Jamestown Mayor Eddie Sundquist, Council Members Jeff Russell, Tony Dolce, Brent Sheldon, Kim Ecklund, Parks Manager Dan Stone, City Council member Marie Carrubba, Acting DPW Director Mark Roetzer, City Council member Randy Daversa, and Jamestown Citizen at the Third Street Tree Planting (May 13, 2023)

Several dozen people showed up Saturday to help plant the 37 trees that now line the block of West Third Street where the former Cathedral Oak trees stood.

The “Re-Tree-Ing” event held by the Jamestown Parks Department was part of the annual Arbor Day celebration and designation of Jamestown as a Tree City USA for a 42nd year.

Jamestown Mayor Eddie Sundquist said it was unfortunate to have to remove the 100 year old oak trees back at the end of 2020, “That due to various issues of disease in the root systems, we started seeing trees fall down on properties. It was a very tough decision for the city. Since that time, we’ve been working with the community to redesign West Third Street and make it more of a gateway into the downtown core. And so we’ve been doing just that.”

The redesign project involved the replacement of sidewalks, driveway aprons, new candlestick lighting, and the planting of new trees on West Third Street between Hall and Hallock Streets.

It was funded using $500,000 in American Rescue Plan monies.

Parks Manager and Arborist Dan Stone thanked the many people involved over the years in parks and with the forestry program. He gave special recognition to Chautauqua Art Gallery owner Leslie Calimeri for putting together the Third Street Oak Trees Art Show, “It involved a bunch of other local artists and photographers in the city and throughout the area. With her project, most of these donations, the work that they did and what they sold it for, most of those people did not take money for it. They donated 100% back, or at least a good portion back, of what they had done.”

Jamestown Mayor Eddie Sundquist and Parks Manager Dan Stone recognize Chautauqua Art Gallery owner Leslie Calimeri with the Joan P. Shevory Citizen Forester Award (May 13, 2023)

The art show raised $2,341 dollars for the Urban Forestry Fund. Calimeri was presented with the Joan P. Shevory Citizen Forester Award for her efforts.

The trees planted Saturday include a combination of ‘Columnar’ Sargent Cherry trees, ‘Columnar’ Oaks, ‘Frontier’ American Elms, and ‘Sun Valley’ Red Maple.

Leslie Calimeri of the Chautauqua Art Gallery and Frank Besse of the Jamestown Renaissance Corporation joined WRFA’s Anthony Merchant to discuss the new public art program ArtScape coming to downtown Jamestown in Spring 2023

www.jamestownrenaissance.org/artscape
www.chautauquaartgallery.com
www.jamestownrenaissance.org

JRC Urban Core Director Frank Besse, presenting to Jamestown City Council, said the goal of the project is to beautify downtown, improve walkability, and engage the community in a unique way, “So, we’re going to do a public solicitation for regional artists to submit their artwork. And we will use that artwork to beautify downtown hanging banners on light poles. And this will be throughout the downtown, Third and Second Streets will be the primary focus but we’ll look for unique opportunities to put things other places.”

Chautauqua Art Gallery owner Leslie Calimeri said she was living in Northern Virginia when they started a similar program 11 years ago. She says they’ve been doing it ever since, “We reached out to the Arts Council in Winchester, Virginia and have used a lot of the information that they’ve really kind of perfected and polished over the years to create this program. I think it’s exciting to have a partnership with the businesses. They help sponsor the banners. And it creates a good partnership there as well. This year, we’re looking for some grant funding to help get it started. But, we are hoping to be able keep it going and move in the direction of having it just business-private-public support system there.”

Calimeri said interested artists may submit up to three works for consideration to the Jamestown Renaissance Corporation. These works will be juried by a selection committee.

The chosen pieces will be professionally photographed for display on the banners.

At the end of the year, the banners will be removed and given to the sponsor, or the sponsor may choose to donate the banner to the artist.

Calimeri and Besse said they hope to install banners in June and provide a walking tour brochure on the banners.

Interested artists and those interested in sponsoring a banner can find information and an application at https://www.jamestownrenaissance.org/artscape/.

The deadline for both artists and sponsorship is April 7, 2023.

Jamestown City Council

Chautauqua Art Gallery owner Leslie Calimeri and Jamestown Renaissance Corporation Urban Core Director Frank Besse will present their Downtown ArtScape Banner project to council.

JRC Neighborhood Coordinator Mary Maxwell also will be presenting to the Housing Committee about a Historic Tax Credit Workshop.

The Finance Committee is expected to continue a discussion on American Rescue Plan funds.

And the Public Safety Committee will review a block party application for an event by Jensen British Sports Cars at the National Comedy Center to be held on Saturday, June 8.

The Public Works Committee meeting has been canceled due to lack of agenda items.

The Housing Committee will meet at 6:45 p.m. with Finance and Public Safety committees meeting at 7:00 p.m. The full City Council work session will take place at 7:30 p.m. in the Police Training Room located on the fourth floor of City Hall. The public is welcome to attend all meetings with the full work session being streamed on jamestownny.gov.

Anthony Merchant talks with local artist and business owner Leslie Calimeri about the Chautauqua Art Gallery and its new location along with what the future holds for the gallery.
www.chautauquaartgallery.com/
www.instagram.com/chautauqua_art_gallery/
www.facebook.com/chautauquaartgallery

Any artist who has created work inspired by the Oaks is invited to join. All mediums are welcome including 2 and 3-dimensional artwork, jewelry, prints and notecards. Artists must designate a portion of their proceeds from artwork sales to the fund. Interested artists can find details and registration information online at jamestowntrees.org. The registration deadline is November 18th.

The online exhibition and sale will run from November 20th to January 1st. For more information, contact the Chautauqua Art Gallery at (716) 753-6296.

• AUDIO ALSO AVAILABLE AT SOUNDCLOUD

WRFA’s Jason Sample talks with Jamestown-based visual artist and Chautauqua Art Gallery Owner/Operator/Curator Leslie Calimeri about her art, what inspires her, and where you can learn more about her work and also where to view / purchase it.

Leslie Calimeri – Official Website: www.ChautauquaArtGallery.com/Leslie-Calimeri

• AUDIO ALSO AVAILABLE AT SOUNDCLOUD

JAMESTOWN – A pair of Pop Up Gallery Events are taking place in the Jamestown area on Saturday, Nov. 30 as part of Small Business Saturday. To learn more about the event WRFA’s Jason Sample talked with Chautauqua Art Gallery Owner/Operator Leslie Calimeri and artist Bill Bale.

More Info on Chautauqua Art Gallery Salon Show

One of the many water color landscape pieces by Leslie Calimeri

Work by 15 regional artists is on display together for the first time at Chautauqua Art Gallery this holiday season. The show will open on November 30, (Small Business Saturday), from 10 am to 6 p.m. and will run until January 4.

Artwork will be displayed in a salon style show as a way of highlighting the common influences and inspirations of artists living and working regionally. Each piece will resonate with anyone who has spent time in this beautiful area. There will be a large variety of mediums from painting, pen and ink, photography,  fiber art, jewelry, small sculpture and more. Items in the show are mainly smaller in size making them perfect gifts for the holidays. Each item can stand alone or work well in a collection.

More Info on Sandhill Designs Pop Up Gallery

A group of area artists welcomes the public to their release of recent artworks at a one-day POP-UP Gallery Event.

Artists Bill Bale, Wendy Bale and Debra Eck (Jamestown), Karen Glosser (Chautauqua), and Kimberly Turner (Warren), will display their works Saturday, Nov. 30 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Sandhill Designs, 149 Frissell Road, Jamestown.

Area artists collaborate on POP-UP Gallery Event. From left: Debra Eck of Jamestown, NY; Karen Glosser of Chautauqua, NY; Bill Bale and Wendy Bale of Jamestown; and Kimberly Turner of Warren, PA will display their works November 30, 11a.m.-6p.m. at Sandhill Designs 149 Frissell Road, Jamestown.

The artists will transform the Bales’ 1880’s home into an art gallery for one day, on Small Business Saturday. Original paintings, photography and prints, woodworking, handmade books, paper arts and greeting cards will be displayed. The art will be available for immediate sale during this open house style event. Refreshments will be served.

“Sandhill” Bill Bale, an award-winning woodworker, has been building Sandhill Designs furniture for over 25 years and is best known for his work in the arts and crafts style.

Artist Wendy Bale is a nature artist known for her cut paper sculptures. She also works in charcoal and various other drawing media.

British-born artist Deb Eck lives and works in Jamestown. She can often be found in her garden or out in the woods harvesting plants to make paper, or dye paper and fabric, or even to sew on.

Fine art nature photographer Karen Glosser is excited to debut new work from two new series she has been creating: Woodlands and Wanderings, and Winter Dreams.

Warren, Pa., based artist Kimberly Turner explores various methods of art making. She will be selling original illustrations (ink and watercolor), along with prints and notecards at the POP-UP Gallery.

Sandhill Designs is at the corner of Frissell and Hwy 62, less than a mile from the Audubon Community Nature Center on Riverside Road. Audubon is also having a sale at the Blue Heron Gift Shop from 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. to celebrate Small Business Saturday.

More information can be found online at www.WendyBaleArt1st.com/events, or call (814) 230-8787 or (920) 568-0333.

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photo caption:
Area artists collaborate on POP-UP Gallery Event. From left: Debra Eck of Jamestown, NY; Karen Glosser of Chautauqua, NY; Bill Bale and Wendy Bale of Jamestown; and Kimberly Turner of Warren, PA will display their works November 30, 11a.m.-6p.m. at Sandhill Designs 149 Frissell Road, Jamestown.