For the last 37 years, Victor resident and artist Sam Ferrara has taught art to middle school and junior high students in Penfield schools. Now retired from his life-long profession, he’s still in hot pursuit of his life-long passion.
“Each of us has our own artistic talent or skill whatever it may be,” he said. “It’s lying inside us and one way or another, it comes out.”
An exhibition of Ferrara’s talent and work can be seen at the Williams-Insalaco Gallery on the campus of Finger Lakes Community College in Hopewell. This one-man show, “All About Trains and Graphite,” is scheduled to be on display Feb. 10 through March 18.
A collection of black graphite, colored pencil and white colored pencil renderings, the exhibit spotlights another of Ferrara’s life-long passions — trains. He’s been drawing them, collecting them and photographing them non-stop over the years, and is an ardent supporter of the Friends of the Railroad in Victor.
“Trains and railroading have been a part of my life since I was five years old,” said Ferrara. “I like to do my artwork of things of the railroad that interest me, because they are a part of me, and I put them out there visually so I can enjoy them. If someone else happens to enjoy them too — that’s wonderful.”
His work has also been exhibited at Nazareth College, Phelps Art Center and Victor Town Hall.
Now hanging in the foyer of Victor Town Hall are framed drawings created by Ferrara and his fellow artists, members of the Victor Colored Pencil Society.
The non-profit group, which includes several of Ferrara’s former students, meets from 1 to 3 p.m. each Wednesday in the Victor Town Hall to share their projects and learn together. It’s second nature for him to act as an unofficial mentor, to share ideas, materials, books and positive comments.
“I’m not the leader,” emphasized Ferrara. “I share what I can, and help everybody out, but I learn a lot, too. To teach is to learn twice.”
Some of Ferrara’s guidelines for creating art could easily double as sound advice for life as well.
“There are no mistakes in art — only learning experiences,” said Ferrara. “If you feel you’ve made a mistake, or you don’t like what you’ve done, learn from it ... You can always learn from what you did wrong. If you really study it and take control of it you can turn it around and make something out of it.”
And how does the artist feel about his work being exhibited at Finger Lakes Community College?
“I’m cautiously excited,” said Ferrara.
Ferrara has prints of his pieces for sale at the Phelps Arts Center.
“None of my work is for sale, just the prints,” said Ferrara. “I have the originals and I keep them. They are my children — they are part of me. Period.”
For the last 37 years, Victor resident and artist Sam Ferrara has taught art to middle school and junior high students in Penfield schools. Now retired from his life-long profession, he’s still in hot pursuit of his life-long passion.
“Each of us has our own artistic talent or skill whatever it may be,” he said. “It’s lying inside us and one way or another, it comes out.”
An exhibition of Ferrara’s talent and work can be seen at the Williams-Insalaco Gallery on the campus of Finger Lakes Community College in Hopewell. This one-man show, “All About Trains and Graphite,” is scheduled to be on display Feb. 10 through March 18.
A collection of black graphite, colored pencil and white colored pencil renderings, the exhibit spotlights another of Ferrara’s life-long passions — trains. He’s been drawing them, collecting them and photographing them non-stop over the years, and is an ardent supporter of the Friends of the Railroad in Victor.
“Trains and railroading have been a part of my life since I was five years old,” said Ferrara. “I like to do my artwork of things of the railroad that interest me, because they are a part of me, and I put them out there visually so I can enjoy them. If someone else happens to enjoy them too — that’s wonderful.”
His work has also been exhibited at Nazareth College, Phelps Art Center and Victor Town Hall.
Now hanging in the foyer of Victor Town Hall are framed drawings created by Ferrara and his fellow artists, members of the Victor Colored Pencil Society.
The non-profit group, which includes several of Ferrara’s former students, meets from 1 to 3 p.m. each Wednesday in the Victor Town Hall to share their projects and learn together. It’s second nature for him to act as an unofficial mentor, to share ideas, materials, books and positive comments.
“I’m not the leader,” emphasized Ferrara. “I share what I can, and help everybody out, but I learn a lot, too. To teach is to learn twice.”
Some of Ferrara’s guidelines for creating art could easily double as sound advice for life as well.
“There are no mistakes in art — only learning experiences,” said Ferrara. “If you feel you’ve made a mistake, or you don’t like what you’ve done, learn from it ... You can always learn from what you did wrong. If you really study it and take control of it you can turn it around and make something out of it.”
And how does the artist feel about his work being exhibited at Finger Lakes Community College?
“I’m cautiously excited,” said Ferrara.
Ferrara has prints of his pieces for sale at the Phelps Arts Center.
“None of my work is for sale, just the prints,” said Ferrara. “I have the originals and I keep them. They are my children — they are part of me. Period.”
