The current exhibition of sculpture by Susan Ferrari Rowley is a rare opportunity for art enthusiasts (collectors, artists and aspiring artists) to see exquisitely executed contemporary sculpture that has been steadily gaining national recognition.  Susan is clearly on her way to joining the ranks of other renowned Rochester based artists who are building our region’s reputation as the arts and cultural center of upstate New York.  When you consider that only 5-7% of museum collections are works by women artists, and an even smaller percentage are large scale sculptural works, Susan’s accomplishments and the pieces she creates are significant achievements by any standard.

I believe there are many people in our community that would want to see this work and I am asking for your assistance in getting the word out about this show.  I first saw Susan’s work in 1997 when she was commissioned by the City of Rochester for a public art project that was installed in The Gateway Pavilion.  It made an enormous impression on me and I as well as other admirers have only had two opportunities to experience her solo exhibitions in Rochester since she has been increasingly showing in larger cities.  In fact, the work on view at AXOM will be traveling to NYC to become part of a larger exhibition opening at the OK Harris Gallery in December.  I am not alone in being inspired by Susan’s work.  In 1992, Garth Fagan commissioned Susan to create a suspended sculpture that became an integral part of one of his choreographed pieces.  In 1999, Susan created an outdoor sculpture for a juried invitational exhibit at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Buffalo, NY which was then acquired to be part of their permanent collection.  The review of this show by Shirley Dawson for the D&C stated:….”She continues to construct elegantly minimal sculpture…The pure form of Spirit Vessel ll succeeds on every level as one of the best pieces in the exhibit…the sculpture is one of the most creative and spiritual pieces in the show.”

Susan Ferrari Rowley holds an MFA from the Rochester Institute of Technology and is an Associate Professor of Fine Art at Monroe Community College.  She received the 2011 SUNY Chancellor’s Award of Excellence in Scholarship and Creative Activities.  This prestigious award is reserved for faculty who have consistently demonstrated superlative performance within and beyond their teaching position.

Susan is an extremely dedicated and prolific artist and professor.  This fall she continues with her teaching career and has exhibits in three galleries in Rochester, Connecticut and New York.  She has also launched the first of a series of wearable-art bracelets which is a project she devised to link Art and American Industry and is meant to aid in keeping manufacturing viable in our country.  These bracelets are now on view at AXOM gallery along with her sculpture and they are also available at Shop One and the Memorial Art Gallery Store.

In her teaching and in her public art projects, Susan contributes to expand the creative culture of our community.  Her exhibit will be on view at AXOM Gallery till November 17.  If you have time to see this exhibit we will make every effort to accommodate your schedule beyond the regular gallery hours.