BIG FLATS – The Elmira Corning Regional Airport is happy to be featuring the work of two local artists this spring and summer.

Prominently displayed in the central lobby is our own "Travel Twain".  A collaboration of the Chemung County Chamber of Commerce and USA Signs, this bright large painting of Mark Twain shows our participation in Chemung County's Twain 2010 celebration.

“Travel Twain” is one of eight commemorative posters commissioned by the Chemung County Chamber of Commerce created by Finger Lakes artist Brandi Smith.  The Chamber first approached Brandi about designing a wine label for the Mark Twain commemorative Riesling being produced by Glenora Wine Cellars. The artist had drawn an award-winning rendition at Elmira's Annual Street Painting Festival, and the Chamber felt her work for that project captured the spirit of fun it was looking to achieve for the label. The caricature Smith created for the project was so well received that it was adopted by the Chamber as the logo for Twain 2010, a year-long celebration marking the 175th Anniversary of Twain’s birth, the Centennial of his death and burial in Elmira, and the 125th Anniversary of the release of Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. The logo featured at ECRA shows the author with his suitcase in hand as he treks through the vineyards of Finger Lakes Wine Country.

The second display is located in the gate area, beyond the screening checkpoint featuring the photographs of Barbara Blumer in a stunning exhibit of black and white photographs of local artists in their studios. The display provides passengers with artwork to enjoy while waiting to board their plane.

“We are thrilled to display the art work of Barbara Blumer in our terminal,” said Ann Crook, Airport Manager. “I had been thinking about doing an art space for a while and when Barbara approached me about displaying her ‘In Their Studios’ I enthusiastically said yes.”

The displays will remain in the terminal through the summer of 2010.