LP_092817

lockportlegend.com LIFE & ARTS
the Lockport Legend | September 28, 2017 | 21
Lockport’s The Artist Guild celebrates local artists’ originality
Jason Maholy
Freelance Reporter
When The Artist Guild of
Lockport decided to hold its
inaugural group showcase,
“Origins” seemed like an apt
title.
The event was, after all,
a celebration of the Guild’s
founding. Four years later,
the collection of more than
50 artists has an established
presence in the local arts
community, but the name of
that first show lives on.
“Origins IV” kicked off
with an opening reception
held Saturday, Sept. 23 at the
Flower of Life Art Gallery,
1601 S. State St. in Lockport.
The show runs through Dec.
1.
As an open show, “Origins
IV” features works in an array
of mediums and is unbound
by theme. From the detailed
acrylic face and piercing eyes
of the owl in “Give a Hoot;”
to the bed springs, selfies and
sleep apnea breathing masks
used to create “This Is Who
I Am & You Still Love Me;”
even the pencil, photography,
watercolors and crayons
melted to plywood with a
hair dryer – for the next twoplus
months the gallery is
showcasing some of the best
work the guild’s members
have to offer.
“They put whatever they
were feeling at the time into
this show,” said Larry Brogan,
co-founder of The Artist
Guild of Lockport, of the artists
showcased in “Origins.”
“It’s usually one of our favorite
shows of the year and gets
the best crowds.”
Brogan said the Guild’s
FUNERAL SERVICES DIRECTORY
shows provides its members
“an excuse to make art.” The
deadlines imposed by a show
simply being a reality can be
a motivating factor for an artists
to get busy.
“Without having art shows
most of us probably wouldn’t
have made the time to create
all of this art,” he said. “So, it
kind of lights a fire under us.”
Guild co-founder Ed Smith
noted “Origins IV” features
the works of professionals
who have been creating art
for more than three decades,
and amateurs who have been
dabbling for just a couple
years. Sindee Viano is an art
teacher and art therapist who
has been creating art since
1979, while Joanne Colagrossi
of Lockport started
Please see Artist, 22
Fred Kieltyka (left to right), Roger Barra, Diane Barra and
Priscilla Kieltyka, all of Lockport, have a conversation during
the opening reception of “Origins IV,” held Saturday,
Sept. 23, at the Flower of Life Art Gallery.
PHOTOS BY Jason Maholy/22nd Century Media
Kim O’Neil Golob
Kelli Hartseil Mores
Kelly Furlong Foresman, Secretary
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“Give a Hoot,” Lockport resident Misty Soderholm’s acrylic
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