Photo submitted to Times Observer Moose, Wilma Fleming

Members of the Warren Art League are proud be exhibiting at Prendergast Library’s  Art Gallery starting Jan7, 2017 to ring in the new year and showcase our members talents to the western New York community. Artworks will be displayed from January 6 through February 10 during regular library hours.  An Opening Reception will be held Sat. Jan. 7 from 1-3 p.m. for the general public. With any artwork sold, the artist will donate a portion of the sale to the Prendergast Library’s fundraising campaign. Like many libraries in the area,   Prendergast’s revenues for staffing and general operations have been cut and this is a way for our artists to display work as well as help the library maintain its present services and donate a portion of sales to assist the library’s efforts in its fundraising goals.

Tamara McIntyre of  Warren, is the gallery contact for the show; she is continuing the work of Anne Plyler, who retired from Prendergast Library in December.  Anne notified Marian Aranyos of a cancellation in the gallery’s schedule last fall, and WAL members agreed they would be ready to exhibit with enough pieces to fill the gallery space in January.

The history of the league has not featured multiple members exhibiting all at once in a gallery outside Warren County. Members exhibiting will be Marian Aranyos,  Eileen Bovard, Dan Clement, Diane DeLarme,  Debra Edling, Kristina Faulkner, Wilma Fleming, Monika Garami, Peter Garami, Julie Greenman, Karen Heltzel,  Michelle Munksgard, Pat Orbanic , and John Pearson.

The Warren Art League was founded by a group of women artists in 1953 to promote an appreciation of visual arts in the Warren County community. The original group elected yearly officers, held classes for all ages, and offered visiting artist workshops for the membership and community.  Our 2017 Co-Presidents are Wilma Fleming and Marian Aranyos.  WAL Members have judged art shows for the high schools, Girl Scouts, and Warren State Hospital’s Mental Health week, and painted scenery for the Warren Players Club.

The league currently features annual art shows in the Warren Public Library’s Wetmore Gallery, and the majestic Crary Art Gallery. In years past an additional show was held annually outdoors at the Warren County Courthouse.

Meetings are held the first Thursday of the month, at 6:30 p.m., at the First Lutheran Church, (Third and East St., in Warren) from February to December. The June through August outings are en pleine air. We’ve traveled to points of interest, (recently Griffiths and Rock City Parks, Hector Falls, and enjoyed luncheons at Olmstead and Kane Manors) to take advantage of summer’s beauty in our Allegheny National Forest.

To raise funds for our annual high school scholarship program, the members paint and sell miniature versions of members’ work at $20 each for our gallery shows. Annual scholarships are awarded to high school seniors pursuing study in the arts.

Come out and see our members’ exhibit at the Prendergast Library anytime January 7 until  February  10. Hours are Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and  Friday from  10 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and  and Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. On Sunday and Martin Luther King Holiday,  Jan. 16 — closed.  Library GPS location:   509 Cherry St., Jamestown, N.Y., (716) 484-7135.