Feature Friday by Rise Collaborative
Editor’s note: Each week Buffalo lifestyle brand Rise Collaborative scour Instagram for their favorite locally sourced images. Each Friday we at The Public will feature a few of their favorites, along with a little bit of info from the photographers themselves. To submit your Instagram photo use the hashtag #FFRisePublic.
1. @sheidingerphoto
“This photo was taken on the 5th floor of 500 Seneca street. It is the main entrance when you exit the elevator. This building is such a beautiful example of the redevelopment that is going on in the Larkinville/Hydraulic district. As someone that grew up in the Old First Ward I love to see all the regrowth that is happening in our neighborhood and our surrounding neighborhoods. After living in New York City for five years I was used to walking to everything I needed. The residents that have grown up in these neighborhoods and stayed and maintained their properties and homes are now experiencing conveniences we haven’t had in quite some time. Being able to walk to a bank or yoga in the park, live music, and now even a new nano golf course are all things I am enjoying about the regrowth. There are so many new projects to be excited about. I cannot wait to see what is next.”
2. @explorebflo
“St. Paul’s Episcopal Church has a long history in Buffalo, going back as far as the first half of the 1800s. The structure standing today, in downtown Buffalo, was originally designed by one of the greatest American Gothic church designers in America, Richard Upjohn. There have been changes made since its construction, in large part due to a fire in 1888, but the magnitude of its scale and beauty remains to this day. The 1975 organ within St. Paul’s is striking in its grandeur and one of the last things you see when leaving the space. Sitting above the doorways, it stands tall and possesses a quiet calming power. In my experience, the first time I saw it, it made me feel so small in comparison—small in a good way. In a way that gives you the feeling that there are bigger things. Glorious churches and cathedrals have a wonderful way of doing this—inspiring the mind with beautiful architecture and thoughtful design. That is why Buffalo is an amazing place to explore. There is an endless supply of buildings and incredible stories to go along with them. Everyone at Explore Buffalo loves Buffalo for what it was and what it is becoming! When you love something, you want to gush about it. Our tours, now over 40 of them, are always changing and getting better as we ourselves discover new things to learn and share.”
3. @wsmbuffalo
“Last week Westside Ministries (WSM) co-hosted our annual LoveBuffalo service week. We partner alongside Hamburg Wesleyan Church, who bring about 100 high school students annually to do service projects in the neighborhood. Before the week, we spend a few months planning & canvassing the neighborhood for projects like painting, porch repairs, and occasionally roof repairs. The kids show up ready to serve and the work gets done! WSM has been doing housing rehab on the West Side since 2002. We’re pretty behind the scenes, but we love being able to serve this city and play a small role in the growth, and change that’s happening! In addition to housing rehab, we have a Work Readiness program, which gives individuals a chance to learn the skills needed to get and hold a meaningful job—and we do facility maintenance and rehab for other non-profits, like Jericho Road Community Health Center. We have volunteer opportunities year round, so follow us to keep up with our work and get involved!”
4. @janetsquared
“We found ourselves confronted with the final installation in City of Night’s Art Train—Chelsea Girl by Joseph A. Franjoine (@josephfranjoine) and Spencer Harder. Enveloped by light and droning sound, we gazed into the infinite. Got me thinking of Borges: “Truth cannot penetrate a closed mind. If all places in the universe are in the Aleph, then all stars, all lamps, all sources of light are in it, too.” — The Aleph, Jorge Luis Borges”