By: Carrie Heath, June 3, 2024
The Gmeiner Art & Cultural Center is pleased to announce a new Atrium Gallery exhibit “A Slice of Life” featuring watercolors by Corning artist, Lee O’Connell. The exhibit will open on Friday, June 14 th with a reception from 6-8PM. The reception is free and open to the public, who are invited to come meet the artist. This exhibit will remain on display until Sunday, July 7 th . Lee says of the exhibit, “This show is inspired by my love of noticing the little things that inspire me to take note. Whether it’s a person, a flower, a bird… be there a shaft of light that attracts my attention, or colors screaming for me to paint them, or maybe just a quiet little moment that makes me think, any and all can inspire my art.”
Lee O’Connell is primarily a watercolor artist who dabbles in oils. She began her artistic career after retiring as Director of Admissions, from Chemung Valley Montessori School in Big Flats. Lee is a self-taught painter, though truly that is a misnomer as there have been many teachers in her life. Lee has always had a creative soul, though, even if she does not have formal training.
Lee lives in Corning, New York and divides her time between painting and canoeing, her two great passions. She often combines the two and paints while floating about in
her canoe—though it is not her best work as she freely admits, it is fun and inspiring, nevertheless. Lee tends to paint loosely, only adding enough detail to draw the eye and describe the moment she has caught on paper.
Lee belongs to many art societies including Women in Watercolor, the American Watercolor Society, the Central New York Watercolor Society as well as several local art societies including the Elmira Regional Art Society, 171 Cedar Arts Center, the Arts Council of the Southern Tier, Community Arts of Elmira and many more. She has won several awards for her work including honorable mention in the Palette Show at the Arnot Art Museum and Jurors Choice Award at the Central New York Watercolor Society show.
Currently, you can find Lee’s work in the Franklin Street Gallery in Watkins Glen, NY and in Pink Bellini on Market Street in Corning. You can find her online on Instagram as @leeoconnellartist, on facebook as Lee O’Connell -Artist, or on her website at www.leeoconnell.org.
Lee will be teaching a watercolor class for adults on Saturday, July 6 th in the Studio at the Gmeiner. Please contact the director at 570-724-1917 or [email protected] to sign up and for more details.
The Gmeiner is open from 12-6PM Tuesdays through Sundays and is located at 134 Main Street in Wellsboro behind the Green Free Library. Admission to the gallery is free.