Art Exhibitions

LCL hosts special exhibits throughout the year featuring local artists in our downstairs Community Room. Shows typically run for a two-month period.

Current Exhibit

2024 November – December

Paintings by Lee O’Connell

Artist Statement:

This show, “A Moment in Time,” is inspired by my love of noticing the little things that inspire me to take note.  Whether it’s a person, a flower, a bird… be there a shaft of light that attracts my attention, or colors screaming for me to paint them, or maybe just a quiet little moment that makes me think, any and all can inspire my art.

Here you will find people who have inspired me, with their words or songs or simply bravery in asserting their right to be themselves.  You will find nature scenes—many flow

ers, which I adore, water scenes—my favorite place to be, and of course I’ve included some inspiration from my Florida trips in the winter—flamingos being my favorite bird of all time.

I am inspired to paint things that make me feel.  Kurt Vonnegut said it best, “Enjoy the little things in life because one day you’ll look back and realize they were the big things.”

About Lee:

Lee O’Connell is primarily a watercolor artist who dabbles in oils. She began her artistic career after retiring as Director of Admissions, from Chemung Valley Montessori School in Big Flats.  Lee is a self-taught painter, though truly that is a misnomer as there have been many teachers in her life.  It does mean she does not have an art background, though she’s always been a creative, artsy soul. Lee tends to paint loosely, only adding enough detail to draw the eye and describe the moment she’s caught on paper.

Lee belongs to many art societies including Women in Watercolor, the American Watercolor Society, the Central New York Watercolor Society as well as several local art societies including the Elmira Regional Art Society, 171 Cedar Arts Center, the Arts Council of the Southern Tier, Community Arts of Elmira and many more. Currently, you can find her work in the Franklin Street Gallery in Watkins Glen, NY and in Pink Bellini on Market Street in Corning.  You can find her online on Instagram as @leeoconnellartist, on facebook as Lee O’Connell -Artist, or on her website at www.leeoconnell.org.

She has won several awards for her work including honorable mention in the Palette Show at the Arnot Art Museum and Jurors Choice Award at the Central New York Watercolor Society show.

Lee lives in Corning, New York and divides her time between painting and canoeing, her two great passions. She often combines the two and paints while floating about in her canoe—though not her best work she freely admits, but fun and inspiring, nevertheless.

Past Exhibits

2024 September – October

Paintings by Zara Gervais

Each person has a different interpretation of color, and what it symbolizes. How blue represents sadness, and red conveys anger. As an artist, my role is to challenge these associations and invite you to reconsider what colors mean through the interplay of color and shape. Growing up in Ithaca, New York, I have been surrounded by color. In my town, red and white were the colors of academia, and green embodied peace. Every one of us has a relationship with certain colors; I believe it is deeply unique and, more importantly, special. This has been my focus throughout years of artistic experimentation, finding color is best expressed through abstract art. Artistic expression is in my roots. I grew up surrounded by art, architecture, and design, it has pushed me to the point I am now. I aim to speak to humanity and the emotion within it, doing so through colors and textures, portraying relationships through circles. I often reflect on those who did this well, Gerhard Richter, Hilma Af Klint, Laura Vizbule, and Mark Rothko. I approach each piece with time, each piece has layers and layers of paint with weeks, and in some cases, years to compose to its completion. Through my art, I attempt to communicate cities, relationships, and memories through the lens of their feeling. There is no wrong way to interpret or interact with my pieces, my goal is to make you feel something and allow them to reflect onto a piece of you. To me, understanding color as a tool has aided my understanding of my story and my beliefs. I encourage you to do the same.

2024 July – August

Creatures and Food Cultures
Artwork by Annie Sheng

Sumi ink, watercolor, acrylic, pencil paintings (and one handbuilt ceramic work)

There. Behind you. A cool breeze passes, misty as you bike down the asphalt path beside Cayuga Lake. Your muscles are sore and you appreciate the sudden spray of cold, a chill running down your spine. You turn back and hear a bellowing laugh and make out the faintest outline of a Lóng, a Chinese dragon, covered in mist. You brake, almost falling over. Paradoxically, the smell of something warm and roasting reaches your nose.

“I’m just delivering this bread,” he says. “…across the lake, it’s that popular.”

You nod, tentative. Did he… this large, scaled creature… just talk to me?

“Want some?” With practiced talons, he rips off a big chunk of the most moist crumb you’ve ever beheld. And before your mind can comprehend what’s happening, you’re sitting there, breaking bread with a mythological creature while he regales you with tales of his weather-controlling prowess.

“That one time, the snow came out of nowhere. Sideways, backwards even,” he laughs, snorting out steam and the scent of roasted wheat. “But, that wasn’t just me. Frosty talked me into it…”

These are depictions of the antics of creatures when we’re not looking—and their relationships with food. Maybe if we braked a bit earlier and glanced over our shoulder just a fraction more when we heard the rustle, we would’ve seen them there—tossing festive tang yuan rice balls, pulling noodles, bouncing boba across the streets, ready to tear off a heel of bread for you.

About Annie:
Annie Sheng has a Ph.D. in Anthropology from Cornell University, teaches martial arts, and writes narratives as a speculative fiction and poetry author. Annie’s artwork often depicts the whimsical and the mythological in bold Sumi ink and acrylic. Annie also paints in watercolors and gouache and occasionally employs pastels, markers, and found materials.

In this show, “Creatures and Food Cultures,” Annie draws from her research in foodways, modernity, and identities to portray people’s (or creatures’) complex relationship with food and how they draw meaning from food production, distribution, and consumption. “Making and eating food is an embodied practice—employing the senses, bringing something from outside the body to within the body, manipulating material culture—and in that way, it resonates with my other pursuits of martial arts and writing (yes, writing, too—which includes employing sensory information and embodying characters)!”

The creatures in Annie’s paintings are sometimes creatures but look askance and sometimes they’re a reflection of members of diasporic communities, figuring out their lives and roles in transplanted worlds, navigating the new space they call their homes. Food can be a touchstone of identity, a source of nostalgia, and a means of gathering and sharing—a moment of commonality, to forge bonds and produce social networks. Those are the kinds of moments Annie seeks to capture in her work. And, most of all, food is also tasty and evocative, to these varied tastebuds!

Visit Annie’s website to see more of her artwork, reach out for commissions, or purchase prints!

2024 June

11th Annual Logo Contest Winner and Entries

Check out the creative logo submissions from our talented young Lansing artists! The logos will be on display at the Lansing Community Library room throughout the month of June. A big thank you to all the talented individuals who submitted their artwork for this year’s contest with the theme “Adventure Begins at Your Library.”

2024 March – April

Acrylic & Watercolor Paintings by Aloma McElwee

My friends encouraged me to do this art show–I’m not an artist–I dabble! in paints and watercolor–and have fun doing it–it’s amazing what you can do–just try it, you may enjoy it! There’s no right or wrong in the end results–only your own interpretation of what something looks like–I have NO training in what I do–mostly my work is in acrylics–some watercolor.

I grew up on a small dairy farm 2 1/2 hrs from Ithaca (oldest of eleven). Came to Ithaca in 1962 or so to work as a hairdresser– married in 1966 (great husband)–have 3 wonderful sons–no grandchildren. Have been a caregiver for several people in the area but now I enjoy the simple things in life–painting, exercise, reading, jigsaw puzzles, crosswords, quilting, knitting, cooking, baking, etc. It’s time for the next chapter–so enjoy!

At times I always cut out snowflakes for my windows and doors and paint a Christmas card–I have several note cards that I give to friends–they seem to enjoy them and that’s all that counts! I’ll never be famous–my work is really not that good. It’s all about the fun for me.

2024 February

Something, Someone, Somewhere – A drawing Exhibit from  Lansing High School Students

As a culmination of developing drawing skills, students were challenged to incorporate a feeling of space and depth into their final drawings. Students had practiced blind contour drawing, modified contour, drawing from direct observation, gesture drawing, (clothed) figure drawing, experimented with color and expression, and ultimately had to demonstrate their ability to use atmospheric and/or linear perspective. Students also had the choice of illustrating something (a grouping of objects, or a still life), someone (a portrait that shows foreshortening), or somewhere (a place, indoors or outdoors, that utilized atmospheric or linear perspective).

2023 December – 2024 January

From the bottom of my Heart – A series of anatomical heart illustrations by Jessica Stratton

Micron pen drawings, colored pencil, watercolor paintings, acrylic paintings, laser paper cut.

“I love you from the bottom of my heart” is something my grandfather would say to me and my sister when we cuddled on his lap during our visits. I have few memories of my grandfather and never really got to know the man who was a fun, hard working, and loving father to my mother. Well before I was born he had his first of twelve heart attacks and each one took a little more of who he was away.

The hearts act as a sentimental reminder of those I’ve loved and lost but also provide me comfort as the act of drawing or painting them feels like a meditative act.

I consider the drawings to be more like “eye candy,” with their intricate designs. Some of the paintings mark specific moments, such as when my adrenaline temporarily kept me from feeling pain during an accident or when my heart felt deflated after unsettling political election results.

Overall, these hearts are left open enough for each person to find their own connection or meaning in them. Whether it be a symbol of health, life, love, loss, compassion, or affection, I hope these hearts bring a bit of joy to those who see them.

Jessica Stratton is a working artist and educator in Ithaca, NY.

As a teacher, Jessica instructs her students how to communicate their ideas visually in a wide variety of mediums, both in traditional studio methods and digital production.

As an artist, Jessica employs a broad range of approaches in her own work, blending together digital and studio aesthetics. Her current body of work is an investigation of chronic illness and how one learns resilience and persevere through the experiences of pushing through physical struggles.

2023 September-October

From Rags to Stitches By Patricia Brown

Patricia’s pieces are more than just art – they are a journey through time. Originating as t-shirts from shows and events she had been a part of nearly two decades ago, these cloths bear the silent testament of her artistic journey. As Patricia worked on her abstract paintings, these t-shirts morphed into paint rags, collecting memories and traces of each artwork they helped create.

But these aren’t just any rags. They’ve captured moments of Patricia’s artistry – smudges, wipes, smears. And as the years passed, Patricia began to see more than just functional pieces; she saw a canvas showcasing her studio processes. Tucked away in a paint bucket, they waited for their second life.

Today, they’ve been transformed yet again. With every stitch, Patricia honors the history and structure of each rag, finding beauty in what most would disregard.

Until recently, Patricia Brown was a long time Lansing resident. Brown taught art at Lansing High School for over 17 years. She is an artist member of State of the Art Gallery in Ithaca NY, where she shows regularly. More of her work can be seen at https://soagithaca.org/patricia-brown/. An article about From Rags to Stitches was published through Textile Artist, an online magazine and stitching community, is found at https://www.textileartist.org/patricia-
brown-from-rags-to-stitches/.

Patricia Brown‘s drawings, paintings, collages, stitchery and mixed media assemblages have been shown in venues such as the Spool Factory, Russell Sage College Gallery, Foreman Gallery, Yeager Museum, Impact Gallery, Center Way Gallery, WomanMade Gallery and the Cooperstown Art Association. Her artwork has been printed and reviewed in a variety of artistic, journalistic and academic publications such as TextileArtist.com, Somerset Studio, Syracuse Cultural Workers, Mother Tongue Ink, NYSATA News, and Museo Dei Tarocci. Her “In Motion” drawings were published in Traveling through Glass, with poet Lisa Harris through Cayuga Lake Books in 2017.

2023 July-August

Artwork by Shawn Hull

Shawn describes her show “This show, Natural Habitat, merges two collections of my work: Human Nature, a sculpture series and Home, a painting series. In these collections natural elements act as metaphor and setting for my experience as a woman and creating a home in a new region. In a previous life I was a theatre director and actor and the love of language is still integral to my work as an artist. Both collections of sculpture and painting have poetry and narrative embedded in the compositions allowing the viewer to experience the work not only visually but also through story.”

Shawn Hull is a self-taught ceramicist and visual artist living in upstate NY. Shawn’s art practice centers around the exploration of how nature and people impact one another and the rituals and relationships between people and nature. Shawn ‘s functional work has been featured in the New York Times, Grey Likes Weddings, and a collaboration with the Terrain Brand/stores – subsidiary of Anthropologie/URBN. Shawn’s sculptural work has been included in several exhibitions including the Schweinfurth Memorial Art Center, NY, University of Southern Mississippi Museum of Art, Old Courthouse Arts Center, Woodstock, IL, Gallerium, Toronto Canada, and Community Arts Partnership, NY. Shawn also works in fiber and paint with work featured in Art in the Time of Corona, Volume II with Dab Art, Los Angeles, CA and Cecil County Arts Council, MD. Prior to working in clay and fine arts, Shawn Hull worked in theater as a director, actress, and educator. Shawn holds a MFA in Dramatic Art from UC Davis and has been the Artist in Residence at Delaware Theater Company, and an adjunct theater Professor at Cecil College, MD and Wesley College, DE.

2023 May-June

Photography by Karen Torres

Hi! I’m Karen Torres. I’m a self- taught Family Photographer located in Ithaca, NY. I was born in
México and moved to the US in 2013.

During my teenage years, my Grandmother gave me a film camera, and my passion for photography began! However, life took me in a different direction for a little while as I attended college and graduated with a degree in Business Administration. Luckily, after my children were born, my love for photography emerged again!

As a photographer, I want to freeze every single milestone and use my abilities to create a timeless world of beautiful memories. That is exactly what I love to offer to my clients! I’m always looking for new and creative ways to bring uniqueness to my photographs. I truly enjoy capturing the precious moments of my clients, making them feel comfortable in front of the camera. This results in authentic moments that they will cherish forever.

From maternity to baby milestones sessions, high school seniors getting ready to take on the world, and a myriad of other family moments that make up an awesome life, I love that I’m able to help preserve those memories.

2023 March – April

Photography by Bruce Barber

These photographs are the work of local photographer Bruce Barber. Bruce’s interest in photography began in high school while a member of the yearbook staff. Here in Lansing, he can often be found on the sidelines at various sporting events capturing the action with his camera.
More of Bruce’s work can be seen on Facebook @brucebarberphotography
or Instagram @brbphotog

2023 January – February

“Photosynthesis” – Art Exhibit by Lansing High School Students

2022 November – December

Acrylic on Board & Canvas by Larry Beck

I graduated with a major in Art from Earlham College, with a concentration in Ceramics and Sculpture.
Since College I have worked with carpentry and timber framing as a Joiner.
A career in rental property management was followed by retirement and a renewed interest in painting and sculpture.
My paintings are acrylic on board and canvas. A long term interest generated by turning pottery is with “centuring’” as evidenced in my quilt star themed paintings.

2022 September – October

Acrylic Collages & Abstracts by Martin Kepecs

I am a self taught artist. I have been making art for sixty years, always experimenting and trying new things as I grow and things captivate my imagination.
My abstracts are meant to be pleasing to the eye. I am interested in the juxtaposition of color and shape – and have no other specific meaning. No politics, no hidden meanings! They are exclusively for the visual enjoyment of the viewer, and the maker.
I hope you enjoy my work.

2022 July – August

            Photography – Unedited by Morgan Wilcox

Morgan Wilcox is a student at the Cornell University Nolan College of Hotel Administration, concentrating in Food and Beverage. While a Senior at Lansing High School Morgan received a 2021 Scholastic Award, Honorary Mention. She participated in 4-H for ten years honing her skills in photography, during which she received Top Sr. Photography Tompkins County Youth Fair, Photography County Medal, and Blue-Ribbon Awards at the New York State Fair. Morgan’s other interests are reading and cooking.
Photos are unedited, primarily close-ups of flowers, and scenery.

2022 May – June

Digital Collage and Painting by Patrisha Heaton

Patty worked as a library media specialist for 33 years for Sidney and Lansing Schools. Upon her retirement, she joined an online Photo of the Day Club. She loved it and was inspired to began taking classes in digital collage and digital painting. Today, Patty is exploring and experimenting with digital collage and digital painting to create unique and beautiful art. Patty does all her work on an iPad.
View Patty’s artwork at http://www.patrishaheatonfineart.studio

2022 April – May

Watercolors by Geri Gay

Geri Gay is the Kenneth J. Bissett Professor Emerita of Communication and Information Science at Cornell University and a Stephen H. Weiss Presidential Fellow. She founded and directed the Interaction Design Lab at Cornell from 1995-2017. She specialized in design and social psychology.

Geri’s publication, Pandemic Postings, is a whimsical exploration of the events of 2020-22 in cartoons painted in watercolors. Topics range from fake news and pandemic fashion to conspiracy theories and the political divide.

Summer 2020

• Summer 2020 Craft Gallery

2020 January – February

Photography by Holly Hardie

“I take photographs of things that I like – sunrise, sunset, flowers, unusual places in the world and at home on our dairy farm.” For more pictures of the farm, follow Walnut Ridge Farm on Facebook and Instagram.

2019 November

Bridget Alano: Portraits

Bridget is a senior at Lansing High School. She is also one of LCL’s chalkboard artists!

2019 September-October

Gerry Monaghan: Sculptural Basketry

“Like Rumpelstiltskin, I am creating objects of art by weaving together the ubiquitous, the quotidian, and the ephemeral, instead of his straw. My work is sculptural basketry.

Tatlin meets Appalachian Craft tradition and beautiful organic forms take shape. Lila is a Hindu word which describes the play of the Gods. These works are my lila.

They are all about discovery through fun and games. They are math without the numbers. A simple set of rules guide each piece. Behind all this work, there is a language of materials and process that I have invented. Most of my materials cost pennies, and they weigh practically nothing. Everything is archival, toothpicks, skewers, cane, filter paper, ink, glue, wax, thread, and string offer infinite opportunities to become wall pieces, tableaux, mobiles.

Every piece leads to a new idea which in turn becomes the kernel of the next piece.

My highest goal for this work is to share making things with others.

2019 July – August

Kevin Mayer: Plein-air Landscapes

Kevin Mayer is a professional artist with decades of experience as a painter and teacher in college, community school, and privately. Kevin finds joy in painting the local landscape out in the open air and sharing that joy through teaching others to paint landscape in “plein-air.” A graduate of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, he currently offers classes in drawing and painting both at his studio in Groton and under the open sky. For more information visit Atelier Arts Ithaca or email kevinmayer3@gmail.com

2019 May-June

A Lifetime of Art by Marian Scott

Marian Scott (1921-2011) drew and painted since she was 4 years old and inherited her artistic talent from her mother’s side of the family. In grade school she wrote and illustrated booklets, filled scrap books with her work and won a significant award for her artwork from the Detroit Free Press newspaper.

She majored in Fine Arts at Michigan State College (now University) and over the decades produced many drawings, paintings, block prints, murals, and other art forms. Before color photographic film became widely available, she hand-colored family photographs using special oil colors.  She worked mainly from her own photographs, but did a few pleine air paintings.

After college and marriage, Marian lived in Churchville, NY near Rochester and taught painting and drawing in adult education at schools in Western New York in the 1950s and 60s. She painted in oil, acrylic, and watercolor, but the last picture she did was in colored pens. Her favorite artist was Michelangelo, and her most influential teacher was her mother. The paintings displayed here are from the collection of her daughter, Donna Scott, a Lansing resident.

2019 April

Jason Yahn

2019 January-March

Bethany LeBlanc

The vibrant and playful watercolor paintings of Ithaca area artist Bethany LeBlanc capture dreamlike landscapes that range from surreal and enchanting to peaceful and soothing.

The scenes often spring forth from a place of indescribable emotion that is best captured by the brush so it can be properly shared.

Bethany has been creating these scenes since 2014 when a switch to watercolor sparked a new passion for exploring the interplay of colors and washes.

Born in Daytona, FL in 1987, Bethany has spent most of her life in the Ithaca area where she now lives with her husband and three children. Bethany’s children are a constant source of creative inspiration and often join her in the studio where she loves to teach and enjoy the exploration.