Colleen Ayson, Helen Beckley-Forest, Angela Guest, Kelly Schnurr, “Layers”

Buffalo Arts Studio brings together four artists working at the intersection of art and craft to exhibit in the Community Space gallery. Colleen Ayson, Helen Beckley-Forest, Angela Guest, and Kelly Schnurr all combine traditional modes of artmaking, including drawing, painting, and photography, with innovative textile and collage practices. The resulting objects are dynamic expressions of personal, playful gestures. 

Colleen Ayson is a visual artist born and raised in the sunny suburbs of the San Fernando Valley, CA. She has a degree in Art from the Chelsea College of Art and Design in London. She currently lives in Buffalo, NY. She is a creative nomad who has traveled around the world and has enjoyed living in the US, Australia, and the UK. She is drawn to the magic and wonder of everyday life. Ayson’s work explores the mysterious alchemy of beauty in nature and the amazing creatures that inhabit our world.

Helen Beckley-Forest is an artist based in Buffalo, New York. She graduated with a degree in Painting from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, NY in 2023 and has since moved back to her hometown to reconnect with her roots. Her work touches on themes of climate change and the relationship between nature and humans. Helen recently had her first solo exhibition Tender Topologies through a residency at Transformation Station. Her work has also been displayed at multiple locations including The Crucible, Buffalo Arts Studio, and the Niagara Arts and Cultural Center. She is looking forward to being a Hunt Gallery Resident Artist towards the end of this year. 

Angela Guest is a fabric artist and painter currently based in Buffalo, NY. Originally from Austin, TX, Guest ventured to Chicago for higher education at DePaul University where she graduated with a BA in Art, Media, and Design and minors in anthropology and art history. Years later, Guest studied Art Education at Buffalo State University and is currently working as a high school educator for Buffalo Public Schools. Guest’s work has been exhibited across WNY including The Crucible Arts Collective, Main Street Arts in Clifton Springs, Burchfield Penney Art Center, Buffalo Art Movement, and Hunt Gallery where she was part of their fourth residency cohort.

Kelly Schnurr is a multidisciplinary artist and mother of two living in Buffalo, NY. She merges her design background with fine art practices to capture the element of discovery and self growth; using nature as her source of inspiration. After graduating from SUNY Fredonia with a BFA in Graphic Design, she spent 10 years living and working in NYC where she started her business, GreenBird Design Inc. In 2016, with her growing family, she moved back home to Buffalo. Kelly was a Hunt Gallery Resident Artist (cohort 5) and is an Associate member of Buffalo Society of Artists. She is also part of a global online community called Thrive Together Network; connecting with other female artists for accountability and support. Her work has been exhibited at The Lockwood Gallery in Kingston, NY, Rochester Contemporary Art Center, Cass Gallery, River Gallery, Hallwalls, The Crucible Art Collective, Hunt Art Gallery, and Buffalo Arts Studio. A collection of greeting cards, small works on paper, and fine-art prints are available at Buffalo ShopCraft.

Buffalo Arts Studio (BAS) connects diverse communities through visual arts via inclusive exhibitions, educational programs, mentorships, and public art while also providing affordable studio space, exposure, paid opportunities, and ongoing professional development for visual artists.