Artists Find a Home in Westfield

by Donald Dowling

Four art galleries and a potter’s studio anchor the arts in the Village of Westfield, but that’s just the appetizer, for Westfield is the gateway to a great art tour of renowned Chautauqua County, New York.

Located an hour west of Buffalo, New York, a half hour east of Erie, Pennsylvania, two hours east of Cleveland, and three hours from either Pittsburgh or Toronto, Westfield offers easy access to Chautauqua County art destinations for art lovers from the Tri-State region and Ontario.

Your art tour starts at the corner of Main Street and Portage Road where a life-sized bronze sculpture depicts the fascinating story of Abraham Lincoln and Grace Bedell, the little Westfield girl who suggested that Abe grow out his whiskers into the dignified beard for which he is known. The sculptor, Don Sottile, is a Westfield native whose sculptures in bronze and wood are available at the nearby Portage Hill Gallery.

Next your tour continues with a stroll through Westfield’s architecturally fascinating Main Street. Your first stop is “Surroundings” art gallery at 73 East Main Street. The gallery features the art and crafts of area artists including paintings, prints, photography, wood, stained and hand-blown glass, textiles and furniture. For more information about Surroundings call (716) 326-7373.

Then, just around the corner at 19 Market Street is the pottery of Dale Bowen, Jr. A potter for over 27 years, Dale creates functional pottery ware as well as vases, ikebana, candleholders, incense burners and what are described as “spiritual potion containers”. Dale, who has studied pottery at Jamestown Community College, SUNY Fredonia, and the Watershed Center for Ceramic Arts in New Castle, Maine, has work that exhibits surface decoration using glaze applied with wax resist and bulb syringe application. His pottery is open by chance or by appointment at (716) 326-7522.

Then stroll back through town, perhaps stopping at an antique shop or for delicious coffee and a light lunch at the Café Barista at 7 E. Main Street before walking a half block south on Portage Road to a Westfield jewel, the Art Gallery of the historic Patterson Library. The library is an architectural wonder modeled after the Erechteum at Athens. The Library was designed in a style known as Academic Revival or Beaux-Arts Classicism with Corinthian columns and hand carved woodwork. The architectural detail of the domed ceilings is something to behold. The library celebrates its centennial in 2008. Art lovers will make their way downstairs (handicapped accessible) to the Octagon Art Gallery, a regional showplace since 1971 that presents numerous shows yearly, most often centering on art of the Westfield area.

Also, while in town, you might want to give Al Newman a call at (716) 326-3500 to see if you could arrange a visit to his studio. Al is a painter whose landscapes are well known to art lovers. Al, who was born in Hawaii, raised in Western New York, and who lived in California for forty years where he operated an art gallery, says, “I paint things I can feel inside. Landscapes, floral subjects, street scenes, still life paintings. Usually plein air with oil on canvas or board.” Frequently Al’s work is represented at area galleries.

If your taste runs to the nautical, be sure to call Walt Piersol at (716) 326-3394 to visit his studio and perhaps purchase one of his sculptures or paintings. Walt’s bronze sculptures depict nautical scenes. For example he has a series celebrating the American Life Saving Service – the ancestor of the Coast Guard- that put their small boats to sea in storms to save imperiled mariners. Walt’s paintings on sailcloth are mixed media with the nautical flair. He is located just down the road in Barcelona.

The Westfield area is also home to a number of other artists who have found the village a congenial place centered in an area known for creativity and inspiration.

Finally hop back in your car and prepare to discover the hidden art gem of the region. Drive south on Portage Road just three miles to Audrey Kay Dowling’s Portage Hill Gallery. Located in a Greek revival 1830’s farmhouse, the gallery recently celebrated its 25th year showcasing the art of Westfield and the Chautauqua region. Audrey scrupulously juries the art, and has assembled a fabulous collection of the fine art and crafts of the area. Also included in the collection is Audrey’s own original ceramic sculptures and painting. Audrey’s work, which is represented in private collections world wide, is characterize by her love of nature. The ceramic sculptures, both free standing and wall-mounted, reflect her love of nature, gardening, and flowers. Often her work comments on the relationship between women and nature, with elegant female figures surrounded in lush, natural settings. Her paintings and pastels also reflect natural scenes of flowers, lakes and rivers, and forests. Her most famous creations, elegant and functional flower arranging vessels, bring joy to flower lovers throughout the world. Many visitors to the area consider a stop at the Portage Hill Gallery to be a “must do” event.

The year 2008 holds the promise of two new art galleries opening in Westfield, further contributing to our vibrant art scene. Please see the community calendar and activities schedule for more details about events throughout the year.

Donald Dowling is a retired school teacher, formerly from the San Francisco and New York City areas, who moved to Westfield with his wife Audrey in 1979 to raise their family. They are active in the Chautauqua County arts scene.