The Tradition Bearers

Rooted in the Southern Tier’s historical and contemporary traditions, The Tradition Bearers showcases the traditions of community members in Chemung, Steuben, and Schuyler counties.

A series of more than 30 photographic portraits, The Tradition Bearers is a celebration of those who seek to create community. They honor and serve, create and innovate, explore and cultivate, comfort and care, march and unite, lead and steward, and more. By practicing and carrying forth their traditions, they affirm community making as essential to sustaining the dynamic place we call home.

This project is part of a continued response to the normalization and elevation of the intolerance and divisiveness that seek to reinforce and legitimize hatred and that act in antithesis to the common good.

Informed and shaped by the community, The Tradition Bearers was created through a collaborative approach to ensure a respectful reflection of the people found within. Participants are grounded in their environment, highlighting the context with which they carry on their tradition. Each portrait is exhibited concurrently in libraries in Elmira, Corning, & Watkins Glen and presented uniformly in size to eliminate any sense of hierarchy.

The Tradition Bearers is on exhibit until the end of the year at Southeast Steuben County Library in Corning, NY, Steele Memorial Library in Elmira, NY, & Watkins Glen Public Library in Watkins Glen, NY. An opening reception was held Thursday, November 3, 2022 from 5-7pm at Southeast Steuben County Library in Corning, NY.

An artist talk can viewed here:

The Tradition Bearers is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature, administered by fiscal sponsor The Rockwell Museum.

Participants

• Douglas Allan, Theoretical Physicist & Senior Research Associate, Corning Incorporated
• Gigi Alvaré, Artist, Educator, & Founder, Alley Art Project
• Maria Bentley & Greg Taft, Sugarmakers & Founders, Maple Marrow at B&T Farms
• Eric Biribuze, Founder, STELA Inc (Science Technology Entrepreneurship Leadership Academy) & Engineer, Corning Incorporated
• Eric Bresett, Hydrant Assembler, Kennedy Valve
• Chief Frank Brzozwski, City of Hornell Fire Department
• Eileen Collins, NASA Astronaut and USAF Colonel (Ret)
• Nick Craig, Iron Pourer, Kennedy Valve
• Courtney DeRusha, Preservation Mason
• Clarence "Bucky" Geter, Gospel Musician
• Rafael Grigorian, Ballet Master
• Lizz & Matt Glenn, Farmers, Muddy Finger Farms
• Jess Hoffman, Cheesemaker, Sunset View Creamery
• Krystal Jubilee, Director of Nurse Education, Corning Community College
• Dora Leland & Louise Richardson, Community Activists & Co-Founders, Citizens for a Better Southern Tier
• Kate Makitra, Clerk, USPS
• Zaman Marwat, Imam & Director, Islamic Association of the Finger Lakes
• Adrian McGrady, Flutist
• Ken Osika, Fish Culturist, New York State Fish Hatchery in Bath
• Willie Owens & Troy Council, Founders, Program of P.E.A.C.E. (Positive Education Always Corrects Errors)
• John Paul Passmore, Teacher & Queer Advocate
• Rodi Rovner, Glassmaker, Teaching Artist, & Founder, Hands on Glass
• Laura Rowley, Handmade Bookmaker & Independent Publisher, Illuminated Press and Kevin Basl, Author, Veteran, & Facilitator, Warrior Writers
• Tarrah Seaver, Baker & Founder, Laurabelle's Cupcakery
• Toshiyuki Shimada, Musical Director & Conductor, Orchestra of the Southern Finger Lakes
• Beverly, Chris, & Abby Stamp, 3 Generations Winemakers, Lakewood Vineyards
• Oren Steinitz, Rabbi, Congregation Kol Ami
• Connie & Louise Sullivan-Blum, Lesbian Scofflaws
• Olivia Tate, Pilot, Harris Hill Soaring Corporation
• Alan Tremblay, Apiculturist, Tremblay Apiaries
• Shawn Wandell, Chipper & Grinder, Kennedy Valve
• Shannah Warwick, Fashion & Textile Designer and Founder, BlckBts

Portraits

Zaman Marwat, Imam & Director, Islamic Association of the Finger Lakes Tarrah Seaver, Baker & Founder, Laurabelle's Cupcakery Laura Rowley, Bookmaker & Publisher & Kevin Basl, Author, Veteran, & Facilitator, Warrior Writers Lizz & Matt Glenn, Farmers, Muddy Finger Farms Willie Owens & Troy Council, Founders, Program of P.E.A.C.E. (Positive Education Always Corrects Errors) Jess Hoffman, Cheesemaker, Sunset View Creamery Oren Steinitz, Rabbi, Congregation Kol Ami Gigi Alvaré, Artist, Educator, Founder, Alley Art Project Eric Biribuze, Engineer, Corning Incorporated & Founder, STELA Inc (Science Technology Entrepreneurship Leadership Academy) Nick Craig, Iron Pourer, Kennedy Valve Rafael Grigorian, Ballet Master Shannah Warwick, Fashion & Textile Designer and Founder, BlckBts Shawn Wandell, Chipper & Grinder, Kennedy Valve Eric Bresett, Hydrant Assembler, Kennedy Valve Maria Bentley & Greg Taft, Sugarmakers & Founders, Maple Marrow at B&T Farms Adrian McGrady, Flutist Alan Tremblay, Apiculturist, Tremblay Apiaries Ken Osika, Fish Culturist, New York State Fish Hatchery in Bath Olivia Tate, Pilot, Harris Hill Soaring Corporation Chief Frank Brzozwski, City of Hornell Fire Department Krystal Jubilee, Director of Nurse Education, Corning Community College Eileen Collins, NASA Astronaut and USAF Colonel (Ret) Toshiyuki Shimada, Musical Director & Conductor, Orchestra of the Southern Finger Lakes John Paul Passmore, Teacher & Queer Advocate Clarence "Bucky" Geter, Gospel Musician Beverly, Chris, & Abby Stamp, 3 Generations Winemakers, Lakewood Vineyards Dora Leland & Louise Richardson, Social Justice Warriors Douglas Allan, Theoretical Physicist & Senior Research Associate, Corning Incorporated Kate Makitra, Clerk, USPS Courtney DeRusha, Preservation Mason Connie & Louise Sullivan-Blum, Lesbian Scofflaws Rodi Rovner, Glassmaker, Teaching Artist, & Founder, Hands on Glass