Dreams come to life at Greensburg Art Center's latest show

Al Sanfilippo was back at the Greensburg Art Center on Sunday.

The 82-year-old has always had a creative side and after retiring from a 50-year career in education nearly 10 years ago, he focused on interests including fly fishing, for which he makes his own flies and rods, and painting, in which he uses pastels to bring life to his imagination.

“I’ve always wanted to do things with my hands and art has become an outlet for me,” Sanfilippo said.

The desire to hone his craft led him to the Greensburg Art Center where he found himself on Sunday afternoon when, for the first time, the Hempfield man entered his artwork in a competition.

The retired English teacher entered two paintings, one depicting waves breaking on a beach. He said he balanced blues, greens and white to show movement in the water. Sanfilippo’s second painting depicted a mountain valley with two orange trees prominent in the fog. He titled the piece “Quiet Valley.”

Both pieces hung on the walls among more than 100 entries from local artists. Members of the Greensburg Art Center could enter two pieces in the center’s newest show, “In Your Wildest Dreams.” Creations ranged from paintings to sculptures.

Rosemary Sovyak of Greensburg is president of the center and helped put together the member’s show.

“For this particular show, it’s not juried, which means it didn’t have to be chosen by a juror to be in the show at all,” Sovyak said. “Everybody could put anything in.”

Usually shows hosted by the center require entries to be considered by a professional artist to be accepted and displayed.

“We like to open this up to the members … It gets their art out there for people to see,” Sovyak said.

Sovyak entered two of her own pieces in the show.

Toward the end of the event, artists and attendees gathered in the gallery room for an award ceremony hosted by Josias Figueirido, an assistant professor of art at Seton Hill University. Figueirido served as the show’s judge and awarded first, second and third place prizes along with five honorable mentions. Artists of the work were anonymous to him until after the final results were decided.

John Caringola of Greensburg took second place for his piece titled “Starburst,” a free-handed acrylic painting. Caringola is a regular volunteer at the center and co-chaired the member’s show. This was his first time arranging a show.

“I’ve been a member for years but I worked 40 hours a week. Now I have time,” he said.

Caringola earned his bachelor’s degree in art education and a master’s degree in studio art.

“Over the years, even when I wasn’t showing I was still producing art,” he said.

He said as he enters this phase of his life, it feels like a reemergence and an opportunity to get his work out there.

Other winners included third place to Kimberly Rentler for her piece “Whispering Forest” and first place to Brian McCall for his piece “Even Angels Get Caught in Webs.” The exhibition will stay on display until March 7.