In a final tribute to the many Central New York artists who have shown at Szozda Gallery, owner Caroline Szozda-McGowan has chosen to do a salon-style multi-media show of their works to cover all walls throughout the entire Delavan Center display areas. Called "The Last Hurrah," the retrospective exhibit opened Friday, June 14 and ends Sunday, June 30 with a closing reception from 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm that marks also the official closing of the gallery.

 

Szozda-McGowan says she's saddened over the need to shut her gallery doors, and for the very same reasons that prompted her to open them in the first place - her love of art and love for the artists who make it. Just a few months after the closing of the Delavan Art Gallery that she had managed for seven years, Szozda-McGowan says she 'just couldn't put an end to her career endeavors, nor to the favorite, familiar space in which to further her efforts.'She says she took a 'big leap of faith' in deciding to open her own gallery in 2010, carving out a small but significant space in the former larger gallery and thus perpetrating the mission of bringing awareness to the high quality of work by area artists while keeping a vibrant artistic focus on that part of the city, an area all around her that soon would come into its own through the Near West Side Initiatives. However, as one artist wrote: 'Transition doesn't happen overnight.' Szozda-McGowan simply 'ran out of time' in trying to capitalize on the areas' restoration.

 

To her credit, Szozda-McGowan tried hard over the past three years to stay the course in dismal economic times. She provided a professional venue and unusual skill in exhibiting art, bringing renewed interest in the creativity of known Central New York artists and exceptional encouragement to new ones she introduced to the community. All in all, this young woman entrepreneur mounted 32 shows, including three annual ones benefiting Kids from neighborhood schools. She also hosted two 'book eating' parties patterned after the national event of 'Edible Books,' and worked with Bill Delavan to do several special shows exhibited in the outer gallery. Those were the VA's Creative Arts Festival, Boxcar Press's 'On My Own Time' in-house exhibit, Jim Dwyer's retrospective display and Nick Todisco's Celebration of Life show. Over 100 artists and many art enthusiasts too numerous to count have felt the special loving care that has permeated Szozda Gallery and outer spaces at Delavan Center. In hearing the news of its closing, one artist wrote, 'Running an art gallery is like no other business. What it provides to a community cannot be measured in dollars and cents.' Indeed, all of Central New York is now losing a treasure of another kind.

 

Most works hung in "The Last Hurrah" are from the gallery's current collection with a few new works included as well. Szozda-McGowan encourages buyers to take advantage of this expansive display, especially if already interested in art they've viewed before at the gallery. She also hopes to have 'last minute' sales to benefit artists, all of whom she says she's "had the good fortune to associate with."

Gallery hours for this final show are Wednesday - Friday, from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm, Th3 Thursday, until 8:00 pm, and Saturday and Sunday, from 10:00 am - 4:00 pm through Sunday, June 30, when the show ends and the gallery closes with a final reception from 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm.