The Burchfield Penney Art Center presented its second members show entitled “The Artists Among Us”.  This was a sensational panorama of the creativity and talent that is part of the fabric from which Western New York is stitched.  On display are paintings, sculpture, glass work, photography, print work and much more.  Artists included those who dedicate their lives to the arts and those who just share the passion, and I recognized names that were young and old alike.  Faculty from Villa were well represented in a variety of art genres. Adjunct faculty Geraldine Liquidano has recently expanded her artistic palette, working in glass in a variety of ways. She is pictured with her beautiful glass casting.  Also displaying her work in glass is adjunct faculty Sister Anne Therese Kelly. Sister Kelly teaches the popular Introduction to Fused and Leaded Glass. Laura Snyder, Professor in Photography at Villa had a recent photographic work displayed, as did Brian Duffy, Professor in Fine Art.  With 665 artists contributing work to the show the display was certainly breath taking and of note were also the artists and project that were absent.  Jesse Walp, adjunct faculty in Interior Design and teaching both the Furniture Design and Advanced Furniture Design, was prepared for a show at the Kenan Center, but we were so pleased to see the playful work of his talented wife, Bethany Krull, exhibiting Cricket Death Match.  Most Villa Art faculty are practicing professionals and it is always wonderful to see their work displayed in conjunction with the Buffalo art community.  The work of Richard Christian, who has taught several years in both the Fashion Design program as well as the Fine Arts program  can also be found in the show.  The opening night reception was well attended and offered an opportunity to connect with old friends.  As Colin Dabkowski stated in his review of the exhibit, ” Members’ shows, large and small, are deeply personal affairs for which you need not dutifully examine every last painting and photograph. Just let your eye alight on an object that moves something in you, let it linger there for a few moments or more, and move on.”So I’ll close with an image of a piece that I lingered on.  As a family with close ties to both the Ohio State Buckeyes and Dayton, Ohio I was intrigued by this piece…..which has now piqued my interest!