Art On The Wall


FINE ART COLLECTION

Peter Stephens (American, born 1958)
BIG BANG, 2012 Ink, shellac, acrylic and oil on canvas
ASTEROIDS, 2015-16 Oil, acrylic and inkjet transfer on wood

Peter Stephens is a Buffalo-based painter who has two works displayed in Patina 250.

In a statement, Stephens writes:

"In 2007 I was reading excerpts from the mission logs of the Apollo astronauts. That was the beginning of an idea to transform the concept of landscape painting by changing the frame of reference. Further readings in the history of Astronomy, Physics and Cosmology have expanded the scope to include the structure and behavior of the material world at the extreme scales of the very large and the very small.

"Beginning with NASA images from the Apollo missions, the trajectory then proceeded to the electronic images sent from satellites currently orbiting Mars. The Martian topographic images then evolved into computer manipulations and generative image transformations. This became the departure point from a concrete place to an increasingly conceptual space of layered matrices and components, essentially building abstract paintings with a system of given elements and the parameters to affect their change."
 
Fotini Galanes (American, born 1965)
Untitled, 2016
Charcoal on drywall

The lyrical drawing you see on the curved walls of Patina 250 was a commission, designed and executed by the artist specifically for this site. Galanes's drawings are extemporary; each unique composition reacts to and develops based on a particular space.
 
Galanes's mark is highly personal.

She explains: "Since childhood I learned I inspired fear and cruelty when my clothes didn't conceal that I am a burn survivor. My most important development as an artist occurred after I was brave enough to engage myself in the visceral experience of rejection and acceptance at the point of transfiguration. I allowed myself the freedom to explore the concrete visual form of disgust and delight in the abstract form."

Galanes is based in Buffalo.

Jozef Bajus
3 Untitled mixed media works, 2016
Paper, staples

Installed in each booth in the upper seating area is a unique work by Jozef Bajus.

Bajus is known for creating aesthetically pleasing and contemplative art objects out of detritus or discarded material of our culture. The three works installed at Patina 250 transform mundane materials of staples and paper into glittery geometric fields. Bajus is based in Buffalo.

Sarah Fonzi
Untitled (Frame Relief), 2016
Cast plaster

This extensive work on the above soffit (mainly visible from Delaware Ave.) was a commission, designed and executed by the artist specifically for this site. The lighting effects add an element of change and color to the piece and on an evening while you are sitting at the bar, you can see a beautiful reflection in the glass as you gaze above toward the windows.

Artist's statement on the piece: 

"The smallest architectural and decorative details in life are often overlooked. These delicacies are highlighted in my relief and ask the viewer to consider a lesser subject matter. The monochromatic wall relief alludes to historic architecture and infrastructure, which greatly affects societal change. The process of mass production of these forms also asks the viewer to consider the making and use of labor involved. In an age where we expect everything done well, quick and cheap, it forces the industry standard to change from craftsman to machine. Buffalo has been transforming rapidly. Not only is our infrastructure and industry being redefined, but so is our engagement and aesthetic. We are repurposing space in ways that honor our past industries and the beauty that exists there. This piece aims to do the same while bridging the old and new."

Ani Hoover (American, born 1969)
12 Small Paintings, 2006-2011
Acrylic, ink and spray paint on Yupo paper

Hanging at the top of the ramp in the dining room of Patina 250 are 12 framed paintings on paper by Ani Hoover.

Hoover's abstractions take the elemental circle as a repeated motif. Using brightly colored pigments and layers of different medium, a wonderful texture and movement is achieved.