Urban sketch

I went to the Central Terminal determined to draw history. Turns out the 'history' was fenced and a huge car show filled the lots. The music was unbearably loud so I headed for the far end of the event. Despite the attraction of classic cars, many of which I was familiar with I chose the fire engine and flags. I have a new respect for the firefighters who maintain this complex vehicle. 'Celebrating the Fourth'. A gift for a five year old's birthday.

Kath Schifano www.kschifano.com www.kschifano.blogspot.com

Honored at Castellani Art Museum.

I'm giddy with joy. I've been given a lifetime membership to the Castellani and asked to paint live during the annual membership meeting. The rain held off and the audience had great questions at the artists discussion.

Josh taking a snapshot for the local newspaper.

The finished painting. 16x12 oil.

Pink Waterlilies

Reinstein Park never disappoints. The water changes color with the sun and clouds. How would you describe color of the water in the first photo?

My chosen view.

In progress.

Tipped Lilies at Reinstein

Annual peony painting

Three mature peonies grow into a riot of flowers every June out the back door. I usually trim the first blossoms for painting, hoping it encourages tiny buds to keep growing. Heavy Spring rains often crush the stems as the giant flowers hold so much water but that's an excuse to gather armfuls of big peonies to arrange indoors. Then the tiny buds left behind give me a second show of color 

Peonies in 2026, c. K. Schifano

Summer exhibition

These two favorite paintings will be in the Burchfield Nature Center 'Local Voices in Art' exhibit. July 12-August 23, reception July 19.

Plein Air and Wine 16x12 oil  The boxes are portable artist studios for Plein air. 

To the Left of the Lagoon 9x12 oil. This is in Beaver Island State Park, across from the sledding hill,  a favorite spot.  

Spring inspires

Delicate leaves and flowers attract our deer so I haven't had a nice Bleeding Hearts bush for decades. I started this painting when I had these flowers to view. It was unfinished for years but I completed the dark areas and edges recently. Winter and bad weather are the best times to pull out older work and add the finishing touches.

Heartstrings, oil on board 11x14

Featured at Erie County Botanical Gardens

These 3 florals were selected for display at a new event, a free open house in the evening for the community. A great way for people to visit the Botanical Gardens without paying admission. There was a great exhibition in Arcangel Gallery to complement the garden based artwork displayed in some of the greenhouses. It was a perfect evening with the glasshouse windows open and everything in bloom. 

Cherry Blossom Weekend 2026

Rained out on Saturday, Sunday was a brilliant fresh air day for painting among cherry blossoms and the crowds who gathered to celebrate the trees. So beautiful in every direction that several of us returned on Monday. Buffalo History Museum.

Across the Lake at the History Museum 9x12 oil.

Cherry Blossoms and Spent Buds 11x14oil

Rock Island at the Blossom Festival 5x7 oil

Fun in Studio 120

Studio 120 in the Niagara Arts and Cultural Center is busiest through the winter. 

Liz brought in this spectacular bouquet and the blanket and we both tackled it as a studio still life. The flowers were fading but I had a good sketch reference. I worked on this project for several days as it's a big canvas. I've forgotten how much I enjoy flowers as a subject.

Birds Came to Paradise. 28x22 oil

Red Visitor

 My home studio has a wonderful Weeping Beech out the window with evergreens and trees in the near distance . Birds wait their turn for seeds at our feeder in the Beech tree. Our Cardinals are regularly perched at my eye level. Love their company and the brilliance of red against snow.  

The Red Visitor, oil, 8x10

October at Thompson Farm

It's busy on Saturday in Fall at the farm market so painting involves traffic, conversation and patience. 

The Coop on Long Road 11x14 oil

Something Different

This is big and a break from oil painting. I have a series of sketches of the rocks and roosters at the American Falls which inspired these designs. Not sure if it's about color combinations or design or Niagara Falls. It's on WC paper and kept me motivated and busy for several weeks in my NACC studio.
Gravity and   Talus. Mixed media. 28x22

Merit Award

My little "Hoyt Lake" oil was awarded a Merit Award at the Buffalo Niagara Art Association exhibit in Artists Group Gallery in Buffalo. I loved the impasto in this painting and don't know why I do not use it more often. Apparently the judge liked it too. This is at Delaware Park Lake.

Seneca Chief leaves Buffalo

Sunflowers of Sanborn 2025

Love painting at Sunflowers of Sanborn every year. But this was a tough day to paint, windy and black clouds arrived quickly so that the field was closed by noon. 

Sunflower Vanitas oil 11x14" c. 2025

Prize!

I entered this in a Buffalo Niagara Art Association exhibition at the Buffalo Erie Botanical Gardens. Quite pleased to be awarded, but then it sold to be brought to Ireland as a gift. I am honored but I don't know who purchased it. Selling from a gallery is different than a face to face purchase in my studio or when I am at a show.

RTPI Jamestown

Butterfly Garden at RTPI 12x16 oil

This painting remains at the institute for a 3 month exhibition this winter. So nice to sit on a comfortable bench on a sunny afternoon and paint flowers. 

Panama Rocks sketch

Urban painting at Darwin Martin house

About 20 other urban painters showed up! I drew the pergola from the west side, one of the urban artists drawing by the wall made it into my drawing. 

Jamestown painting

Allen Park Pond

Butterfly garden at RTPI

English Street, Jamestown NY

Roger Tory Peterson Institute in Jamestown held a plein air event in September. I met new artist friends and several I had already painted with. Perfect weather, perfect getaway.

Route 5 near Tifft

The boats kept moving but this massive grain elevator has sturdy concrete walls. I've been at this site to paint many times over the past two decades and every painting had different weather and light and foreground.

Gallagher Bay. 12x16 oil

A Swim Painting

Using a long lost and faded dot matrix print as a reference I painted my son catching his breath in the pool. His swim achievements were many and hard won through High School. He started swimming in First grade with White Water Swim Club and stayed with them through High School, also swimming with the HS team.  

🏆 we have no idea where the reference B&W picture was taken but it may be from a newspaper article. 

After the Race 16x7 oil

Twin Cities in the morning

I worked on this table, near the water's edge to capture the bridge that joins two counties and two towns over the original Erie Canal. Springtime, and midweek, there were few boaters and the park was quiet. A week later there were boats at every inch of dock space, tents and food vendors and live music. Summer is alive and hopping here on Tonawanda Creek. Two figures are on the bridge, studying the water.

Checking the Old Erie Canal, oil, c.2025

Rogue Tulips

Mother's Day tulips continue to bring joy and color to our home and they continued to open as I painted.

Rogue Tulips 9x12 oil 

This Turtle Needs Attention

OLV is hard to see. And rain.

Sketching the Our Lady of Victory Basilica from my car as clouds threaten. It poured soon but I was able to park closer to see through the raindrops, it's an amazing building inside and out  

Rain, Rain, Go Away. 10x10 oil