Exhibit of Rhino Toys created by Rich Tomasello opens Friday, August 28 at TCPL

Rhino Toys, a thought-provoking exhibit featuring hand-crafted toys designed to highlight current events and social issues opens at Tompkins County Public Library on Friday, August 28 and will be on display through the end of October.

Created by Buffalo-based artist and public school art teacher,

Rich Tomasello, Rhino Toys examines—through specially-designed toys reflecting traditional stereotypes and common media-messaging—issues of war, school shootings and social injustice.

Influenced by the 2012 Newtown, Connecticut school shooting, Tomasello created a series of dark, ironic and absurd action figures presented under the fictional toy company brand, Rhino Toys.  The series includes customized toys—made from existing playthings—packaged in meticulously designed boxes, complete with guns, bullets, clips, body armor, grenades, gas masks and human targets.



Tomasello offers special workshop during Tom-Con

Teens are invited to explore the concepts behind the exhibit during an action figure-making workshop being held in conjunction with TCPL’s Saturday, August 29 Tomp-Con mini-comic convention.  Tomesello’s workshop will take place from noon to 1 p.m. and is open to participants ages 9 through 19. Attendees will be able to take home their personalized action figures.

For more information about Tom-Con go to http://tcpl.org/teens/programs.php#tompcon. For more information about Rhino Toys go to http://www.richardtomaselloart.com/currentwork/.  For more information about Exhibits at TCPL go to tcpl-exhibits.blogspot.com.

Streetscapes opens at TCPL Friday October 2, 2015

Mural in the Dryden Rd Parking Garage painted by Andy Dolan 

Streetscapes, curated by Jay Potter, opens at Gallery Night on Friday, October 2.  This dynamic exhibit will feature a collection of work that draws on creativity and inspiration from our urban surroundings. Using a mixture of diverse media, local street artists will explore the influence of the urban environment through color, energy, movement and personal experience culminating in sincere straight-from-the-gut expression. 

Streetscapes is an inherent appreciation of urban culture, in all its dangerous, poetic, authentic - and sometimes rebellious - glory.  The artists will include Jay  Stooks, Jeff Szuc, Jim Garmhausen among others.

This exhibit is designed to compliment the live street art painting event, Get-Up State 2015, that will have taken place at 770 Cascadilla Street the previous weekend.  

A special opening reception will be held from 5 to 8 PM.  Entry to the Library after closing at 6 PM will be through the BorgWarner Community Room Door.  For more information about this and other exhibits call 607-275-1532 or email sgrubb@tcpl.org.