Hit the Trail in Naples
By DARA RIEGEL

New York’s Finger Lakes region is a place of both natural beauty and exceptional culture. Thousands of visitors come each year to enjoy the many wineries, sparkling lakes, and artistic attractions. On October 6 and 7, visitors to the region have the opportunity to see some of the regions finest artisans at work at the Annual Naples Open Studio Trail, in Naples New York.

Now in its sixth year, the Annual Naples Open Studio Trail gives visitors the chance to tour the studios of twenty-two artists and craftsmen. These home-based studios will be open on Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and will feature both demonstrations of works in progress and collections of work on display and for sale. The well-marked and mapped trail allows visitors to drive leisurely through the fall foliage and stop when and where they desire and talk to the artists while touring the studios. Guests are encouraged to learn about the processes the artists use, both technically and emotionally, in a comfortable and beautiful setting.

The tour begins at the South Bristol Cultural Center, in Canandaigua, New York, where guests can explore and purchase art work by many of the artists on the trail at the Susanne Kennedy Gallery and Gift Shop. The center, a part of the Trail since the beginning, has a wealth of information on the many activities offered throughout the year, including art classes, music in the barn gatherings, and membership opportunities. This year the center and gallery will be the “host studio” for wood crafter William Schlegel from Woods of Windsong. Schlegel will be demonstrating his talents through the use of a chain saw, as he creates his sculptures.

Upon leaving the center, visitors can tour many studios, including that of newcomer Rebecca Congdon, a professionally trained lamp worker who creates worlds of colors in soft glass from Murano, Italy.  Each piece is formed using a torch, and then annealed, cleaned, and assembled into unique designs.  Congdon is “never bored with glass” and enjoys “the vibrant colors and depth you get” with the material. The process is “both technical and artistic” and appeals to her many-faceted personality.  

Longtime trail member Stephanie Marshall and her pottery studio are of particular interest on the path. Stephanie’s love of ceramics and Chinese painting bring together exquisite creations as well as functional pottery. With neutral tones and calming form, her work inspires visitors to take a closer look.

Also creating work with an international flair, Albie Alliet of Grape Moments Studios creates images that evoke the beauty of memories and places around the world that intrigue the imagination through visual motion. An award–winning artist, Alliet says that he works with a realistic style that brings an awareness to the many different subjects he paints, from sailing ships of today and yesteryear, seascapes, rustic European Villages and old Lighthouses.

Lacey Kotlik explores her creativity through oil painting and wooden printmaking at her beautiful home-based studio. Through the use of figures and portraits, she finds that her work is greatly influenced by the lights and shadows of the natural world, and invites those on the tour to enter her world and discover the joy her work evokes.

Each of these artists, and many others, invite visitors to join them on the trail and explore their work and their studios.

For information and trail maps:  www.southbristolculturalcenter.org or www.naplesopenstudiotrail.com Call (585) 374-6563 or (585) 396-5950 to learn more about the Finger Lakes area, and places to stay and dine.

Other artists participating in the trail include:
Carl & Mellissa Neubauer (new): Sculpture 
Brent Gillette (new): Sculpture (neon, wood, metal paint, and gold leaf)
Ben Bennett of Blue Heron Glassworks: Glassblowing (decorative items) 
Carol Battle of Falling Waters Studios: Watercolor (landscapes)
Kurt Carlson and Lynda Pownall-Carlson of Carlson Glassworks Studios: Glass sculpture (hot sculpting, glassblowing, sandblasting, hand painting with enamels)
John Dodd: Furniture design (contemporary; current body of work titled “Foyer Greetings”)  
Charlie Kingsley: Glassblowing and sculpting (whimsical “everything art” made from found materials)
Kit Corti: Drawing and painting (Colorful and textual; her new studio houses more than four decades worth of art)
Suzanne Larysz of S&G Imaging: Graphic design and photography (travel images, both digital and painted)
Jo Krajci, of Me and My Shadow Studio: Chinese paper cutting (inspired by nature, art, music, poetry, and people)
Paul and Suzanne Frazer of Frazer Studios: Ceramic, sculptures, and pottery (modern, utilitarian forms and classically inspired sculptures)
Patrick Smith of West Hollow Boat Company: Canoe design and building
Jeanette Klute of Woodland Studios: Photography and painting (also find her works in New York’s Museum of Natural History and London’s Royal Photographic Society)
Peter Secrest: Glassblowing (murrini specialty work)
Bob Fladd of Fladd’s Creative Stone: Sculpture (stone and wood figurative sculpture and benches) and pastel drawings
Paul Wilsea and Carol O’Brien of Wilsea O’Brien Glass Studios: Glassblowing (blown and cast glass create classic contemporary bowls, vases, and platters)
Abraham Studios with Daryl Abraham: Sculpture and illustration (wood, clay, metal, and soil pieces, focusing on “unsung heroes”)