About the project
Artists Leslie Calimeri and John Stow began collaborating in 2021 to conceptualize and create an interactive outdoor art experience focused on play and exploration along the CHQ trail at Chautauqua Institution.
The current phase of their collaboration builds on their previous work and adds a new layer of interactivity. John has created two new sculptures, a doe and her fawn, to accompany his previously created animal sculptures. Leslie had digitized her artwork and brought it into an augmented reality space, allowing her sculptures to become animated and virtually interact with John's sculptures.
John Stow is a sculptor and blacksmith who resides and works in Stow, N.Y. John’s forged and carved sculptures are beautiful and functional, allowing viewers to interact and engage with his pieces directly. His wooden animal sculptures have an animated and playful aesthetic that engages and delights viewers of all ages. The sculptures subtly compel viewers, especially children, to create a narrative around his work, giving individuals a personal and ever-expanding connection to his pieces.
Leslie Calimeri has been a commercial and fine artist for nearly twenty years. Her goal as a fine artist has been to elevate the scenes of our everyday lives. Her work highlights a variety of landscapes and natural objects in Chautauqua County, calling out the colors, shapes, and spaces that inform the common environment we share. Her work asks viewers to rediscover our environment and objects worthy of attention. Leslie resides in Jamestown, N.Y., where she owns Chautauqua Art Gallery.
