Art of gold: Wilkes-Barre's Sordoni Gallery marks 50 years with exhibit and events

Aug. 23—It's a golden year for the Sordoni Art Gallery.

The Wilkes University gallery opened its doors in November 1973 with an exhibition of works by George Catlin, a Wilkes-Barre born painter known for his portraits of Native Americans.

Nearly 50 years later, the Sordoni Art Gallery marks its golden anniversary with an exhibition honoring another Wilkes-Barre native.

"The One Rose: Celebrating the Life and Legacy of Rose O'Neill" opens Friday, Aug. 25, and looks at the life and career of the accomplished illustrator and artist, creator of the Kewpie dolls, writer and activist for women's suffrage who once called Luzerne County home.

The exhibition remains on display through Sunday, Oct. 8, at the Sordoni Art Gallery, 141 S. Main St., Wilkes-Barre. It can be viewed Tuesdays through Fridays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturdays and Sundays from noon to 5 p.m. There's no cost for admission.

"We wanted to honor our 50th with a native artist," said Heather Sincavage, director of the Sordoni Art Gallery.

The late Margaret Barnard Sordoni and her son, Andrew J. Sordoni III, started the gallery with the leadership of Wilkes University — then Wilkes College — as a gift to the community.

Andrew J. Sordoni III said they wanted to honor his late father, Andrew J. "Jack" Sordoni Jr., and late grandfather, Andrew J. Sordoni, who served in the Pennsylvania State Senate. Flooding from Hurricane Agnes that devastated the Wyoming Valley in June 1972 interrupted the project.

The Stark Learning Center on South River Street originally housed the gallery, and over the years, it's continued to thrive and change.

"All worthwhile ideas evolve, all causes evolve, all missions evolve and the Sordoni Gallery has evolved through several administrations," said Sordoni, a member of its advisory commission.

In 2015, the university announced plans to move the Sordoni Art Gallery forward, including selling its collection.

Sincavage, who came on board in 2016, said it became a non-collecting gallery and established an endowment to bring in top-notch exhibitions.

The Sordoni Art Gallery reopened in a larger space at the Karambelas Media & Communication Center on South Main Street in 2017 with "15 Minutes: From Image to Icon," an exhibition of famed pop artist Andy Warhol's works.

"Having the resources now to bring in high-caliber artists, both living and deceased, we have been able to do at least four exhibitions a year," Sincavage said. "Each year, we do one that is focused on a Pennsylvania artist, or Pennsylvania themes."

The gallery tries to bring these artists to campus whenever possible. For instance, Pete Souza, chief official White House photographer for President Barack Obama and an official White House photographer for President Ronald Reagan, came to Wilkes-Barre in 2019 as the gallery displayed "Two Presidents, One Photographer."

There's always something new to see at the gallery, and having a variety of themes, mediums and time periods represented brings in a wider audience, she added.

"Obviously, we're going to get the art lovers, but we always want to bring in the people who might have separate interests outside of the arts as well that might have a new appreciation by seeing what we have in the gallery," Sincavage said.

Through early October, the Sordoni Art Gallery will host events related to "The One Rose" as part of its 50th anniversary celebration.

Sincavage called O'Neill "a woman of many firsts." Born in 1874, O'Neill became a prolific illustrator for countless publications, and she's considered the first female cartoonist in the U.S.

She's especially known for creating the Kewpies, a cast of cherubic, elf-like creatures who first appeared in her comics and inspired dolls, figurines and books that remain popular with collectors.

O'Neill was also an accomplished artist and sculptor, writer and suffragist. She died in 1944 in Springfield, Missouri.

Cocktails & Culture takes place Thursday, Sept. 7, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. in collaboration with the Diamond City Partnership, with live music, specialty cocktails, local cuisine and an inside look at the "The One Rose." Tickets cost $25 per person.

Then, the gallery's Second Saturday Family Hour series continues Saturday, Sept. 9, at noon with "The Many Hats of Rose O'Neill," where children can make their own comic strip and suffragette rosette, show their creativity with coloring sheets of downtown Wilkes-Barre landmarks (including the Emerald Cottage, O'Neill's childhood home) and listen to a storytime presented by Osterhout Free Library at 1 p.m.

Kevin O'Neill, staff artist for The Times-Tribune, will lead the creation of a dinosaur mural while teaching the basics of illustration during "Art in Your Hands: Kids Edition" on Saturday, Sept. 23, at noon. Space is limited, and parents can register their children by emailing melissa.carestia@wilkes.edu.

The Sordoni Art Gallery also will host two lectures about Rose O'Neill.

Dr. Diane Wenger, professor emeritus of history at Wilkes University, will share Wilkes-Barre's history through the lens of the O'Neill family during the Art in Context Lecture, "Whether We Are Rich or Poor, We Can Love Each Other the Same: The O'Neills in Wilkes-Barre," on Wednesday, Sept. 27, at 5 p.m.

Sarah Buhr, one of the foremost scholars on O'Neill and curator of art for the Springfield Art Museum in Missouri, leads the Art in Context Gallery Talk, "Rose O'Neill: Facts & Fancies," on Wednesday, Oct. 4, at 5 p.m.

Register for the events online at wilkes.edu/ sordoniartgallery.

Sincavage said it's exciting to have the Sordoni Art Gallery celebrate 50 years.

"As someone who started here for the new chapter of the gallery, knowing that it's had this very long legacy of essentially excellence, it was a little daunting for me to build on, but it's also been an exciting opportunity," she said.

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bwilliams@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9100 x5107;

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