Women Artists of All Ages from Allegany County NY and surrounding Areas are invited to Join Us for our 2 Week Celebration of the 9th International SWAN Day! Please see the calendar above for the complete schedule of events.

Our SWAN Day art show and sale will take place from March 19th to April 1st and will be FREE to the public during Open Studio Hours. Accepting Entries March 4th and 5th. Fee $10 per entry To be submitted with the your Entry Form & Artwork or PAID ONLINE.

PRIZES

Selected by Visitors’ Votes, each visitor wishing to vote will sign in at the door to receive ONE ballot. Winners will be selected based on the number of votes received for each category. Winners will be Announced and Posted at

Closing Ceremonies April 1, 2016 6pm-7pm

“BEST IN SHOW (Adult)” $100, “Best Artistic Composition” $50, “Most Unique” $50,

“Best Presentation” $25, “Best  Under 18 Entry(Youth)”$25

Other activities will include a SWAN Creative Wellness Circle, SWAN for Kids, and a free showing of the PBS Documentary, The Story of Women in Art.   CONTACT SheilaLynnK Art Studio to RSVP for activities as indicated. The  studio will be CLOSED March 25th and 26th for a Private Event. More Schedule Links and Details HERE

CALL FOR ARTISTS and Details About the Show
SWAN Days Creative Wellness Circle
Your Chance to SWAN
Become A Sponsor
Follow This Event On Facebook

The organizer of this SWAN Event, Sheila L. Kalkbrenner, shared her thoughts about this event:

“There is so much inspiring art happening locally! As a member of the Wellsville Art Association, The Allegany Arts Association, Founder of the Belfast Organization for Artists (BOFA),Creator and Manager of the Art For Arachnoiditis Project,  Participant in the Allegany Artisans Studio Tour (2013), and Follower of the Cattaraugus County Arts Council,  I wanted to do an event that invites “new” artists to show and sell their work, as well as, provide an opportunity to promote, support, and celebrate the creative women who step up to make these local groups a success AND the Local Creative Women who simply don’t have the time to participate in these groups. 

I am inspired by the community action and creative works of local artists like Wendy Skinner, Eleanor Cott, Allison Midgley, Pat Gay, Kristen Kruger, Kathryn Garrison and so many more that I cannot list them here.  Additionally, I am perpetually in awe of works by  Women Artists like  Maya Lin  and Louise Bourgeois and I think, if given the right support; we have artists here who have the potential to be as successful as they have been. 

As a Belfast Organization for Artists activity, I began a local call for SWAN Day ideas and participants in 2013. The 2014 SWAN Party was hosted by the Fountain Arts Center in Belmont,NY. As it has expanded into SWAN Days (more than one day of activities); This is the biggest SWAN Day activity I have done to date.

I am looking forward to seeing the work that comes in for this and I would love to see this grow into a more well-known County Event which, I think, will attract more attention for our very talented Male Artists as well. 

Historically, male artists who chose a professional creative path had an established support network in place on their journey. Although the numbers are slowly improving, women artists still frequently lack the support network needed to succeed in their creative endeavors while meeting the many demands and obligations of our modern society.”

With the right support, I believe this Event has a lot of potential to grow to become a future community activity which will attract visitors (and shoppers) to a our small town full of hidden talent and natural assets. As funding increases, I will be seeking larger centrally located venues to host the event and encouraging local women artists to do a SWAN Salon style art event of their own during SWAN Days. 

PARKING
Limited off-street parking is available at the studio. Car-pooling from the West Dyke Street Lot at  Island Park  ~ Rt 417 takes you right to South Main Street and up the hill to the studio~ is recommended.
Some additional parking is available in the front portion of the lot at Bob’s Farm Market, diagonally across the street from the studio. Bob has given his consent for use of this space. Courtesy and Respect for his customers and property are greatly appreciated.