Dyer Arts Center Events

Join us for a unique webinar from 7-9 p.m. (Eastern) that will explore the emergence of the Black Lives Matter movement along with the increasing national recognition of Black American Sign Language (BASL), with the “Black is Black: Blackity AF” curatorial team: Teraca Florence, Najma Johnson, Earl Terry, and Felicia Williams.

The webinar will feature a tour, allowing you to get up close and personal with the Black is Black: Blackity AF exhibit. The curators, who worked hard to plan the exhibit with the Dyer team, will also be discussing the Black Lives Matter movement in more depth.

The webinar will be live streamed on Dyer Arts Center’s Facebook page. Please contact us at dyerartscenter@gmail.com if you need a Zoom link instead.

This webinar will be in ASL. If you need voice interpreters or captioning, please fill out the accommodation form: https://bit.ly/31Uzy1L.  The deadline to request for accommodate is Wednesday, November 4 at 5 p.m. EST.

[ID: Serge Doamba Kiswendsida's black-and-white Debout lithograph of an upraised fist is centered in a black square and surrounded by an aura of the Pan-African colors of red, green and black. Along the top, in red, black, and green text with white outlines, is text that reads "Black is Black:" and vertically along the left side in white text is "BLACKITY AF."]

We’re very excited to host our first online painting party with Paint & Sign* this fall! Join us on Zoom on Saturday, October 3rd, as we paint together at home from 6-9 p.m. Eastern time, led by a fun professional artist: Gino Caci. He will show you the steps to painting a Halloween-themed artwork. You will also have an opportunity to meet Gino himself; he works for Paint & Sign and makes his own artwork, which you can also ask him about.

When you register, you will see information about painting materials that you may want to get for the event.

Please register at bit.ly/paintwithgino and you will receive an email with the link to join our webinar, also. We can’t wait to see you!

*Through visual expression, Paint & Sign is an interactive way to learn and play with sign language.

Image description: Black, white and orange graphic that begins with "Online painting with Gino" in orange on a white background. Then in white on a black background, the text reads: "Join Deaf artist Gino Caci of Paint & Sign on Zoom as he teaches you how to create your own Halloween-themed masterpiece based on the painting below! Admission is free, but you must purchase your own materials. The materials list will be e-mailed to you after you register." In orange and white on the same black background, the text reads, "Saturday, October 3, 2020 6-9 p.m. (Eastern) Register at: bit.ly/paintwithgino Zoom info will be e-mailed to people who register." Next to the date and time information is the painting Gino has designed for the event, which shows a friendly ghost popping out of a lit jack-o'-lantern and signing "I love you." In the background is a starry night sky with a full moon, bats, a spooky tree, and a dark house with lights on in the windows. Finally, the Dyer logo in white and the Paint & Sign logo in black on an orange background along the bottom of the graphic.

This reception offers an opportunity to look through the online exhibition of Palettes of Nature with guest curator Zach Ennis, co-founder of deafgreenthumbs, a Rochester-based small business that focused on houseplant care. 

[ID: Most of the square graphic is occupied by Miguel Díaz Calderon's Reflejo al Atardecer (Sunset Reflection), a 1997 painting that shows a lonely desert landscape under a vast multicolored sky. A storm is visible in the distance; two large trees that resemble cacti stand in the foreground, although they are small in comparison to the sky; the nearer tree shades a silhouetted man in a wide-brimmed hat and his dog. Superimposed on the painting is the text: "Palettes of Nature Flowering on September 22, 2020 A collaboration with Zach Ennis, co-founder of deafgreenthumbs." Below the painting and artist credit is the Dyer Arts Center logo on a black background.]

A Zoom reception for Black is Black: Blackity AF, this event offers a chance to meet the four curators who created, developed, and continue to manage this groundbreaking exhibit. 

Saturday, September 19, 2020
7:00-8:30 p.m. (Eastern)
Register: bit.ly/blackitydeaf

[ID: On a black square, Serge Kiswensida Doamba's Debout, a black-and-white lithograph of an upraised fist, stands in the center, surrounded by an aura made of the Pan-African colors of red, black, and green. On the left side, "Black is Black" rises vertically in the same colors, while on the right side, "BLACKITY AF," also vertical stands in bold white. Along the bottom on the right side is the text "Opening September 4, 2020" above the Dyer Arts Center's logo. At the very bottom left in small white text is the image credit: Debout, Serge Kiswensida Doamba, 2019.]

Our first "Respeck our Black Deaf Arts!" Zoom panel was so successful, we're hosting another one with returning host Rezenet Moges-Riedel and the same panelists: actress Michelle Banks, performing artist/art collector Fred Beam, writer Teraca Florence, artist Awet Moges, model/entertainer Nyke Prince, and curator Earl Terry!

The panelists will be exploring and expanding themes and questions that came up during the first session. 

Join us on Saturday, September 12, 2020, from 3-5 p.m. (Eastern) by registering at bit.ly/blackdeafarts2.

[ID: In bold black and white, the headline insists, "Respeck our Black Deaf Arts!" At the end, there is an asterisk that leads to a small message on the lower right that reads "again and always." The rest of the graphic lists the panelists for the event, starting with host Rezenet Moges-Riedel and proceeding through Michelle Banks (actress), Fred Beam (performing artist/art collector), Teraca Florence (writer), Awet Moges (artist), Nyke Prince (model/entertainer), and Earl Terry (curator). Along the bottom of the graphic, the event date and time of Saturday, September 12, 2020 from 3-5 p.m. (Eastern) is visible, along with the registration link (bit.ly/blackdeafarts2) and Dyer logo.]

Dyer Arts Center presents
PAINTING PARTY WITH NANCY ROURKE
Led by a fun and professional artist, Nancy Rourke. The instruction will be led in American Sign Language. Interpreters have been requested for our non-signing attendees.

Saturday, February 15, 1:00 - 5:00 pm
$35 per person including 3 hours of instruction, hors d'oeuvres, and all the materials you will need!
Purchase a ticket by February 12 to reserve your seat.

Join us as we celebrate the two artists featured in our first exhibit of 2020, Nancy Rourke and David Call! As longtime luminaries of Deaf art, Nancy and David's work will be available for viewing in the Williams Gallery from January 17th to February 22nd, 2020. The reception on February 14th from 5-7 p.m. will offer a chance to meet the artists, see their remarks, and mingle while appreciating the work of two immense talents. 

Children (ages 5 - 18) are invited to Toyland with Deaf Poets and Storytellers, hosted by the Deaf Rochester Film Festival, (DRFF), elves!

The legendary Deaf poet, Patrick Graybill, will be signing holiday stories with our Deaf librarian, Joan Naturale! Also, deafgreenthumbs, our special guests, will educate you about the Christmas tree during holiday skits.

Led by our DRFF creative elf, Malvana, you will be painting designs on wood ornaments and decorating holiday shaped cookies! During the workshop, we will have a holiday movie screening (the movie will be selected by YOU the attendees!). The cookies will be made by a local Deaf-owned bakery, Golden Harvest Bakery and Cafe. Supplies for the ornaments will be provided by Dyer Arts Center.

Saturday, December 14, 2019 | 2-5 PM | Dyer Arts Center
$10 per person
Purchase a ticket by December 13th to reserve your seat! Space is limited to 30 people.
We look forward to seeing you create unforgettable memories with DRFF elves and create beautiful ornaments to bring home!

This event is a fundraiser to support Deaf Rochester Film Festival, which will take place on April 14-18, 2020.

Holiday Wreath Decoration Extravaganza with Deafgreenthumbs

Join deafgreenthumbs in decorating an unique holiday wreath to adorn your front door with or to gift to a loved one for the holiday!

$20 including donuts, hot apple cider, and all the materials you will need!
December 6, 2019 | 5-7 PM | Dyer Arts Center
Purchase a ticket by December 4th to reserve your seat! Space is limited to 50 people.