Troy artist Gina Ochiogrosso is part of a group exhibit at the Castle Gallery at the College of New Rochelle in Westchester County, and has been written up in the New York Times.

This is from the NY Times write up:

The might of the environment also informs the work of Gina Occhiogrosso, who traveled from her home in Troy, N.Y., to attend the opening reception in New Rochelle. Her piece “Slump,” a series of 24 gouache-on-paper panels, takes weather-ravaged billboards as its subject.

You can read the full report here.

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“Spring Bed #4” by Catherine Wagner Minnery of Saratoga Springs was named best in show at Albany Center Gallery’s Project Art, a pop-up gallery at last weekend’s Great Northeast Home Show at Times Union Center.

The award for the 8-by-8-inch oil-on-panel painting comes with a $250 prize and is meant to recongize a single work that stood out among the more than 90 entries of various mediums by artists from throughout the Capital Region.

Four other works received recognition as honorable mentions. They were:

• “Coincidentia Oppositorum” by Chris Escobar of Albany, mixed media
• “Lake George” series by Chris DeMarco of Albany, photography
• “View” by Jenny Hutchinson of Glens Falls, painting
• “Bloodwood and Holly Vessel” by Raymond Puffer of Watervliet, sculpture (wood turning)

The jurors of the show were Elizabeth Dubben, director of exhibitions at Saratoga Arts; Tony Iadicicco, executive director of Albany Center Gallery; and Michael Janairo, Times Union’s arts and entertainment editor.

Joanne Carson Toughing it Out, 2012 Charcoal and Pastel on Paper 25 1/2"h x 19 1/2" w

Which came first: the sculpture or the drawing? Most sculptors will tell you that a three-dimensional finished piece is likely preceded by a two-dimensional one. Whether a quick gesture in a sketchbook or a detailed schematic, drawing and sculpture are often intimately connected. Drawing offers a way to work through ideas and sometimes may even be the final product for a sculptor, reflecting a similar line of inquiry as their sculptural work. A new show at Troy’s Fulton Street Gallery will give viewers insight into this part of the sculptor’s process. ”Working/Drawing,” curated by Albany artist Ken Ragsdale, presents the drawings of 22 sculptors from two corners of the country, the Northeast and the Northwest. Collar Works Gallery is pitching in promotional help since the show switched to Fulton Street during a period of uncertainty about the former’s location. An opening reception Friday is part of Troy Night Out, 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Fulton Street Gallery, 406 Fulton St., Troy. 518-331-0217

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By Tim Kane

Stacks of large shipping crates reveal and conceal Xu Bing‘s installation “Phoenix” at Mass MoCA.

With arrows pointed upward, the crates guide and serve as a metaphor for China’s rise on the global stage, yet wall you off from what’s on the other side — two massive talismans representing contemporary China.

The containers are reminiscent of the Great Wall, built centuries ago to keep Mongol invaders out, but, unlike the 5,500-mile wall, they provide a path — albeit circuitous — to two imposing birds, measuring 100 feet long and with a combined weight of nearly 20 tons.

The birds are made from debris Bing collected at a construction site in Beijing amid the flurry of building activity under way in the country. They don’t soar but flutter, almost clanging forward, suggesting China’s ascendancy isn’t a single upward arc. Continue reading →

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By Amy Griffin

Think about the items you choose to decorate your home. Are they simply there to beautify your walls or do you have a deeper connection to them? For the 27 contributors to “The Muse at Home” at Skidmore’s Schick Gallery, it’s deeply personal. The artworks they choose to surround themselves with are like old friends, sometimes created by friends.

Rebecca Shepard, curatorial assistant to the director of the Schick Gallery, says that within the idea of a show about collecting, she felt the focus should be on exploring more fully how people feel about the art they own.

“It’s really more about what people get from living with the work in their home,” says Shepard. A call was sent out to everyone involved in visual art at Skidmore. Faculty and staff from the Tang Teaching Museum, the studio art and art history departments and the visual resources area of the library responded. Fifteen of the 27 contributors are working artists themselves. Continue reading →

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Thanksgiving is one of the busiest times of the year at the Albany International Airport. As you travel through, don’t forget to take a look at some of the artwork on the walls as part of the Albany International Airport’s Art & Culture Program. In addition to a dedicated gallery space on the third floor, art works by artists from throughout the region on display throughout the building. These photos show a few of them.

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The newest exhibition at the Foundry for Art and Design, “Designing for the Arts: A 25 Year Retrospective of Oberlander Group,” opens Saturday and will have a reception from 6 to 9 p.m.

The exhibition marks the 25th anniversary of the graphic design firm, which has offices in Cohoes, and has had clients such as the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, Miami City Ballet and New York City Ballet.

“Oberlander Group’s design services have contributed to the success of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater by amplifying the excitement that audiences feel when attending our performances,” said Sharon Gersten Luckman, Ailey’s executive director. “As evidenced in the striking materials for our upcoming New York season, the posters, brochures and ads they’ve created beautifully capture the power and passion of our world-renowned dancers.”

The free exhibit features designs that include photography by Rodney Smith, Ray Meeks, Richard Corman, Andrew Eccles and Gio Alma.

On exhibit
“Designing for the Arts: A 25 Year Retrospective of Oberlander Group”
When: Opening reception: 6-9 p.m. Saturday; hours: 1-4 p.m. Sundays Sept. 9, 16, 23
Where: The Foundry for Art, Design + Culture, 119 Remsen St., Cohoes
Info: 878-2612; http://www.oberlandergroup.com; http://www.thefoundrysite.com