Perfect day at Fort Niagara

Donna Hale's set 'art cart'

This day could not have been nicer. 

Fort Niagara State Park has soccer fields, a large pool, the historic fort, the end of the Niagara River, Lake Ontario, a lighthouse, gift shops, tours and acres of nature. All of this is in a corner of NYS with a view of Canada across the lake and river. THe rest of the Niagara area was suffering with 90+ degrees and humidity while we enjoyed very light breezes across the water and 80 degrees.

Smart painters showed up on a quiet shady lane usually reserved for walkers and spent most of the time saying things like 'wow, it is a gorgeous day' and 'we couldn't have had a nicer place to be.'

 

Rachelle  Bisone has a new setup-a tilting wood easel and a handy sheet to catch falling objects. The next photo shows her watercolor of the view across the river to Niagara on the Lake.

 

Two completed paintings help show the diversity of this spot, the river framed with trees by Donna Hale and Kath Schifano's lighthouse.

Castellani Art Museum visit

Castellani Art Museum is a treasure. It is free, has frequent exhibit changes and a staff that believes in giving the public information, entertainment and interesting concepts.

Besides a huge 20th century collection of ground breaking art, we saw a room with a variety of ethnic costumes and the Tuscarora beadwork on display was both modern and traditional.

The Buffalo Niagara Art Association had an afternoon get together on a Sunday afternoon and a fair number of Niagara Frontier Plein Air painters attended. One of the rooms that kept us looking closely contained an evolution of outdoor work of Niagara Falls. This room contains work contributed by Charles Rand Penney to the museum.

                 

Ylli Hurani demonstration

Joan Shaw's barn studio was the perfect location to watch Ylli Haruni demonstrate his unique painting technique. His comments as he painted were more than interesting...they made us think, compare, consider and take notes.

His work in progress with the reference photo above.

Ylli would occasionally stop, turn to the audience and discuss some of his philosophy, like what makes a style for an artist or why we should add or take away information from the reference. he is truly an excellent painter, a great demonstrator and full of helpful information.

Cherry Blossom Festival Saturday

Ylli Hurani with the Niagara Painters sign

Caedyn Metz

 Cherry Blossom time at the Buffalo History Museum was perfectly timed to our chosen date. Pinters spread out around the campus to capture the building, lake and landscape as well as the blossoms.

While music played, performers entertained, and flowers continued to open before our eyes, the sun shone and people smiled. it was that kind of day.

Pictured NFPAP artists: Kath Schifano, Bernice Smith, Paulette Rozwood.

Some of the Niagara Painters Group joined NFPAP

Billy Wilson Park Spring event

Amherst has a wonderful walkway built through the woods in this park. Walkers can enjoy the creek, a pond, wetlands and nature up close without leaving a footprint. Our painters like the dry clean walkway with some wider areas to gather and an occasional bench, too.

This is the perfect spot to welcome Spring with honking geese, nest building, sunning turtles and the sounds of leaves unfurling in the sun. Our painters have annually started the season here and always have a good time with Mother Nature. A newly built playground attracts many preschool children and they are speechless when parents bring their attention to the paintings in progress.

Cary Moscato and Roy Fink came out for their first Plein Air paintout!

Joan Shaw’s oil from the mid boardwalk view of wetlands. 

Linda Scarafina Davis is another of our newer members, welcome!

Joan Turrell's close up of the wild cabbage peeking through winter rubble

Kath Schifano attempted reflections in the little lake.

Buffalo History Museum Cherry Blossom Festival

Sharon and Bernice set up on the edge of Mirror Lake. 

Ylli painted along the trail to get a view of the whole park and museum, too.

Caedyn was on the opposite side of the park enjoying a lovely day.

Kath moved right into the cherry blossoms to paint a close up.

One of the Niagara Painters was near Bernice, right off the path.

 Ernie made two paintings, this is the first one, spectacular!