3 artists kick off new show at Marti’s on Main

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Onyedikachi “Will” Robinson works on a painting on Friday evening at the opening reception for a new art show at Marti’s on Main. He is one of three artists featured in the show that continues through July 31.

Robinson, 25, makes large paintings, including the portrait of Bob Marley in back. Robinson was working on a painting, “Shine Up,” of an older woman.

He is a native of Nigeria who was playing basketball in Canada. He said he was homeless in Kentucky and some older people steered his life on the proper path. He now lives in Rochester and works in construction. He makes his frames from discarded wood at construction sites.

“I’ve always loved old people,” he said. “They pointed me in the right direction.”

Robinson said he would like to see more people reach out to the elderly, who often suffer from loneliness.

Two of Robinson’s paintings include “Man in Distress” and left and “Prayer” at right. These paintings are about 5 feet in height.

He is a self-taught artist who creates paintings 5 to 6 feet in height. Robinson is 6 foot, 6 inches.

He sketches his paintings, and then paints them, often all in one day.

“It’s self expression,” said Robinson, who started painting in middle school. “I make the portraits to express myself.”

Marti’s also features 12 paintings and nine collages by Jill Gussow of Rochester. She is a retired art professor at Brockport State College. Kim Martillotta Muscarella, owner of Marti’s on Main, was one of Gussow’s students.

Many of Gussow’s paintings are of birds. She paints them on colorful pieces of wallpaper. She wants to create a feeling of birds in a garden.

“I hope people feel joy,” she said about her paintings.

She also wants people to better appreciation the wonder of nature.

“Many people have a lack of awareness about their environment,” she said.

The exhibit also includes work by Richard Della Costa of Kendall. He was unable to attend the opening reception. This photo shows “Mr. Saturn” at left and “Moon Ships” at right.

Della Costa makes collages from found objects. He often combines pieces of junk, discarded bits of metal and glass, and antique objects in his assemblies.

Onyedikachi “Will” Robinson works on his painting as a tribute to an older woman on Friday at Marti’s on Main.