Letter From The Director
Fall / Winter 2005

The Castellani continues to thrive—and expand its programming in so many ways. Just have a look at this fall’s roster of exciting exhibitions, beginning with the “Exquisite Corpse,” a reenactment of the European Surrealists’ word and art game, but this time, and for the first time ever, in glass! The theme flows into our third annual gala on October 1, “A Surreal Soiree: An Exquisite Evening of the Extraordinaire,” but then also allows us to show the best of our Surrealist works and glass-related work from the collection as separate shows. Mini-Kites by folk artists from around the world will take over Gallery Five, beginning in October. And, of course, all of our educational programming follows suite: Saturday Art Express workshops, school tours, folk art workshops, First Fridays’ art tables, and much more. Our first ever annual appeal in May and June yielded a total of $3,060. Those who gave at the upper levels each received special CAM gifts: coffee mugs, aprons, and lunch with the director! You will notice that we published all of our new or renewed members in this issue—a plan that we will continue each fall. Didn’t see your name on the list? The true way to be part of your premier art collecting museum in Niagara County, the Castellani Art Museum, is to officially join the membership roster! Special mention should be made to those who joined at the $100 level: Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Lytle, Jerry McGuire, William R. Milliman, Bonnie Northrop, and Dr. Bonnie Rose. Thank you! Perhaps the major announcement, however, is that the museum has been named by Governor Pataki as the Underground Railroad Interpretive Center for all of Western New York, one of a series of heritage trail sites across the state. Due to open a year from now, when Niagara University celebrates its 150th anniversary, one permanent gallery of the museum will be devoted to this project as well as a “traveling” display unit that will serve to explain the rich history of the slaves’ routes to freedom, especially in our locale. We are looking for original stories and artifacts related to the trail, its people, its “enablers,” and sites. Please give us a call if you can help.

 Laurene Buckley, Ph.D., Director

Gala committee members Bonnie Northrop, Marianne Steiner, and Elisa Scrufari
and CAM director Laurene Buckley (second from left) at the pre-gala Water Street Landing, Lewiston, party