Gateway Gallery

Gateway Gallery is the embodiment of a life-long passion for music and art. In the process of learning the craft of art and music, mainly from other artists as an informal, as well as formal, apprentice, I have become inextricably entangled in WNY's community of artists, galleries, night clubs, etc., as well as the comminity at large.My involvement has evolved to Niagara Falls, NY, where I have a studio at the Niagara Arts and Cultural Center (NACC). There is a plethora of talent there waiting to be tapped. The NACC is part of the New York State Multi-Arts Consortium, and is the largest collection of different arts and artists under one roof in New York State, outside metropolitan NYC.My goal with Gateway Gallery is to open pathways to a greater humanity. The opportunities for us to cooperate already exist. I, as an artist, and promoter, merely have the ability to point them out, to open the doors, to tell the Emporer that he wears no clothes. Any artist that "gets it" knows that he/she is really a conduit for expressing spirit. Hense the expression, "to be inspired, as by a muse". My philiosphy could be titled the "Get out of your own way" method.So, I'm focusing on bringing Buffalo and Niagara Falls closer together for the purpose of cultural tourism. I believe that tourism will be crucial to the Niagara Frontier's economic recovery. Jonathan Rogers is the third Niagara County artist I have showcased in Buffalo. I have been in a dialogue with the NACC, as well as the NF leadership about collaborations of various kinds. The time is now for us to get together. In 1991, I met Joanna Angie and became a founding member of Buffalo Arts Studio, Inc., which was part of a growing trend toward using abandoned industrial buildings for studio and gallery spaces. I credit Joanna for giving me the push I needed, when I needed it. This humble effort snowballed tremendously, leading to a rebirth of grass-roots art promotion in all disciplines. Long standing groups like: Just Buffalo Literary Center, Hallwalls Contemporary Art Center, CEPA Gallery, the Colored Musician's Club, Shea's Theatre, Burchfield-Penny Art Center, and the Albright-Knox Art Gallery paved the way for Buffalo being in the top 10 in the nation for art. I've been painting and playing music all my life. So, I no longer separate the two, but am working on the artistic problem of creating a legitimately original synthesis of music and painting. I call it 4-D art. The gallery, as it stands now, evolved out of my love for artistic expression in any form, and of my desire to promote and work with other artists, musicians, writers, actors, dancers, and galleries. I am now looking to spread the gate even wider to welcome our friends of all nations, as well as other cities in America, that we may communicate better. Welcome to my world.