Two retired art teachers featured in Marti’s season finale

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 6 December 2013 at 12:00 am

Photos by Tom Rivers – Tom Zangerle of Medina has several landscape paintings on display at Marti’s on Main, an art gallery at 229 North Main St. Zangerle has paintings of local scenes in Orleans County, Letchworth State Park and Zion National Park in southern Utah.

Retired Holley teacher Tony Barry is pictured in front of two canal paintings he did in Holley and an image from a doughnut shop at a fair in Spartansburg, Pa., where he was visiting his daughter, Colleen McCray. She is shown waiting in the front of the line in the painting.

ALBION – For years they taught art in local schools. Now that they’re retired, Tom Zangerle of Medina and Tony Barry of Holley have more time to pursue their own artistic passion.

The two are the featured artists in the season finale show at Marti’s on Main, 229 North Main St.

Both artists have paintings that feature local landscapes and scenes, and locations from out of the area. Kim Muscarella, Marti’s owner, has long been a fan of both painters.

“I’m just thrilled to have such beautiful artwork here,” she said. “I love these two guys. I love their art work.”

Zangerle taught art in Medina at the Oak Orchard Elementary School. He also worked 23 years in the newspaper business in photography, the darkroom and with the press, working out of Medina, Lockport and North Tonawanda.

These days Zangerle paints, goes fishing a lot and plays guitar in two bands. He and his wife Mary traveled to southern Utah this spring and he completed several paintings that show the cliffs at Zion National Park.

“It’s jaw-dropping awesome,” he said. “The cliffs change colors. They are red, gray and bright pruple.”

Zangerle doesn’t have to go far to be inspired with his paint brush. His property backs up to the Oak Orchard River. He has paintings of a path by the river during the winter. He has several of Lethcworth State Park and its waterfalls.

This painting shows a path Zangerle walks to go fishing at the Oak Orchard River in Waterport.

“There is a lot of awesome stuff around here that is very dynamic,” Zangerle said.

Barry retired from teaching in Holley in 2005. He creates about 12 to 15 paintings a year. He loves the orchards, tugboats, lift bridges and many other local scenes.

“There is a lot of local color,” he said. “Holley is so rich, especially by the canal park.”

Barry has four daughters who are all artists. They did a combined show at Houghton College. When he travels to see them, he often comes home with a new painting. One of his favorites is at the fair in Spartansburg, Pa., where his daughter Colleen McCray lives.

He painted her waiting in line at a doughnut stand at the fair. He also painted her garage. Barry said he never knows where inspiration will strike.

Barry painted his daughter’s garage on a recent trip to see her in Pennsylvania.

Marti’s is concluding its fifth season. Muscarella has included Barry in a show every year. She was open eight months this year and featured 14 different artists.

“The fact that we’ve made it five years shows it is a success and it says a lot about our county,” Muscarella said. “It says that enough people in our county appreciate art.”

Muscarella welcomes people to stop by for a tour.