Beaver Island State Park Casino

Kath Schifano c. 2012

Beaver Island State Park, at the south end of Grand Island is an artist's playground with boardwalk and beach, golf course, woodland trails, mature evergreens and hardwoods, busy marina and sports facilities.

Years ago, the 'Casino' was a big old historic log built clubhouse with fireplaces big enough to set a table for 6 on its hearth. About 10 years after it burned the state built this smaller building with large lovely side porches. There are frequent weddings here and the music spills outside from the lovely dining room.

I have also painted from the porch, but on this occasion I liked the Spring colors in the flowering trees against the deep color of the building. I gave my previous Casino painting to Jamie and Mike Fortunate as their wedding there last year was beautiful and the reception was fantastic and lively.

Beaver Island Casino 9x12 pastel

Domestic Violence Awareness Month-October

This moody little oil depicts Navy Island in the Niagara River with the Robert Moses Parkway shoreline of Niagara Falls in the distance. It was rainy, foggy & chilly on the northwest corner of Grand Island, a pocket park call 'Eagle Overlook'. I painted it plein air from inside my car with the window open, the dampness crept into my bones as gulls & seabirds flew into the water & floated by. It was even grayer as I began, but the fog lifted so I could see fuzzy outlines in the distance. Despite the gloomy description it was a peaceful & lovely experience.

The Family Justice Center of Erie County and Artspace Buffalo invited artists to participate in an art auction for the benefit of the Family Justice Center of Erie County. The auction will be held during "A New stART" on October 22nd, 2009 and as part of Domestic Violence Awareness Month. This painting, & two others I entered were juried into the Family Justice Center's annual auction. See all the auction images at their website for A New StArt. Click here to view the artwork! You can also get tickets to the event, it was a lovely affair last year, great restaurant treats & wines from around the area - the art was beautifully displayed & lit for the auction. It's at Asbury Hall, formerly The Church, on Delaware Ave. & is a wonderful reuse of an elegant building, with great acoustics.

Gulls & Niagara Fog, oil, 11x14 2007

Grand Island Happenings

I joined our Grand Island Chamber of Commerce this year, & also exhibited with their 'Grand Island Happenings' showcase event, which included 'KidBiz', Jim Sharpe's brainchild for GI youth. There were games, artists, food vendors & services in KidBiz-all by youngsters. Quite impressive. 

Over on the 'old people's' side of the park, there were opportunities for eating as well as three rows of tents representing GI businesses, including mine. We left the walls off & had lots of fresh air & visitors. I participated in this exhibit two years ago & had a nice day then. That was the first time with a new tent, but we are very efficient & fast now.