The Art Gallery at Montabaur Heights independent living apartment community is pleased to host a series of art exhibits throughout 2025 to commemorate the Erie Canal Bicentennial.
The gallery, located at 4530 Ransom Road, is open daily to the public from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. The David & Joan Rogers Family Foundation is funding this historical celebration through various art forms.
“We are so pleased to welcome a variety of distinguished regional artists to join us in celebrating the 200th anniversary of the Erie Canal this year,” said Mary Jo Ketchum, Chairperson of The Brothers of Mercy’s Art Committee. “I want to thank our Art Committee and David Rogers, one of the Board of Directors for The Brothers of Mercy, for their support, enthusiasm and foresight in developing this wonderful series of exhibits that celebrate the rich history of the canal while bringing community members together to appreciate the renowned artworks.”
There are three exhibits scheduled this year, beginning with Dana Hatchett’s “Drawings of the Historic Erie Canal” that is on display Jan. 15 through April 25. Hatchett is a professional artist who earned a bachelor of fine arts in painting from SUNY Purchase a master of fine arts from SUNY Buffalo. He retired in 2017 from his position as an adjunct professor at Daemen College. He also taught art classes at Erie Community College and SUNY Buffalo. There will be a reception for the community to meet the Hatchett on Sunday, Feb. 2 from 12:30 – 2:30 p.m.
The second exhibit, “Photographing the Erie Canal,” will feature Lockport photographers Dennis Stierer and Lee Williams from May 1 through August 31.
A native of Connersville, Indiana, Stierer attended Purdue University. He maintained a photography studio in Ft. Wayne, Indiana and a commercial photography studio in Boston, working with national clients such as Dunkin’ Donuts, Foster Grant Sunglasses, New England Aquarium and National Geographic World Magazine. He is a member of the Western New York Artist Group and the Buffalo Society of Artists. From 2012-20, Dennis worked with a large format film camera on a project about the Erie Canal. He taught workshops along the canal and self-published a book entitled “Spirit of the Ditch.”
Williams, a native of Buffalo, earned a bachelor of fine arts in design from SUNY Buffalo with concentrations in typography and photography, and enjoyed a career in the printing industry working as a pressman. With a desire for expression and pick up the camera again, he started Pugbully Studio in 2015. He quickly gained a following in his hometown of Lockport with images of the famous Flight of Five locks as it undergoes a historic restoration.
The final exhibit will consist of a juried art show from Sept. 8 through Dec. 31. A call for artwork submission form for Western New York artists to participate in this third show will be distributed in a few weeks.
Visitors to the gallery can also enjoy lunch by reserving in advance to 716-407-5102. For more information, visit BrothersofMercy.org/ArtGallery.
About The Art Gallery at Montabaur Heights:
The Art Gallery at Montabaur Heights independent living apartments on The Brothers of Mercy Wellness Campus provides residents and Western New Yorkers an opportunity to enhance their lives through the arts by creating value, purpose and engagement. The gallery is a centerpiece of the “Wellness Through Art” program that recognizes the contributions of artists while including residents in enrichment activities that help them thrive at any age. Through exhibits and presentations, the gallery embraces an atmosphere of beauty, peace and creativity while fostering an appreciation for the arts and instilling fellowship and community involvement. Artwork sales from the exhibits support the Campus Foundation’s mission of sustaining compassionate care for patients and residents.
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Skilled Nursing & Rehabilitation Center
10570 Bergtold Road
Clarence, NY 14031-2198