Galleries and museums in the Western New York region are moving to digitally archive and make publicly available information about the lives and work of the area’s historically significant visual artists.

Mildred Green, Buffalo Harbor Tug Boat, watercolor. Courtesy of Meibohm Fine Arts.

This ongoing movement assures that, as regional art becomes more visible, our artists will begin to receive the attention already accorded artists from equally vibrant arts communities around the country.

For the past few years, Mark Strong, webmaster for Meibohm Fine Arts (www.meibohmfinearts.com) in East Aurora, has been quietly adding artist biographies and other historical milestones about important Western New York artists to the gallery’s ever-growing Web site.

While most people these days know that the addition of “keywords” makes good business sense for increasing one’s Web site traffic, Meibohm is not solely commercially motivated. They realize that a rising tide lifts all ships.

“It’s about the artists,” says Strong. “The more info that is out there about them, the better. Too often, artists get forgotten, which is a shame.”

A freely accessible database that anyone can access has organically developed. Strong adds, “We want to record and showcase regional artists who deserve recognition. Creating a database of bios on our website allows us to share this information with a worldwide audience.”

Why is it important to know when Ethelyn Pratt Cobb was a student at the Cranbrook Academy? When Alex Levy studied under Robert Henri? When Claire Shuttleworth exhibited at the Salon de Paris?

It is the dissemination of this information to a wider audience that creates interest—and subsequent value—for an artist’s work.

The Internet is the first place younger people may go to learn about art. “Gallery exhibitions and artist-community outreach is the basis of exposure, fueled by ever-evolving technologies,” concurs owner Grace Meibohm.

At the same time, the new 84,000-square-foot Burchfield Penney Art Center has thrown a spotlight on regional art. And the museum is preparing to make that light shine brighter as they digitally photograph their collection of Western New York art and archives for online viewing.

The BPAC has received a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services. “The grant is critical in enabling the museum to make its collections more accessible to the public,” says Ted Pietrzak, BPAC director.

Between such grassroots activity as Meibohm’s efforts, and the BPAC’s digitization project, those previously unfamiliar with our rich visual-arts history should have ample opportunity to discover it.