Lewiston Council on the Arts, Lew-Port teaming to showcase 'SOUL'

Photography exhibit set for Thursday at Level Gallery

The photographic art of two local shutterbugs, and student-created works related to those makers, will be on display Thursday at the Level Gallery. “SOUL” will showcase the fruits of a collaboration between the Lewiston Council on the Arts and Lewiston-Porter High School.

“We’re excited to invite the community to experience ‘SOUL’ in the Level Gallery at Lewiston-Porter, to spend time with the work of Ray Lonsdale, Chelsea Sears, and Lew-Port’s photography students, and to see the powerful connections that can grow when artists, educators, students and community come together,” Lewiston Council on the Arts Executive Director Maria Fortuna Dean said.

Photography teacher Carrie Popielski explained Lew-Port instructor and former LCA board member Cindy Sanchez “introduced me to Maria, and then Maria reached out and wanted to know if we would be interested in having two local photographers come in, talk to the kids, and basically present their work, answer any questions they had. We had Ray and Chelsea; both came in separate times, worked with my photo kids, and basically showed them their work, talked about what they do, what kind of photography they do. And then, what we're trying to do is basically have the kids kind of respond to their work, as far as create a piece that can go along in the gallery with Chelsea and Ray's work.”

She added, “Chelsea and Ray came in and presented their work to the kids. Talked about what influences them. Ray does some photography with concerts. He also does a lot of landscape stuff. Chelsea is more of like a portrait photographer. She also does a lot of concert photography, too. And they just kind of talk to the kids about how they approach their photography.”

Dean said, “The LCA is so appreciative of the collaborative opportunities we’ve had with Lewiston-Porter over the years. In 2024, we brought our Opera Gala program to Lew-Port, and their wonderful student musicians have been part of our Porch Fest since its very beginning. The fine arts council at Lew-Port does an incredible job of keeping the performing and creative arts in sync and supportive of one another, and their art and music faculty have consistently been involved in and supportive of Art Council programs, including our Art Festival, Chalk Walk and Porch Fest.

“Our community is also fortunate to have a first-class exhibition space right here at Lew-Port in the Level Gallery. The first time I saw the gallery, during their district art show, I immediately started thinking about how we might collaborate with the visual art department’s faculty and students. Around the same time, I had been looking for a way to present a broader picture of the work of two local photographers, Ray Lonsdale and Chelsea Sears, who generously donate their time and talents to the LCA by photographing all of our events.

“Over the years, Ray and Chelsea have created stunning images of our musicians, artists, actors and community participants – images that truly capture the spirit of the LCA’s mission to enrich the life of our community through arts and culture. They have a vast catalog of work that deserves to be seen, along with lifetimes of experience to share with young photography students.

“Through conversations with Carrie Popielski, Lew-Port’s photography instructor, we began brainstorming ways to bring all of this together. As part of the collaboration, Chelsea and Ray each spent a full day at Lew-Port teaching photography classes, working directly with students, and sharing their creative processes and professional experiences. Student work created in response to those classes will be exhibited alongside their photographs in the show.

“Out of those conversations came the idea for a themed exhibition, ‘SOUL’ – the life force that connects us to one another and to nature, while also expressing what makes each of us uniquely ourselves.”

Chief Joseph Boudreaux Jr. of the Rumble photographed at Borderland Music + Arts Festival for Big Easy Buffalo. (Photo by Chelsea Sears)

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Meet the artists

Lonsdale lives in Niagara Falls, but has roots in Lewiston dating back more than 125 years. He worked for the City of Niagara Falls and for SUNY Buffalo State University.

“I always wanted to get into photography, but never had the time,” he said. “I dabbled with it off and on for a couple years until June 2017 when I retired from the college.

“I’m a past president of the Twin Cities Camera Club. In 2023, I received the Tri Color Ribbon Award and Best Professional Portrait, Best Professional Photo at last year’s Erie County Fair.

“A chance encounter at the Lewiston Harvest Festival in September 2017 with Eva Nicklas of the Lewiston Council on the Arts led me to become their semi-official photographer. I’ve photographed most of their events ever since.

“The opportunity to be involved with the Lew-Port photography students gives me the chance to help them progress in the photographic art, and for me to see it with new, younger eyes. I’m looking forward to what the students come up with from the examples that Chelsea and I provided them.”

Sears, the LCA’s board president, is a fine art photographer who combines playful use of light and storytelling with a bit of humor. She studied under Les Krims in the fine art photography department at SUNY Buffalo State University, earning her BFA with a concentration in photography in 2001.

“Festival vibes” (Photo by Chelsea Sears)

Currently residing in Niagara County, Sears has operated her photography studio, Chelsea Modern Images, in the Village of Lewiston for the past 10 years. 

An art and music lover, Sears is captivated by the vibrancy of the human spirit and longs to tell the stories of inner child that reside in each of us.

“It’s been a joyful collaboration with Ray Lonsdale; he’s a master of his craft and an all-around fun and interesting person to talk to,” Sears said. “We often shoot events side by side and it’s been very fulfilling to get to see his images on the wall, and what his soul creates through his lens. He and I were both able to share our work and unique visions with some of Carrie Popielski’s photography students, and I’m eager to see what some of the advanced students produce in response to our bodies of work.

“Lew-Port has been very gracious with the use of their stunning gallery space. I’m very grateful for the school district’s continued support of the arts in Lewiston. 

“I tried to bring a piece of myself into the body of work that I’ve chosen for this exhibit. I’m a child of hippies from the late-’60s, and my creativity is deeply rooted in the poetry, ideology and culture of that time frame. All of these pieces were created during times of great personal joy, through different expressions – some with bright exuberance, others through dark, mysterious mischief.”

“SOUL” is on display from 5-7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 5, at the Level Gallery at Lewiston-Porter High School, 4061 Creek Road. It is a free-admission event.

Lew-Port offers a comprehensive photography package for interested students.

“If they’ve completed my digital photo class, they’re basically working a college level the first year in high school,” Popielski said. “And then, if they continue on and do the AP photo the following year, I would compare that to they could probably go into a college and they could keep up with the second-year photo kids.”

GM/Managing Editor Joshua Maloni contributed to this article.

Graphic courtesy of the Lewiston Council on the Arts.

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"Rebel Yell" (Photo by Chelsea Sears)