UTICA, N.Y. — Three local artists were recognized at the HomeOwnershipCenter Empowering Art in Cornhill Open House.
Local artists, Brian Lazore, Venus Rose and Sky Channel were celebrated in the Empowering Art in Cornhill Competition.
For the competition, local artists had to have a connection to the Cornhill neighborhood.
Participants were allowed to submit three pieces of artwork to be on display permanently at the Empowerment Center.
Each piece that was selected was purchased for $1,500 each.
The open house tonight featured exhibits for all three winners.
One of the winners, Brian Lazore, is a combat veteran who has a local photography business.
Lazore recently started his journey in photography and uses it as a way to cope with his PTSD.
He said, this is a way for him to gain a purpose.
Lazore said, “As a veteran, I’ve been struggling for the past 20 years without feeling like I have a purpose and being able to give back. Having a mission has really helped me with my PTSD.”
His winning photograph was titled “Royalty” and features a young child on stage holding a balloon at a fundraiser for Utica Royalties Inc. Youth Program.
Alberta Lipinski, director of Marketing and Communications at the HomeOwnershipCenter, said that the judges thought Lazore’s photograph captured a very special moment.
“They all said that they loved his piece,” Lipinski said. “They loved that it looked like a very natural moment of a little girl playing with a balloon, and they loved that he captured that special moment.”
Brian Lazore recently started his journey in photography and uses his art as a way to cope with PTSD.
The HomeOwnershipCenter is also celebrating “Neighborworks Week” and their 45 years of empowering communities for success.
