Winter Blues: WNYHS Teacher Show

High School Art Teachers from across the region were sent an open call, for one artwork of any medium relating to the theme "Winter Blues".  This exhibition runs concurrently with an annual exhibition of high school student artwork, as submitted by these and additional local art teachers. 

In the Department of Art Project Space

Center For the Arts, Room 155

On View: January 26 - February 6, 2026

Reception: Thursday, January 29, 5-8PM

Zoom image: Poster Design: Justin Jimenez Exhibition poster for "Winter Blue" with an image background of stained glass snowflake sculptures by Jaclyn Doyle.

Poster Design: Justin Jimenez

Curatorial Statement:

The theme "Winter Blues" is correlated with the time of year in which this exhibition is being held, in a snowy place like Western New York.  As educators, high school art teachers have a unique role in our community, of not just making it "through" winter, but fostering creative activity in the midst of what many people consider the most challenging season of the year. The teachers were invited to submit one work of their own making for this theme, and the resulting collection of works demonstrate how something being “blue”, can also emit ideas resilience, beauty, community, and care.

This exhibition complements our annual Western New York High School Student Art Exhibition, running concurrently in the Department of Art Lower Gallery. The Department of Art expresses its gratitude to these high school teachers for submitting work for these exhibitions, nurturing the next generation of artists, and engaging the community with the wonderful works of arts that are being made by the students and educators.

The Artists:

Allyson Demski & Lena Scapillato, Lancaster High School 

Amanda Giglia, Clarence High School 

Anna Emerson, Kenmore West High School

Cassie Lipsitz, Lafayette International High School

Christopher Galley, West Seneca West Senior High School 

Dominique Mediak-Pirigyi, Sweet Home High School

Jackie Carpenter, Grand Island High School

Jaclyn Doyle, Randolph Central School 

Jacqueline LaRocque, Frontier High School

Kari Achatz, Nichols School

Kate Van Volkenburg, Sweet Home High School

Keri Graf, Clarence High School

Kristen Piurek, Sweet Home High School

Mackenzey Holmes, Cattaraugus-Little Valley High School

Martha N. Garcia Sikorski, Kenmore West High School

Megan Saboda, Clarence High School

Sara Cometto, Alden High School

Scott Losi, Pioneer High School

Sydney Hafner, Lancaster High School

Nick Bonvissuto, Sweet Home High School

Veronica Allis, Kenmore West High School

Zoom image: Scott Losi Treacherous Road / Desolated View, Ceramic, 27 x 16 x 3 in. Pioneer High Schoo Sculpture of a window with shutters, with a wheel below, and grayish/brown walls surrounding.

Scott Losi

Treacherous Road / Desolated View,

Ceramic, 27 x 16 x 3 in.

Pioneer High Schoo

Zoom image: Megan Saboda Thin December Sun Oil on canvas, 16 x 20 in. Clarence High School Landscape painting of a snowy field with thin clouds in light blue sky, and pine trees in back left.

Megan Saboda

Thin December Sun

Oil on canvas, 16 x 20 in.

Clarence High School

Zoom image: Kari Achatz Second Nature Azure, 2025 Hand-Cut and Painted Papers 16 x 20 in. Nichols School Black paper cutout pattern of swirls and concentric shapes, overtop blue cutout pattern.

Kari Achatz

Second Nature Azure, 2025

Hand-Cut and Painted Papers 16 x 20 in.

Nichols School

Zoom image: Christopher Galley Victory Formation, 2025 Mixed media, 12 x 24 in. West Seneca West Senior High School Painting of Buffalo Bills quarterback Joh Allen running with football, and collage background.

Christopher Galley

Victory Formation, 2025

Mixed media, 12 x 24 in.

West Seneca West Senior High School

Zoom image: Jacqueline LaRocque Untitled, 2022 Acrylic on Canvas, 24 x 36 in. Frontier High School Multicolor collaged style painting portrait of a woman, bust up.

Jacqueline LaRocque

Untitled, 2022 

Acrylic on Canvas, 24 x 36 in.

Frontier High School

Zoom image: Mackenzey Holmes Poor Thing in the Road, 2025 Acrylic paint on canvas board, 16 x 12 in. Cattaraugus-Little Valley High School Painting of a woman's head on a deer body, in snowy scene with car headlights in background.

Mackenzey Holmes

Poor Thing in the Road, 2025

Acrylic paint on canvas board, 16 x 12 in.

Cattaraugus-Little Valley High School

Zoom image: Amanda Giglia Season of Staying, 2026 Oil Paint on Canvas, 20 x 24 in. Clarence High School Paitning of a realistic deer with antlers, with blue background and graphic snowflake outlines.

Amanda Giglia

Season of Staying, 2026

Oil Paint on Canvas, 20 x 24 in.

Clarence High School

Zoom image: Kristen Piurek Fragile Permanence, 2010 Photography, 12 x 12 in. Sweet Home High School Photograph of bluish berries on a branch, encapsualted with ice.

Kristen Piurek

Fragile Permanence, 2010

Photography, 12 x 12 in.

Sweet Home High School

Zoom image: Nick Bonvissuto Chiastic, 2024 Oil on canvas, 24 x 18 in. Sweet Home High School Painting of a person's back, with their hands reaching around towards center of spine.

Nick Bonvissuto

Chiastic, 2024

Oil on canvas, 24 x 18 in.

Sweet Home High School

Zoom image: Jaclyn Doyle Iridescent Seasons: Glimmering Cold, 2025 Stained Glass Randolph Central School Two stained glass multicolor snowflakes on a bed of real snow.

Jaclyn Doyle

Iridescent Seasons: Glimmering Cold, 2025

Stained Glass

Randolph Central School

Zoom image: Martha N. Garcia Sikorski When Life Gives You Lemons, Make Art, 2025 Mixed media, 22 x 28.5 in. Kenmore West High School Canvas with little mini lemon artworks attached to it in a grid.

Martha N. Garcia Sikorski

When Life Gives You Lemons, Make Art, 2025 

Mixed media, 22 x 28.5 in.

Kenmore West High School