David Vitrano (American, 1938-) artist, sculptor, ceramicist, printmaker and teacher known for his terra cotta figurative sculptures & ceramic objects, mixed media drawings and wood block prints. David studied at Buffalo State College and received his BS and MS in Art Education.
In the early 1960’s, David operated
Gallery 10, a local Buffalo cooperative gallery where he exhibited during that time. From 1965-1980, he taught art and mechanical drawing at Sweet Home High School in Amherst, NY. Circa 1990-94, he operated
Gallery 37, also in Buffalo.
Since 1977, David and his wife Phylis owned a beautiful house in the Allentown district of Buffalo called the Mann Mansion which served as their antique shop
The Great Wave Oriental Rugs & Antiques and their former restaurant,
Tiger Lily & Wing, a popular Asian bakery and café. They sold the property in December of 2008.
After a long hiatus in the art world, a chance purchase of two kilns at a garage sale in 2005 stimulated a new interest in ceramic sculpture. Within two years, David had joined the Western New York Artists Group (2007) and also the Buffalo Society of Artists (2008). He first exhibited at the 2007 Western New York Artists Group “11th Annual Members Exhibition: Traditional Work” in Buffalo, NY, and has since exhibited yearly with the WNYAG at several annual shows (Awards 2007, 2008), and also exhibited at BSA exhibitions beginning in 2009 (Award 2010). He has also exhibited in several shows in and around the Buffalo area include; The Kenan Center (Award 2010), Lockport, NY; and Indigo Gallery, Buffalo, NY.
Artist Statement:
“Quite simply I make things. My work is all about the process. The process is the work.”
“My materials (clay, pastel, pencil, etc.) are manipulated until form emerges. Sometimes a concept directs my focus, but often the concept emerges along with the form. Once the form has revealed itself, I know that I am finished.”
“Since all artwork is finally left mute, the problem of interpretation is left to the viewer. Basically when I am finished, the meaning is no longer my concern.”—David Vitrano
Chronology:
2007- Exhibited, juried group show, “11th Annual Members Exhibition: Traditional Work”, for the terra cotta sculptures “Emerging” (2006), “Rider” (2006) & an untitled sculpture (2006), Western New York Artists Group, juror Robert Scalise, Exhibitions Coordinator at Anderson Gallery, University of Buffalo Anderson Gallery, Buffalo, NY. Exhibited, juried group show (Award), “11th Annual Members Exhibition: Abstract & Cutting Edge”, Western New York Artists Group, juror Robert Scalise, Exhibitions Coordinator at Anderson Gallery, University of Buffalo Anderson Gallery, Buffalo, NY. Exhibited, group show, “Annual Western New York Artists Group”, Buffalo, NY.
2008- Exhibited, juried group show (3rd Prize), “12th Annual Members Exhibition: Traditional Work”, prize for the terra cotta sculpture “On a Pedestal” (2006), Western New York Artists Group, Art Dialogue Gallery, Buffalo, NY. Exhibited, juried group show, “12th Annual Member s Exhibition: Modern Art”, Western New York Artists Group, Buffalo, NY. Exhibited, group show, “National Exhibit”, Impact Gallery, Buffalo, NY. Exhibited, group show, “Niagara Frontier Art Exhibit”, Kenan Center, Lockport, NY.
2009- Exhibited, group show, “Spring Show”, Buffalo Society of Artists, Buffalo, NY. Exhibited, juried group show, “13th Annual Members Exhibition: Traditional Work”, Western New York Artists Group, juror Christopher Kelly (director), Karpeles Manuscript Library Museum, Buffalo, NY. Exhibited, juried group show, “13th Annual Members Exhibition: Modern Art”, Western New York Artists Group, juror Christopher Kelly (director), Karpeles Manuscript Library Museum, Buffalo, NY. Exhibited, group show, “Art Park Show”, Buffalo Society of Artists, Lewiston, NY. Exhibited, group show, “113th Annual Fall Catalog Exhibition”, Buffalo Society of Artists, Buffalo, NY.
2010- Exhibited, group show (Award), “Thumb-Box Show”, received Honorable Mention & the
Elmwood Framing & Interiors Award for the terra cotta sculpture “Che Fai?”, Buffalo Society of Artists, Buffalo, NY. Exhibited, group show, “Art Park Show”, Buffalo Society of Artists, Lewiston, NY. Exhibited, group show, “Open Show at the Carnegie Center”, Buffalo Society of Artists, Lewiston, NY. Exhibited, juried group show, “14th Annual Members Exhibition: Traditional Work”, Western New York Artists Group, juror Ted Pietrzak (of the Burchfield-Penney Museum), Art Dialogue Gallery, Buffalo, NY. Exhibited, group show (Award), “Niagara Frontier Art Exhibit”, Kenan Center, Lockport, NY. Exhibited, group show, “19th Annual Regional Artists Exhibition”, Western New York Artists Group, Art Dialogue Gallery, Buffalo, NY. Exhibited, group show, “Winter”, Indigo Gallery, Buffalo, NY.
2011- Exhibited, juried group show, “15th Annual Members Exhibition: Traditional Work”, Western New York Artists Group, juror Kate Koperski, Director of Castellani Art Museum, two installation locations at WNYAG One Linwood Ave., and Buffalo Public Library, Buffalo, NY.
2011- September 16—October 15, exhibited, solo show, "The Emergence of Form", sculptures, drawings and prints, Meibohm Fine Arts, East Aurora, NY,
Exhibition Page Link.
Memberships: Western New York Artists Group (2007), Buffalo, NY; The Buffalo Society of Artists (2008), Buffalo, NY.
Awards: “11th Annual Members Exhibition: Abstract & Cutting Edge” (2007), Western New York Artists Group, Buffalo, NY; 3rd Prize for the terra cotta sculpture “On a Pedestal” (2006), “12th Annual Members Exhibition: Traditional Work” (2008), Western New York Artists Group, Art Dialogue Gallery, Buffalo, NY; Honorable Mention &
Elmwood Framing & Interiors Award, “Thumb-Box Show” (2010), for the terra cotta sculpture “Che Fai?”, the Buffalo Society of Artists (2008), Buffalo, NY; and “Niagara Frontier Art Exhibit” (2010), the Kenan Center, Lockport, NY.
(Rewritten by Mark Strong of Meibohm Fine Arts, Inc., East Aurora, NY, meibohmfinearts.com, sources: Too long to list here and are furnished upon request.)
