On the second Friday of every month, the Burchfield Penney Art Center hosts special events showcasing new art, live music, wine tasting and much more. Members of the gallery are granted free or discounted admission to certain special events and programs.

The most recent of the “Second Fridays,” was on Feb. 14 and featured the opening of seven new exhibitions at the gallery.

The BPAC’s director of development, James Wyman, expressed the excitement and accomplishment he felt after revealing the new exhibits to the public for the first time.

He said Alberto Rey’s Biological Regionalism exhibit displays paintings that depict the Niagara River as well as the Scajaquada Creek in their most beautiful moments and captures Buffalo’s natural beauty through picturesque landscapes.

The architecture of the gallery played a huge role in deciding which exhibits were chosen to be showcased where. A drop ceiling here, or a floor planted cylinder there, provided canvases almost anywhere.

Wyman said that the culture of Buffalo, as well as countless amounts of natural beauty in the region’s possession, was the inspiration for more than one of the exhibits showcased on Friday.

The BPAC has provided Buffalo State with a sense of artistic poise since its construction in 1966. Over the years, the art center has been able to acquire various exhibitions and events for the campus, as well as for Buffalo residents to enjoy. In September of 2013, the BPAC introduced the Evidence of Intent exhibit, which showcased some of Charles E. Burchfield’s own sketches.

Burchfield stated in 1914, “Finally I abandon my poster and make a sketch! I got much more than the sketch.

“I realized that is what I loved—this seeking to put down my impression of things.”

Transitioning from paintings to sketches was reviving for Burchfield, as many of them were originally created as motifs or personal inspiration for future paintings.

Though transitions within his art have been noted, it is believed that Charles Burchfield was adamant in keeping the art gallery geared toward serving Western New York artists after his death in 1967.

The Burchfield Penney has occupied a diverse number of exhibits, but it has been recognized that the gallery’s featured artists as well as exhibitions have never strayed too far away from home.

Brian Milbrand, an instructor and technical manager for the communication department, starred in the MELT exhibit, which demonstrated the conjunction of water, color, and media. This exhibit displayed various ‘water color on paper with video’ images that attempt to allow viewers to feel a part of the artistic piece.

This exhibit has broadcasted the immense amount of influence that Western New York has on their artists.

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