Artist likes to highlight overlooked moments of life

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 3 July 2015 at 12:00 am

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – A new exhibit at the Marti’s on Main art gallery features Albion artist Laurie Kemler, whose watercolor paintings highlight everyday life. She is holding a painting of a man with a horse entitled, “Gentleman’s Pride.”

She has pictures of gossiping girls, people fishing at Point Breeze, a girl sitting on a step and many other “overlooked moments of life.”

She likes to create scenes from generations ago, before smart phones, video games, cell phones and other technology that can get in the way of life.

Judy Wenrich looks at some of the work by Laurie Kemler.

“I’m a vintage girl,” Kemler said during the opening reception Friday night for her show at Marti’s, a gallery at 229 North Main St.

Kemler likes to paint from black and white photos that highlight scenes from the 1970s and earlier. She likes to fill in the colors.

“It is my way to add a creative spin to a structured photograph,” she said.

Kemler’s work has been featured several times at Marti’s, which is now in its seventh season as an art gallery. Kemler collaborated with gallery owner Kim Martillotta-Muscarella on a children’s book, “My Grandma’s Kitchen Window.” That book hasn’t been released yet. It features 72 illustrations by Kemler.

She works as an art teacher at the Bergen School of the Arts, which is run by her sister-in-law, Alysia Fink, on Route 19 in Bergen.

Kemler grew up in Elba and took art lessons as a kid from Bernice Yunker.

The gallery this month also includes paintings by Medina art teacher Jennifer Ohar Scott. Waterport resident Terry Vick also has an assortment of her creations – “Second Hand Critters.”