One of the season’s first holiday-time exhibits takes place this weekend during an open house at the Dowling Art Center, 1632 Hawley Ave. The mid-size group show has a roster of 20 artists and diverse media ranging from Kathy Dolbear’s baskets to Ryan McCammons’ photos and bowls and vases created by Susan Borker. And it encompasses Terry Cameron’s mixed-media pieces, prints and photographs collected by John Dowling and Mark Topp’s landscapes, cityscapes and portraits.
Beyond that, the show features artists in various stages of their careers. For Wendy Harris, this has been a busy autumn. Aside from the Dowling Center, she’s also taking part in exhibitions at the Clayton Art Center, near the St. Lawrence River; at the Imagine Gallery in Skaneateles; and at Auburn’s Schweinfurth Memorial Art Center. In the Dowling exhibit, Harris will showcase a slew of small abstract pieces, a large floral painting, and several pastel landscapes.
Robert Glisson will display his distinctive landscapes. Among other things, he interprets a landscape by drastically accentuating color. He’s shown his work at local venues, at the Allentown Art Festival in Buffalo, at galleries in Corning, and at the Alden Gallery in Provincetown, Massachusetts.
Stacey Pope taught art in public schools for more than 30 years. In retirement, she’s focused more on creating artworks. This summer, she won a first-prize award at the Sackets Harbor Plein Air Festival. At Dowling, her paintings will include a night view of the marina within that harbor.
Penelope Rakov has taught classes in ceramics, pottery and glass blowing, but is best known for her glassworks, particularly rings and necklaces. During November, she will be artist-in-residence at the Corning Museum of Glass.
Because this is a holiday-time exhibition, several artists will display pieces that aren’t part of their primary body of work. James Skvarch, for example, has created many etchings, including fine works referencing architectural subjects. The exhibit will hang both etchings and his oils depicting scenes at Pompey Hills and Otisco Lake.
Similarly, Michelle Da Rin will show handmade handbags as well as her signature work, wearable art jewelry. She makes bracelets, necklaces and other pieces with materials including forged and enameled copper, silver, leather and gemstones. Her jewelry has been discussed in articles appearing in publications such as Tango and W and on TV programs such as NBC’s The Today Show and WSYR-Channel 9’s Bridge Street.
The exhibition is broad-based, with a portfolio including both functional and non-functional works. Suzanne Masters often explores spirituality in her artworks, as seen in her piece “Fetish Prayer Ritual,” which combines acrylics, ceramics, dyed textures and found objects. In addition, David “Hongo” Robertson will present pieces from his Meditation Art series.
They and other artists will be on site at a space that isn’t a typical gallery. The building is home base for Dowling’s photography business. Yet from time to time he has hosted several shows including Vistas Cubanas, a highly successful 2016 exhibit, and a 2017 holiday-time group project. Linda Esterley, curator for this weekend’s show, stated that she enjoyed the challenge of hanging a 20-artist exhibit in a space that’s clearly not jumbo-size.
While the show’s No. 1 objective is to provide a showcase for the artworks, it provides other benefits. “I like seeing other artists’ work,” said Wendy Harris. “There’s an opportunity for conversation and connection with those artists.”
The Dowling Art Center’s open house/fine art sale runs Saturday, Nov. 3, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sunday, Nov. 4, noon to 4 p.m. It’s free and open to the public. For information, call (315) 466-8189 or visit dowlingartcenter.com.
