LITTLE JOURNEYS 2026
Noted Western New York art collector Dr. Gerald Mead will open the 2026 Roycroft Little Journey Speaker Series with a presentation of Roycroft and their contemporaries, drawn from artworks from his collection by past and recent Roycroft artists, on Wednesday, February 4, 2026.
A feast for the eyes and the mind, Mead will draw from specific examples on view for the evening's presentation and contextualize the work of established Roycroft artists from the original canon and Renaissance canon with work by their WNY contemporaries of note including Frank Penfold, Raphael Beck, Burr Nichols, Bruce Kurland and Thomas Aquinas Daly; printmakers Norman Kent, Frank Eckmair, and Barbara Rowe; paper artists Kari Achatz and Jozef Bajus; and photographers Clara Sipprell, Edward Sides and Howard Beach, among others.
Dr. Gerald Mead is an artist, arts writer and independent curator who is a leading authority on Western New York art. He has lectured at Cambridge University and Chautauqua Institution, and recently retired from a 35-year career as a curator at the Burchfield-Penney Art Center and lecturer at Buffalo State University. Among the exhibitions he curated was “Roycroft Desktop," originating at the Burchfield-Penney Art Center and traveling to six venues across the United States as part of the Roycroft Movement’s 100th anniversary in 1995.
Over the course of 40 years, Gerald has also assembled a personal collection of over 2,000 artworks by artists associated with WNY and shared works from that collection through over 70 thematic exhibitions at college galleries and other venues. He’s lent artworks for exhibitions at the Buffalo AKG Art Museum, Arnot Art Museum, Burchfield-Penney Art Center, Castellani Art Museum, CEPA Gallery, and the University of London and is now working on making planned gifts of artworks from his collection to numerous institutions.
Dr. Mead is a member of the Roycrofters at Large RALA50 Anniversary and Archive committee, working to celebrate the founding of the Roycroft Renaissanc movement in 1976, and his presentation is a formal opening of the programming here in WNY.
A true drawing of the past to the present in honor of our 50th anniversary, RALA50, this presentation will include works by painters Alexis Fournier, Eleanor Douglas, Sandor Landeau and Tom Kegler; printmakers Samuel Warner, Kathleen West, Dorothy Markert and Tom Bojanowski; paper artist Suzanne Mair; and photographer Ernest Rawleigh.
Mead's presentation will begin at 6 p.m. in the Roycroft Chapel.
As always, Little Journeys evenings begin with a relaxed cocktail hour at 4:30 pm in the Library Bar before attendees to the lecture will move to the Roycroft Chapel for the presentation beginning at 6pm. Those who wish to dine following the lecture will receive 10% off of their dinner at The Roycroft Inn that evening beginning at 7:15 p.m. by mentioning Little Journeys when making a reservation (we strongly encourage).
Little Journey presentations are offered at no cost, but require advance registration. Tickets are needed for entry to The Chapel at 6 pm.
Reserve your seat the Chapel by "purchasing" your party's tickets here.
Little Journeys connects the Roycroft community by offering artist talks, demonstrations and lectures that educate and stimulate intellectual and artistic curiosity, and serve as a homage to Elbert Hubbard’s original Little Journeys, small trips to artists of note that shared intimate glimpses behind their process and lives. For years, this series was an important part of RALA’s presence on South Grove, and offered “show and tell” by Masters and Artisans, Artisan Forums and visiting nationally known speakers. 2025 RALA Little Journeys will be held on the first Wednesday of the "even months" at The Roycroft Chapel, and are proudly sponsored by our community parter, The Roycroft Inn.
The Inn hosts a relaxed start to Little Journeys with a cocktail hour beginning at 4:30 p.m. in the Library Bar. Those who wish to dine following the lecture will receive 10% off of their dinner at The Roycroft Inn that evening beginning at 7:15 p.m. by mentioning Little Journeys when making a reservation. We highly encourage those joining us to take advantage of the hospitality of The Inn.hose who wish to dine following the lecture will receive 10% off of their dinner at The Roycroft Inn that evening beginning at 7:15 p.m. by mentioning Little Journeys when making a reservation. We highly encourage those joining us to take advantage of the hospitality of The Inn and to be considerate of the staff by making a reservation ahead of time if possible.
Active RALA Patrons and Members may always attend Little Journeys remote via a member Livestream. Remote viewing will be made available to Members and Patrons in good standing who cannot physically attend. For more information on membership, see our Membership page. Membership opportunities will be available at the evening’s event prior to and immediately following the meeting and presentation.