Bottle Works hosting trio of exhibitions

Nov. 2—JOHNSTOWN, Pa. — A triple feature of art is being showcased at Bottle Works, offering unique perspectives on the world.

"The Art of Michael Allison," "In Retrospect by Donna Housel" and Allied Artists of Johnstown's fall exhibition are on display through Dec. 2 at the arts facility, 411 Third Ave. in the Cambria City section of Johnstown.

"When you enter the Art Works Gallery, the AmeriServ Activity Center and the Black Box Theatre in the Tulip Building, get ready to be blown away," said Melody Tisinger, Bottle Works' director of advancement and operations.

Allison has a history of artistic accomplishments and community involvement spanning four decades.

He has been a driving force in various art-related projects within the region, and served as the curator of Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art, where he orchestrated more than 25 exhibitions at the museum and its outreach galleries.

"Growing up, the closest I ever came to any exposure to art was the reproduction landscape from Sears that my grandmother had hanging in her living room and the customized cars and designs in the pages of Hot Rod magazine," Allison said. "After being taught classical painting and illustration techniques in art school, I spent the next 20 years pursuing various forms of realist painting while teaching and working commercially."

He played a role as a member of the Visual Arts Advisory Panel of the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, advocating for the arts at the state level. He was involved in arts initiatives, including the Blair County Arts Festival, and was the founder of Art in Common, which connects artists and the community.

Allison's influence reached the education system, where he shared his expertise as an artist-in-residence in the Pennsylvania school system and conducted private art instruction.

He's created public art projects for the John Murtha Johnstown-Cambria County Airport, Johnstown Area Heritage Association, Hollidaysburg and Lilly boroughs, the Lincoln Highway Historic Corridor and the Barrier Wall Mural Project at the Bottle Works. He also led the creation of two murals honoring Johnstown native Steve Ditko.

Housel's paintings reflect her deep connection with nature and the play of light.

"Donna's work is a celebration of the untouched and unaltered beauty of nature," Tisinger said. "Her paintings are a sincere reflection of the world as it is, without any need for artificial embellishment."

As a self-taught artist with a passion for creativity, Housel's journey is one fueled by her appreciation for the freedom that comes from using nature as her guide.

Her art invites viewers into her world where they can connect with the natural world through her eyes, rather than through academic interpretation.

She was honored as the Community Arts Center of Cambria County's Teacher of the Year in 2016 and was named the Wildlife Artist of the Year in 2012.

Housel is a member of the Pastel Society of America, Allied Artists of Johnstown and the Pittsburgh Pastel Artist League, and is a pastel and colored pencil instructor at Allegany College of Maryland and the Community Arts Center of Cambria County.

The Allied Artists of Johnstown's fall juried exhibition features work from regional amateur, semi-professional and professional artists.

More than 100 pieces were submitted, with 88 being showcased in the display.

The exhibit was juried by Kenneth Nicholson, an adjunct instructor at the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg.

The Latrobe resident received his MFA from the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts 2016, a BFA from Seton Hill University in 2014, and his AFA from Westmoreland County Community College in 2010.

Exhibition winners include Colleen Albright, best of show; Norman Ed, first place; Logan Marcuzzo, second place; Patrice Henkle, third place; Sarah Gayle, fourth place; Ann Dougherty, fifth place; Matt Lamb, sixth place; and Nellie Sepp, honorable mention.

For more information on the Allied Artists of Johnstown, visit www.johnstownart.com.

The exhibitions are free.

Gallery hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesdays through Fridays and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays.

For more information, call 814-535-2020 or visit www.bottleworks.org.