POTTERS gALLErY

The Jamestown Renaissance Corporation, in collaboration with Jamestown High School and Jamestown Community College, recently finished an enhancement project at POTTERS gALLErY – an alley art gallery in Potters Alley between Fourth and Second Streets.

The JRC built on its partnership with JHS and JCC to expand the gallery south of Third Street. The gallery, which now includes 35 pieces of student artwork from the two schools, was established in 2010 thanks in part to grants from the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation and the Gebbie Foundation.

JHS student artwork currently accounts for 23 of the 35 pieces. The JHS art department contributed 15 works for 2011. Works by Nick Anderson, Mikayla Capestrani, Adam Capron, Annyssa Conti, Lily Ellis, Jillian Gazdak, Johnna Graham, Fallon Johnson, Michael Marino, Sarah Mosher, Jordan Nelson, Lynnsey Olson, Jacob Perkins, Rachael Rugg and Lydia Slagle are new this year. The remaining eight selections were 2010 holdover contributions from Natalie Benson, Codie Brightman, Lydia Fontanez, Abigail Hanson, Jacqueline Jacokes, Hannah Samuelson, Raelynn Tellinghuisen and Josh VanOrd.

"The students selected, both last year and this year, are overjoyed to see their work on display in POTTERS gALLErY," JHS art teacher Stephanie Cutrona said. "Our community's talent – and the community's fondness for the arts – is flourishing, so it is a pleasure to have a public place to display that talent and provide another destination for those who admire it."

JCC, meanwhile, contributed nine pieces for the new gallery space south of Third Street. Josh Clark, Mindy Drohin, Karl Hansen, Kyla Hill, Sharise Peacock, David Saporito, Sara Schmitz, Nicole Ten Eyck and Molly Woodfield were each given POTTERS gALLErY awards at the JCC Student Art Show in late April. Their artwork constitutes the aforementioned nine-piece collection. Works by Aaron Dolecki, Caitlin Ross and Ryan Sinatra, who were bestowed the same honor in 2010, are still hanging in the original gallery space between Fourth and Third Streets.

"JCC is pleased to once again be part of the downtown Jamestown POTTERS gALLErY project," Jim Colby, JCC's Director of Exhibitions and Galleries, said. "It continues to add significantly to The Weeks Gallery's Museum Without Walls ArtReach programs that serve JCC, the community, and area high schools," "Thanks again to all of the students, faculty, and the Jamestown Renaissance Corporation for their collaborative efforts on this one-of-kind project that serves so many community-wide goals and objectives."

POTTERS gALLErY is also augmented by an Active Artists Alliance mural in Potters Terrace. It was completed in 2010.