Mickayla Poland to exhibit at Ned Smith Center for Nature and Art

On March 28, 2022 Mickayla Poland of St. Marys, best known for her art and design business PA Made, will hang a collection of her wildlife paintings in the Romberger Gallery at the Ned Smith Center for Nature and Art in Millersburg, Pa.

Poland works in acrylic, painting directly onto the glass of reclaimed wood-framed windows and picture frames. Her paintings showcase Pennsylvania elk, winter birds, and more.

The exhibit will be displayed through mid-June, with a reception on Saturday, April 23 from 1 - 4 PM.

“It's truly an honor to display my art at the Ned Smith Center,” Poland said. “Ned Smith, as a wildlife artist, naturalist, and writer is such an inspiration to me.”

In 2017, at the very first event where she sold her first paintings, she met a gentleman named Jerry Regan, who has now become her dear friend.

Regan has a long history with art and wildlife and served as the Executive Director at the Ned Smith Center for Nature and Art for several years. Through Jerry’s encouragement, she finally reached out to the center and applied to display her art.

“The center is a beautiful location and celebrates my two favorite things - nature and art. I'm also excited to exhibit my artwork to a new audience in the southeastern part of Pennsylvania.” Poland said.

The Elk County Council on the Arts Sales Gallery sells Poland’s paintings and graphic design work, which reflect her love of nature and the PA Wilds region. You can find her stickers and apparel in many locations locally and in her Etsy shop.

Mickayla/PA Made is also the recipient of the 2021 PA Wilds Champion of the Wilds award for Great Design. She is also an ECCOTA board member.

About Ned Smith

E. Stanley “Ned” Smith was born Oct. 9, 1919 in Millersburg, a small town on the Susquehanna River north of Harrisburg. A self-trained artist and naturalist, in his 46-year career he created thousands of astonishingly accurate drawings and paintings of wildlife for books, magazines, and other publications, as well as dozens of limited edition prints. Over the years, he created nearly 120 cover paintings for Pennsylvania Game News, the agency’s magazine, and in the 1960s he began a monthly column he dubbed “Gone for the Day” that proved to be enduringly popular.

About the Ned Smith Center for Nature and Art

The Ned Smith Center for Nature and Art is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, the basis of which is to celebrate the life and works of its namesake, the nationally recognized wildlife artist, naturalist, and writer, Ned Smith. The Center’s lands offer a tranquil outdoor experience on more than 500 contiguous acres of rustic beauty just outside Ned Smith’s hometown of Millersburg, Pennsylvania, 30 minutes North of the state capital of Harrisburg. While the Center itself was founded in 1993, the permanent, physical home opened on October 9, 2004, eventually growing to house three gallery spaces, a gift shop, administrative offices, and classrooms.

Learn more:

PA Made
Ned Smith Center for Nature and Art
PA Made on Etsy
Wilds Cooperative of Pennsylvania
Event Poster

Upcoming Class: Rigid Heddle Loom Weaving

Join experienced local weaver Patricia Cleary for this three-part class and learn how to weave your own scarf on a rigid heddle loom.

This class is suitable for beginners with little to no weaving experience. Ages 10+ are welcome with adult supervision. Each participant will complete the class with a finished project.

Participants must provide at least 200 yards of their own medium-weight yarn. Any non-fuzzy natural or synthetic fiber is suitable for this type of weaving. Our low cost recommendations are cotton Peaches & Cream, Sugar & Cream brands. Bring a few options if you wish!

Please note, this is a three-part class taking place March 26, April 9 & 16, 10AM - 2PM in the Elk County Council on the Arts Sales gallery. Please plan to attend all three. Advanced registration is required and limited to 4 participants.

REGISTER HERE: https://form.jotform.com/212506063911144

Entry to Program Stream Deadline February 15th, 2022

The Elk County Council on the Arts is a regional partner with the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts to distribute Entry to Program Stream funding to organizations that support the arts in Cameron, Elk, Forest, Potter and McKean counties.

Apply for Entry to Program Stream to receive funding for operating expenses, art-related programs, and projects. This application is for nonprofit organizations, schools, and units of government that have annual revenue of less than $200,000 and have a history of consistent art-related programming.

If you think that you may qualify for Entry to Program Stream but are not sure, please call the Elk County Council on the Arts staff. We would be able to help find the right grant opportunity for you.

 For more information on Entry to Program Stream go here. To view the application or to apply, go to this link.

The deadline to apply is February 15th, 2022.

If you have questions please, contact Marisa Gonzalez at (814) 772-7051 or marisa@eccota.com.

Tom Copella - Remembering : An Exhibition

 
 

Elk County Council on the Arts (ECCOTA) will be holding a posthumous exhibition of local artist Tom Copella starting January 6th, with a celebratory reception Friday, January 7th, 5-7 PM at the ECCOTA Gallery.

Tom Copella’s artistry could be seen across many mediums, from murals to wood carving, and, perhaps most notably, his paintings. Being the avid artist that he was, Tom was a member of ECCOTA for many years, and there was rarely a time that his artwork didn’t entertain guests of the gallery. The Tom Copella - Remembering exhibition will feature over 70 pieces of Tom’s original artwork as well as hundreds of prints.

Tom Copella was born in Ridgway, PA, and grew up in the forests of the PA Wilds. While Tom spent a great part of his adult life painting murals in Florida, he returned to live in Ridgway in 2005. Tom’s murals can be found across Elk County including one in Johnsonburg which was a tribute to military service. His love for his hometown and region can be seen in his many paintings of downtown Ridgway. Another theme that Tom’s paintings would depict was that of little people in fairytales or woodland settings. From hometown pride to whimsical fantasy, Tom’s paintings captured the hearts of many. 

Those who visit ECCOTA’s art exhibition of Tom Copella also have the opportunity to buy Tom’s artwork. If you aren’t able to attend the exhibition but would still like to view or purchase the amazing art of Tom Copella please browse ECCOTA’s Tom Copella Exhibit page. 

The Elk County Council on the Arts (ECCOTA) is a 501 (c) non-profit organization based in Elk County, Pennsylvania, a rural county located in the PA Wilds, about two hours northeast of Pittsburgh. Founded in 1984 as a center for the development of all the arts in the Elk County area, ECCOTA provides a variety of opportunities to participate in the arts for the area’s residents. A wide selection of art classes and workshops for adults and children are offered. Additionally, ECCOTA brings a selection of cultural programming to the area including an annual children’s theater workshop; and programs by nationally and internationally renowned performers. ECCOTA also maintains a sales gallery featuring artwork by more than 60 local and regional artists.

See work included in the exhibition here.