Fine Arts

From ancient Egypt to modern times, the skill and art of woodworking continues to hold a place in society. And as WXXI's Need to Know recently learned, if anything it's a craft with benefits that might far outweigh what you might expect. At least that's the case for one local woodworking program which has been teaching teens not only how to build furniture, but also character, personal value, and respect. Take a look. Aired 3/24/17.

Local artists, David Cowles and Maria Friske, have collaborated for over two decades. They started out working together as illustrators for the Democrat & Chronicle and have been thick as thieves ever since. David has gained notoriety around the world for his animation and illustration work and Maria has gained a following for her depictions of Rochester and it's residents. Take a look at their most recent collaboration, Rhythm and Hues. Aired 3/10/17.

Rochester Rehab's program, Ventures PROS, works with people who are living with and often battling mental illness. It identifies an individual's goal - such as joining the workforce or going to back to school - and then works to make that goal a reality. We visited Ventures PROS to learn how art plays a role in their program. Aired 1/27/17. 

Some of the most vulnerable and neglected people in our region, have found an ally and a friend in Rochester photographer Arleen Thaler. Armed with her favorite camera, which she requested from her husband rather than a wedding ring, she documents the lives of those often overlooked and misunderstood. As we’ll learn in this story from WXXI’s Need to Know, this labor of love project isn’t about the photographer, but about getting a community to confront injustices in plain sight. Aired 1/13/17

Art teacher, Todd Stahl, believes in the power of art. Every day he works to further art and art education in the Webster School District. By treating his students as equals he empowers them to believe in their art and to have high expectations. Let's take a look into his classroom to see how. Aired 1/6/17

When local developer, Craig Webster, acquired the building at 510 State Street, he knew he wanted to do something a little different. When local artists Larry Moss and Kelly Cheatle of Airigami became part of the conversation, that's when the project took off. We visited the newly opened "Made On State" building to see what these artists have created. Aired 12/23/16.

Tonight, lets learn about the Cobblestone Arts and Education Center's Dayhab Without Walls program. They're dedicated to enriching the lives of people with disabilities by bringing them out into the community. Aired 12/9/16.

When you think of glass art you probably think of stained glass, leaded glass and blown glass, right? Ever heard of architectural glass? Local artist, Nancy Gong, has been diving deep into architectural glass techniques. Over the past few months she has worked with the Rochester Museum and Science Center to create a work of art that details the water cycle of our region. Here's a look. Aired 11/25/16.

Printmaking is an often misunderstood artform. It's often categorized more closely with mass production than it is with one-of-a-kind works of art. But if you look beyond the superficial definition of printmaking and pay attention to processes such as monoprinting, you'll  quickly discover that prints can be as unique as paintings. We visited artist Nicolas Ruth to learn about his process. Take a look. Aired 11/11/16.

Have you hear of NTID? The National Technical Institute for the Deaf? They're one of the nine colleges at the Rochester Institute of Technology. Ok, sure, of course you've heard of it. But did you know that they have an art gallery that collects and displays artwork by deaf or hard of hearing artists? We visited the Dyer Arts Center and spent some time with the gallery director to learn more. Aired 9/30/16.