OLEAN, N.Y. — The opening reception of “A Sustainable Perspective,” showcasing the artwork of Nicole Shields, will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. March 6, at the Tri-County Arts Council, 110 West State St., Olean.
This event is free and open to the public and features original works using mixed media to create beautiful images of life on the farm.
Shields’ art incorporates many mediums including painting and photography mixed media pieces on fabric and recycled farm materials. She creates her paintings by sewing fabric together, stretching it over frames and then adding photographs, paint and colored pencil to create a unique perspective.
She said, “I regularly use my farm and rural surroundings as subject matter for my artwork. I am interested in the natural beauty of this scenic area…. I believe that we look at the same surroundings all day long and sometimes we take for granted how beautiful our surroundings really are.”
Shields is a mother of two, who lives and works in Randolph, and has been an art educator at Cassadaga Valley Jr./Sr. High School for the past 13 years. She graduated from SUNY Oswego in 2004 with a B.F.A. and a Master’s Degree in Art Education. In addition to teaching full time, she and her husband, Seth, operate a small farm.
