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May 24, 2007
Coming Up at Market Street
Location: 247 Market St., Lockport
Information: www.marketstreetstudios.com or call 478-0239
• Now through June 1: Niagara Frontier Watercolor Society Spring 2007 Members Show.
• June 9-July 8: Buffalo Niagara Art Association exhibition. Reception: 5-8 p.m., June 15.
• June 29-Aug. 5: Self-Portraits, a collective exhibition spurred by the Third Thursdays Group. Reception: 5-8 p.m., June 29.
• July 13-Aug. 19: The Locks, Then and Now: An Erie Canal Heritage Exhibition. Reception: 5-8 p.m., July 13.
• July 14 & 15: Heritage Festival in Packet Park, across street from gallery.
• Aug. 10-Sept. 9: Randall Dunlap Exhibition. Reception: 5-8 p.m., Aug. 10.
• Aug. 24-Oct. 7: Small Paintings Invitational. Reception: 5-8 p.m., Aug. 24.
From start-up to showtime
• Lockport’s Market Street Art Center moves into its next phase of existence, seeking to expand arts education and bring more into the fold.
As one of the founding co-owners of the Market Street Art Center, Sally Bisher can look back at the last five years as a successful experiment.
Since the Western Block Company’s former factory was converted into gallery and studio spaces by Hilger Properties in 2001, nearly all of the openings have been rented out, and Market Street has integrated into the vibrant arts community of Lockport and the greater Niagara region.
The “Third Thursday Group,” an open-invitation meeting for all artists, is picking up more attendees and generating project ideas. And the center has begun working in partnership with other galleries and arts organizations for awards shows, exhibitions and cultural events.
Now, however, it’s time for Market Street to really get to work, according to Bisher, and become something more than a building with paintings and photographs inside.
“We’ve pushed ourselves out there, as far as the community goes,” she said. “Our goal now is to become a lot more of everything, to be a multi-purpose facility ... the operative word in our title should be ‘center.’ ”
Having named Joe Buczkowski to replace Bisher as the center’s artistic director and having installed a board of directors from amongst its artists, members of Market Street filed to obtain not-for-profit status last month, according to Bisher.
While the current configuration is certainly a nonprofit venture for the owners, having nonprofit legal status will allow for grant applications, less informal fundraising and greater opportunities to work with local schools to supplement and enhance arts education.
Joseph Whalen, a long-time Lockport artist and current president of the Market Street board, notes that the center didn’t have to stretch much to find a mission suitable for a nonprofit entity.
“I don’t think anybody can say there is too much art in this area, in our schools, in our lives,” Whalen said. “This place exists ... to put it simply, to change that. We feel it’s necessary and important to bring more art into the community.”
Doing that requires a conscious avoidance of some of the more intimidating aspects of art galleries — receptions are a decidedly informal affair — as well as scheduling exhibitions with more relatable themes and subjects.
The Third Thursdays Group is also bringing artists from many backgrounds and commitment levels back into public display. A group idea for a “Self-Portraits” show drew a grandfather, his daughter and granddaughter to each contribute a piece for the show — a tri-generational display made possible by the open nature of the show, Bisher said.
“It’s unusual, generally, for painters to display their self-portraits, or even paint one outside of an early experiment,” Whalen said. “This project is going to make for an interesting show ... they can paint them any way they want, but it has to be a self-portrait.”
Bisher herself plans to enter into actual retirement once the transition from start-up venture to self-sustaining project is completed. But she said she has to stay involved — there is, after all, no lack of work to do.
“I like to see an opening happen smoothly ... or maybe I just like to iron tablecloths,” she said. “Really, it’s just fun to see people getting involved and doing more.”
Contact reporter Kevin Purdy at 693-1000, ext. 107.
MARKET STREET ART CENTER: From start-up to showtime
Location: 247 Market St., Lockport
Information: www.marketstreetstudios.com or call 478-0239
• Now through June 1: Niagara Frontier Watercolor Society Spring 2007 Members Show.
• June 9-July 8: Buffalo Niagara Art Association exhibition. Reception: 5-8 p.m., June 15.
• June 29-Aug. 5: Self-Portraits, a collective exhibition spurred by the Third Thursdays Group. Reception: 5-8 p.m., June 29.
• July 13-Aug. 19: The Locks, Then and Now: An Erie Canal Heritage Exhibition. Reception: 5-8 p.m., July 13.
• July 14 & 15: Heritage Festival in Packet Park, across street from gallery.
• Aug. 10-Sept. 9: Randall Dunlap Exhibition. Reception: 5-8 p.m., Aug. 10.
• Aug. 24-Oct. 7: Small Paintings Invitational. Reception: 5-8 p.m., Aug. 24.
From start-up to showtime
• Lockport’s Market Street Art Center moves into its next phase of existence, seeking to expand arts education and bring more into the fold.
As one of the founding co-owners of the Market Street Art Center, Sally Bisher can look back at the last five years as a successful experiment.
Since the Western Block Company’s former factory was converted into gallery and studio spaces by Hilger Properties in 2001, nearly all of the openings have been rented out, and Market Street has integrated into the vibrant arts community of Lockport and the greater Niagara region.
The “Third Thursday Group,” an open-invitation meeting for all artists, is picking up more attendees and generating project ideas. And the center has begun working in partnership with other galleries and arts organizations for awards shows, exhibitions and cultural events.
Now, however, it’s time for Market Street to really get to work, according to Bisher, and become something more than a building with paintings and photographs inside.
“We’ve pushed ourselves out there, as far as the community goes,” she said. “Our goal now is to become a lot more of everything, to be a multi-purpose facility ... the operative word in our title should be ‘center.’ ”
Having named Joe Buczkowski to replace Bisher as the center’s artistic director and having installed a board of directors from amongst its artists, members of Market Street filed to obtain not-for-profit status last month, according to Bisher.
While the current configuration is certainly a nonprofit venture for the owners, having nonprofit legal status will allow for grant applications, less informal fundraising and greater opportunities to work with local schools to supplement and enhance arts education.
Joseph Whalen, a long-time Lockport artist and current president of the Market Street board, notes that the center didn’t have to stretch much to find a mission suitable for a nonprofit entity.
“I don’t think anybody can say there is too much art in this area, in our schools, in our lives,” Whalen said. “This place exists ... to put it simply, to change that. We feel it’s necessary and important to bring more art into the community.”
Doing that requires a conscious avoidance of some of the more intimidating aspects of art galleries — receptions are a decidedly informal affair — as well as scheduling exhibitions with more relatable themes and subjects.
The Third Thursdays Group is also bringing artists from many backgrounds and commitment levels back into public display. A group idea for a “Self-Portraits” show drew a grandfather, his daughter and granddaughter to each contribute a piece for the show — a tri-generational display made possible by the open nature of the show, Bisher said.
“It’s unusual, generally, for painters to display their self-portraits, or even paint one outside of an early experiment,” Whalen said. “This project is going to make for an interesting show ... they can paint them any way they want, but it has to be a self-portrait.”
Bisher herself plans to enter into actual retirement once the transition from start-up venture to self-sustaining project is completed. But she said she has to stay involved — there is, after all, no lack of work to do.
“I like to see an opening happen smoothly ... or maybe I just like to iron tablecloths,” she said. “Really, it’s just fun to see people getting involved and doing more.”
Contact reporter Kevin Purdy at 693-1000, ext. 107.
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