NIGRA ARTS CENTER RECEIVES AWARD OF EXCELLENCE

The Paul Nigra Center for Creative Arts in Gloversville, New York is being honored with a 2017 Award of Excellence by CQL | The Council on Quality and Leadership. This award acknowledges their creation of an inclusive environment where artistic expression and diverse creativity can flourish for all aspiring and established artists, both with and without disability. The community-based facility offers classes, exhibits, productions, concerts, camps, workshops, and other enrichment experiences where all participants are respected as artists, actors, dancers, musicians, and aspiring chefs.

Angela Rapp Kennedy, Vice President, CQL; Mary Kay Rizzolo, CEO, CQL; Shaloni Winston, Executive Director, Lexington; and Daniel Richardson, Deputy Executive Director, Lexington.

“The Nigra Arts Center has a genuine attentiveness to each person as an artist. Instead of focusing on disability as being the context for their creation, each artist’s work stands on its own, just as it should. It’s a refreshing approach,” says Mary Kay Rizzolo, President and CEO of CQL | The Council on Quality and Leadership. CQL is presenting five recipients with the 2017 CQL Award of Excellence at the 2017 CQL Conference, themed ‘Blueprint for Person-Centered Practices,’ in recognition of best practices in human services.

The Lexington Foundation, of Lexington, a chapter of the Arc of New York, owns and operates the Paul Nigra Center for Creative Arts. Following numerous Personal Outcome Measures® interviews, Lexington discovered that many people had interest in the creative arts and wanted more opportunities to enjoy and express themselves. This center is unique in that community members take part in program activities, right along with those receiving more formal supports. The Paul Nigra Center for Creative Arts also does not differentiate artists based on diagnosis during juried exhibitions, as there is no reference at all to an artist’s disability. 

“We are most proud to see people with disabilities recognized for their individual talents and abilities by everyone who comes to the arts center.  Every day they are learning and sharing experiences with others who have common goals and aspirations. This has helped them feel respected and to be true members of the community,” said Shaloni Winston, Executive Director of Lexington and the Paul Nigra Center for Creative Arts. “We are grateful to CQL for this honor and recognition.”

The mission of the Paul Nigra Center for Creative Arts is to provide a creative educational resource for people of all ages and abilities while celebrating the arts through classes, entertainment, exhibitions, and special events. Additionally, they are committed to offering accessible art programs for adults and children with developmental and physical differences.

Senior Soirée Coming Back to Nigra Arts Center

On Friday, October 20, senior citizens are invited to participate in the Fall Senior Soirée at the Paul Nigra Center for Creative Arts. The event, sponsored by Fidelis Care, will take place from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. at the center, located at 2736 State Highway 30 in Gloversville.

“We held our first Senior Soirée back in June and it was a huge success,” said Sue Nigra, director of the Nigra Arts Center. “The demand for a second soirée was overwhelming. We can’t wait to welcome more men and women to enjoy our next one.”

The Senior Soirée will feature lunch and live entertainment. Participants will be able to choose in advance from several classes, ranging from African drumming, chair yoga and painting to how to make holiday hors d’oeuvres. Other classes will include holiday bow making and accessorizing fall/winter fashions.

Admission is $25 per person. Space is limited and pre-registration is required by visiting pncreativeartscenter.org or calling the Nigra Arts Center at (518) 661-9932.

Durey Creek Bluegrass Band to perform at Nigra Arts Center

The Durey Creek Bluegrass Band will perform a concert at the Paul Nigra Center for Creative Arts on Friday, October 20. The show begins at 7 p.m. The arts center is located at 2736 State Highway 30, Gloversville.

The band, comprised of Bob Kilmer on bass, Marilyn Fegley on rhythm guitar and harmony vocals, Jeff Nasadoski on banjo and Nancy Purcell on lead vocals and acoustic guitar, originated in the North Bush United Methodist Church in 2008. They specialize in bluegrass and gospel music performed at churches, community events, fairs, festivals and other venues around Fulton County and throughout New York’s Capital Region.

Tickets are $10 and available at pncreativeartscenter.org or at the door.

This concert is underwritten by the generous support of John and Sunday Blackmon as well as other sponsors of the Nigra Arts Center’s concert series. It is the ninth of several the Paul Nigra Center for Creative Arts is hosting on its grounds in 2017. The concert series features local performers in a wide variety of genres and styles. Visit pncreativeartscenter.org to see the full lineup.

The Zombies are Coming to Nigra Arts Center!

On Saturday, October 28, dress up as a ZOMBIE and prepare to scare up some fun at the Zombie Fun Run/Walk to benefit the Paul Nigra Center for Creative Arts. The public is invited to participate in and/or sponsor this family fun event, which will take place on the grounds of the center, located at 2736 State Highway 30 in Gloversville.

Registration will take place from 8:30-9:30 a.m. and the Zombie Fun Run/Walk will kick off at 10 a.m. Participants will receive a free t-shirt as long as they register by October 20. The entry fee is $25 per person. Those who wish to register can do so at http://pncreativeartscenter.org/ or in person the day of the event for $30. T-shirts will be included based on availability. Children 5 and under are admitted free (no shirt provided).

Throughout the course, zombie runners and walkers will be greeted by friendly ghouls and creatures who will shower them with sweet treats while scaring up plenty of laughs – all in the name of good fun! The race will not be timed. Water will be available on site.

Following completion of the Zombie Fun Run/Walk, there will be a Zombie Party featuring live entertainment, a costume contest, creepy and cool face painting, and food for sale.

Businesses who wish to sponsor the Zombie Fun Run/Walk should contact Amanda Bowman at (518) 775-9863 or bowmana@lexcenter.org or Lynette May at (518) 774-3292 or mayl@lexcenter.org. For more information about this event, visit pncreativeartscenter.org.
The rain date is Saturday, November 4.

Paul Nigra Center for Creative Arts unveils 2017 Fall Art Show

The Paul Nigra Center for Creative Arts is proud to announce the opening of its 2017 Fall Art Show, “The Art of Disguise.” The submitted works celebrate fall with a little mystery and intrigue by interpreting the theme of disguise and camouflage. In addition to the regular gallery submissions, the Nigra Arts Center is also exhibiting a display of 3-D masks that fully embrace the Halloween season.

Butterfly Dreams by Linda Naske

The show hangs from October 5, 2017, to January 10, 2018. It features work in a wide variety of media from both local artists and artists from other states, such as North Carolina, Rhode Island and Utah.

More than 40 artists are exhibiting more than 78 pieces in this show. The featured artists include Amy Andujar, Joshua Brooks, Doreen Calhoun, Ross Carangelo, Bobby Carr, Douglas Countryman, Susan Dawkins, Francis Dempsey, Ron Dennis, Katherine L. Ehle, Richard Freeman, Katey Germain, Warren Greene, Jamie Hayner, Carol M. Hesselink, Alexandra Higgins, Linda Hinkle, Jack Horning, Michele Johnsen, Nancie Johnson, Linda Kollar, Edward McDaniel, Laurie Mickel, Sharon Miller, Hope Morrow Glidden, Paul M. Murray, Lynda Naske, Mary Alice Orito, Ellen Rae Panero, Laura Penge Burda, Abby Preston, Taylor Skinner, Patsy Suydam, Paul Valovic, Jean Van Pelt, Kevin Wright, Setsuko Yoshida and the artists of the Transitions and Creative Expressions programs.

Through the generous support of donors, the Paul Nigra Center for Creative Arts is able to offer awards and prizes to outstanding submissions in this show. Award winners will be announced at the Meet the Artists Opening Reception and Awards Ceremony on Thursday, October 19, from 6-8 p.m. All are welcome to attend, see the show and meet some of the featured artists. Light refreshments will be served.

The opening reception will also feature the raffle drawing for the Nigra Arts Center’s Little Gems Fundraiser. For this special exhibit, local artists donated works on 5”x5” canvases to be raffled off to benefit the arts center. Forty-six pieces were donated in total.

The public is welcome to view the artwork in the Nigra Arts Center’s Community Gallery throughout its run. The gallery is open Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. or Saturdays 9 a.m. to noon. The Paul Nigra Center for Creative Arts is located at 2736 State Highway 30, Gloversville. For more information, please call (518) 661-9932 or visit www.pncreativeartscenter.org.

NIGHT OUT Coming to Nigra Arts Center!

The Lexington Foundation’s NIGHT OUT will take place at the Paul Nigra Center for Creative Arts on Friday, September 22. The event begins at 6 p.m. The arts center is located at 2736 State Highway 30, Gloversville.

The NIGHT OUT will feature food and craft beer from Lanzi’s on the Lake, musical performances by Pat Decker and Flame, raffles and auctions, magician Shaun Robison, dancing and much more. Proceeds will benefit the Nigra Arts Center and Transitions.

The Paul Nigra Center for Creative Arts is upstate New York's premier community arts center, providing classes in music, dance, art, yoga, cooking and more. The center houses exceptional art venues, hosts family fun events, and provides educational opportunities for people of all ages, abilities and artistic skills. Additionally, the Nigra Arts Center is a popular venue for private and corporate events.

Transitions is making a difference in the lives of young people and families by providing the training and skills needed for students to live independently and follow their college and career dreams. This outstanding college and career Apprenticeship program is uniquely designed for young adults with autism spectrum disorders, ADHD, nonverbal learning disabilities and other learning differences.

Individual tickets for the NIGHT OUT are $100. Tables for 10 and sponsorships are also available. For more information, visit pncreativeartscenter.org or call (518) 661-9932.

JECCO Trio to perform at Nigra Arts Center

The JECCO trio will perform a concert at the Paul Nigra Center for Creative Arts on Friday, September 15. The show begins at 7 p.m. The arts center is located at 2736 State Highway 30, Gloversville.

Hailing from the Capital Region and comprised of Lecco Morris on piano, Jeff Nania on tenor sax and Rob Morrison on cajon, tabla and drumset, the JECCO Trio sports a unique stylistic blend of jazz, funk, pop and free improv. Their sound pulls from each of the members’ diverse backgrounds, including classical composition, free jazz, Indian classical music and progressive rock.

Tickets are $10 and available at pncreativeartscenter.org or at the door.

This concert is the eighth of several the Paul Nigra Center for Creative Arts is hosting on its grounds in 2017. The concert series features local performers in a wide variety of genres and styles. Visit pncreativeartscenter.org to see the full lineup.

CLMF Concert Showcase & Brunch to take center stage at Nigra Arts Center

The Paul Nigra Center for Creative Arts is presenting an exciting event that combines a delicious brunch in its spacious Grand Gallery with the incredible sounds of the world-renowned musicians of the Caroga Lake Music Festival (CLMF).  The CLMF Musician Celebration Concert Showcase & Brunch will take place Sunday, August 20, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the arts center, located at 2736 State Highway 30.

The Caroga Lake Music Festival offers a series of performances and community outreach throughout the Adirondacks, Hudson Valley, New York City and beyond. The musicians of the festival have quickly become well known throughout Upstate New York for bringing outstanding musical artistry and diverse instruments to traditional stages as well as backyard and lakefront concerts.

Attracting audiences locally and nationwide, the CLMF is dedicated to increasing accessibility to chamber music, cultivating creative and interactive experiences, and showcasing some of the world’s top professional artists from the U.S. and abroad. The festival features unique multi-genre programming, from classical to contemporary music and small ensembles to orchestras.

The CLMF is directed by its founder, cellist Kyle Barrett Price. To learn more, visit carogalakemusicfestival.org.

Tickets for this special event cost $25 per adult and $15 for children under 10. The brunch menu will include quiche, stuffed French toast, bacon, sausage, potatoes, salad greens, refreshments and desserts.

Reserve your spot today by visiting pncreativeartscenter.org or calling (518) 661-9932. The Paul Nigra Center for Creative Arts is located at 2736 State Highway 30, Gloversville.

Hair of the Dog to perform at Nigra Arts Center

The sixth concert of the season at the Paul Nigra Center for Creative Arts, featuring Hair of the Dog, will take place on Friday, August 4. The show begins at 7 p.m. at the arts center, located at 2736 State Highway 30, Gloversville.

Hair of the Dog is a high-energy Celtic rock band, originally formed as an acoustic trio in 1993. Band members include Rick Bedrosian (bass and vocals), Larry Packer (fiddle), Eric Finn (electric guitar, mandolin, violin and vocals), Brian Gibney (acoustic guitar, electric guitar and vocals) and Joe Morizio (drums) – all highly successful musicians in their own right. The band has released ten well-reviewed albums and been featured in Billboard Magazine and on high-profile compilations. They have been repeatedly named “Best Band” since the late 1990s by top newspapers and magazines in Upstate New York. Hair of the Dog performs at clubs, concert venues and Celtic festivals across the United States and Ireland. For more information about them, visit rickbedrosian.com/hair-of-the-dog.

Tickets are $10 and available at pncreativeartscenter.org or at the door.

This concert is the sixth of several the Paul Nigra Center for Creative Arts is hosting on its grounds in 2017. The concert series features local performers in a wide variety of genres and styles. Visit pncreativeartscenter.org to see the full lineup.

Call for Artists: The Art of Disguise

Help the Paul Nigra Center for Creative Arts celebrate the fall season with a little mystery and intrigue!  The center is seeking submissions for its 2017 Fall Art Show, “The Art of Disguise.” Pieces should consist of 2-D and 3-D works that embrace the theme of disguise.  Artists who are masters of this theme are welcome - as well as those who have simply found a subtle way to camouflage hidden images.

In addition to the regular gallery submissions, the Nigra Arts Center is also seeking 3-D mask submissions to fully embrace the season. There will be a bonus award for the most creative mask.

The show will run from October 5, 2017, to January 10, 2018. The deadline for submission is September 10. Works of all media are welcome. Pieces should be submitted via the website www.OnlineJuriedShows.com. This is not a juried show, but the website allows for ease of submission and selection by the curator.

Artists may submit up to three works with an entry fee of $25 and $10 per additional entry, for a total of five pieces maximum. Members of the Nigra Arts Center may submit three works with an entry fee of $15 and $7 per additional entry, for a total of five pieces maximum. Through the generous donations of supporters, the Paul Nigra Center for Creative Arts is able to offer $450 in awards and prizes to outstanding submissions.

Notification of selection will be sent via email by September 13. Selected works can be delivered to the Paul Nigra Center for Creative Arts on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, September 27, 28 and 29, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., or Saturday, September 30, 9 a.m. to noon. Works that are shipped to the Nigra Arts Center should be received by September 30. The mailing address for the center is 2736 State Highway 30, Gloversville, NY 12078.

The Paul Nigra Center for Creative Arts will hold an Opening Reception and Awards Ceremony on Thursday, October 19, 6-8 p.m. All are welcome to attend, see the exhibition and meet some of the featured artists.

For more information about the Paul Nigra Center for Creative Arts and this show, please visit www.pncreativeartscenter.org or call (518) 661-9932. To submit work to this show, please visit www.OnlineJuriedShows.com and scroll down to find the Nigra Arts Center’s listing.

Paul Nigra Center for Creative Arts unveils 2017 New York State Summer Art Show

The Paul Nigra Center for Creative Arts is proud to announce the opening of its second annual 2017 New York State Summer Art Show. The show, which will hang from June 15 until September 27, features work from artists who come from cities across New York State, including Latham, Niskayuna, Schenectady, Utica, Lake George, Ballston Spa and Saratoga Springs, as well as local artists. 

South Beach by Linda Hinkle

More than 35 artists and 93 pieces are featured in this show. The featured artists include Amy Andujar, Linda Biggers, Joshua Brooks, Donald Cooper, Rhea Costello, Julius Cucinella, Ron Dennis, P. Dwyer-Orlosky, Richard Freeman, Sheridan Gowen, Jamie Hayner, Linda Hinkle, Nancie Johnson, James Leddick, Eva Marie Loucks, Greg Maklae, Maryanne Malecki, Carol McCord, Teresa Mielewski, Christian O’Callaghan, Allison Patnode, Reuben Peeler, Caroline Pendlebury, Sandra Peters, Michelle Raspanti, Lily Seeley, Brian Tanner, Bonnie Tompkins, Paul Valovic, Darlene Van Sickle, Jessica VanSlyke-Seeley, Lynne Vokatis, David Waite, Sean Walmsley and the artists at Saratoga Bridges Creative Endeavors Art Center.

Through the generous support of donors, the Paul Nigra Center for Creative Arts is able to offer awards and prizes for this show. Award winners will be announced at the Meet the Artists Opening Reception on Thursday, June 29, 6-8 p.m. Light refreshments will be served at this reception, which will be attended by some of the featured artists. All are invited to view the pieces and talk to the artists about their work.

The public is also welcome to view the artwork in the Nigra Arts Center’s Community Gallery throughout its run. The gallery is open Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. or Saturdays 9 a.m. to noon. The Paul Nigra Center for Creative Arts is located at 2736 State Highway 30, Gloversville. For more information, please call (518) 661-9932 or visit www.pncreativeartscenter.org.

Saratoga Arts made this program possible with a Community Arts Grant funded by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature.

Color-A-Thon Run & Walk to Benefit Nigra Arts Center

Get ready for a rainbow of colors and fun during a Color-A-Thon Run & Walk on Saturday, July 15, to benefit the Paul Nigra Center for Creative Arts! The public is invited to participate in and/or sponsor the colorful event, which will take place on the grounds of the center, located at 2736 State Highway 30. Registration will take place 9-10 a.m. and the run/walk begins at 10:30 a.m. Participants will receive a free t-shirt and a color pack as long as they register by July 4.

Throughout the family fun course, runners and walkers will be splashed with washable color dust at “color bomb stations.” The dust is safe, non-toxic and completely washable. The race will not be timed.

Participants will be able to purchase fun items the day of the Color-A-Thon Run & Walk, ranging from sunglasses and socks to rainbow wigs and tutus. Water will be available on site. There will also be food for sale and live entertainment during a Color Blast Party!

The entry fee is $30 per person. Those who wish to register can do so at LexingtonCenterColorRun.com or in person the day of the event. Businesses who wish to sponsor the Color-A-Thon Run & Walk should contact Amanda Bowman at (518) 775-9863 or bowmana@lexcenter.org or Lynette May at (518) 774-3292 or mayl@lexcenter.org. For more information about this event, visit pncreativeartscenter.org.

The rain date is Saturday, July 22.

Maria Zemantauski brings flamenco-style guitar to Nigra Arts Center

The fourth concert of the season at the Paul Nigra Center for Creative Arts will take place Friday, June 23, with a concert featuring Maria Zemantauski. The show begins at 7:00 p.m. at the arts center, located at 2736 State Highway 30, Gloversville.

Maria Zemantauski is one of the world’s few heralded female flamenco-style guitarists, and one of even fewer female flamenco composers. Her programs are a dynamic blend of artistic freedom, innovation and tradition. Maria believes that the expressive possibilities of the guitar are limitless and pursues her music with passion, confidence and grace. She has performed in Spain, Italy and across the continental United States and has produced four albums since 1997. For more information about her, visit www.mariazemantauski.com.

Tickets are $10 and available at pncreativeartscenter.org or at the door.

This concert is the fourth of several the Paul Nigra Center for Creative Arts is hosting on its grounds in 2017. The concert series features local performers in a wide variety of genres and styles. Visit pncreativeartscenter.org to see the full lineup.

Bellinger and Groesback collaboration on display at Paul Nigra Center for Creative Arts

If you visit the Paul Nigra Center for Creative Arts in Gloversville any time in the next month, you will be greeted by a striking steel sculpture next to the lower parking lot. Its form melding industrial repurposed materials with organic curves and almost delicate appendages, “The Story of Lucas” is at once the embodiment of man-made invention and perfectly at home in the woods surrounding it.

“The Story of Lucas” by Barney Bellinger and Lawrence Groesbeck.

The sculpture is a collaboration between local artists Barney Bellinger and Lawrence Groesbeck, who graduated from the same class at Johnstown High School. The idea to collaborate came when Groesbeck visited Bellinger at his studio and Bellinger asked if he would like to build a sculpture together.

The artists began work on the sculpture without a plan and let it evolve before them, sharing the duties of selecting materials, fitting them into the form and welding them together. They worked on the sculpture for four months, taking turns selecting scrap metal and adding it to the form until the sculpture took shape as an abstract figure. It is made entirely of found materials salvaged from nearby sources.

The piece was named for Groesbeck’s son. Bellinger suggested the title because it evoked Lucas’ tenacity, strength, resilience and ability to endure hardship.

Groesbeck specializes primarily in abstract drawing and painting, though he has done some sculptural work with found materials, including cardboard, leather, wood and books. His pieces have been exhibited at the Arkell Museum in Canajoharie, the Shoe Factory Gallery in Rochester and many other locations. His work is also included in private collections across the United States and internationally. He works out of October Mountain Arts studio in the foothills of the Adirondack Mountains.

Bellinger’s body of work is diverse and constantly evolving, from painting and photography to sculptural furniture and abstract forms made of scrap metal, wood and found objects. His work has been featured in several rustic furniture publications and exhibited at the National Museum of Wildlife Art in Jackson, WY, the Smithsonian Institution, the Munson-Williams-Proctor Institute in Utica, and many more venues across the United States and internationally. He works alongside his wife Susan out of Sampson Bog Studio in Mayfield.

Bellinger is the featured artist of the Paul Nigra Center for Creative Arts’ 2017 Fulton-Montgomery Art Show. He will be exhibiting photography, paintings, industrial sculptural furniture and lighting, and a collection of abstract sculptures scattered around the grounds of the arts center. Groesbeck is also exhibiting five paintings in the show.

The Fulton-Montgomery Art Show, featuring the work of artists who live and work in Fulton and Montgomery Counties as well as the work of local students, will hang from May 6 to June 5. A public Meet the Artists Opening Reception will be held Thursday, May 11, 6-8 p.m. All are welcome to attend. The public may also view the show throughout its run Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturdays 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Sundays 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The Paul Nigra Center for Creative Arts is located at 2736 State Highway 30, Gloversville. For more information, call (518) 661-9932 or visit www.pncreativeartscenter.org.

Winners Announced as Popular Art Show Returns

On Thursday, May 11, hundreds of people packed the Paul Nigra Center for Creative Arts as winners were announced for the 2017 Fulton-Montgomery Art Show. The award ceremony took place during the Meet the Artists Opening Reception. The exhibition features work from a wide range of artists who live or work in Fulton and Montgomery Counties. Pieces created by student artists are also showcased. The featured artist is renowned local painter, sculptor and photographer Barney Bellinger.

2017 Fulton-Montgomery Art Show Winners

Student Awards:

Congregational Church Art Show Committee Award

First Place: “Childhood Memories 2, A Day at the Beach” by Taylor Griffith, Grade 12, Johnstown High School

Second Place: “Frank Gallagher” by Carolyn Smith, Grade 10, Broadalbin-Perth High School

Third Place: “Reveal” by Michael Darling, Grade 12, Northville Central School

Runner Up: Shelby Dopp, Grade 12, Mayfield Junior/Senior High School

Community Artists’ Award – Best in Show

First Place: “Cat 2” by Sierra Luck, Grade 12, Mayfield Junior/Senior High School

Second Place: “Untitled” by Amy Laubenstein, Grade 10, Mayfield Junior/Senior High School

Third Place: “Baby Crying” by Carter Ivancic, Grade 12, Mayfield Junior/Senior High School

Runner Up: “Girl in the Harley-Davidson Hat” by Sara Albright, Grade 12, Mayfield Junior/Senior High School

Traditions Award: Sara Albright, Grade 12, Mayfield Junior/Senior High School

Helen I. Hays Memorial Award: “Flower Girl” by Charlene Walters, Grade 12, Broadalbin-Perth High School

Antoine Harazin Award: Lauryn Pianelli, Grade 11, Mayfield Junior/Senior High School

Community Artist Awards:

Best in Show – Photography

First Place: “Snowy Glare” by Warren Greene

Second Place: “Intricate Dandy” by Paul Valovic

Third Place: “Big Brother” by Ron Dennis

Best in Show – All Media

First Place: “The Hedgerow” by Nancie Johnson

Second Place: “Between Races” by Sharon Miller

Third Place: “In Pemaquid Park” by Lynne Vokatis

Fulton County Show Alumni Award

First Place: “Geraniums” by Marilyn Batty

Second Place: “The Glove” by Jack Horning

Third Place: “1949 Studebaker” by Robert Stangle

The Fulton-Montgomery Art Show is a re-creation of the long-held Fulton County Art Show at the First Congregational Church in Gloversville. This show no longer exists, so the Nigra Arts Center was happy to resurrect and expand it to include Fulton and Montgomery Counties. 

The show will hang through June 5. The public is welcome to view the winning pieces as well as the rest of the artwork in our Community Gallery Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturdays 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Saratoga Arts made this program possible with a Community Arts Grant funded by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature. 

Summer Kid Camps Offered at Nigra Arts Center

The Paul Nigra Center for Creative Arts is hosting a series of day camps for children this summer. Camp themes range from music and cooking to dance, make believe and adventure. All the camps listed below will take place at the Nigra Arts Center at 2736 State Highway 30. Members of the center receive a discount on all fees. For more information and to register for any of the camps, call (518) 661-9932 or visit pncreativeartscenter.org.

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Rock & Roll Kid Camp - Session One

July 5-7

9 a.m.-2 p.m.

Ages 5-15

Cost: $130 pre-registration | $150 at door

Back by popular demand, music instructor Tom Simek is ready to teach kids to rock! Campers will enjoy three days of fun-filled music education. They’ll learn not only about songwriting, but also how to create a music video. On the last day of camp, they will perform for friends and family. Campers should bring their own lunch, snack and water bottle each day. Refrigeration is available. 

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Kid Cooking Camp

July 11-13

9 a.m.-1 p.m.

Ages 6-12

Cost: $130 pre-registration | $150 at door

Our popular culinary camp is back with more tasty treats for children to make and eat! Campers will keep mighty busy in our professional teaching kitchen as our chef instructors teach them to make three gourmet lunches. Kids will also make fun food-related art projects to take home. Campers should bring a water bottle each day.

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Caroga Lake Music Festival Camp

July 24-26
2-4 p.m.
All ages welcome

Cost: $100 pre-registration | $120 at door

This camp is a three-day workshop and educational/performance program open to musicians of all ages and abilities, from children to adults and from beginners to experienced performers. The program is directed by Kyle Barrett Price and faculty from the Caroga Lake Music Festival (CLMF). Campers will play with fellow participants and take part in a unique music-making experience in small and large groups organized to each person's age and ability level. Additionally, the camp will include lessons, classes and close tutoring with the world-renowned faculty musicians of CLMF. The three days will conclude with a final celebration concert showcase.  

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Rock & Roll Kid Camp - Session Two

August 1-3

9 a.m.-2 p.m.

Ages 5-15

Cost: $130 pre-registration | $150 at door

Tom Simek is back with more rock & roll fun! Campers will have the time of their lives as they make sensational sounds and learn skills from songwriting to video production! On the last day of camp, family and friends will be treated to a live performance from our rock & roll campers. Kids should bring their own lunch, snack and water bottle each day. Refrigeration is available. 

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Adirondack Adventure Camp

August 8-10

9 a.m.-2 p.m.

Ages 5-15

Cost: $130 pre-registration | $150 at door

For this camp, children should prepare to head outside and embrace nature in all of her glory! Activities will range from scavenger hunts to art projects with an outdoor theme. Campers should bring their own lunch, snack and water bottle each day. Refrigeration is available. 

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Living Storybook Camp

August 15-17

9 a.m.-2 p.m.

Ages 5-10

Cost: $90 pre-registration | $110 at door

This storytelling experience puts campers in control of the story! Children will use their imaginations as they work with counselors on characters, story, setting and even costumes. At the end of camp, children will become the storybook in a special video parents will be able to share with the world! Campers should bring their own lunch, snack and water bottle each day. Refrigeration is available. 

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Little Feet Dance Camp

August 21-23

9 a.m.-2 p.m.

Ages 6-13

Cost: $130 pre-registration | $150 at door | $50 for individual day

This camp, directed by Gretchen Salvione, owner and operator of The Dance Company, is for dancers ages 6 to 13. In addition to learning cool ballet, jazz, lyrical and hip hop moves, children will make props and costumes and perform for loved ones and friends on the last day of camp. All skill levels are welcome, from beginners to dancers who have some training but want to spruce up their technique. Campers should bring their own lunch, snack and water bottle each day. Refrigeration is available. 

Electric City Chorus to Electrify Nigra Arts Center

The third concert of the season at the Paul Nigra Center for Creative Arts will take place Saturday, May 20 with a concert featuring the Electric City Chorus. The show begins at 3:00 p.m. at the Arts Center, located at 2736 State Highway 30, Gloversville.

The Electric City Chorus is a men's a cappella close harmony singing group based in Schenectady. They have been singing barbershop harmony since 1944. Their repertoire draws from Broadway musicals, pop music and big band standards. They perform love songs, toe-tappers and hits from across the decades, all sung in a unique four-part a cappella close harmony style.

In its mission to share the joy of music with everyone, the chorus has performed at many public and private events over the years, including at parks, parades, civic events, libraries, telethons, patriotic programs, sporting events, theaters and local schools.

Tickets are $10 and available at pncreativeartscenter.org or at the door.

This concert is the third of several the Paul Nigra Center for Creative Arts is hosting on its grounds in 2017. The concert series features local performers in a wide variety of genres and styles. Visit pncreativeartscenter.org to to see the full lineup.

EMVI Chocolate Provides Sweet Support to Nigra Arts Center

The Paul Nigra Center for Creative Arts is grateful to EMVI Chocolate for its ongoing support, which happens to be exceptionally sweet.  

The Broadalbin business, owned by Irina and Victor Gelman, recently donated a giant chocolate bunny that was raffled off at the Nigra Arts Center’s Easter Bunny Family Fun Day on April 15th.  Also donated?  Hundreds of chocolates that were sold to visitors - with proceeds benefitting the center.  The generosity didn’t end there.  When EMVI held its own giant chocolate bunny raffle, $1,108 was raised:  $554 of which was donated to the Fulton County YMCA and $554 to the Nigra Arts Center. 

“We cannot thank EMVI Chocolate and the Gelman family enough,” said center director Sue Nigra. “We deeply appreciate their generosity and friendship. Plus - EMVI chocolate is absolutely amazing!”

EMVI Chocolate is also donating chocolate treats for a basket to be raffled off on May 18th during The Lexington Foundation’s Fashion Show and Luncheon.  For more information on the event, visit www.pncreativeartscenter.org.

Bellinger and Groesback collaboration on display at Paul Nigra Center for Creative Arts

If you visit the Paul Nigra Center for Creative Arts in Gloversville any time in the next month, you will be greeted by a striking steel sculpture next to the lower parking lot. Its form melding industrial repurposed materials with organic curves and almost delicate appendages, “The Story of Lucas” is at once the embodiment of man-made invention and perfectly at home in the woods surrounding it.

The sculpture is a collaboration between local artists Barney Bellinger and Lawrence Groesbeck, who graduated from the same class at Johnstown High School. The idea to collaborate came when Groesbeck visited Bellinger at his studio and Bellinger asked if he would like to build a sculpture together.

The artists began work on the sculpture without a plan and let it evolve before them, sharing the duties of selecting materials, fitting them into the form and welding them together. They worked on the sculpture for four months, taking turns selecting scrap metal and adding it to the form until the sculpture took shape as an abstract figure. It is made entirely of found materials salvaged from nearby sources.

The piece was named for Groesbeck’s son. Bellinger suggested the title because it evoked Lucas’ tenacity, strength, resilience and ability to endure hardship.

Groesbeck specializes primarily in abstract drawing and painting, though he has done some sculptural work with found materials, including cardboard, leather, wood and books. His pieces have been exhibited at the Arkell Museum in Canajoharie, the Shoe Factory Gallery in Rochester and many other locations. His work is also included in private collections across the United States and internationally. He works out of October Mountain Arts studio in the foothills of the Adirondack Mountains.

Bellinger’s body of work is diverse and constantly evolving, from painting and photography to sculptural furniture and abstract forms made of scrap metal, wood and found objects. His work has been featured in several rustic furniture publications and exhibited at the National Museum of Wildlife Art in Jackson, WY, the Smithsonian Institution, the Munson-Williams-Proctor Institute in Utica, and many more venues across the United States and internationally. He works alongside his wife Susan out of Sampson Bog Studio in Mayfield.

Bellinger is the featured artist of the Paul Nigra Center for Creative Arts’ 2017 Fulton-Montgomery Art Show. He will be exhibiting photography, paintings, industrial sculptural furniture and lighting, and a collection of abstract sculptures scattered around the grounds of the arts center. Groesbeck is also exhibiting five paintings in the show.

The Fulton-Montgomery Art Show, featuring the work of artists who live and work in Fulton and Montgomery Counties as well as the work of local students, will hang from May 6 to June 5. A public Meet the Artists Opening Reception will be held Thursday, May 11, 6-8 p.m. All are welcome to attend. The public may also view the show throughout its run Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturdays 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Sundays 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The Paul Nigra Center for Creative Arts is located at 2736 State Highway 30, Gloversville. For more information, call (518) 661-9932 or visit www.pncreativeartscenter.org.

Saratoga Arts made this program possible with a Community Arts Grant funded by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature.

Barney Bellinger announced as featured artist in Fulton-Montgomery Art Show

Barney Bellinger, painter, sculptor, photographer and furniture designer, will be the featured artist at the Paul Nigra Center for Creative Arts’ Fulton-Montgomery Art Show. The show, which runs from May 5 to June 5, will showcase the works of artists who live and work in Fulton and Montgomery Counties, as well as that of students of all ages who live in the area.

Barney’s work has evolved many times over the years, from customized motorcycles and cars to carved gold leaf signs to organic furniture built with natural materials from the forest. At this show, he will debut a new body of work featuring paintings, photography, steel sculptural furniture, industrial sculpted lighting and abstract forms made of wood, iron, copper and other metals.

A native of Johnstown, Barney was born in 1953. He graduated high school in 1971 and started Barney’s Custom Paint Shop out of his father’s garage. He spent nine years customizing motorcycles, cars and vans with metal sculpture and hand-painted designs until a fire destroyed most of his tools and inventory in 1980.

Faced with starting over from scratch, Barney instead turned his focus to a new endeavor: custom sign building. He founded Barney’s Sign Company and created hand-carved, gold leaf-embellished signs with hand-painted pictorials for businesses in Saratoga Springs. His work aligned perfectly with a historic preservation movement to restore the Victorian character of the city, and soon his signs were commissioned throughout the Northeast.

Barney sold his first piece of art as a teenager in 1970 and has made a living from his art ever since. In 1990, he was inspired to build his own rustic furniture following a visit to the Adirondack Museum’s Rustic Furniture Fair. In 1994, he sold his sign business and started Sampson Bog Studio alongside his wife, Susan, and daughter, Erin Estelle.

Rustic furniture collector, dealer, writer, lecturer and design consultant Ralph Kylloe called Barney a “quintessential rustic artist,” one of the best known and most sought after on the East Coast. He is identifiable by the unique style he brings to interior design, sculptural furniture and lighting, and oil paintings. Out of natural and repurposed materials, he creates abstract forms inspired by beetles, fish and found objects, melded with practical furniture designs and paintings to create pieces that are both functional and visually astonishing.

Barney is a self-taught artist, gaining his knowledge from books, inherited wisdom and immersing himself in the beauty of the Adirondacks. He has been exploring forests since he was 4 years old, when his grandfather would take him into the wilderness and teach him about trees and forest lore. These trips instilled in him a lifelong love for the outdoors.

Some have called Barney an “empirical” artist, meaning he creates based on observation and experience rather than systems or theories. His first business taught him the meticulous brushwork that he now uses in his paintings, while his sign business taught him about layout, elaborate carving and gold leaf application. He relies on his photography as a tool to learn about composition and setting a scene with his paintings. The result: decades of eminence in his field and a vastly diverse body of work.

“Not all things can be pre-planned when using natural elements along with found objects,” Barney said. “Once a piece has been put together and a personality has been established, the painting is applied to harmonize in both color and subject matter.”

“I do not paint to please critics, but rather to record my travels,” he added. “Information and inspiration is derived through my lifestyle of exploring backwoods, ponds, lakes and mountain trails. Lean-tos and tent camps provide shelter. Foraging for new materials is always an opportunity to study natural forms and color. Painting, for me, is a privilege.”

Barney’s work has been exhibited at the National Museum of Wildlife Art in Jackson, WY; the Martin Harris Gallery in Jackson, WY; the Smithsonian Institution; the Doyle Gallery in New York City; the Munson-Williams-Proctor Arts Institute in Utica, NY; the Adirondack Museum in Blue Mountain Lake, NY; the High Point Furnishings Show in High Point, NC; the Ralph Kylloe Rustic Gallery in Lake George, NY; and the Orvis Company. His pieces are found in public and private venues across the United States and around the world. He was the subject of a feature article in Megeve, France’s Cote Ouest magazine, which led to commissions for custom furniture and lighting in France. He has also been featured in The Angler’s Life: Collecting and Traditions by Laurence Sheehan and William Stites, Contemporary Western Design: High-Style Furniture & Interiors by Thea Marx and multiple rustic furniture and architecture books published by Ralph Kylloe. He was one of the select artists at the Third Annual Western Visions Furniture Show and Sale and won Best of Show at the Adirondack Museum Annual Rustic Furniture Fair and the Northeastern Woodworkers Association Expo.

In addition to working out of Sampson Bog Studio, Barney is an artist-in-residence at the Paul Nigra Center for Creative Arts. His studio and workshop there is open to public viewing by appointment. He has also taught a series of classes there to the students in Transitions, a postsecondary program co-located with the Nigra Arts Center that supports teens and young adults with autism and learning differences who want to go to college or live independently. For more information about Barney, visit www.facebook.com/BarneyBellinger. For more information about the Fulton-Montgomery Art Show and the Paul Nigra Center for Creative Arts, call (518) 661-9932 or visit www.pncreativeartscenter.org.

Saratoga Arts made this program possible with a Community Arts Grant funded by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature.