Jul 30, 2023 | Regional Arts Events, Visual Arts
By: Carrie Heath, July 25, 2023
The Gmeiner Art & Cultural Center is pleased to announce a retrospective exhibit of Josh Crane’s pen and ink artwork in the Atrium Gallery for August titled, “Post Its.” The
exhibit will open on Saturday, August 5 th at noon. However, the reception for this and the Main Gallery exhibit will be held on Sunday, August 13 th from 2-4PM, so that the artists’ families may attend. The reception is free and open to the public, and light refreshments will be provided.
Joshua Samuel Crane was born Jan. 3 rd , 1988, at Corning Hospital. He was the 8 th child of Gloria and David Crane. Throughout his life he lived in Tioga, Antrim, Covington,
Wellsboro, and Corning. Josh liked to be around people, which might have something to do with being from a large family. He was also spiritual and interested in theology like
his father before him. This was a main motivating factor in creating his art. He was very astute and learned many subjects without a formal education. He was a self-learner
who read many books on psychology, classical literature, history and the many art forms. His love for people was deep and serious, based in theologies such as Tibetan
Buddhism and Christianity. Joshua was also spritely and athletic. Working out with friends was something that gave Josh a feeling of physically bettering himself. He was an avid skateboarder, which he also turned into a way of displaying art and entertaining the public.
Josh loved artists such as Alex Grey, Salvador Dali and Van Gogh. One of his favorite pieces of art was the tryptic “The Garden of Earthly Delights” by Hieronymus Bosch.
Artists that pushed their craft and had something to say were of high value to him. Mediums he worked with included chalk pastels, pen and ink, oil paints and tattoo. He
also spray-painted and tagged many buildings and trash cans with the name Rumi. Rumi was his street signature and a poet that he liked to promote. This was also a
game of hide and seek with the police as they had a hard time figuring out who was “vandalizing the town.” He did not see this as a form of vandalism though. Josh was trying to promote a higher form of thinking by making the locals look up the name. He did not think he was lessening the value of things; instead, he felt he was adding to their
value and aesthetic.
Joshua would also create sidewalk art with chalk. He would put hours into this work knowing it would end up sun-bleached, washed away and stepped on by the public.
Sometimes this performative act was to help a friend who had a business; other times he would do it in the idea of the transitory nature of material life. This is in the same vein
as the sand mandalas made by Buddhists, that they would destroy after making. On the opposite end of the spectrum, he also was a tattooist, which meant leaving a
permanent mark on a person’s skin to display throughout their life. No surface was off limits to the message he was compelled to send. Big, small, elaborate or simple, he was
going to share his thoughts intended to spread healing and love to the world.
Joshua passed on June 28, 2022, at the age of 34. He had endless potential and that “What if?” factor about him that will stay with us all. A philosopher he shared a quote
from not long before he died was Marcus Aurelius, who once said “Each of us lives only now, this brief instant. The rest has been lived already, or it is impossible to see.” In life
Josh was more interested in putting his work in coffee houses than galleries as he felt he could affect the everyday man that doesn’t necessarily think about actively seeking
out the arts. But Josh’s family agreed to share his art with the audience at the Gmeiner to help us push the envelope of what is considered “worthy” of a gallery. We hope that
you will come to see this display to appreciate Josh’s vision and honor his memory.
This exhibit is appropriate for all ages, and there will be a scavenger hunt activity for children. 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.
Jul 16, 2023 | News, Regional Arts Events, Visual Arts
The Gmeiner Art & Cultural Center is pleased to announce a workshop and reading from esteemed local author Judith Sornberger. This event is a celebration of the publication of Judith’s tenth collection of poetry, The Book of Muses, which is hot off the presses. In this newest book, the poet invites readers to open the door (or window, or our hearts) to welcome the Muse in her many guises. Both events will be held on Tuesday, July 25 th . The writing workshop will start at 6PM and will be held in the Main Gallery at the Gmeiner. There is a fee of $10 for the workshop, and pre-registration is required. The book reading and party will follow at 7PM in the Main Gallery. The reading is free and no registration is required.
Come have fun, find inspiration, and discover your muse at the workshop "Finding Your Muse in Art: A Fun Writing Workshop with author Judith Sornberger!" In conjunction with Jonathan Bond’s “Rustic Beauty” exhibit, and guided by the poet, participants will imagine their ways into the scenes of these gorgeous paintings and discover ways to write their own poems, inspired by the muses they find in the images in the gallery. Judith is an accomplished teacher who first taught creative writing and literature in Nebraska prisons and since then has taught in many venues, including at Mansfield University. If you are interested in participating in the workshop, please contact Carrie Heath, the director of the Gmeiner, at 570-724-1917 or [email protected] to sign up and pay the $10 fee.
At 7PM, workshop participants and anyone else interested in writing and poetry are invited to gather in the gallery to hear Judith read selections from The Book of Muses. Whether communing with a black bear, describing a painted turtle laying her eggs, or observing a garter snake’s left-behind skin, the poet reminds us that “everything here speaks of her” and is “an invitation to create / something from what / looks like nothing. The poet’s muse is the ultimate shapeshifter–at times a mermaid, a witch, a deer, a painting, or even the woman bicycling up behind her on the Pine Creek bike path.
Readers–and those attending her reading/book party–are guaranteed to find inspiration in these myriad muses. Light refreshments will be provided.
The Gmeiner Art & Cultural Center is located at 134 Main Street in Wellsboro, behind the Green Free Library.
Jun 25, 2023 | News, Visual Arts
By: Carrie Heath, June 20, 2023
The Gmeiner Art & Cultural Center is pleased to announce the Atrium exhibit for July, “An Eagle’s Eye View: Tioga County from Above” by local photographer Wade Spencer.
The exhibit will feature aerial landscape photos printed on metal, which gives them a three-dimensional quality. This exhibit will open on Saturday, July 8 th with a reception
from 2-4PM. Wade and the Main Gallery artist, Jonathan Bond, will talk about their art work at 3PM. Light refreshments will be provided by members of Art’s Friends. The
reception is free and open to the public.
A Tioga county native, Wade Spencer is a Wellsboro-based photographer and videographer who enjoys capturing creative content in our beautiful region. While studying communication at Mansfield University in 1997, Wade developed a parallel interest in photography, specifically creating landscape and nature scenes on 35mm
slide film. He has eagerly embraced digital technology as it developed. Wade continued his photographic journey and today utilizes the modern capabilities of drones and action
cameras as well as traditional cameras. Wade states, “I've always been captivated by both beautiful outdoor photography and flying. When it became possible to capture a
literal birds eye view, I knew I needed to invest in the equipment, learn the regulations, and develop that skill. Top-down photos are an angle that is rarely seen, but show so
much.” Outside of content creation, Wade enjoys hiking, biking, kayaking, and spending time in nature. You can see more photographs by Wade on Instagram at: wade_spencer
This display is appropriate for all ages, and there will be a scavenger hunt activity for children. 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.
Jun 18, 2023 | News, Regional Arts Events, Visual Arts
Wellsboro, PA. – Renowned Berks County artist Jon Bond will present his “Rustic Beauty” exhibition at the Gmeiner Art & Cultural Center in Wellsboro, PA, July 8 – 30. The art exhibit in the main gallery will be open daily Tuesday through Sunday, 12 – 6pm. Visitors will have the opportunity to meet the artist and learn the stories behind the paintings during a reception on Saturday, July 8, 2-4pm. A free Smartphone audio tour will also be available to gallery visitors.
“Rustic Beauty” will feature more than 35 original works including egg tempera, oil, watercolor, and ink drawings. Finished works, along with studies and derivative compositions, capture the harsh rustic beauty of the northern Berks County landscape that surrounds Jon’s art studio. The art is a nod to the strong Pennsylvania German heritage of the area and conveys a silent sense of place where inanimate objects become neighbors, farmers, family, and friends.
Many items will be displayed for purchase. Unique gifts featuring reproductions of Jon’s art include zippered carryalls, puzzles, prints, postcards, greeting cards, and more.
The Gmeiner Art & Cultural Center is located at 134 Main Street, Wellsboro, PA 16901
For additional information visit https://gmeinerartculturalcenter.org , call 570-724-1917, email [email protected] or contact Jon at 610-756-4490, [email protected] or visit Jon’s website at http://jonathanbond.com
Jun 3, 2023 | Call for Artists, News, Regional Arts Events, Visual Arts
An intersection is a point or line common to lines or surfaces that intersect. It is also a point at which two or more things intersect– a crossing, a convergence, a joining.
Artisan Alley invites artists to submit work that explores intersections, whether it’s through form, ideas, and/or materials. This exhibition is open to all media.
Up to three works may be submitted for consideration for $15. Entries must be received by July 12th, 2023. The exhibition will take place in October 2023. Prizes will be awarded at the opening reception.
About our juror: Eddy López is an internationally renowned visual artist and educator. He received an MFA in printmaking from the University of Miami, and a BFA in Painting and Printmaking as well as a BA in Art History from Florida International University. Currently, he is an Assistant Professor of Art at Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania.
This exhibition opportunity was planned and implemented in conjunction with Anthracite Creative Works, an art studio in Trevorton, PA.
May 29, 2023 | News, Regional Arts Events, Uncategorized, Visual Arts
By: Carrie Heath, May 24, 2022
The Gmeiner Art & Cultural Center is pleased to announce a series of free watercolor classes for adults in the Studio at the Gmeiner. All classes will be led by Kathy Pilling-Whitney of Tioga, who has many years of teaching experience and is an accomplished watercolor painter. There will be two beginner sessions in June, and then a series of three classes in July for those who want to learn more advanced techniques. The classes are free, but students must provide their own materials. For these classes, students will need to purchase a set of watercolor paints (tubes or pans – not opaque), at least six sheets of 140 pound watercolor paper (8×10”, 9×12” or 11×14”), a watercolor palette to mix colors, and a set of watercolor (NOT acrylic) brushes.
The beginner class will be offered on two dates – Sunday, June 4 th and Sunday, June
25 th from 10AM – 12PM. Students should sign up for one session or the other by emailing [email protected] or calling 570-724-1917. This class is intended for students who have little to no experience with watercolor painting and is limited to 12 students per session. The beginner class will be an exploration of the properties of transparent watercolor so that students can become familiar with the medium and increase their confidence in using it. The two-hour class will include discussion of the following: masking white vs. leaving white vs. using tape, transparent vs. opaque watercolor, and the use of watercolor markers and watercolor pencils.
Students will also explore fluid (wet-in-wet), wet-on-dry, and drybrush techniques. Demonstrations and coaching will be done for both still life and abstract designs. Students should leave the class with at least one painting, increased skills and
confidence in using watercolors, and perhaps a desire to continue developing their skills in the advanced series of classes.
The advanced classes will be held on July 9 th , 16 th , and 23 rd from 10AM – 12PM. Students should sign up for all three sessions by emailing [email protected] or calling 570-724-1917. This series of classes is intended to greatly develop the students’ ability to use watercolors, and is open to students who took the beginner class or who have previous experience with watercolors. It is limited to 12 participants. The first class will start with a review of basic techniques, and then participants will practice various watercolor techniques over the course of the three days using a variety of subject matter. Students will paint a mostly white still life creating depth and shadows without using black. They will paint a floral design and learn about color glazing with watercolors, and they will complete an abstract design.
The Gmeiner is located at 134 Main Street, Wellsboro, behind the Green Free Library.
Students should park on Main Street in front of the library
