Band celebrating the release of their new studio album “Revival”

The roots-rock band, Big Leg Emma, will be hosting their album-release party in Buffalo on Saturday, May 12, 2012 at the Essex Arts Center, 30 Essex Street, Buffalo, NY. The show, with opening band A Potters Field, will begin at 7:30 p.m. Proceeds from the event will assist the Ashford Hollow Foundation, which owns and operates the Griffis Sculpture Park and the Essex Arts Center.

Tickets are $13 pre-sale or $18 day or show. Tickets can be purchases at www.griffispark.org or in-person at Terrapin Station, 1172 Hertel Avenue, Buffalo. They will be available at the door the evening of the show.

In addition to the band performances, the warehouse art studio at Essex Street will be transformed with creative lighting and projection photography.

Big Leg Emma just released their second full-length studio album titled “Revival” in March. The band recently returned from a tour of the East Coast celebrating the album release, as well as the band’s 10  Year Anniversary. The band is known for their high-energy live shows that feature blends of rock n’ roll, country, world beat, bluegrass and more. In the band’s 10 year history, the group has shared the stage with numerous national headlining acts, as well as headline their own shows throughout the country.

Please join us for our annual Moonlight Snowshoe Party! With or without snow it is guaranteed to be a good time. Reserve your tickets now by calling 667-2808 or buy online.

Various artists from the Essex Art Center will be showcasing their original work during the Holiday Open Studios and Galleries presented by artists in buffalo, inc. December 2 through December 4 come and visit one of the most unique art spaces in WNY. Our doors will be open to sell and display artwork as well as give you the opportunity to make your own metal sculpture. An artist will be on hand to help you design, draw and cut your metal sculpture while you watch. It is an extremely unique opportunity to make a very special gift and receive a demonstration on Plasma Cutting. The first weekend in December only. We hope to see you there!

plasma cutter

Plasma Cutting

outreach goes beyond the Essex Art Center and heads all the way into classrooms across WNY. Last week, we kicked off a program with the Williams Street School in Lancaster. The program headed off with a Plasma Cutting and Welding demonstration for all 500 6th graders at the school. The Ashford Hollow Foundation’s teaching artists Zack Boehler and Sarah Fonzi gear up to give each student an insight into the world of metal sculpture. The demonstration shows the students exactly how each and everyone of their sculptures will be created and helps them get excited about their opportunity with the Griffis Sculpture Program.

In the Collaborative Large Sculpture Program every student designs their own sculpture as intended for the large version. All of the many ideas are taken into account when designing a collaborative sculpture for the school. Every student receives their own metal sculpture and leaves a legacy at the school through the monumental steel sculpture they helped design.

Later that week, a group of students from St. Paul’s School in Niagara Falls, Ontario come for a two day experience with the AHF. They begin their trip with a tour of the facilities at the Essex Art Center. They all hopped back in the bus to drive out to Griffis Sculpture Park for a beautiful afternoon hike. After their hike, everyone settled down into our cabins tucked in the woods and prepare for the evening festivities. Once dusk hits, we have a bonfire, a delicious dinner and live metal casting where each student had designed a relief to be filled with molten aluminum. It is a truly extraordinary experience for these high school students. Mark Griffis, their art teacher has been bringing groups like this for over 10 years.

September 10, 2011 3pm at Mill Valley Site of Griffis Sculpture Park

“Nuggette” by Coral Lambert and “Fallen Fruit” by Matter Practice will be celebrated as the two newest acquisitions of Griffis Sculpture Park. Lite refreshments and snacks will be served and we will venture through the park to dedicate both sculptures. Please join us for a great day.

Join the metal giants in the fields at Rohr Hill on Saturday night. We will drum to the beat of the setting sun. All are welcome and this is a free event. Some drums will be available to share.

We will meet at Rohr Hill Rd (turn off 219 on Ahrens Rd and make 1st left) around 7:30 on Saturday the 20th.

In early summer, a crew of  25 volunteers and 4 portable welders made important repairs to about 20 sculptures in need throughout the park. Without the help of dedicated men and women in our community we could not maintain the hundreds of sculpture at GSP- Thanks to all of our amazing volunteers!  

Revitalize relationship with Audubon

A naturalist from Audubon Buffalo visited the sculpture park to educate visitors on our local ecology. Griffis Sculpture Park is a perfect place to explore art and nature at their purest forms.

A Fiery Good-Bye 

The “Big Orbit” sculpture which inhabited the front lawn at the Griffis Sculpture Park for over a decade was finally deaccessioned. The sculpture was created out of hundreds of wood palettes screwed together to create a giant oval that mimicked the rolling hills in the surrounding vista. After 11 years of play and weathering, the sculpture had lived life to its fullest and had to be removed… by burning. We invited friends of the GSP out to watch the magnificent blaze and camp out.

Install of “Nuggette” by Coral Lambert

Artist Coral Lambert an English woman currently teaching at Alfred University has loaned Griffis Sculpture Park “Nuggette”. This sculpture has previously been on display at Governor’s Island in New York and at the Invitational Outdoor Sculpture Exhibition in Baltimore, MD. “Nuggette” is constructed of copper, cast iron and stainless steel and is approximately 10ft x 14ft x 10ft. You can locate this new sculpture at the Mill Valley Site in the Great Lawn near the Gift Shop. Thanks to Coral and her crew for their hard work.

Simon Griffis Memorial Celebration

Council member Rivera dedicates event

Simon’s mother and daughter unveil new sign

June 25The AHF held a Memorial Event for the late and fabulous Simon P. Griffis. It was held about a year after he passed at the Essex Art Center in Buffalo. Approximately 400 guests came throughout the night to celebrate Simon’s life with music and dance. Throughout the complex there were exciting and fun things happening: two stages, music and light installations, belly dancing, hula hoopers, slide shows, projections, live painting, a photo booth and food and drink.It was one of our most successful events. Thanks to our many volunteers and sponsors!

To Purchase Tickets Online with/without Paypal account

SIBO_Poster

Frampton’s cosmological interpretation of Gottfried Semper’s “Four Elements of Architecture” which relates stereotomic mass with the earth and tectonic assemblies with the sky, as well as Gaston Bachlard’s phenomenological understanding of the spaces of the cellar and attic, the lower associated with darkness and fear and the upper with lightness and comfort); and 3) planning and performing the work necessary in the construction of each material and its construction type.

The students were asked to explore vertical constructions at three different scales: Project 1: a 5’-7’ vertical stereotomic/tectonic construction (at any scale); Project 2: an 80’ viewing tower design w/minimum residential requirements on the cliffs overlooking Lake Erie; Project 3: 4 approximately 16’ – 20’ towers to be designed and constructed at the Griffis Sculpture Park, East Otto, NY.

More Information:

http://www.griffispark.org

http://verticalub.com

Faculty: Jean La Marche

Assisting Faculty: Chris Romano, Matthew Dates, Peter Grace

Graduate Students: Allison Adderley, Andrew Casselman, Pat Connolly, Troels Frandsen, Robert Garlow, Jorn Lambertsen, Ahoo Malekafzaliardakan, Sandeep Nagpal, Andrew Perkins, Amanda Speranza, Richard Stora, and Joe Wassell.

Griffis Sculpture Park:

6902 Mill Valley Road

East Otto, NY 14729

Directions:

From the North (Buffalo, Rochester, and Toronto)

• US 90 (NYS Thruway) to exit 55 – Route 219.

• Route 219 South to end (approx 24.5 miles).

• LEFT 0.2 miles then RIGHT onto continuation of 219 South.

• Approx. 8 miles on 219 to Ashford Hollow (speed limit 45).

• RIGHT onto Ahrens Road (Carsons Ashford House and Park sign on corner).

• Stay straight Approx. 2.7 miles to County Road 75 (Mill Valley Rd.).

• Turn LEFT and go 1.5 miles to Park entrance (on left).

From the South (Ellicottville, Pennsylvania)

• Take 219 North to Ashford Hollow (speed limit 45).

• LEFT onto Ahrens Road (Carsons Ashford House and Park signs on corner).

• Stay straight Approx. 2.7 miles to County Road 75 (Mill Valley Rd.)

• Turn LEFT and go 1.5 miles to Park entrance (on left).