‘Feather Your Nest’ announces March exhibition

The Tioga Arts Council is pleased to present “Feather Your Nest”, a group exhibition from the artists of The Walk-Up Gallery & Studio Space located on the 2nd floor above Tioga Arts Council.  

Artists Suzanne Poe, Alice Mischke, and Shalene Chavez create an interactive experience for viewers for their March exhibition. Based on the idea of making your space a home, “Feather Your Nest” offers a cozy atmosphere, peppered with artwork from the three artists to give you the chance to see how to successfully decorate with handmade goods. From felted cushions, to oil paintings, to woven wall hangings, you will be able to witness how different styles come together in a beautifully curated fashion. 

The three artists all work in The Walk-Up Gallery & Studio Space on the 2nd floor above Tioga Arts Council. As part of the Arts Incubator initiative, The Walk-Up Gallery & Studio Space contains three separate studios with a shared gallery space and kitchen/bathroom area. This has allowed Suzy, Alice and Shalene to create in their own space and collaborate on projects and ideas together. Their studio is open by chance or appointment, most commonly on Saturdays when all artists are there, and also on First Friday Art Walks. 

Suzanne has been working “in the wool” for years knitting, spinning, weaving and owning sheep. Most recently (the last 15 years) needle felting and wet felting has been her primary focus. The versatility of this ancient fiber and practice allow her to transform her surrounding inspirations into sculptural form at studio 1 of The Walk-Up Gallery and Studio Space! Her life today finds her living in the countryside and combing the woods and fields for ideas. Having had the opportunity to live and learn in England and Italy where sheep and fiber are part of daily life has added to her ongoing exploration of using fiber in art and craft. Her work can also be seen at The Butternut Gallery in Montrose and in Owego at East of the Sun West of the Moon along with the above-mentioned First Friday Art Walk. 

Alice Mischke is an oil painter who has worked or lived in Owego for over 30 years. After working in clay for much of that time frame, she returned to oil painting after the 2006 flood. Her current subject matter explores ideas of memories and locations. Her work can be seen at the Butternut Gallery in Montrose, Pa. or at her studio during art walk evenings. 

Shalene Chavez is a mixed media artist living in Endicott, N.Y. After receiving her BFA in Graphic Design from the Fashion Institute of Technology, she moved to the Lehigh Valley in Pennsylvania for her first job out of college, from there moving to Philadelphia, Pa., and has since found her way back home. She has always enjoyed working with her hands, which led her to creating three-dimensional pieces on her free time and teaching herself tapestry weaving. Her personal brand “ShaleneLorraine” was born from a desire to create handmade decorative pieces for the home. Although she works a full-time job during the week, her passion lies in the arts, and you can find her at the studio on nights and weekends experimenting with new mediums and techniques. To see more of Shalene’s work, visit shalenelorraine.com, visit East of the Sun West of the Moon in Owego, and feel free to send her an email at shalenelorraine@gmail.com.