Dan Butler is a Muralist, Painter, and Illustrator using both traditional and digital media located in Perry, NY. A primarily self taught artist, his experience spans everything from painting murals on a grain silo and illustrating children’s books, to etching memorials on headstones. His creative passion was initially ignited by drawing comic books and superheroes later expanding into painting and digital art. He spent close to 20 years working in print production before transitioning to pursue art full time. Dan now applies his printing knowledge and production principles to his craft. When he’s not creating, Dan loves to run, camp, play volleyball, watch hockey, and spend time with his wife, 3 children and granddaughter.
Ted Canning is a percussionist and native of Cleveland, Ohio. His experience includes extensive freelance work in the northeast United States performing classical music, theater, big band and jazz. His world music studies and performances include Ghanaian, Haitian, Brazilian and Senegalese drumming in a variety of ensembles. From his start as a lead pan player and founding member of the Pandemonium Steelband of Wesleyan University, Ted now performs with the steel drum here in the US as well as in Europe and Latin America. He performs in numerous styles, from Caribbean dance music to new classical works. Ted was the steel drum soloist in performances in Siena, Italy, Mexico City, Mexico and at Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center in New York City, and has performed with the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, Rochester, New York. He has performed as well with national champions “Phase II Pan Groove” in Trinidad and Tobago, and with numerous steelbands in Brooklyn, New York. Ted now leads the Panloco Steelband, the “Steel Alchemy” Community Steelband, and the RIT (Rochester Institute of Technology) Steel Band. He performs with the Trinidad and Tobago Steelband, and has performed with “pan” players from Trinidad and around the world. Since 1993, Ted has been devoted to arts in education as a lead teaching artist. He has presented performances, workshops and residencies in schools, colleges, and community settings throughout Western New York and Pennsylvania. In addition to presentations of steelband and other world musics, Ted has used music to teach fundamental curriculum skills such as math, language skills, social studies, history and science, illuminating concepts to students and opening doors to multiple styles of
learning.
https://www.facebook.com/Steel-Alchemy-Community-Steel-Band
https://www.facebook.com/PANLOCO-STEELBAND
Ruben T. Ornelas is a contemporary dancer and educator. He received his Bachelors of Fine Arts in Dance from Juilliard, and his Masters of Fine Arts in Dance from the University of Michigan. Ruben has taught dance in a variety of settings including K-12 public schools, community colleges, universities and professional schools across the Americas, Europe, and East Africa. He has had the privilege of performing his work at venues in Canada, U.S. Mexico, Guatemala, and Uganda and has been a Fulbright Specialist to Mexico and Guatemala. He also served as an Artist in Residence at the National Hispanic Cultural Center in New Mexico.
https://www.instagram.com/ruornela/
Jill Pettigrew is a Visual Artist and Art Teacher from Batavia, NY, with a lifelong passion for creating that began when she first received a box of 64 Crayola Crayons at age five. Originally from Pennsylvania, Jill graduated summa cum laude from Edinboro University of PA, earning a degree in Art Education and a Master of Arts in Painting. Her career in the Arts spans several decades with a wide variety of experience ranging from teaching K through 12, instructing Paint & Sips, working as Artist for a grocery store, to owning and operating her own teaching studio. JIll has also worked as public mural designer and painter, an Art show judge, as well as Art Education professor at Nazareth college. Most recently Jill was awarded the Winner of the 2021 “Taste of Buffalo” Poster Contest. As a trained and experienced Art teacher, Jill’s expertise not only lies in her knowledge and skills within a wide-variety of Visual Art mediums and genres, but she is passionate about simplifying techniques and processes, sharing and teaching others; specifically those who don’t consider themselves “artists.” Jill’s vision and mission is to help provide opportunities to participate in art within our communities. In addition to enjoying a wide variety of arts & crafts, Jill is an avid reader, loves cooking, baking, gardening, camping, fishing, playing games, working on house projects with her husband Jeremy, and spending time with their six grandkids and four dogs.
jpettigrew@soul-fun.com
Susan Ferarri Rowley is a contemporary sculptor based out of Scottsville, NY. With a passion as both an artist and educator, Susan forged a path to pursue a career in both. Relocating to the Rochester area for her education, Susan received both her Master of Science in Teaching, and a Master of Fine Arts from Rochester Institute of Technology and worked as a Professor Emeritus at Monroe Community College. Her early career as a fiber artist earned her accolades at ‘Materials: Hard and Soft’ in Texas and The International Art Competition where she simultaneously won best of show and purchase for the permanent collection at Chautauqua National Exhibition, and the Brenholz Award for Innovation at the International Fiber Exhibition. She was named by Young Americans, a selection of 50 artists under age 30 that represented the future. As her body of work shifted, Susan continued to succeed and exhibit at various locations including at the Delaware Contemporary Museum for a one-person exhibition, Artspace, in Richmond, Virginia and Five Points Gallery in Torrington, Connecticut. She was selected for the 2018 Venice Biennial Sculpture Exhibition, Time/Space/Existence, as one of seven American sculptors included in this portion of the architecture exhibition, and was invited back to Venice for the 2020 exhibition. Recently, she had an exhibition/installation open in 2020, funded by the Rubens Family Foundation, at Rochester Institute of Technology, NY as well as a Public Art Projects Exhibition Space in Cincinnati, Ohio, to mark the grand opening of their newly designed space.
Internationally. https://susanferrarirowley.com
Rashaad Santiago is a Special Effects Makeup Artist originally from the Bronx, NY. He specializes in creature suits, special effects make-up for television, music videos, and film. Rashaad has become a leader for artistic quality and value in the special effects industry. In 2013 he competed in the hit TV Series Faceoff, earning the title of Champion in Season 6. He has worked on live makeup demonstrations for Comic Conventions and had the opportunity to travel internationally to teach the art of SFX makeup. At his studio now located in Batavia, New York, Rashaad’s detailed creations display a variety of styles. His work ranges from two or three-dimensional pieces, sculpture, carpentry and metal work. In 2016, he crossed over into film with his first directorial feature Beast of the Water.
Rashaadsantiagostudio.weebly.com
Gaitrie Subryan is a Guyanese born, Bronx raised, Buffalo based Choreographer, Performing Artist, Yoga Instructor and Teaching Artist, who loves to share her upbringing, culture and traditions through her art. She has worked with organizations such as Young Audiences of Western New York, Nichols Academy and Zodique Dance. She is the founder of Devi Bollywood Performing Arts. Gaitrie’s work has been financially supported by Pick of Crop, NYSCA, Arts Services Initiative, and the Arts in Education Roundtable. She is a 2022 Women in Business honoree through the Women’s Business Center at Canisius College and a SPARK award nominee for Leading where you are, which celebrates and recognizes an individual from across the Western New York arts community for their dedication, talent, and impact on the arts and cultural sector. Gaitrie focuses on building and creating relationships within the community through her work. She recently produced her first short film titled “Speak Up, Speak Out” movement-based film that focuses on bringing the issue of domestic violence out of the shadows while encouraging healing conversations through the transformative power of dance, music, and storytelling. She is grateful for her family, friends, mentors and supporters who have continued to support her through her journey and looks forward to continuing to share her love of her culture and traditions through dance.
www.devibollywooddance.com
Annette Daniels Taylor is an award winning theater artist, poet, and artist-filmmaker born and raised in Staten Island, Annette lives and works in Buffalo, NY. The author of the children’s series The Marvelous Marvella J.Q: Marvella Finds Her Magic (west44books, 2022) about an Afro-latina who talks to animals, her novels in verse, Shoot the Storm (west44books, 2022) and Dreams on Fire (west44books, 2018) are poetic journeys following Black teenage girls facing challenges living in Buffalo, New York’s East side. As a filmmaker, Annette’s cinematic poems are screened and exhibited internationally. Her poems are featured in The Poetry Collection of the University Libraries Buffalo, New York’s 15th Three Poems chapbook series. Other books include Street Pharmacist and other poetic tales; and Hush now, poems to read aloud. Honors include recipient of the Creatives Rebuild New York Artist Employee Program, New York State Public Humanities fellow, Arthur A. Schomburg fellow, and Lincoln Center Education Leadership fellow. Annette teaches Writing for Broadcast at SUNY Buffalo State College Communication Department and Acting with D’Youville University’s Dramatic Theater Arts MFA program.
https://www.annettedanielstaylor.com
Keith Walters is a professional photographer and video producer from Geneseo, NY with over a decade of experience. A graduate from SUNY Geneseo with his Bachelors of Science in business, Keith often spent time exploring his passion for photography that first took root after a highschool research project on Ansel Adams. After spending ten years working in media production for higher education, Keith opened The Gallery in the Valley and pursued his passion for visual arts full time. His experience in the field of photography and videography has taken him around the world for a variety of clients. At his core is a passion for storytelling and a love for the outdoors, which shows most predominantly in his landscape photography. His landscape photography seeks to inspire a sense of awe, incorporating large skies, bold colors and dramatic contrasts of light and dark. Recently, his show Letchworth Park: Beyond the Turnouts exhibited at Humphrey Nature Center. He currently lives in the village of Geneseo with his wife, Joanna, and their two children, Rowan and Finn.
https://www.keithwaltersphotography.com
Paul Thomas is a potter based in Perry, New York, specializing in functional ceramic vessels meant to bring a touch of art and handmade connection into everyday small moments. Paul graduated from SUNY Geneseo in 2015 with a degree in Psychology. As a student, Paul began to study under Carl Shanahan and it was here that he discovered his love for the transformational craft of wheel thrown ceramics. After graduation, Paul was able to continue his study under the generosity and mentorship of local potters Clare Keating and Mark Presher, along with the support and encouragement of the Arts Council of Wyoming County. In March of 2017, Paul was the recipient of a Microenterprise grant through the Wyoming County Rural Arts Initiative which allowed him to invest in the equipment to make his pottery fully independently under the name Pit’s Pots and to have control over each step of his work. Later that year, Paul was invited to demonstrate and create pottery alongside Mark Presher at the Sterling Renaissance Festival. This full circle opportunity allowed Paul to work alongside Mark in the same booth where he had first met him visiting the faire as a small child and first seen pottery made on a wheel. Paul now spends his Summer weekends sharing his pots and demonstrations with visitors to the booth, bringing functional arts to the community and invigorating an excitement for ceramics.
https://instagram.com/pits_pots
