Past Gallery Showings & Exhibitions
Anna Warfield : Word Salad : Two Parts
My work is queer.
It’s both straightforward and unclear.
It’s a processing of identities – many of them.
It’s about how we communicate; the words we use and don’t use.
It’s about unlearning what we’ve been socialized to understand and expect.
It’s nonsensical sense.
It’s the space in between definitions.
My art is soft whimsy tinged with a biting reality. I reclaim methods of making typically coded as feminine (i.e. fiber, sewing, knitting, and dyeing) in combination with original poems to broach complexities in identity, understanding, and unlearning.
Existing beyond neatly defined borders and categories, my work explores communication and settles into the spaces we can hardly find words for; asking us to push through discomfort and find ease in uncertainty. I write poems, at times in concert with the community, and translate them into soft sculptural objects reminiscent of learning tools.
I work mainly with fabric – dyeing, cutting, sewing, stuffing, knitting, and suspending it to create soft and inviting environments. Informed by elementary learning devices and play, the forms and visuals are reminiscent of concrete poetry, word searches, ball pits, MadLibs, mobiles, bubbles, and soft children’s books. These visual cues invite viewers into a nostalgic conversation that ultimately challenges understanding and stirs more questions than it provides answers.
The color and material choices underscore my interest in conversations around identity. Fabric, historically associated with “women’s work,” is ripe with associations I ask viewers to question and unlearn through my practice. Similarly, shades of pink and blue offer an entry point into evolving conversations around gender.
I’m fascinated by language, word choice, and the fine line between individual and collective interpretations. My work considers etymology and the shifting meaning of words over time. My practice is a means of exploring the breadth of associations we both collectively and individually have with words. I look for the tipping point between clarity and nonsense; personal and collective (mis)understanding.
My work ranges in scale from intimate hand held fabric books to large public installations. At times the final form is dictated by the language and at other points the form invites the language of the work. The range in work is the result of a responsive practice that seeks the best vehicle for communicating the underlying idea.
“Fragments” at the Creative Spirit Community Arts Center
An exhibition exploring the pieces that make a whole.
This exhibition invites artists to reflect on what is broken, gathered, remembered, or rearranged. Whether literal or metaphorical, fragments can be physical materials, fractured memories, cultural inheritances, or personal moments revisited. Artists working in all mediums—collage, sculpture, painting, photography, digital, fiber, mixed media, and more—are encouraged to submit works that explore the beauty, tension, and meaning found in pieces, remnants, and reassemblies.
One Couple. Two Views. Potsdam Town Hall
A Duo Show with married couple Pat and Betty Hendrick that gave both individuals attention but also puts a spotlight on how two artists who have shared their lives for more than 30 years can end up seeing things … and expressing them … in very different ways.
“Harvest” at the Potsdam Town Hall Gallery
This exhibition invited artists to capture the unique beauty of the North Country region. From the river valleys of the St. Lawrence to the highest peaks of the Adirondacks, this exhibition seeks to explore the diverse landscapes that define the area we call home.
The Harvest exhibition People’s Choice Award goes to “After The Party” by Cassandra Bolesh. Congratulations!
2025 Creative Partner Showcase
Creative Spirit Community Arts Center
We featured 60+ works from a variety of our SLC Arts Creative Partners. This showcase is annual.
Joining SLC Arts as a Creative Partner is a way to support local artists and art initiatives while receiving exclusive benefits! Your partnership helps sustain our programs, exhibitions, and events, ensuring that the arts continue to thrive in our community.
Our Creative Partnership is open to everyone who values the Arts.
Whether you’re an artist, an art lover, or someone who wants to support the Arts, there’s a place for you at SLC Arts!
“Rooted Wisdom”: Navigating North Country Ecology
SLC Arts invited artists aged 15+ to delve into the intricate relationship between the North Country’s diverse ecology and the wisdom that has been rooted in this region for generations. Featuring submissions of both 2D and 3D artworks that reflect the rich interplay between nature and knowledge, celebrating the flora, fauna, and landscapes that define our environment. Artists were encouraged to draw from traditional ecological practices, highlighting the symbiotic connection between people and the land. Through their work, artists can illuminate how this deep-rooted wisdom guides our understanding of sustainability, resilience, and stewardship, emphasizing the critical role of preserving the natural world for the well-being of our communities and future generations.
“Roadside Attractions”
by Jennifer Sampson Potsdam Town Hall
This summer, Jennifer Sampson turned the Town Hall into a roadside gallery of the North Country!
Her latest exhibition, Roadside Attractions, features a series of urban oil sketches capturing familiar
street corners, businesses, signage, powerlines, and parking lots from across the county.
Each piece celebrates the beauty in everyday scenes.
“Decay”
Creative Spirit Community Arts Center
“Decay” invites you to explore the interplay between deterioration and transformation. Each piece should capture the essence of decay. This exhibition challenges viewers to reconsider their perceptions of beauty, inviting reflection on the life cycles that shape our existence. Join us as we celebrate the poetic resonance found in decay and the renewal that often follows.
“Abstract Journeys”
Potsdam Town Hall
This exhibition invites artists to explore the concept of “journey” through abstract art, offering a platform to explore the nature of growth, transformation, and exploration. This exhibit encourages artists to consider both the physical and metaphorical aspects of a journey, using abstract forms to convey the progression.
“Print is not Dead”
Creative Spirit Community Arts Center
This summer, we turned the gallery into a full-force celebration of print! From floor to ceiling, walls to corners, we’re filling the space with the bold, the intricate, and the expressive world of printmaking. This exhibition was a vibrant reminder that print is alive and thriving!
Techniques included:
– Relief printing (woodcut, linocut)
– Intaglio (etching, engraving, drypoint, mezzotint, aquatint)
– Lithography
– Screen printing (serigraphy)
– Monotype & monoprint
– Collagraph
BADASS LADIES
BADASS LADIES – A Powerful Tribute to Women Who Carve Their Own Path at SLC Arts
Join us for an exhibition featuring the works of Bailey Campbell and Fatemeh Askarinejad, honoring the resilience, strength, and defiance of women who fight for space in the world. A portion of proceeds earned from sales will be donated to the Nomadic Tribes for their children’s education.
Celebrate the badass women who challenge norms, break barriers, and demand their rightful place in society. Don’t miss this unforgettable show of art and inspiration!
“Our Neighbors” Potsdam Town Hall
Join SLC Arts for Our Neighbors, an exhibition by Blake Lavia & Elizabeth Saucier that celebrates the animals surrounding us! This collection highlights the beauty and connection we share with nature, from the creatures in our backyards to the wildlife beyond.
People’s Choice: Congratulations to artist Elizabeth Saucier for receiving the People’s Choice Award for her piece “Spotted Octopus” at our Potsdam Town Hall show, Our Neighbors.
Any artwork left in the possession for 3 months after the close of the show becomes property of SLC Arts.