The opening reception will take place on Saturday, February 15, from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM

Joe Orffeo (1926–2013) a Western New York artist and WWII veteran whose remarkable career spanned multiple decades and mediums. A graduate of the Art Institute of Buffalo in the 1940s and 50s, his work developed in an atmosphere of experimentation, resulting in a uniquely personal style that combined bold innovation with emotional resonance.

The exhibition Harmonic Cycles celebrates the joy and vitality of Orffeo’s work, featuring a selection of acrylic and watercolor paintings that span the artist’s prolific career. These works, drawn from various series, embody the imaginative breadth and dynamic energy that defined Orffeo’s creative life, including series titled Grass, Summer Dance, Treeline, and Wheatfield. From vibrant bursts of color and form depicting a garden in bloom to delicate, contemplative compositions from the 1940s, each work offers a glimpse into his ever-evolving exploration of art’s expressive possibilities.

As Orffeo himself remarked in a 2004 exhibition catalog, “My paintings are very personal, and they express how I feel about the social and political environment, as well as the landscape I see around me.” Whether inspired by the varied seasons and environs of Western New York—from a Lake Erie sunset to the hills of his home in Colden—the sweeping vistas of the Southwest, or the boundless realms of imagination, Orffeo’s works radiate a sense of joy, wonder, and connection to the world around him.

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  Joe Orffeo   (American, 1926-2013),   "New Day Sunrise" - 2006 ,   14 x 20,   Watercolor,   Signed & dated lower right,