish) -- the next blog will be about the art-in!