A love of nature, gardens and birds came early for painter, ceramicist and teacher, Audrey Kay Dowling who creates one-of-a-kind, highly-painted, large ceramic sculptural vases and a functional line of pots primarily glazed with earth-tones. Her mixed media pieces combine block printing and other 2D mediums (ink, paint, paper collage, pencil, charcoal). And, her favorite way to paint is with watercolor and oils and en plein air (outdoors).

Dowling and her husband Donald have been running the Portage Hill Art Gallery on Route 394 between Mayville and Westfield for 37 years. You will find her there during the Art Trail weekend, where she will have new work displayed and her clay studio open for visitors to view.

Karen Glosser will also have her work on display at the Portage Hill Art Gallery.

Glosser, a photographer is inspired by the awe and wonder of nature and, in particular, the lakes in Western New York state. As a child, she was always the one who was “making something” but was not conscious of wanting to be an artist until much later in life. While she spent time in the fashion industry and jewelry design, it was photography that gave her the idea of “painting” with a camera. Lake Erie, in all of her moods, became Glosser’s muse. Her most recent work is a series of painterly, abstract images, entitled Watercolor Horizons. She will be debuting this new series during the Art Trail.

Submitted Photo Audrey Dowling’s Love in the Woods.

As a #BlueMind Water Ambassador, Glosser’s influence reaches beyond Chautauqua County, raising awareness about water’s natural beauty and how it can bring positive change to our lives.

For more information visit http://www.northshoreartsalliance.com.