WHO:
Four artists represented by
West End Gallery:
Jennifer Fais of Cameron Mills, NY
Dana Hawk of Wurtsboro, NY
Amy Hutto of Bath, NY
Judy Soprano of Livonia, NY
WHAT:
“Spring Spotlight Exhibit”, an exciting new exhibit featuring a stunning new collection of paintings by four artists: Jennifer Fais, Dana Hawk, Amy Hutto, and Judy Soprano
WHEN:
Opening Reception on Friday, April 7 from 5:00-7:00pm
Meet the Artists, enjoy live music and light refreshments while mingling with fellow art lovers! Many Artists will be in attendance at the reception! All events are free and open to the public. Live music is back! Music will be performed in the Upstairs Gallery by Harpist, Meredith Kohn Bocek.
Exhibit on display: April 7 – May 4
WHERE:
Enjoy in person and Online
In person: West End Gallery 12 West Market Street - Corning, NY
Online: www.WestEndGallery.net (Exhibit will debut online by 11am on Opening Day)
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West End Gallery announces the opening of its newest exhibit, “Spring Spotlight” featuring four talented artists: Jennifer Fais of Cameron Mills; Dana Hawk of Wurtsboro, NY; Amy Hutto of Bath, NY; and Judy Soprano of Livonia, NY. There will be an Opening Reception on Friday, April 7th from 5:00-7:00pm. Meet the Artists, enjoy live music and light refreshments while mingling with fellow art lovers! Many Artists will be in attendance at the reception! Music will be performed in the Upstairs Gallery by Harpist, Meredith Kohn Bocek. The event is free and open to the public. Families are encouraged to visit.
Artist’s Statement by Jennifer Fais: “Making art is an expression of love. I have loved nature since my parents chose “Green” as my middle name. Rivers, wetlands, meadows, birds – they all stir my heart. Painting them is one way for me to connect to the natural world, so, it should be no surprise that I have painted many birds, waterscapes and bridge scenes. Canoeing is also a passion and I have painted a watercolor of many of the sixteen boat launch sites in Chemung and Steuben Counties. I have a variety of subject matter for my watercolors, acrylics, and drawings. Recent subjects include marsh birds – especially the Great Blue Heron. Using a loose, wash and splatter approach I paint watercolor and acrylics on a gessoed collage of papers which often results in exciting, unexpected edges and colors. My work tends to be representational, and I also enjoy painting the constructed landscape in and around Corning, NY, my home for about thirty years. The Little Joe Tower and the Centerway Bridge are favorite subjects of mine. I also paint house portraits delighting in the architectural detail that endears the home to its owner as well. A series of greeting cards based on my watercolors is also available. My work is represented by the West End Gallery in Corning, NY.”
Artist’s Statement by Dana Hawk: “I grew up in a small town west of St. Louis, MO. To be more specific, I grew up outside of that small town. My playmates were my dogs and I loved hanging out with them. They were always happy, ready to go for hikes in the woods and seemed to sense my emotions before anyone else. Perhaps my dog paintings are a tribute to these childhood canines, as life seems to have a way of balancing out the giving and taking. Like everyone else, I have a few interests and a lot of concerns. My first year as an art student, I was certainly interested in art, but definitely concerned that I wouldn’t end up earning enough income to pay back the student loans I was incurring. So, I switched to science and practiced as a Physical Therapist for about a decade. I had a dual life for about 9 of those years, until I was able to concentrate on painting full time in 2011. I believe that to paint anything well, an artist needs the ability to uncover a deeper level of truth about a subject, and this curiosity is what keeps me inspired. Dogs and other animals are a good source of inspiration for me because a relationship or an encounter with a dog is always real and unencumbered, and you can get to the truth of that dog’s personality very quickly. Usually that truth is pretty humorous, so it’s a very enjoyable quest for me.”
Artist’s Bio and Statement by Amy Hutto: Amy Hutto is an acrylic fine artist living in Upstate New York. Originally from Texas, and having lived in Colorado as well, her time living and travelling in such varied places has greatly influenced Amy’s art, from her unique renderings of wild and domestic animals to her bold abstracts. Formally an art educator of 23 years, Hutto is pursuing the life she spent so many years teaching her students about. She hopes to engage viewers of her work, inviting them to see beyond the initial glimpse, to pause and connect on a deeper level; to be drawn in by layers of color and energy created by textures and streaks and droplets of gold leaf…to see the traditional with new eyes. In her Artist’s Statement, Amy says, “New techniques, experimenting with color, layering texture and the act of pure creation are what drive my work. It is exciting to create something that never existed before, from a blank canvas and tubes of paint; to convey ideas, emotions, and feelings without having to speak. It makes me happy, and I want to share that with others.”
Artist’s Statement by Judy Soprano: “I opened the door to my creativity and found my soul. I grew up on a farm so my love for the rural scenes is easily seen in all of my paintings. I love the way farmers construct barns and sheds on their farms. It seems to me to be very creative for one barn to be built then the add-ons come as the years go on and as the need arises. Our barn was the playground for my brothers and I. It was our Tarzan swing, our fort for cowboys and Indians and our castle for the king and queen (I was always the queen). My next love is trees. I love them in the winter when you can see their bones. And next come shadows. The way shadows run across the land…I can see them moving when I paint them into a winter scene. They show me how the land lies and how it rises and falls over the bumps in the back land of our farm. The greatest compliment I ever received was when my nephew at age 9 said he could ride his bike down the road in one of my paintings. For a landscape painter that was the best compliment ever because that little boy saw depth in the scene on the flat surface of the canvas. How exciting! I work in both oil and watercolor, but I love to draw…my sketchpad is my constant companion. I can’t think of a better way to say it and it sounds like very poor grammar but…“I can’t not paint”. I feel that my life has been enriched in many ways: my husband, my children & my obsession with creating art.”
The Upstairs Gallery: In addition to the GC Myers exhibition at West End Gallery, there will be new artwork by more than 30 exceptional artists on display in the Upstairs Gallery on the second floor.
Exhibit on view: Friday, April 7th – Thursday, May 4th
Enjoy In person and Online: In person at West End Gallery - 12 West Market St. in Corning, NY and online at www.WestEndGallery.net. Exhibit will debut online by 11am on Opening Day.
Pre-sales: Pre-sales are permitted.
Special Previews: Please call to inquire about exclusive in-person and online previews. Follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook facebook.com/WestEndGalleryCorning to get a sneak peek!
Admission: The event is FREE and open to the public. Families are encouraged to visit.
Accessibility: Main exhibits are wheelchair accessible, and our website has AudioEye Accessibility Certification.
Gallery Hours: The Gallery is open for walk-ins Tues-Sat from 11am-5pm. Private appointments available additional days/hours. Please call in advance to schedule a private appointment: 607.936.2011
Contact: Phone: 607.936.2011 - Email: info@westendgallery.net
Images: Images attached may be used for PR purposes. Please give Artist credit when possible.
Know before you go: Visit our website for Current Business Hours and Services Offered: https://www.westendgallery.net/our-response-to-covid-19/
We appreciate any coverage you’re able to provide for this community arts event. Thank you for your continued support of West End Gallery and the 50 local and regional Artists we represent.
