Cultural Crawl Painting Demonstration

This year's second annual Cultural Crawl is a concerted effort by City Newspaper and local arts venues to invite the public to take in the Rochester's arts and cultural scene all in one day!  Visit low cost or free arts activities on Saturday, April 21st from 10am-7pm in Rochester's Downtown, Neighborhood of the Arts, and East End districts.

The Shoe Factory Art Co-op will partake in this event by having a free live painting demonstration in their art gallery!  Shoe Factory members Doug Steward, Scott Lamont, and Susan Jenkins will let their creativity flow before your very eyes from 3-5pm!    

The Shoe Factory Art Co-op is located in the same building as City Newspaper at 250 North Goodman St.  Yellow door entrances in the alley parking lot will lead you to the second floor.  Look for our gallery in Studio 212.

City Newspaper's Cultural Crawl is brought to you by Visit Rochester.

Axom Gallery's Debut

Paul Garland (photo by Russ Lunn)

The Shoe Factory Art Co-op is pleased to welcome Axom Gallery to the Neighborhood of the Arts.  The new gallery is a close neighbor of ours, right down the road at 176 Anderson Ave.  Axom plans to rotate exhibits of contemporary visual artists throughout the year.

A family run gallery, the new venture is a team effort by Robin and Rick Muto and their daughter Margot.  The newly renovated exhibit room is housed on the second floor of the Muto's combined business & studio space.  Robin is an interior designer specializing in interior and lighting design www.robinmuto.com, and Rick is a fine artist and well known decorative painter and muralist www.rickmuto.com.  Their daughter Margot, also an artist, is director of the new gallery.

Their first show "Convergence" features the work of their long time family friend, Paul Garland.  His colorful acrylics on canvas and board feature abstract paintings juxtaposed with representational landscapes.

We were pleased to be invited to a preview show in advance of Axom's grand opening on April's First Friday.  We were very impressed with the bright, pristine gallery and the quality of Paul Garlands's fine work.  We felt welcomed by the Muto family's warm and inclusive hospitality.

We welcome Axom Gallery to the neighborhood and encourage art patrons to attend their opening reception from 6-9pm on Friday, April 6th.  Paul Garland will also give an "artist talk" on Thursday, May 3rd at 6:30pm.  Show runs through May 26th.

Axom Gallery (photo by Russ Lunn)