Category Archives: art

More Parking Space Art

Posted on September 17, 2025 by mohawkvalleygirl

I thought I would share a few more pictures or the Herkimer High School Seniors’ parking spaces.  For one reason, I think it’s awesome!

Cheer Captain, pretty impressive.

They could not have done this in my high school, Rome Free Academy in 1981 (yes, QUITE a long time ago).  We had too many seniors and too few parking spaces.  I am constantly enchanted by the small town vibe I get around here.

Very nice.

I feel a little bad that I think this looks like a neck tie when I cannot see the whole thing.

I love the little hand prints.

I am quite interested in the different styles of the different spaces.   If I had a contact at the high school I would talk to the seniors and hear their personal stories about why these pictures are meaningful to them.  I daresay some of them are more meaningful than others.  Perhaps some of the seniors just painted what occurred to them at the moment.  But that is the delightful thing about art.  It means different things to different people.  Some people take every opportunity to express themselves in a meaningful fashion.  Others just make a picture, pretty or fun or otherwise.  I feel all are legitimate as art.

Then again, what do I know?

 

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Yay, Herkimer Seniors!

Posted on September 15, 2025 by mohawkvalleygirl

Yesterday when I was running,  I noticed some painting on Herkimer Junior/Senior High School parking lot.  Naturally I ran by to check it out (full disclosure: I had planned to run through the parking lot anyways to go over the little bridge etc.).  I was charmed.  The seniors have painted their parking spaces.  What a great way to express your personality and celebrate your senior year!

You can’t really see the spider webs in the corners.

I walked back later with my phone to take pictures. Alas, I was not tall enough to get the full picture, but I did my best.  There were 25 of them.  I will not share all 25 at once, just to spread the joy.  Also because I rarely make very long blog posts.

The light pole made a shadow.

There was a variety of styles and themes, reflecting the diversity of personalities.  You could even call it an art exhibit.

I guess a lot of people would.

I will probably run or walk by these spaces every Sunday, the only day they are not likely to be parked on.  I applaud whoever thought of the idea, and I congratulate the seniors on their execution.  I hope they are having a wonderful senior year.

 

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I Like Art

Posted on January 18, 2025 by mohawkvalleygirl

Sometimes I get a little culture.  For example, last Saturday I went to the Renaissance Pub in Little Falls for a Meet the Artist with Frank Wilcox.   The Renaissance periodically hosts local artists in cooperation with Mohawk Valley Center for the Arts.

I am acquainted with Frank from being in a play with him (Strike Story written by Angela Harris), and I have seen his work in several area venues.  Full disclosure:  my original plan was to write about the Renaissance (or the Ren as it is sometimes called) for Mohawk Valley Living magazine.  I missed the deadline for the February issue, so I will try again for a future issue (unless another writer beats me to it).  In the meantime, I wanted to give the place a shout-out, and give folks a chance to go see some of Frank Wilcox’s paintings.

I can’t quite get a good picture of behind the bar.

Of course I sat at the bar and had a glass of wine.  One must support a venue that promotes local artists.  Unfortunately the kitchen was not open yet, because the food there is very good.

It’s hard to take good pictures of pictures.

I was there early enough that it was not too crowded yet, so I did not have to worry about asking a bunch of strangers if it was OK if they were in the picture.  I did not take too many pictures in any case, because they did not seem to be turning out very well.  Therefore, I encourage all local readers to go to the Ren and take a look for themselves.

Erynn Lowery and Victoria Cheney

I was fortunate enough to get a picture of the proprietress and bartender.  Unfortunately Victoria, the bartender, was moving soon.

You really should go see this one.

I took a picture of my favorite painting.  I was happy to get a chance to tell Frank how much I liked it.  Unfortunately, there are no walls in my house big enough to properly show off a picture that big.  As I type this, I look around at all the nice pictures on my walls now, which include at least a few by local artists.  That was my husband Steven’s talent, hanging pictures and interior decoration.  Still, I could retire a couple of pictures if I acquired any more art.  I certainly hope to attend more Meet the Artists at the Renaissance.

The Renaissance Pub is located at 550 E. Main St., Little Falls, NY, phone number 315-556-1006. Mohawk Valley Center for the Arts is located at 401-403 Canal Place, Little Falls, phone number 315-823-0808. You can Like them both on Facebook.

 

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A Little Art, A Little Music…

Posted on April 18, 2024 by mohawkvalleygirl

I have just returned from the Renaissance Pub in Little Falls, NY, where I attended a Meet the Artist event with Oscar Stivala.

Oscar Stivala is a jazz trumpeter as well as an artist.  The Renaissance is displaying some of his works, and he was playing music tonight.  Some friends joined him.

They were awesome!

I sat at the bar and ordered a glass of wine.  Oscar was already playing with a guy on guitar.  He was soon joined by a man on bongos and then a woman on trumpet.  The music was wonderful.  As I sipped, I looked at his paintings, which I foolishly did not get any pictures of.  It took me long enough to get pictures of the musicians, because different ones played at different times.

Here were two without Oscar.

I was joined by my friend Angela Harris, who wrote Strike Story, a play I had the honor of being in a few years ago.  She also wrote the cheese plays that were part of Little Falls Cheese Festival.  She is working on one for the next festival.  If there is a part for me, I assured her of my willingness to participate. We were soon joined by a couple other friends, and it was a very nice evening.

Here are Oscar and another musician whose name I did not ask.

I did not get the names of the other musicians playing.  My bad.  I hope to go to the Renaissance Pub again and write more blog posts about it.  I would also like to blog more about Oscar Stivala’s music and art.  However, for today, this will have to do.  Once again, I thank you for tuning in.

 

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A Quick Stop at the Art Gallery

Posted on October 13, 2014 by mohawkvalleygirl

I have been meaning for some time to make it to Cogar Gallery at Herkimer County Community College. They are open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. when the college is open. Therefore, the best thing for me to do is go straight there after work. So I did.

The exhibit I saw was an alumni show, McCann and Ingerick, Photographer and Painter. Debbie Ruane Sullivan Ingerick graduated in 1979, Carolynn McCann Dufft in 1981. I had meant to go to the opening reception on Oct. 4, but alas, did not make it. However, sometimes it is easier to appreciate the art when one walks around the gallery alone.

The show features a variety of works from realistic to more abstract. As I have said before, I don’t know from art styles and I’m nobody’s art critic. I just like to look at pictures. I spent a while walking around and looking at the pictures before I perused the list of works. Then I went back to look again at some of the works whose titles that caught my eye.

My favorite was “We Are The Light in the Storms of Life” by Ingerick. It showed a lighthouse on a hill surrounded by water. I also enjoyed a series of six photographs by McCann called “Bette’s Bench.”

I may go back and look at the exhibit again. It is on display through Nov. 4. And I’ll watch for future exhibits to go see. I wonder if the college offers a course on art appreciation, so I can write more impressively about these things. I’ll have to go to www.herkimer.edu and see.

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Adirondack Landscapes at MVCA

Posted on October 8, 2014 by mohawkvalleygirl

Full Disclosure: I’ve started this blog post three times and wasn’t happy with any of them. I’m going to go with my third first paragraph and reserve the right to write further posts on the subject.

Another note: I know protocol for news writing is to refer to someone by first and last name the first time you mention them, then by last name only. It did not feel write to talk about Wilcox. To me he is Frank and that is how I refer to him. I hope that’s OK.

I was disappointed that I could not find a friend to accompany me to the exhibit opening at Mohawk Valley Center for the Arts (MVCA) last Saturday. However, I did not want to miss the opening reception for Frank Wilcox’s “Landscapes Old and New.” I figured I would find people there to chat with and I hoped to hear Frank talk about his work. I was right on both counts.

As I walked around looking at the paintings, I chatted with a few people. One was another artist, Pamela Menotti. I mention her, because she gave me a card about her own exhibition, “All Aboard: Train Paintings in Pastel,” at the Kirkland Town Library in Clinton, NY from Nov. 1 to 30 with an opening reception Nov. 8 from 12 to 2 p.m. I carefully tucked the postcard into my notebook and returned to perusing Frank’s exhibit.

The exhibit features landscapes of the Adirondacks. Last fall at MVCA’s Annual Great Art Giveaway, Frank talked about the sense of place in his art. He wanted people to look at his paintings and say, “I’ve been there,” or somewhere like there. I like that idea, because one thing I love is to look at art and say, “I wish I was there.” Looking at the paintings Saturday, I said, “I’ve been somewhere like there,” several times, and “I wish I was there” about practically every work.

The new landscapes were the Adirondack Ikons, inspired by an ikon that was given to Frank, and by music by the British composer John Tavener. An ikon is a visual representation of a spiritual idea. Ikons traditionally use specific colors. Frank used these colors in his Adirondack Ikons. He talked about the colors and the inspiration of the music. He suggested we return when the gallery is less busy to study the paintings while listening to the music that inspired them.

After his talk, Frank answered questions, which I enjoyed very much. He talked about his work methods habits, his background and more. I didn’t ask any questions, but when I see him again I have one. Has he ever considered writing a book about his art?

The exhibition is on view at MVCA, 401 Canal Pl., Little Falls, NY through Nov. 22. The gallery is open Wednesday through Saturday 12 to 4 p.m. I encourage everybody to go check it out. For more information call 315-823-0808

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Area Art

Posted on August 27, 2014 by mohawkvalleygirl

The Mohawk Valley Center for the Arts’ Regional Art Show offers many of my favorite things: art, a local venue, area artists. The fact that they usually have pretty tasty refreshments at the opening was just an added bonus.

The center is located at 401 Canal Place in Little Falls, NY. My friend Phyllis and I arrived shortly after two last Saturday. I signed in and picked up a list of the works on display.

The only problem with exhibit openings is that they are usually so well attended that it is difficult to really look at and appreciate the art. However, this is offset by the chance to talk to fellow art lovers. As I like to say, you can’t have everything.

The exhibit features a variety of styles from realistic to abstract. A lot of the paintings depict scenes from the area. I am particularly fond of pictures of old barns, but I admired many of the works.

I saw some chairs on the back porch, so Phyllis and I went out and sat for a few minutes. We talked about pictures we have on our walls at home. I said some of the pictures in the show would benefit from a larger space than is available at my house. Ah well, if I ever win the lottery, perhaps I could purchase a mansion with a gallery and see if I really have any artistic taste.

We said hello to a few people we knew and browsed around the Selective Eye shop. I hope to return to the exhibit and spend more time looking at the pieces. Perhaps I could write another blog post about it. It’s too bad I don’t have the equipment and expertise to add pictures. As I said, you can’t have everything.

For more information on the Mohawk Valley Center for the Arts you can visit their website at mohwakvalleyarts.org.

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I’ll Never Be an Art Critic

Posted on May 18, 2014 by mohawkvalleygirl

Full disclosure: I’ve been trying to write this post for two weeks now. I just can’t think of the right things to say. I’m pretty sure that the stuff I’ve said so far is pretty dumb. However, it is late in the day on Saturday and I need a post. Let’s see what my editing skills are up to.

At the beginning of May, I went to the Mohawk Valley Center for the Arts in Little Falls, NY for the exhibit opening of “From the River to the Sea with David Burns.” Dr. Burns is an MD who took up painting and is very good at it. He says, “An artist could be anyone who is attentive to his surrounds; notices when a common scene becomes caught in an uncommon light.” I really liked the exhibit.

I confess that I feel kind of cool when I say to people, “I’m going to an exhibit opening at the arts center.” I don’t know why exactly. I’m not cultured; I’m barely housebroken. I don’t think I’m a snob. I mean, I’m not one to do things because they are “culture,” whatever that means. However, I do like looking at art. I like talking to other people who like looking at art. And sometimes they serve refreshments at these openings.

Ah well, I think the question of why I like saying I’m going to an exhibit opening is one best left for half-baked philosophy on Lame Post Friday. Right now, I would like to give a shout-out to Mohawk Valley Center for the Arts.

I walked around the gallery at least three times, admiring each painting, trying to decide which was my favorite. Of course I couldn’t decide, but I think I liked best the pictures of old buildings from the area. “Old Stone Schoolhouse” was a particular standout. I wish I knew some good art critic-y things to say like “beautifully observed” or… OK “beautifully observed” is the only one I can think of. This is kind of like when I taste wine and all I can think to say is “yummy.” These were some beautiful pictures.

I did enjoy the elegant refreshments. I would have liked to ask for the recipe for the scones but felt a little self-conscious doing so. Then I felt a little silly for enjoying the food when the point of the day was the art.

The exhibit runs through June 21. I plan to return return one afternoon to look at the pictures again, when there will probably be fewer people there. Gallery hours are Thursday through Saturday 12 to 3 p.m. For more information on the Mohawk Valley Center for the Arts you can visit their website at www.MohawkValleyArts.org, and you can Like them on Facebook.

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Mohawk Valley Art

Posted on November 26, 2013 by mohawkvalleygirl

Saturday afternoon I drove to Little Falls, NY, with my friend Tracy to attend an art opening at the Mohawk Valley Center for the Arts (MVCA).

I’ve stopped in at MVCA before, most recently in September during the Garlic Festival. Regular readers may remember that I won two lovely pieces of art at the MVCA Art Giveaway in October. This is the first opening reception I’ve been to. I hope it will not be the last.

The exhibit was “People and Places in My Travels” by Deborah Rosato. I was enchanted by “Christmas in Old Forge,” which MVCA shared on its Facebook page. The other watercolors and pastels in the exhibit did not disappoint. Ms. Rosato was on hand to answer questions about her work. I didn’t have any questions; I just took it all in.

Tracy and I chatted up Kevin Mihaly, the executive director. He mentioned volunteer opportunities. I am interested in that, if it could work out. For one reason, I might get some blog posts out of it.

We also talked with Frank Wilcox, one of the artists who had donated work to October’s Art Giveaway. I also knew Mr. Wilcox because he was in the play Strike Story, which was presented in Little Falls’ Black Box Theatre and at Ilion Little Theatre.

I later noted in MVCA’s Calendar of Events, “Art Matters,” that he will be teaching a 10-week class in Mixed Media beginning in January. MVCA offers a number of art classes. I had said at the Art Giveaway that I was inspired to create something. Perhaps a class is in my future.

After looking at the exhibit and enjoying some of the refreshments, Tracy and I went into the retail section, The Selective Eye. Art, jewelry, clothing, postcards and more are available for purchase. I bought some postcards when I was there in September. They didn’t have any new ones this time.

I was really happy I had made it to the art opening. I was also pleased I had picked up the Art Matters Calendar of Events, so that I can take advantage of other events. For more information on MVCA, you can call 315-823-0808, visit their website at www.MohawkValleyArts.org, or Like their Facebook page.

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Supporting the Arts

Posted on October 23, 2013 by mohawkvalleygirl

Friday night Steven and I supported the arts in the Mohawk Valley.

Doesn’t that sound fancy? It was a little fancier than our usual Friday night activities (sit around in sweatpants and order pizza is our favorite). We attended the Annual Art Giveaway of the Mohawk Valley Center for the Arts (MVCA).

I recently Liked MVCA on Facebook, which is how we found out about the giveaway. The center posted a beautiful picture, and I started making immediate plans to try to win it. Unfortunately, Steven had to work till 6:30, and the event began at 6. I could have made my way to the arts center in Little Falls, NY, to look at the art and purchase tickets, but did not manage it for one reason or another. Regular readers will not be surprised to hear that I didn’t even have my act together to look at works online and do things by mail or over the phone.

So I went to Francesca’s Banquet in Ilion, NY by myself, with Steven promising to join me as soon as possible. I gave my $5 donation to get in, spent another $5 on 50/50 tickets, made my usual lame joke about how the ticket doesn’t tell you how long to “Keep This Coupon,” then went on to look at the art.

I purchased a book of ten tickets for $30. It was set up like a Chinese auction; you put your ticket into a bag next to the piece you liked. Thirty-five works of art were offered. I figured if there weren’t ten I liked, I could put in multiple tickets for my favorites, like I do at regular Chinese auctions. Of course there were more than ten I liked, but I do have to watch my budget, so I put in for my ten favorites.

Then I realized I had missed a gorgeous soft-sculpture frog at the very end. Steven collects frogs. A few years ago, we had purchased a raffle ticket for such a frog at the arts center in Little Falls, but alas, did not win. I went back to where they were selling tickets and bought just one more ticket.

I saw a few people there I knew. I chatted them up as well as a few new people. There was a table of light refreshments and a cash bar. I indulged in a glass of Sauvignon Blanc and nibbled some cheese and vegetables.

Soon they began to draw for the artwork. Some of the artists were present and said a few words before the ticket for their piece was drawn. They spoke about their views of art in general or their method of working or the story behind that particular piece. I was fascinated. I kept telling people I was inspired and was going to take up an art so I could donate a piece next year. People were very gracious about it; nobody said anything like, “Yeah, like you’re going to be as good as that in a year or less!”

I ended up winning two very beautiful pieces. I was so excited! Steven will have to re-arrange some things on our walls to make good places for them. In the meantime, I’m watching the MVCA Facebook page for their next fundraiser.

For more information on the arts center, visit their website at www.mohawkvalleyarts.org/.

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