Skip to main content

Batavia Society of Artists

Artist Rebecca Maynard to demo hands-on acrylic pour for Christmas ornaments and tiles at GO ART!

By Billie Owens

Submitted photos and information:

The Batavia Society of Artists is hosting artist Rebecca Maynard from 7 to 9 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 12th, at GO ART!, located in the historic Seymour Place building at 201 E. Main St., Batavia.

She will be doing a hands-on demonstration of acrylic pour on Christmas ornaments and tiles.

If anyone would like to do more than one ornament each the cost is $5 per ornament. Non-members are welcome with a $5 fee.

Demo will consist of different acrylic pouring methods. It will be a hands-on event, with each person pouring their own Christmas bulb and a ceramic tile.

Maynard will demonstrate the flip cup, dirty pour and swipe methods and then participants will get to work and have some fun.

It is a very low stress and fun way to paint.

Hands-on cartooning demo at GO ART! Oct. 8

By Billie Owens

The Batavia Society of Artists is hosting artist Chris Humel from 7 to 9 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 8th, at GO ART!, located in historic Seymour Place, 201 E. Main St., Batavia.

Humel will be doing a hands-on demonstation in cartooning.

Non-members welcome with a $5 fee.

Cartoon images, courtesy of Chris Humel.

Artist Shauna Blake to give hands-on demo of alcohol inks at GO ART! Sept. 10

By Billie Owens

Photos and information from Teresa Tamfer, Batavia Society of Artists:

The Batavia Society of Artists is hosting artist Shauna Blake (in top photo) from 7 to 9 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 10th at GO ART!, inside Seymour Place, 201 E. Main St., in Downtown Batavia.

Blake will be doing a hands-on alcohol ink demonstration.

Non-members welcome with a $5 fee.

Below, Blake's "Teal Rust Reflect."

Bottom, Blake's "Purple Bloom."

Batavia Society of Artists hosts demo and free picnic with photographer Sue Meier July 9 at Kiwanis Park

By Billie Owens

Press release and submitted photos of Sue Meier and a couple examples of her photography:

Batavia Society of Artists is hosting photographer Sue Meier on Tuesday, July 9th, at Kiwanis Park in Batavia with a picnic at 6 p.m. and a demonstration afterward.

This event is FREE but you need to register by July 7th to reserve a spot. Please call Teresa Tamfer at 585-506-2465 or e-mail bsa.bataviasocietyofartists@gmail.com.

Meier is the owner and photographer of Photography by Susan Meier. Her home-based boutique photography studio is located in East Pembroke.

She has always be interested in photography since she was a teenager when she won her first camera in a coloring contest. Some genres that Meier has photographed are: weddings, high school seniors, families, kids, professional headshot, boudoir, babies and pets.

She enjoys putting her spin on her creative concept photography and images. She has created images with theme ideas such as; “Little Red Riding Hood,” feather, little bird, bird in nest, Venus, mermaids, flowers, Elizabethan, ultra-violet light, crazy, dinosaurs, “Harry Potter,” butterfly, mountain man, spider/web, dragon slayer and more!

Many of Meier’s images have been displayed, sold and even published in a book. Galleries and settings include: Todmorden Mills Gallery (Toronto), GO ART!, Image City (Rochester), Moon Java Cafe (Batavia), Richmond Memorial Library (Batavia), Genesee County Fair (Batavia), and Gallery 96 (Pittsford), and the Senior Center (Batavia).

She has been a member of the Batavia Photography Club for many years and has hosted and mentored the club members in many aspects of photography. The photo club invited her to show pictures from her recent trip to Hawaii.

Meier has competed in many club photo competitions and regional club competitions and is an award winning photographer. Sue has also taught classes in camera knowledge and photoshop. In her spare time, Sue photographs birds, bugs, flowers and landscapes.

She looks forward to meeting you and helping you learn more about photography!

BSA awards scholarship to GCC student, opens spring show

By Howard B. Owens

bsaspringopening2019.jpg

Matthew Liebler was awarded this year's Virginia Carr-Mumford Scholarship from the Batavia Society of Artists on Thursday at the BSA's annual spring show opening at the Richmond Memorial Library.

Liebler is from North Java and just completed his first year at Genesee Community College, where he's majoring in Digital Arts.

bsaspringopening2019-2.jpg

The spring show's first-place award went to Richard Ellingham for "Dusk Reflection."

bsaspringopening2019-3.jpg

David Burke received a second-place award for "The everchanging beauty of this body that I share with every living thing." He also received a third-place ribbon for "Still life with skull and mannequins."

bsaspringopening2019-4.jpg

bsaspringopening2019-5.jpg

Watercolorist Michael Killelea to conduct demo at GO ART! on April 9

By Billie Owens
Above, Killelea's "Casper Barn."
 
Submitted art and press release:
 

The Batavia Society of Artist is hosting artist Michael Killelea from 7 to 9 p.m. on April 9th at GO ART! inside Seymour Place, 201 E. Main St., Batavia

Killelea is going to demonstrate how at add a figure or animal in a completed watercolor painting to add interest and help the composition.

Non-members welcome for a $5 fee.

Killelea: About the upcoming demo

"Painting en plein air has some obvious drawbacks. One problem is that compositional flaws sometimes aren't clear until some time has passed. Since landscapes or buildings rarely move they make great still life subjects.

"But they can sometimes seem a bit lifeless, so adding some live thing often makes sense. I try to keep the “add life” idea in mind as I paint, even if I don’t incorporate it as I paint. I do that by adding an animated figure of some kind, even after the painting is done.

"I look for a place to add that figure in the composition like birds, animals or people. In watercolor that might mean scrubbing out a particular area to add a figure, or adding a darker figure into a light area.Obviously the figure can be positioned anywhere for maximum impact, and that’s what I’ll demonstrate."

About Michael Killelea

He is an artist, author, teacher and traveler whose "exquisite watercolors" from a trip to China were featured in American Artist's "Watercolor" magazine.

This Long Island native currently lives among the cows, cornfields and farms of Western New York where he divides his time between painting, teaching and lecturing. But he paints anywhere and everywhere, at home and around the world.

Killelea is a signature member, on the Board of Directors, and Secretary to the American Society of Marine Artists (ASMA). He’s also a signature member as well as program chairman for the Niagara Frontier Watercolor Society, and is a signature member of the Buffalo Society of Artists.

He paints weekly with the All Weather Gang in Genesee County. Killelea is a graduate of SUNY Farmingdale and has attended Pratt Institute and the School of Visual Arts.

His artwork is in numerous private collections and is featured in two books he wrote and illustrated about Long Island's rural North Fork. Killelea's work and biography have been included in the Smithsonian Institution's Library for the American Art Museum/National Portrait Gallery and have become the basis for a permanent file on him there.

Below: Killelea's "Potter Lumber."

The Batavia Society of Artists hosts free Artist Mixer at GO ART! on Feb. 12

By Billie Owens

The Batavia Society of Artists will host its kick-off event for 2019-- a free Artist Mixer -- from 7 to 9 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 12, at GO ART! 

It is located in the historic Seymour Place building in Downtown Batavia, 201 E. Main St.

Attendees are encouraged to bring a piece of their artwork to display for the evening.

Enjoy some wine and cheese and talk with other artists from the area.

All levels and mediums welcome.

An Art Book Sale will be available to benefit The Batavia Society of Artists.

Dues to join the society are $30 a year for an individual; $50 for a couple; $10 for students; the drop-in fee for events, programs and demos is $5.

The Board of Directors is comprised of: Teresa Tamfer, Nicole Tamfer, Nancy Brown*, Carole LaValley, Shauna Blake*, Amy DiSalvo and Karen Crittenden. They meet on the second Tuesday of the month.

(*New Board Members)

Here's the rest of the year's lineup; all demos (except En Plein Air) are held at GO ART!:

  • March 12 -- Colette Savage Demo of warm undertone painting with pastels, 7 to 9 p.m.
  • April 9 -- Mike Killelea Demo of adding people and animals to finished watercolors for interest, 7 to 9 p.m.
  • May 9 -- Spring Art Show Reception at Richmond Memorial Library, 6:30 to 8 p.m.
  • May 18 -- Saturday Sketch Out -- Genesee County Park & Forest Nature Interpretive Center in East Bethany, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
  • June 11 -- Linda Metcalf Hands-on Demo of encaustics, 7 to 9 p.m.
  • July 9 -- Picnic at Kiwanis Park & En Plein Air Demo with Sue Meyer -- Bring a dish to pass, 6 to 9 p.m.
  • Aug. 15 -- GO ART! Show Reception -- Upstairs in the Batavia Rotary Club Gallery, 6:30 to 8 p.m.
  • Sept. 10 -- Shauna Blake Hands-on Demo of alcohol inks, 7 to 9 p.m.
  • Oct. 8 -- Chris Humel Hands-on Demo of caricatures, 7 to 9 p.m.
  • Nov. 12 -- Becky Maynard Demo of acrylic pour ornaments, 7 to 9 p.m.
  • Dec. 5 -- Winter Art Show Reception at Richmond Memorial Library, 6:30 to 8 p.m.
  • Dec. 10 -- Christmas Dinner Party at Dibble Family Center, $20 per person, 6 p.m. - 'til ?

Photos: Batavia Society of Artists hosts opening of winter art show

By Howard B. Owens

bsawinterart2018-2.jpg

CORRECTION: In the origianl version of our post, we switched the first and second place winners.  Our apologies to Rick.

The Batavia Society of Artists held its opening reception Thursday night at the Richmond Memorial Library of its Winter Art Show.

Rick Ellingham won First Place for his painting, "Adirondack Sunset."

The show runs through Dec. 27.

bsawinterart2018.jpg

Karen Crittenden won Second Place with her picture, "Bug."

bsawinterart2018-3.jpg

bsawinterart2018-4.jpg

Local artist Karen Crittenden gives hands-on demo on drawing mandalas at GO ART!

By Billie Owens
 
Happy fall! The next meeting of the Batavia Society of Artists is 7 to 9 p.m.Tuesday, Oct. 9th, at GO ART! It is located in historic Seymour Place in Downtown Batavia, 201 E. Main St.
 
Due to some unforeseen circumstances we have had to change a few things on our fall schedule for October and November.
 
Karen Crittenden will be give a hands-on demo on mandalas! In addition, Nikki Tamfer will be giving a hands-on printmaking demo in November.
 
There is no fee to attend a demo for BSA members; fee for non-members is $5.
 
Karen Crittenden's Bio:

"I have been drawing and making crafty things for as long as I can remember. I was introduced to mandalas when I lived in Turkey and saw them in museums, on handpainted tiles, on cave walls and other places in that part of the world.

"I forgot about them for many years and was reminded of them about 20 or 25 years ago and became fascinated with the actual process of drawing them. I figured out how to break the process down to create a skeleton and go from there.

"I also enjoy working with sacred geometry and fractals, which is kind of funny because I don’t really enjoy math all that much. I own and operate a small niche yarn, craft and fine art store in Batavia,where I also offer group and private lessons in art, crafts and the fiber hand arts."

Renowned Rochester painter Brian O'Neill to talk at GO ART! Sept. 11 on abstraction, realism and inspiration

By Billie Owens

Photo of Rochester artist Brian O'Neill, courtesy of Batavia Society of Artists.

Information provided by the Batavia Society of Artists:

The Batavia Society of Artists is excited to announce that the demonstrating artist at GO ART! on Tuesday, Sept. 11th, will be Brian O'Neill, a Rochester Art Club Signature Member and internationally known fine art painter.

The artist's contemporary, dynamic and expressive abstract paintings are really fantastic, says Nikki Tamfer, of the Batavia Society of Artists, and he is also known for his oil realism.

The demo will be held in the historic Seymour Place home of GO ART! in Downtown Batavia from 7 to 9 p.m. a week from today. It is located at 201 E. Main St.

The event is free for Batavia Society of Artists' members; $5 for non-members. 

"It's All Abstraction" will consist of an artist talk and PowerPoint presentation. O'Neill will illustrate through a visual presentation how all form can be broken down into simple, dark and light abstract shapes for more believable realism work. And he will offer insights into the inspirations for his abstract painting and relate them to environmental realities. 

O'Neill has a working and teaching studio in the Hungerford Building in Rochester, which is at 1115 E. Main St. His work has been showcased in galleries across the United States, Canada, England and Japan. He's a graduate of the Ani Art Academy apprenticeship program, where he trained with renowned realism painter Anthony Waichulis.

His formal training gave him the freedom to create in worlds both recognizable and imagined. 

In his bio statement, O'Neill, born in 1969, says: “My responsibility as an artist is one that asks me to create not because I want to, but because I have to. My goal with each painting is to infuse my passion for beauty in a language that can be read and felt by all people that view my work. I challenge myself to always remain open to learning and making work at the highest level possible.”

Find more examples of O'Neill’s work as well as student creations here.

Below, "Homestead," oil on canvas by Brian O'Neill.

Below, "Pause," oil, whitegold, gold, silverleaf by Brian O'Neill.

Below, "Turquoise Twilight," acrylic with silver, goldleaf by Brian O'Neill.

Below, "The Chase," oil on canvas by Brian O'Neill.

Bottom, "Winter Glow," oil on canvas by Brian O'Neill.

Photos: Opening of BSA Summer Art Show

By Howard B. Owens

bsasummershow2018.jpg

Kevin Feary with his painting "Distance From Transit Rd.," was the winner Tuesday night at the opening of the Summer Art Show for the Batavia Society of Artists.

The show runs on the second floor of GO ART! through Oct. 5.

bsasummershow2018-2.jpg

Kate Engle's "Badge #2," a pencil and felt pen drawing, took third place in the show. The drawing is of her great-grandfather, who was a Batavia police officer and wore Badge #2.

bsasummershow2018-3.jpg

JL Wenrich, who could not attend the opening, placed second with "Back Yard Chickens," a pen and pencil drawing.

bsasummershow2018-4.jpg

A pen and ink drawing by Rick Ellingham of the Swartz Hotel (the Stumblin' Inn) in Elba.

Society of Artists host demo of plein air painting

By Howard B. Owens

bsaartdemojuly2018-3.jpg

Deb Meier, a retired Batavia art teacher, provided a demonstration in watercolor plein air painting for members of the Batavia Society of Artists at Kiwanis Park on Monday.

Painting en plein air, or outdoor painting, which often requires the painter to work quickly in direct response to the scene before the painter, was a technique favored by the French impressionists of the 19th century and has continued to remain popular with artists.

bsaartdemojuly2018-2.jpg

bsaartdemojuly2018.jpg

Scholarship winner says her artistic journey has just begun

By Howard B. Owens

bsaspringshow2018.jpg

The Batavia Society of Artists opened its annual spring show at the Richmond Memorial Library.

Tessa Lynn, a resident of Batavia, received Virginia Carr-Mumford Scholarship.

Lynn believes art is the culmination of all of human history and like art of the ancient past, she tries to focus on visual stories that may inspire a more considerate future. After attending Genesee Community College, she plans to pursue a bachelor's degree in Fine Arts. Eventually, she would like to illustrate books.

"My hope is to always keep creating art," she said. "I don't believe that there is ever a point where a creator should stop learning, even after years of practice and observation. My artist journey has only just begun."

bsaspringshow2018-2.jpg

bsaspringshow2018-3.jpg

Brian Kemp won first place in the member's competition.

bsaspringshow2018-4.jpg

Karen Crittenden, second place.

bsaspringshow2018-5.jpg

Third place went to Nicole Tamfer.

bsaspringshow2018-6.jpg

bsaspringshow2018-7.jpg

Photos: GO ART! opens annual juried art show

By Howard B. Owens

bsajuriedshow2018.jpg

GO ART! hosted the opening of its annual juried art show Thursday night at Seymore Place in Batavia.

Top prize this year was awarded to Alex Sergovia for his painting (top photo) Celestial Blues. Sergovia could not be present at the opening last night.

The work displayed was selected from numerous entries by the jury, which also selected the winning entry.

bsajuriedshow2018-2.jpg

Above sits Artist David Burke. His three paintings are the tree on the left, and the two paintings above him on the right.

bsajuriedshow2018-3.jpg

Sales of collaborative demo artwork will go to Donald R. Carroll Toys for Kids

By Billie Owens

Press release:

A collection of artwork created during the Batavia Society of Artists' October demonstration will be sold and all proceeds donated to the Donald R. Carroll Toys for Kids Toy Drive.

The "art collaboration" pieces were made during a hands-on demonstration by artist and BSA Member Brian Kemp. He guided attendees through his art process, one that explores art "through creating as he goes, allowing the artwork and canvas to help direct the finished piece."

Attendees were given their canvas and directed to use their choice of a few mediums and color choices. Halfway through the demonstration, Kemp collected everyone's artwork and distributed the pieces to another artist to finish. 

The results are being displayed for the first time at this year's Winter Art Show presented by the society. It is on display now through Dec. 27th in the Gallery Room at Richmond Memorial Library, located at 19 Ross St. in the City of Batavia.

The public is invited to the opening reception from 6:30 to 8 p.m. tomorrow, Dec. 7. Take a look at the demo collaboration pieces and consider buying one to help the toy drive for local children.

To join the Batavia Society of Artists or for more information, contact Teresa Tamfer at 506-2465 or email   BSA.BataviaSocietyofArtists@gmail.com

Local artists learn about Alla Prima style painting

By Howard B. Owens

bsaartdemosept122017.jpg

The monthly meeting of the Batavia Society of Artists last night featured a demonstration by Patricia Tribastone in a style of painting known as Alla Prima.

The Alla Prima style of painting is a technique in which the artist completes a painting in one sitting. The painting is done “wet into wet” and the main characteristics are fresh color, minimized detail, and brush work. 

Tribastone, who is involved in numerous national art organizations and has won several awards for her pastel and oil paintings, set up a still life scene for the demonstration and explained how she arranged her subject and the materials she used to complete the painting.

Tribastone has a gallery and studio in Canandaigua at 32 S. Main St.

bsaartdemosept122017-2.jpg

bsaartdemosept122017-3.jpg

bsaartdemosept122017-4.jpg

Artist Terry Weber opens art gallery, studio and antique shop in Old General Store on Route 63 in East Bethany

By Billie Owens

Terry Weber, a member of the Batavia Society of Artists, has opened an art gallery and antique shop and has an art studio in the Old General Store on Route 63 in East Bethany.

Hours are noon to 5 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays -- or anytime you see the "Open" flag flying outside.

If you are a member of the Batavia Society of Artists and mention your membership, you'll get a 15-percent discount on your entire purchase.

The location is five miles south on Route 63 from Batavia.

The Facebook page is under "Bethany Arts."

Batavia Society of Artists to host picnic in Kiwanis Park Tuesday night, plein air painting demo, MUST RSVP BY 7 TONIGHT

By Billie Owens

The Batavia Society of Artists will host a picnic and plein air art demonstration featuring watercolorist Michael Killelea on Tuesday, June 13, at Kiwanis Park. It is located at 3808 W. Main Street Road, Batavia. The event begins at 6 p.m.

This event is free but YOU MUST RSVP BY 7 P.M. TODAY so ample food and refreshments can be purchased. Organizers are going shopping for the picnic supplies later tonight.

Please call or email Teresa at 506-2465 or ttamfer@yahoo.com to give a head count so she knows how many hamburgers and hot dogs to buy.

Also, please bring a dish to pass and a lawn chair. Water will be provided, but feel free to bring another beverage.

Organizers want to make sure that Killelea can set up to paint wherever he picks and that they have enough chairs just in case they are needed.

The weather is going to be warm and it looks like it will be a wonderful night for this.

About Michael Killelea

Killelea’s paintings, headlined as “exquisite watercolors” in a Spring 2005 feature article in "American Artists’ Watercolor" magazine, were featured again in their Winter 2012 issue, and also in their 2006 Watercolor Highlights annual.

He is an inveterate plein-air painter who carries paper and brush with him almost everywhere he travels and loves to connect with his subjects off the beaten track, and often without speaking their native language.

He is actively involved in, and on the board of directors of a number of WNY and national arts organizations. He's also a member of the Niagara Frontier Watercolor Society and the Buffalo Society of Artists. He is a Navy veteran, and has spent his working life as an art director and photo editor in major newspapers, and in the production of annual reports.

Killelea’s watercolors have been exhibited in a many national museums, as well as in the U.S. Capitol building, and numerous community displays. His work and bio are included in the Smithsonian Museum and the Library of Congress, and he was recently invited into the Burchfield Penny Art Center’s collection of featured Western NY artists.

A graduate of SUNY Farmingdale, he has attended Pratt Institute and the School of Visual Arts. When not traveling, he teaches and presents on watercolor painting. His award-winning work is in many private collections and has been reproduced in two books he wrote and illustrated on Long Island’s rural North Fork.

A copy of both Watercolor magazine articles on his work can be downloaded from his website www.killeleart.com. Additional examples of his work can also be found on his “Killeleart” Facebook page.

Authentically Local