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Pictured is a rendering of Karen Sirgey's installation to be completed by the end of August.
Pictured is a rendering of Karen Sirgey's installation to be completed by the end of August.

Arts Services Initiative of Western New York awards Artpark program grant

Submitted

Fri, Apr 24th 2015 09:55 am

Grant will fund two installation projects this summer

Two Niagara County artists will have the opportunity to create installation projects at Artpark thanks to grants funded by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature as administered by the Arts Services Initiative of Western New York.

Artpark was awarded a grant in 2014 and the funding will be implemented this summer. Niagara County artists Chuck Tingley and Karen Sirgey will create installations that involve the community and will showcase local young talent.

Tingley is enlisting the help of a few talented students from Lewiston-Porter's Advanced Placement drawing and painting program for his mural. The painted mural will appear in the Mainstage Theater area near the art gallery and box office. Artists will be actively working on the mural from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. June 1, 3, 5, 8, 10 and 12. Spectators are welcome and encouraged.

During Artpark's "Free Family Saturdays" art workshops (July 11-Aug. 8), members of the community will be invited to create a small piece of artwork that will be collected by the Artpark staff. Sirgey will incorporate these community-created works into her installation. Students from Lewiston-Porter's 3-D Advanced Placement program will assist Sirgey on this ongoing project. The installation will be complete by the end of August. Stay tuned to artpark.net for details on where this installation will be located. 

Both installations are permanent and will be free to view. Artpark Visual Arts & Family Programs Director Tanis Winslow said, "We are delighted to be working with such incredible Niagara County Talent, thanks to the ASI funding. Programs like this one are helping to bring Artpark back to its visual arts roots and add unique experiences for park visitors."

Tingley lives in Lockport, while primarily working in Buffalo. He received a BFA in painting at Buffalo State College. His works can be found gracing the walls of many public spaces, including Elmwood Avenue and Main Street in Buffalo. He has exhibited both solo and group shows in New York, and his work can be found in private collections throughout the country. Visit www.chuck-tingley.com for more info.

Sirgey, a Wheatfield resident, studied with local sculptor Mark Griffis and has taught metal sculpture to a variety of students. She started Avian Architecture in the late 1980s, which specializes in custom birdhouses and miniatures. Over the years, Sirgey has worked alongside Niagara-Wheatfield teachers Tracy Bloom and Martha Rogala as well as art students to create seven permanent sculptures in the high school. In 2014, the Arts Service Initiative awarded Sirgey the inaugural SPARK Award for DEC Program of the Year. Sirgey instructs during Artpark's summer art camp, and teaches classes for community groups as the director of education for the Ashford Hollow Foundation. Sirgey's "Pods" sculpture can be found along Artpark's Historic Woods Trail. Sirgey's artworks have been exhibited in local galleries and in private collections throughout the U.S. and Canada. Visit Sirgey or Avian Architecture on Facebook.

Artpark has been a top destination for performing and visual arts for more than 41 years. Visit www.artpark.net for more information, park hours and schedules. 

 

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