Artist and teacher, Jeannine Pelusio, grew up in Greece. She attended Athena High School, studied at Alfred University and SUNY Brockport, graduating with a degree in Fine Arts. While at Brockport, Jeannine worked as an assistant to artist Judy Soprano, a prolific local painter and teacher of art. Soprano is quoted as saying, “I opened the door to my creativity, and found my soul.”
Opening doors to creativity is exactly what Jeannine Pelusio accomplishes with her Intuitive Painting Workshops, offered through the On the Canals program. “In 2018, I attended a workshop on intuitive painting and I fell in love with the process. I found it so liberating. To paint without a reference image, applying paint to a canvas based on how you are feeling in the moment, looking at the textures and colors that appear, and following that lead to create an image. It’s so exciting to me. I wanted to share what I found with my students,” Jeannine said.
She held a few intuitive painting workshops in her home studio, Stony Point Art Studio, located in Ogden. After a friend introduced her to the On the Canals program, she approached them about offering intuitive painting workshops as one of their activities.
Now in its fourth year, the On the Canals program offers free recreational activities sponsored by the NYS Canal Corporation and NY Power Authority. On the Canals excursions include kayaking, cycling, cruising, hiking, outdoor painting, snowshoeing and accessible activities such as adaptive kayaking. Initially piloted in summer 2020 as ‘NY Canal Staycations,’ the ‘On the Canals’ program expanded to year round participation and has grown nearly five times with more than 13,000 participants in 2022.
During the summer of 2023, through On the Canals, Jeannine offered several intuitive painting workshops, outdoors, along the Canal, in Spencerport, Fairport and Pittsford. The workshops were extremely successful, filling as quickly as they were listed.
In the Fall, by happenstance, Jeannine found the Cornhill Navigation Welcome Center, a beautiful space along the Genesee River in the City of Rochester. “I am so happy to have this wonderful, inspirational, indoor space where I am able to offer workshops during the cold weather months,” she said.
In September Jeannine started offering workshops at Cornhill Navigation Center, and the popularity of intuitive painting grew. Classes for drawing and painting for youth, ages 9-18, were also added. In late Fall, Jeannine was contacted by the NYS Canal Corporation, about being featured in one of their videos for the On the Canals program.
Jeannine said, “Making the video was fun. It is such a unique opportunity that On the Canals offers, open to all, and free of charge. The intuitive painting workshops have so many rewards, to the participants, and to me, as instructor. You can come in, with absolutely no painting and drawing background, leave two hours later with an experience, an accomplishment, and a beautiful painting. I think part of the success the participants are finding is really driving home the understanding that, it is not about painting a picture that you can hang on the wall, it is about taking something that you are feeling, putting it down in paint, and discovering something about yourself. The group in each workshop forms a little bit of a community. They are all going through the same process, together on an adventure.”
The Cornhill Navigation Welcome Center, 280 Exchange Blvd., Rochester, 14608, is hosting two First Friday Art events at their facility. The first was held on January 5th, featuring Jeannine’s artwork. Many of Jeannine’s works focus on nature and local historic waterways. On February 2nd, Jeannine’s artworks will be joined by works from some of those who participated in the intuitive workshops.
These, first ever, First Friday events at Cornhill Center are open from 6-9PM. Beer and wine will be available to enjoy while viewing the art.
For the past 18 years, Jeannine has been teaching students of all ages at her home studio, Stony Point Art Studio. She offers classes in drawing and painting, in all mediums, and home school art classes.
Coming this Spring, Jeannine will be offering classes at Homesteads for Hope, Manitou Road, Ogden, in their recently opened Forever Homestead Community Center, and outdoors, along their beautiful canal location. According to Homesteads for Hope’s website, “We are a Community Farm that empowers people of all abilities to learn, work, live, and grow in nature’s classroom. Located on the wide waters of the Erie Canal, we offer a place to belong. We grow more than tomatoes – we grow people’s unique purpose.”
To view Jeannine’s NYS Canal video go to
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNpc9XADgY0
For more information on Jeannine and Stony Point Studio
www.stonypointartstudio.com
For more information on On the Canals
www.onthecanals.com
For more information on Cornhill Navigation Center
www.cornhillnav.org
For more information on Homesteads for Hope
www.homesteadsforhope.org
