Artist opens new business in Medina, after 3 years of renovations
Photos by Ginny Kropf: Patricia Greene cuts the ribbon in a ceremony Friday to celebrate the opening of her new store, the Quiet Eye, at 121 East Center St., Medina. From left are Green’s husband Alex; Barry Flansburg, who represented Assemblyman Steve Hawley; Patricia Greene; Orleans County Chamber of Commerce director Darlene Hartway; Diane Blanchard, who heads the Microenterprise Assistance Program class which Greene took; and Sam Campanella with SCORE, who works with Microenterprise participants.
Site by canal also created as a ‘spiritual space’
MEDINA – Patricia Greene has never wanted to be anything but an artist, but opening her own studio has been a long time coming.
On Friday, Greene celebrated the grand opening of The Quiet Eye at 121 East Center St., the building she and husband Alex have spent three years renovating.
Alex Greene, who did the work renovating his wife’s new studio, shows the antique door he acquired for the bathroom. He also made the floors from old pallets, which he cut and arranged in a herringbone pattern.
Darlene Hartway, director of the Orleans County Chamber of Commerce, welcomed those in attendance and congratulated the Greenes on their new venture. Barry Flansburg, representing Assemblyman Steve Hawley, presented Patricia with a certificate.
“You’ve done a beautiful job here restoring this place,” Flansburg said. “This is a wonderful addition to Medina.”
Sam Campanella with SCORE added his congratulations. He mentors members of Orleans Economic Development Agency’s Microenterprise Assistance Program, which Patricia took in the spring of 2017. Program leader Diane Blanchard said Patricia will do a wonderful job here.
Greene grew up in Syracuse and graduated from Buffalo State College with a bachelor of arts degree. She and Alex moved to Medina in 2001.
The first time Patricia saw the small building on East Center Street, she said it looked like a shack, but she wanted it. As far back as 60, 70 years ago, it was a monument store and a law office. Several other entities have operated there over the years, including a church.
Patricia was curious what the building originally looked like and went to Lee-Whedon Memorial Library to see if they had a picture. Library director Catherine Cooper went to her computer and brought up a picture which had recently been sent to her by a distant relative of a Medina resident who lived in Australia. The person said she thought the picture belonged in Medina. It was a picture of the building in the 1930s.
Patricia Green relaxes in the space she will use to do readings at her new business, The Quiet Eye.
Alex said remodeling the building was fun, and they used antique furnishings as much as possible. The floor is made from slats from old wood pallets, which Alex laid in a herringbone pattern. Patricia painted the walls with eight layers of alternating processes, including stencils, sponging, painting and washing.
The sign over the door identifies the studio as a “Fine Art, Creative & Spiritual Space.”
In addition to art classes, Patricia will also offer private spiritual readings, something in which she became interested many years ago. In fact, as a child she made her own set of tarot cards, before she even knew what tarot cards were.
Gina Miller of Carlton admires an hourglass her husband Terry made for Patricia Greene to use when she does readings.
“Although I had these abilities, I never considered myself a medium,” Patricia said. “After my father passed away seven years ago, I encouraged my sister to further her education. Then a voice in my head said, ‘What about you.’ I always thought I’d be a massage therapist and decided to go to massage school. Then the night before I was supposed to go sign the papers for school, my spiritual mentor called and told me not to do it. ‘You’re supposed to go to metaphysical school.’”
She followed that advice and spent two years studying prophecy and healing at the Fellowship of the Spirit at Lily Dale in Chautauqua County.
She almost went in business with someone in Buffalo, but she wanted to be in Medina.
“I had seen this building and I wanted it,” Patricia said. “One of my teachers had given me a reading and said one day I would own my own place. It will be 15 minutes from your house and when, at the end of the day, you put your feet up, you will be overlooking water.”
The Quiet Eye is located in front of the Canal Basin, overlooking the Erie Barge Canal.
“I am blessed,” Patricia said.
Patricia will offer morning classes and workshops in oil paint and mixed media. She will do readings by appointment on Mondays and Fridays.
She can be reached by calling (585) 798-5860, on Facebook at TheQuietEye or by e-mailing PatfGreene@gmail.com.
