Dec 31, 2023 | News, Regional Arts Events, Visual Arts
By: Carrie Heath, December 29, 2023
The Gmeiner Art & Cultural Center is pleased to announce an opening reception for a new Main Gallery exhibit for January 2024, Mary Wise’s “Art From My Heart.” Mary is best known for her intricately painted Christmas ornaments, but she also works in glass, clay, fiber, altered books and more. Join us in celebrating a retrospective of a lifetime’s worth of artwork by Mary at the opening reception on Saturday, January 13 th from 2-4PM. Family, friends, and former students are all cordially invited. Light refreshments will be served at the reception, which is free and open to the public. Mary will give an artist’s talk at 3PM. This exhibit will be on display in the Atrium Gallery from January 13 through February 4.
Mary Janeski Wise is originally from Antrim. She graduated from Wellsboro Area High School in 1970, and then received a Bachelors in Home Economics from Mansfield College in 1974. Mary taught Home Economics in the Milton Area School District for 32 years and is very proud of the excellent culinary arts program that she helped build there. Mary has always been interested in art. When she was young, she loved everything from Van Gogh to the photographs in Game News magazine. When she was teaching, Mary always volunteered to chaperone trips to museums with the art teacher.
Mary’s journey as an artist began with a desire to paint on cookies. Unsure of her own skills, she signed up for a tole painting class at the Ben Franklin store in Clarkstown.
This class was so popular, it took her three years to get into it. Mary fell in love with the technique of tole painting. She found it relaxing, and was overjoyed at being able to finish a project quickly. Soon she was doing craft shows in the Milton area, mostly painting on wooden objects. Customer requests for glass ornaments led her to take a class on Victorian style lace painting from the PA Mountain Laurel Decorative Painters group in Hughesville. After she retired from teaching, Mary came back to her hometown.
She was encouraged by Charlie Messina to make an annual Wellsboro-themed Christmas ornament, which she has sold for years at the annual Dickens celebration.
Mary has become very involved in the arts since her retirement. She joined the Wellsboro Art Club about 10 years ago, and has served as both Vice President and
President of that group. She participates in their annual exhibit at the Gmeiner, helps with receptions, and has painted many chairs for the biannual “Chair-ity” auction. Mary created a yearly scholarship in memory of her uncle Paul F. Janeski who was a World War II veteran and an artist who specialized in lettering. It is awarded to the Wellsboro High School art student with the best work ethic. Mary has also volunteered with the Wellsboro Glass Historical Association, and painted one of Hamilton Gibson’s pianos.
She also currently volunteers as a docent at the Gmeiner and is on the Art Takeaway Packet committee for Art’s Friends which makes free kits with supplies and instructions for art projects that are given away to children who visit the Gmeiner each month. Mary frequently leads free classes for children in the Studio at the Gmeiner as well. If you can’t find her here at the Gmeiner, you might see her working on a painting at her other favorite place in town – Dunkin Donuts!
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. For further information contact Carrie at570-724-1917 or [email protected].
Dec 31, 2023 | News, Regional Arts Events, Visual Arts
By: Carrie Heath, December 29, 2023
The Gmeiner Art & Cultural Center is pleased to announce an opening reception for a new Atrium Gallery exhibit for January 2024. “Canvas and Clay: Crafting
Natures Carbon Story Through Fungi” will be an exhibit of acrylic paintings and clay sculptures by children participating in This Is My Quest, Inc’s outdoor programs.
This unique showcase blends the intricate beauty of fungi, a critical component in Earth’s carbon cycle, with the creative expressions of canvas and clay. Join us in appreciating nature’s unseen heroes through the eyes of our future conservationists and artists. This exhibit will be on display in the Atrium Gallery from January 13 through February 4. The opening reception will be held on Saturday, January 13 th from 2-4PM. Light refreshments will be served at the reception, which is free and open to the public.
“Canvas and Clay” is more than an art exhibit; it’s a conversation starter about the importance of all elements of nature in the balance of our planet. This exhibit not only celebrates the artistic talents of our youth but also serves as an educational journey into the microscopic world of fungi and their impact on our environment.
Through their art, TIMQ’s young artists explore the pivotal role of fungi in our ecosystems, highlighting their fascinating fruits, textures, and colors. Each piece tells a part of a carbon story, illustrating how these often-overlooked organisms contribute to carbon sequestration and soil health. Many of the items in this exhibit will be for sale. The proceeds of the sales will go back to TIMQ’s junior board to fund future projects for the children.
This Is My Quest, Inc. is a forward-thinking non-profit organization founded with a passion for nature conservation, outdoor education, and community engagement.
Established with the vision of connecting people, especially youth, with the natural world, This Is My Quest has become a beacon of environmental stewardship and
outdoor learning. At its core, the organization seeks to inspire and educate individuals about conserving natural resources, understanding wildlife, and embracing sustainable living practices. Through diverse programs, including wilderness survival courses, environmental workshops, wildlife conservation projects, and community initiatives, This Is My Quest provides hands-on experiences that foster a deep respect and love for nature.
Key to its mission is the empowerment of young people. This Is My Quest offers youth-centric programs that encourage exploration, adventure, and learning in the great outdoors. These initiatives are designed to educate and build leadership skills, self-confidence, and a sense of responsibility towards the environment. Moreover, This Is My Quest is active in community outreach, collaborating with local schools, environmental experts, and other organizations to broaden its impact.
Through these partnerships, the organization has successfully brought ecological awareness to the forefront of community consciousness. This collaboration with the Gmeiner Art & Cultural Center is just another step in spreading awareness. In summary, This Is My Quest, Inc. is a testament to the power of education, adventure, and community in shaping a more environmentally conscious and engaged society. It continues to grow and evolve, driven by its unwavering commitment to making the world a better place through the lens of environmental stewardship.
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. For further information contact Carrie at 570-724-1917 or [email protected].
Oct 29, 2023 | News, Regional Arts Events, Visual Arts
The Gmeiner Art & Cultural Center is pleased to announce the November Main Gallery exhibit “Seasons of the Soul” photography by Shannon Davis. It will open with a reception from 2-4PM on Saturday, November 4th. The reception is free and open to the public, and light refreshments will be served. This is Shannon’s first solo exhibit. It includes color, black and white, and kaleidoscopic photos. It will be on display until Sunday, November 26th.
Shannon graduated from Wellsboro High School in 1999 and has been taking photographs since her early teens. She loved photography class and developing her own photos in high school. Shannon has always taken tons of photos, even back in the old film days. She has spent the last twenty years working in Ansonia for the Mountain Trail Horse Center, the Burning Barrel Bar, Pine Creek Outfitters, and currently Ole’ Covered Wagon Tours as a drover. Her work in the beautiful Pine Creek Valley has given her access to many unique perspectives and situations.
Shannon’s “Seasons of the Soul” display is a collection of images from the last decade – usually just a moment in time in the superfast pace of life. Shannon finds that the little things can hold the most beauty. Most of her photographs are taken using that camera we all have these days – a cell phone. Shannon states that it seems sometimes the season of change is the only constant.
The Gmeiner is located at 134 Main Street, Wellsboro, behind the Green Free Library. We are open from 12-6PM Tuesday through Sunday and admission to the gallery is always free. This display is appropriate for all ages, and there will be a scavenger hunt activity for children.
Oct 15, 2023 | Bloomsburg, News, Regional Arts Events, Visual Arts
Bloomsburg, PA – “The Journey Continues” is the latest exhibition of fine art featured at Artspace Gallery. The exhibition features painted and calligraphic work by Annie Barnhardt and ceramic and mixed media art by Deb Stabley, both of whom are member artists of the cooperative gallery.
October 5 – November 12, 2023
Annie Barnhardt is an artist who teaches. Before moving to Bloomsburg, she taught at Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), the Rochester Museum School, and was a frequent artist-in-residence in the Rochester area public schools. She has taught at International Calligraphy Conferences and continues to teach workshops in the United States. Clients include individuals, universities, businesses, public institutions, and a greeting card company. The Newberry Library of Chicago owns and holds one of her artist books in its permanent collection. Her calligraphy has been published in calendars, journals, and textbooks.
Themes in Annie’s calligraphic and visual work include the natural world, peace, life philosophies, and love. She is moved by the power of words and interprets them calligraphically with images. With a particular focus on portraits, places, and bird life, Annie’s journey as an artist continues moving full circle, creating work in oil, acrylic, and a variety of drawing media.
Annie loves the challenge of finding new (and old) materials to use and discovering hidden creatures in her abstract backgrounds.
Deb Stabley’s long career continues to evolve. She has created work for galleries, shops, invitational shows and for the public setting. Deb has taught art in a variety of venues and has helped move the arts forward in her community in various ways, including operating a community clay studio for several years. She is currently a member of two artist co-ops.
Deb continues her long artistic journey with new 2D and 3D mixed media work. Deb’s themes are nature-based but her approach is non-traditional, combining materials such as clay, wood, hard-backed book covers and found objects from nature.
Deb has found, and prepared, all the natural objects used in her sculptures, including two turtle shells. She is always on the lookout for nature’s treasures and enjoys the process of creating a new life for those objects.
Artspace Gallery is one of the region’s oldest established fine art and craft galleries. For over 20 years the gallery has been open to the public and has exhibited and sold original pieces by local artists. As a cooperative, the member artists share in the tasks of running and maintaining the gallery year-round. Together, they keep Artspace a thriving business that has turned into the destination for art-lovers who seek beautiful, locally made art. The works exhibited include ceramics, drawings, encaustics, fiber art, fused glass, jewelry, paintings, photography, prints and woodwork. Every 6-8 weeks the gallery features a new exhibit by a member(s) or regional guest artists or arts organizations. Throughout the year the ever-changing gallery brings a new and creative vibe to the downtown. Special events, demonstrations, and exhibit openings are always a “Can’t-Miss”.
Oct 15, 2023 | News, Regional Arts Events, Visual Arts
By: Carrie Heath, September 20, 2023
The Gmeiner Art & Cultural Center is pleased to announce a presentation on the history of tanneries in Tioga County by local historian Betsy Hale. Tanneries were places where leather was made from animal hides. This presentation will be held twice to allow people with differing schedules to attend. The first presentation will be on Thursday, October 19 th at 2PM and the second will be on Tuesday, October 24 th at 6PM.
Admission is free and open to the public.
Tanneries existed in Tioga County since the early 1800s, soon after the county was formed, until the last one closed in 2004 — almost 200 years of their existence here in the county. At one time there were nineteen different ones in operation. Many were very small but others claimed to be the biggest in the world. This presentation will give an accounting of their existence. Many of the records are long lost but, through research, this presentation will give a history about the leather industry in the county and the demise of its existence.
Betsy Hale is the President of the Westfield Historical Society. Last year she gave a talk at the B & S Railroad gathering in Addison, New York about the tanneries along the B&S and WAG railroads. For this October presentation, she will be focusing only on the tanneries located in Tioga County, Pennsylvania. The Westfield Historical Society has
a vast collection of items from the former Eberle Tannery/Westfield Tannery, some of which Betsy presented at the program in conjunction with Develop Tioga at the demolition of the Westfield tannery buildings in 2019.
Betsy, a native of West Virginia, has lived in PA for over thirty years and has a love of history, serving as President of the Westfield Historical Society for the last six years. She lives in Westfield with her husband, Michael Hale. Besides local history, her interests include genealogy, reading, crocheting, quilting and spending time with her grandchildren.
For further information about the presentation or the Gmeiner, contact Carrie at 570-724-1917 or [email protected].
Oct 1, 2023 | News, Regional Arts Events, Visual Arts
By: Carrie Heath, September 23, 2023
The Gmeiner Art & Cultural Center is pleased to announce the Wellsboro Art Club’s annual exhibit. The club member’s “We Did It Our Way” exhibit which emphasizes the
members individuality will be on display in the Main Gallery from October 7 – October 29. The exhibit will open with a free reception for the public on Saturday, October 7 th
from 2-4PM with refreshments provided by the art club members, and a little entertainment for guests as well. Wellsboro Art Club members work in a wide variety of mediums, including watercolors, acrylics, glass, fiber, jewelry, sculpture, ceramics, and mixed media. This incredibly creative group never fails to please with their show.
The Wellsboro Art Club first formed in 1948 with a group of local painters who wanted to work and learn together. Over the years, the group expanded to include crafts as well
as fine arts. The Wellsboro Art Club meets formally at 10 AM on the first Thursday of each month in the Studio at the Gmeiner. They have informal studio time the 2 nd , 3 rd , and 4 th Thursday of each month from 10AM – noon.
When the Gmeiner Art & Cultural Center first opened in 1969, members of the Wellsboro Art Club served as “hostesses” (now called docents) during public showings
of Mr. Gmeiner’s works, and began to arrange for exhibits of other local artists and area children. Since the art club has long had such a close association with our founder, it
only made sense to also display some of Arthur Gmeiner’s works during the month of October in the Atrium gallery. The focus of this exhibit will be on “He Did It His Way” and
will focus on Mr. Gmeiner’s individuality. Some of his quirkier artworks and those that show his sense of humor will be displayed.
The Gmeiner is located at 134 Main Street, Wellsboro, behind the Green Free Library.
We are open from 12-6PM Tuesday through Sunday and admission to the gallery is always free. This display is appropriate for all ages, and there will be a scavenger hunt
activity for children.
