Fly Me to the Moon

The Shoe Factory Art Co-op, a cooperative art gallery on N. Goodman St., is hosting an art exhibit just down the road at Starry Nites Café on University Ave.  “Fly Me to the Moon: Celestial Bodies at Starry Nites Café” features the work of 16 local artists depicting a variety of cosmic themed imagery.  On display are moons, stars, skyscapes, and outer space fantasies in the form of paintings, mixed media, collage, and stained glass. 

Participating artists are Chloe Bennett-Larson, Phil Bliss, Beth Brown, Daniel Chadwick, Jan Feldman, Nancy Jo Gambacurta, Simoney Hanna, Kathy Juda, Mary Beth Lee, Stan Merrell, Barbara Mink, Jeanette Musliner, Mona Oates, Tom Ritz, Deanna Varble, and Colleen Virdi.

Shoe Factory director Beth Brown and Starry Nites co- owner Aaron Lefebvre believe that cross-promotion is a great way to support each other’s businesses in the Neighborhood of the Arts.  The busy coffee shop acts as a satellite showcase for the gallery and in turn, the juried art exhibit brings in new customers to the bistro while enhancing the atmosphere with original art. 

“Starry Nites Café is a street level storefront open seven days a week, day and night.  They get a lot of daily traffic”, Brown says.  “My gallery is in the Anderson Arts Building on the second floor and we are not able to be open for as many hours.  Although our art openings are popular and very well attended, it’s great to offer more exposure for our artists.  I’ve always wanted to work with other businesses in the neighborhood and this is a nice arrangement.”

The public is invited to meet the artists at a free reception for “Fly Me to the Moon: Celestial Bodies at Starry Nites Café” on Sunday, June 10^th from 2-4pm.  Artwork is available for purchase as well as the café’s usual fare.   Patrons can enjoy specialty drinks, gourmet coffees, beer and wine, homemade soups, salads, sandwiches, and desserts. 

The exhibit runs through August 25^th.  Starry Nites Café is located in the unique Flat Iron Building at 696 University Ave., Rochester, NY 14607.  Open daily.  Call (585) 271-2630 for hours or visit www.starrynitescafe.com .

Artists that missed the deadline for the current exhibit can enter the next Shoe Factory/ Starry Nites show in September called “Clouds in my Coffee”.  Submit your artwork by August 11^th.  For more info, visit the Call for Artists page on the Shoe Factory’s website at www.shoefactoryarts.com . 

The Shoe Factory Art Co-op’s gallery is located at 250 N. Goodman St., Studio 212, Rochester, NY 14607. Phone: 585-732-0036 Email: studio212@shoefactoryarts.com  

"000000 - From Drupal Series", DeannaVarble

"Dance of the Planets", Jeanette Musliner

"Tyrian Purple", Mona Oates

Write About Art

A big thank you to local arts writers! 

There are a number of writers in Rochester who are covering art news, but there is so much going on in this town, more writers and photographers are needed to document these activities and keep the public informed about our rich arts community. There are so many artists, art venues, art exhibits, and artwork to be explored!

The most recognizable local writers are news journalists Stuart Low from the Democrat & Chronicle and Rebecca Rafferty of City Newspaper.  They both do a fantastic job of reporting and reviewing local art related news, but they certainly can't be expected to do it all.

Here are some other publications of note to add to your arts reading list:

The Arts & Cultural Council for Greater Rochester publishes a slick quarterly arts magazine called Metropolitan.  Since 2005, the publication has featured articles on regional artists, innovators, cultural organizations, exhibits, performances and events.  Council president Sarah Lentini pens each and every article herself!

Lake Affect magazine, a labor of love published by Michele Cardulla, has been around since 1994.  This independently owned biannual artzine seeks submissions of artwork, photographs, fiction writing, poetry, and essays to fill its pages.  Interviews with artists, writers, musicians, and other interesting personalities are featured in this alternative arts community digest.

Troy Smith and Victor Gomez's Subculture magazine focuses on tattoo art and culture, with additional articles on music, fashion, sports, film, dance and other visual arts.

Jaylynn Little provides a platform for aspiring artists pursuing fashion, music, and art in her magazine SOULife.  She challenges her readers to "dream, create, and inspire".

These local literary efforts generate informative and interesting reading for art enthusiasts.

As director of The Shoe Factory Art Co-op, I started this blog The Shoe Horn with the intention of writing about the many art exhibits we have in our gallery and the professional, emerging, and re-emerging Rochester artists that have walked through our doors.  We've had a variety of works of art in our shows worthy of commentary. 

I'd like to make The Shoe Horn as active as possible with a well rounded overview from different local writers.  Contributors are welcome to cover goings on at The Shoe Factory Art Co-op and around town, preferably visual arts.  If you would like an outlet to write about art, please send your writing submissions to my attention studio212@shoefactoryarts.com.  We have many an art exhibit to be covered and many an artist to be interviewed!

~Beth Brown

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)

Rochester Artist has Blissful Exhibit

The Shoe Factory Art Co-op, a gallery in Rochester’s Neighborhood of the Arts, announces their March art exhibit, “Follow Your Bliss”.  The show will feature a retrospective, as well as current work, of award winning fine artist and illustrator Phil Bliss.  The exhibit will consist of landscapes, illustrations, and imaginative paintings of varying sizes done in oil, acrylic, watercolor, and gouache.  The display of over 20 years of work will reveal the talent, skill, and amazing versatility of this Rochester artist.  The Shoe Factory Art Co-op is proud to have Phil Bliss as a member and to present his first solo show.

Ever since he can remember, Phil Bliss has been creating art.  Following in the footsteps of his artist father, Harry, and two older brothers, Tom and Jim, his whole family was always actively doing artwork.  When his younger sister Ann came along, she did art as well.  Phil’s mom, Elvira, who passed away 10 years ago, was not a visual artist but expressed herself creatively through playing the piano and singing in the church choir.  “I never knew any different”, Bliss says. “My Dad is an award winning fine art painter, commercial artist, and art teacher.  We all did art.”  Many of Phil’s relatives from the Rochester area are award winning artists and art teachers as well.

Growing up in the suburbs, Phil graduated from Pittsford Sutherland High School with an art scholarship in 1975.  He went on to study art at Vesper George School of Art in Boston and won a scholarship award there.  He graduated with a BFA in 1978 and then became an illustrator, building his reputation and clientele.  By the 90’s he was making a good living as a commercial artist, sharing a house in Rochester with his brother Jim, also an illustrator.  Phil’s jobs came from around the country, with a majority of the work coming from New York City and Los Angeles.  His illustrations could be seen on the pages of books and magazines, book covers, advertisements, and commercial packaging.  Notable clients have included Time Magazine, Reader’s Digest, AT&T, American Airlines, and Citibank, among many others. 

But Phil’s success as a commercial artist started to change.  “9/11 happened and nothing seemed the same after that”, Bliss says. “I just wasn’t getting as many jobs any more.  Things have been on a decline ever since.”  Phil’s brother Jim has suffered similar circumstances.  Phil blames his lack of work on the economy and advancements in technology.  Not only have artists learned a new art medium through graphic design programs, but the internet has opened up competition from artists all over the world.  “Art directors are inundated and overwhelmed”, says Bliss.  “You can’t get an appointment anymore to show your portfolio.  The competition is fierce.”  Bliss, 55, now lives in a small studio apartment on Park Ave. with his cat Izzy and does his artwork there.  His illustration jobs have dwindled.  He has not kept up with technology, but is learning how to market himself on the internet.

Nevertheless, this has not stopped Phil from being productive or prevented his talent from being recognized.  He recently received Merit Awards for each of two illustrations accepted into the current American Illustration Annual book.  Two other illustrations have been accepted into the latest Society of Illustrators Annual book (a publication Bliss has been featured in many times in past years), and two more of his illustrations have been accepted into the latest 3 x 3 Illustration Annual book.

Locally, as a fine artist, Phil has won numerous awards from Rochester Art Club, of which he has been a long time member.  He has won many landscape painting awards, including best of show, from Genesee Valley Plein Air Painters of which he is a member.  His work has been accepted into many of the Rochester-Finger Lakes Exhibitions at the Memorial Art Gallery and the annual invitational at Oxford gallery.  He received an award at the annual regional exhibition at the Arnot Museum in Elmira.

Many of these same awards and similar accomplishments in art have been achieved by other members of the Bliss clan.  Phil’s 88 year old father, Harry Bliss, is still actively painting with as much enthusiasm and timeless talent as ever, despite some health problems.  He shows his work in as many art shows as he can.  Many of Phil’s siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins, and extended family are creating art in some form or another and are each uniquely gifted in their own way, producing a legacy of eternal, artistic Bliss.

“Follow Your Bliss” opens with an artist’s reception on First Friday, March 2nd from 5-9pm and runs through Wednesday, March 28th.  Artwork is available for purchase.  The Shoe Factory Art Co-op is a member of the Regional Gallery Director’s Forum and will participate in their “Thaw” gallery theme by having a whole wall of Phil Bliss’s winter “thaw” landscapes on display at his show.

Artists’ Reception:  First Friday, March 2nd from 5-9pm
Show Duration:  March 2^nd thru 28th
Exhibit hours:  First Friday, March 2^nd from 5-9pm, Saturday March 3^rd from 11-5pm, Saturday, March 10^th from 12-4pm, and Wednesdays 12-5pm thru Feb. 28^th
Location:  The Shoe Factory Art Co-op, 250 N. Goodman St., Studio 212 (second floor), Rochester, NY 14607
Show Admission:  Free  

Contact:  Director, Beth Brown
Phone: (585)732-0036
E-mail: studio212@shoefactoryarts.com
Website: www.shoefactoryarts.com  
Facebook: www.facebook.com/theshoefactory

Twitter: www.twitter.com/theshoefactory

Cat and Dog Spaceship

Love Travels Through the Universe
by Lorin Easton

Unconditional love is what I sought
You infected me with all the love that you brought
I don't know where you came from, but here you are now
I expect that you'll stay for a while
 to fill my life with a bark and meow

You'll want to play all day and sleep all night
And push my buttons when the time is right
Your wisdom teaches me everyday
That I must honor our bond always and today

When I see you off
you better look to me and say with might
“Your stars are my stars and we are always in sight”
Traveling through infinity passing your constellations
Making a new home in your space station

You'll see amazing things and live free among the stars
Spreading more love to galaxies afar
Try to swing by every now and again
I'll watch for your ship on clear nights above the terrain

This mixed media piece was donated by Lorin Easton for our “Unconditional Love: Cats and Dogs” February art exhibit silent auction to benefit a local "No Kill" shelter. Bidding ends Feb. 25th at 4pm.

Lorin Easton

Pratt Cats

by Anne Smoral

These are pictures I took during my time at Pratt Institute.
The Chief Engineer of Pratt’s Historic Boiler Room adopted cats.
The other Engine Room workers fed and cared for the cats.
They were our campus cats (Pratt Cats) and each cat had its own personality and area on campus where it hung out.
The photographs are sentimental with a personal story.
A story about cats that provided the Pratt students, faculty, workers
and other people with unconditional love.

Sam and Stepsy

Big Momma

Frank, The Head Cat

These framed photos were donated by Anne Smoral for our “Unconditional Love: Cats and Dogs” February art exhibit silent auction to benefit a local "No Kill" shelter.  Bidding ends Feb. 25th at 4pm.