Cattaraugus County Arts Council takes a stand by making artistic seats
When Gov. David A. Paterson announced widespread state budget cuts in December, many New Yorkers had their mind on the potential taxing of water bottles. But for a group of dedicated artists, teachers and mentors from the Southern Tier, the cuts meant much more.
Arts programs run through the Cattaraugus County Arts Council at the Allegany State Park received massive cutbacks, putting in jeopardy many of the classes, workshops and exhibits that are made available each year to enthusiasts of all ages.
For Heidi Tschopp and Anne Conroy Baiter, that wasn’t acceptable.
Tschopp, a park and recreation aide, and Baiter, executive director of the arts council, both jumped at an idea Tschopp had seen in Lake Placid—a fundraiser that involves auctioning off specifically designed Adirondack chairs that could be displayed in the park.
The exhibit, “Art and the Adirondack Chair,” features 18 chairs that can be found at nine locations, starting at the administration building in the Quaker rental office. The three styles of chairs (adult, children’s and a new “throne-ish” style called “breakdown” that was built without nails or screws) can be seen at the 65,000-acre state park through Aug. 18.
Chairs can be bid on at www.myartscouncil.net . Artist Corey Danvir saw his position as a program coordinator for the arts council evaporate last year due to the budget cuts. While he makes a living working for the CUTCO Corporation and treats the classes as a stress reliever that he would “probably do for free,” he said his former students would suffer if not for the funds the exhibit should generate.
“There’s definitely a need for it,” Danvir said. “There’s so much talent, even in the local artists and adults, that people just don’t know about. The council is bringing it to people’s attention.”
Danvir said the painting workshops, in which he taught groups to first draw basic objects with minimal detail that eventually became detailed paintings, instilled a sense of confidence in even the least-experienced novices.
“My last class in Randolph, I had 10 older women,” he said. “So many of them were asking for tracing patterns in the beginning but were all shocked at how well their flags turned out.”
Danvir, who has a bachelor’s degree in interior design, designed a teal chair that features a chocolate-brown damask pattern taken from fabric and enlarged on the chair’s back, finished with exterior latex paint.
“I wanted to try and stay true to that,” Danvir said of his interior design background. “It kind of plays off the traditional Adirondack chair but I made it modern at the same time. I thought it would be different and neat to do something that’s not considered traditional artwork and paintings on the wall.”
Lynn Dubey, a local artist and owner of the Ellicottville E-Fects events newspaper, designed a chair replete with pine trees, flowers, and, above the arm rests, a pointed sun amongst a cloud-filled cerulean sky. She said her goal was to promote the message of living active lives.
“I wanted to make something that would attract children,” she said. “I tried to make children aware of nature and that there’s more than just computers in this world, that they know nature is a part of life. I’m very concerned they’re not getting that. We’re trying to get more children involved through classes with the arts council.”
Paul Boccolucci, who owns Real Stuff Gallery and Gifts with his wife, Debby, has been creating ironwork for over 35 years. His gallery on Route 219 in West Valley features work from more than 50 local artists.
Boccolucci’s featured chair is a basic Adirondack chair with metal vines and leaves that crawl at its base. He drew his inspiration from pine trees he planted in the area 30 years ago that were overcome by the “weed vines.” He describes art as a cathartic experience.
“It’s kind of an escape,” he said. “It’s therapy for myself as an artist. I can get away from problems and just lose myself in something.”
Boccolucci feels that message is essential to both children and adults.
“It’s always important, whether the economy’s good or bad,” he said. “There’s a lot of talented children that can’t focus on [art] or developing it. When you have programs like this it can really benefit.”
But the students and the artists weren’t the only ones to benefit from the exhibit.
Tschopp’s mother, a former employee of the Collins Correctional Facility, arranged for students from the facility to build the chairs. A handful of students, one an experienced carpenter, transformed wood donated by the Home Depot and Fitzpatrick and Weller, Inc. into full-scale Adirondack chairs.
Bob Peglowski, the facility’s vocational director, supervised the project. He said his students, who have made bird and bat houses and picnic tables for various nonprofit organizations, get more satisfaction knowing their projects are helping others.
“They’re normally working on drywall stations, then they just tear them down,” he said. “The guys really seem to like to see something that is being used.”
Danvir is thrilled that the initial idea will come to fruition at the park’s annual Beach Party held at 6 p. m. Aug. 14 in the Red House beach area. He said his chair might just get the best of his wallet at the party, which offers music and crafts as well as the auction.
“I’m going to have to keep myself from bidding on it,” he said.
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