Imagine Celebrates 20th Anniversary With a Little Help From Their Friends   Wish them ‘Happy Anniversary’ and save 20 percent through Thanksgiving! Imagine, the fine arts and fine craft shop in Skaneateles, owes its success to the loyalty of its artists, its staff—and, most of all, its customers—says owner Joe Panzarella, as he prepares to celebrate 20 years in business.   The shop, named for the John Lennon song that played at his wedding, opened its doors at 8 E. Genesee St., site of the former Georgia’s Custom Jewelry, on Nov. 13, 1992.   Over the years, Imagine has operated in two locations, represented almost 900 artists, and become a favorite shopping venue for tourists and townspeople alike.  

Birthing a Gallery By the summer of 1992, when the owners of Georgia’s decided to sell their shop, Panzarella had been traveling the country doing craft shows for 23 years. Although he enjoyed the life, he missed the time spent away from his family.     “I wasn’t actively seeking a change, but when the opportunity arose, I jumped at it,” he says.   He took over the lease Sept. 1, operated the shop for three weeks with Georgia’s old inventory, and then closed for renovations to turn it into a craft gallery. When Imagine reopened under its new name Nov. 13, it sold sterling silver jewelry (the only shop in the village to do so, at the time), art glass and woodwork, along with fine jewelry.   In its earliest days, Imagine represented fewer than 50 artists, many of whom Panzarella had known from the craft show circuit. About half of those artists continue to show and sell their work today through Imagine, joining more than 100 other local and national artists.   Panzarella’s two daughters, Sarah—now gallery director—and Carolyn, have worked on and off at the shop since its earliest days.   Another mainstay behind the counter is shop manager Denise Wiedor, a Skaneateles resident who has been with the shop 15 years; her daughter, Alyssa, now works there too.   Imagine has also been a family affair for the Fosters: Julia became the first member of her family to work there, while in high school and college; she was followed by her mother, Lynda, now a full-time employee, and her sister Emma.   “I’ve been gifted in the number of people who have stayed with us,” says Panzarella. “The staff have added tremendously to our success and become part of the Imagine family.   “Many of our customers have been with us from the early days, too,” he says. “People tell us that when they’re in town, this is the first place they visit.”   “We have clientele from as far away as North Carolina and California,” says Sarah Panzarella. “They’re not here as often, but they’re just as loyal as customers living on State Street.”  

Disaster Strikes   On Jan. 17, 2000, pipes burst in the apartment above the shop, causing Imagine to flood.   The jewelry survived, but much of the woodwork froze.   “We had to tear up the inside of the store and the flooring. We were closed for two months,” says Joe. “It was the worst thing that ever happened to me, professionally.”   When the shop reopened, it had a new look, along with a drop ceiling, recessed lights and central air-conditioning.  

Growth and Expansion   In July 2009, after Joe learned that he would have to temporarily relocate as Imagine’s building underwent restoration, Imagine That…  opened at 38 E. Genesee St., headed by Sarah and her husband, Jeremy Randall. The stand-alone gallery allowed for added space to expand the collection, and host monthly exhibitions and First Friday artists’ receptions.   “After 15 years of working for my dad, I was no longer just an employee—Imagine That…  gave me the opportunity to learn the back-room operations, have ownership and execute on my vision,” says Sarah. “At that point, I wasn’t thinking of Imagine as a long-term career. Branching out on my own gave me the leadership skills I needed to see the possibilities.”   Imagine joined forces with Imagine That… in April 2010. The two have been together ever since, selling jewelry, art glass, woodwork, paintings, prints, photography, textiles and ceramics. Their joint vision works well, the Panzarellas say, with Joe doing more of the paperwork and Sarah handling more of the contact with artists.     “Imagine has evolved over the years, and we’re in a much larger space now (1,350 square feet of display space versus 550),” says Sarah. “But there’s also great continuity. It’s nice to have continuing relationships with artists who have been here from the start.”  

 Supporting the Community Joe, who believes it is important to give back to the community that has been so supportive of him, has been involved with the Skaneateles Area Chamber of Commerce since 1993 and never misses an opportunity to support local fund-raisers. Now serving his final year on the Chamber’s board of directors, he also is longtime chair of the Chamber’s Tourism Committee (formerly the Merchants Association) and Dickens Christmas Committee.   “Joe Panzarella and Imagine have been an integral part of the Skaneateles business community since they opened their doors 20 years ago,” says Susan Dove, executive director of the Chamber. “Joe almost immediately took part in the Merchants Association and has served on the Chamber board since 2000.   “Sarah also has become involved with the community, and was a major force behind the development of Skaneateles’ First Friday,” she notes. “The Panzarellas’ hard work and dedication to our community are second to none.” With Joe turning 65 earlier this year, he and Sarah are now transitioning roles, so that Sarah becomes the eventual owner, and Joe her assistant.   “Twenty years ago, my father had a wonderful vision, which has proven its longevity,” says Sarah. “I plan to continue that, and to bring in new and exciting work.”  

Anniversary Special To mark its 20th anniversary, Imagine will host a Business After Hours for members of the Skaneateles Chamber Nov. 15.   In addition, the shop will offer a 20 percent discount on all items through Thanksgiving to customers who say, “Happy Anniversary!”   “I would like to thank all our customers, who have supported us and helped us grow,” says Joe. “They’re a part of our extended Imagine family.”  

Art Glass Exhibition Opens at Imagine  

 “Soul Cages: An Exploration of Change, Time and Process,” featuring the work of R. Jason Howard, will be on view throughout July at Imagine, the fine arts and fine craft gallery at 38 E. Genesee St., Skaneateles.   The exhibition, which showcases Howard’s flame-worked glass sculptures, ornaments and functional pieces, opens 6 to 9 p.m. July 6, as part of the village’s First Friday celebration. Refreshments will be provided, along with entertainment by the Usual Suspects.   “This series is about inner life forces,” says Howard, of Skaneateles, a progressive glass artist who specializes in borosilicate flameworking. “The simple bubble is the genesis of all blown forms, perhaps even the soul of glass. I prefer blown glass forms because they capture a unique part of the handmade artistic process—the human breath.   “In these works, I’ve tried to ‘let go,’ allowing the bubbles to expand as large as they can without exerting too much control over their shape,” he says. “Piercing the bubbles with a flame leaves only their pure essence: These captured forms are reduced to their absolute basic structure or inner life force. They are not stitched or woven, but rather blown, manipulated, and finally revealed. Layers of fumed gold and silver amplify their ability to capture, hold and reflect light’s divine mystic qualities.”   Howard, owner of Cicada Glassworks, began working with glass in 1997 as a senior at Hamilton College, under the tutelage of Robert Palusky. After a two-year internship as Hamilton’s ceramic studio technician and a scholarship to the Studio of the Corning Museum of Glass, he began studying both off-hand glassblowing and flameworking with such renowned artists as Cesare Toffolo, Emilio Santini, William Gudenrath, Robert Mickelsen, James Nowak, Suellen Fowler and Loren Stump. Howard’s work is in the permanent collection of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and has been shown at Snyderman-Works Galleries in Philadelphia, the Museum of Arts and Design in New York, Kittrell/Riffkind Art Glass in Dallas and the Glasshouse Gallery in Seattle. Imagine is located in the lakeside village of Skaneateles, nestled in the Finger Lakes region of Central New York. It represents artists from across the country and Canada, along with many Central New York artists, to create one of the most diverse contemporary art collections in the area.   The gallery is open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday, and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.   For more information, call (315) 685-6263 or go to www.imagineskaneateles.com or www.facebook.com/imagineskaneateles.     

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Jeremy Randall Exhibition Opens June 1 at Imagine

Imagine, the fine arts and fine craft gallery at 38 E. Genesee St., Skaneateles, will host an opening reception 6 to 9 p.m. June 1 for “Form and Landscape: New Work by Jeremy Randall.” The event is part of Skaneateles’ First Friday celebration. Entertainment will be provided by the Usual Suspects, an old-time string band.

The exhibition, on view through June 30, marks the first time that Randall’s architectural ceramic vessels will be paired with his landscape drawings.

“Landscape has become increasingly important to me, both in my work and in my life,” says Randall, of Tully. “From the rural architectural forms that populate the landscape I call home, to the land that we live on and are sustained by, I am realizing more and more that we need to be rooted in the land.”

Randall’s work was recently selected for inclusion in a November show at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. He also has exhibited this year at Craftboston Spring, Baltimore Clayworks, the Paradise City Arts Festival in Northampton, Mass., and Studio 550 in Nashua, N.H.

Altogether, his works have been shown in more than 60 exhibitions nationwide; images have appeared in Ceramic Arts Daily, Clay Times, Ceramic Review, Stone Canoe, and “500 Vases” and “500 Cups” (Lark Books).

Randall uses color to elevate forms to be celebrated, while conjuring the nostalgia for something old that is still recognized today. His drawings combine graphite and acrylic paint on panel. The colors relate to his ceramic work, and lend a soft energy to the landscape being referenced.

“Familiarity evokes memory, and I look to this association to present nostalgia through form,” Randall says. “My reference to rural American architecture and antique rural implements places the viewer in a familiar setting that is layered with time, function and history, while color creates celebration in these iconic objects. Vessel forms tie these objects back to the domestic space, enriching one’s living environment while allowing for quiet contemplation and the reminder of a simpler time.”

Randall, recognized by Ceramics Monthly as an Emerging Artist for 2009, is digital imaging/web specialist and head of installations at Imagine, studio manager and visiting professor of art at Cazenovia College, and adjunct professor of ceramics at Syracuse University, his alma mater.

His work is held in the permanent collection of the Southern Illinois University Museum and the private Meyerhoff Collection in Baltimore. In addition to Imagine and Gandee Gallery locally, he is represented by galleries in Montana, Ohio, Georgia and Massachusetts.

Imagine is located in the lakeside village of Skaneateles, nestled in the Finger Lakes region of Central New York. It represents artists from across the country and Canada, along with many Central New York artists, to create one of the most diverse contemporary art collections in the area.

Gallery hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday, and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.

For more information, call 315-685-6263 or go to http://www.imagineskaneateles.comor http://www.facebook.com/imagineskaneateles. Randall’s works can be seen at http://jeremyrandallceramics.com/.

michelle danforth pumpkin stilllife

Michelle Danforth Exhibition Opens at Imagine

Landscape paintings by Michelle Danforth will be featured throughout the month of September at Imagine, the fine arts and fine craft gallery at 38 E. Genesee St., Skaneateles.

The exhibition opens Sept. 2 from 6 to 9 p.m., as part of the village’s First Friday celebration. Refreshments will be provided, along with entertainment by the Pond Creek Bogstompers.

“I am very much interested in what ‘living rural and being as self-sufficient as possible’ mean in today’s society,” says Danforth, who is a full-time farmer in Ticonderoga, N.Y. “My current paintings and drawings are representations of my deep passion for the rural landscape.

“My work is based on a broad sense of everyday experiences,” she says. “Through my work, I express my feelings for the location and the wonders of nature that I encounter along the way.”

Danforth tries to bring her experiences of peace within the landscape to the viewer.

“I travel often to be in contact with the silence of nature, to allow myself to be taken over by impulse and instinct, using my trained eye to capture the beauty that surrounds me,” she says. “In my images, there exists a sense of solitude and silence that translates into a moment of being present with nature that can be shared with the viewer.”

On her North Country farm, Danforth in surrounded by a menagerie of animals—Jersey cows, pigs, goats, chickens, Swedish ducks, and her beloved Cotswold, Leicester, Lincoln and California Red sheep.

Danforth studied art at Cornish College of Fine Art, in Seattle, where she earned a bachelor’s degree, and at Vermont College of the Arts, in Montpelier, where she earned a master’s degree. She has taught Pre K-12 art, gifted and talented classes, and college courses, and has served on a committee for the New England Association of Schools and Colleges.

Imagine is located in the lakeside village of Skaneateles, nestled in the Finger Lakes region of Central New York. It represents artists from across the country and Canada, along with many Central New York artists, to create one of the most diverse contemporary art collections in the area.

The gallery is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.

For more information, call 315-685-6263 or go to http://www.imagineskaneateles.com.

tom_stoenner-image-skaneateles

Skaneateles Shops and Shopping

Imagine That… Gallery Presents ‘A Sip’

“A Sip,” a celebration of the drinking vessel featuring works by 18 artists from across the country, opens Dec. 3 from 6 to 9 p.m. at Imagine That…, the fine arts and fine craft gallery at 38 E. Genesee St., Skaneateles. Refreshments—including a sampling of wines from Anyela’s—and musical entertainment will be provided. The event is part of the village’s First Friday art night.

On display in the group exhibition, which runs throughout December, are cups, mugs and glasses, along with teapots, decanters and flasks.

“A Sip” features the work of:

• Art of Fire, a contemporary glass studio in Gaithersburg, Md.

• Cheyenne Rudolph, a potter from Bradenton, Fla.

• Conner Mckissack, a potter from Roswell, Ga.

• David MacDonald, a ceramics artist from Syracuse

• Jason Howard, a glass artist from Skaneateles

• Jen Gandee, a ceramics artist from Fabius

• Jennifer Mecca, a potter from York, S.C.

• Jeremy Randall, a ceramics artist and co-owner of the gallery, from Tully

• Little River Hotglass Studio, of Moscow, Vt.

• Missy McCormick, a ceramics artist from Loveland, Ohio

• Nigel Rudolph, a potter from Florida

• Posey Bacopoulos, a potter from New York

• Sarah Panzarella, a ceramics artist and co-owner of the gallery, from Tully

• Snake Oil Glassworks, of Skaneateles

• Tammy Marinuzzi, a potter from Florida

• Tom Stoenner, a glass artist from Rhinebeck, N.Y.

• Wynne Wilbur, a ceramics artist from Kirksville, Mo.

• Zweifel Art Glass, of Williams, Ore.

Imagine/Imagine That… is located in the lakeside village of Skaneateles, nestled in the Finger Lakes region of Central New York. It offers a distinctive collection of fine and handcrafted jewelry, blown glass, pottery and painting, as well as other unique gifts for special occasions.

The gallery is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.

For more information, call 315-685-6263 or go to http://www.imagineskaneateles.com.

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