By Karen Jean Smith, gallery coordinator
What does a fly fisherman do when he is not fishing? If you are Tom Lenweaver, you draw and paint, and share your work with the public. From March 3 through April 28, The Wildlife and Nature Art of Tom Lenweaver will be on display in the Art Gallery of the John A.
Weeks Interpretive Center at 4007 Bishop Hill Road, Marcellus. The public is invited to attend the reception on Saturday, March 4 from 2:00 until 4:00 pm. In addition, the show will be available for viewing Monday through Friday, 9 to 4 p.m. and Saturdays, 10 to 4 p.m. There is no admission or parking fees, and all art work will be for sale with a portion of the proceeds to benefit Baltimore Woods.
An abiding love for animals and nature is the stimulus for the paintings and drawings of Tom Lenweaver. This exhibit features detailed renderings in acrylic, watercolor, and graphite pencil that are only possible when the artist is willing to dedicate time and care in researching his subjects. This, coupled with Lenweaver’s skill in wielding his pencil and brush, and his understanding and application of color, result in very inviting and accurate work.
Lenweaver credits his “appreciation for all things wild and beautiful” to his parents who introduced him to the great outdoors at an early age. Following in their footsteps, he fished in Geddes Creek as a boy and became an avid fly fisherman.
Indeed, he looks forward each year to fly fishing season, and you will probably find him out on Nine Mile Creek on opening day. Though admittedly not the hunter he once was, Lenweaver still enjoys the time that he spends in the woods and fields, where his enthusiasm for harvesting a deer has all but died.
“I confess that most of my recent excursions to the woods and fields have been with my Nikon camera,” he said.
Depictions of plants, songbirds, and animals not typically hunted are an important part of this exhibit. That said, the subject matter of Lenweaver’s work often reflects his hunting and fishing interests; he may be best known for his paintings and illustrations of gamefish, migratory waterfowl, sporting dog illustrations, and Adirondack scenes. Many of his images have been used on various outdoor publications throughout the Northeast and he has donated paintings of ducks, pheasants, and other birds to benefit such groups as the Central New York Wild Fowlers, Ruffed Grouse Society, Pheasants Forever, Ducks Unlimited, and the Great Swamp Conservancy in Canastota, where he is artist-in-residence.
A graduate of Solvay High School where his artistic ability was already evident, Lenweaver earns his livelihood as a commercial designer and illustrator. He turned to painting and drawing for the joy of it later in life and had the good fortune to be friends with Lou DePaolis, an internationally acclaimed wildlife artist, who became his mentor. “I can still hear Lou’s voice while I’m working, continually giving me advice,” states Lenweaver. “He was very supportive of my early efforts.”
Awards, among others, include “Outstanding Adirondack Painting” and “Graphite Pencil Drawing” category ribbons at the Central Adirondack Art Show in Old Forge and “Painting of the Year” and other awards at the New York State Fair Wildlife Art Exhibit. He has had a number of one-man shows throughout the Central New York area and creates the illustrations for and is the designer of Beaver Tales, the newsletter of Beaver Lake Nature Center.
In addition to this exhibit, Tom Lenweaver will be conducting a workshop , “Drawing Wildlife with Artist Tom Lenweaver” Saturday, March 18, from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in the Art Gallery/Program Room of the Interpretive Center at Baltimore Woods Nature Center. Go to baltimorewoods.org and select “Public Programs” then “March” for more details.
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