WE LOVE NY! Meet Buffalo’s Artists: The Painters, Singers And The City’s First Poet Laureate

By Delaina Dixon | September 8, 2023 | Travel

Jillian Hanesworth, Julia Bottoms, Tiffany Gaines

We’re continuing our lovely romp through our home state of New York. Our next stop: Buffalo, N.Y.

Located on the Erie Canal, Buffalo is known for its wings, but it also has a vibrant and thriving creative community full of local artists. The DivaGals spoke with several of these visionaries while visiting the city and witnessed firsthand how Buffalo honors its artists in its museums and on its city streets.

Hear from (as pictured up top) Poet Laureate Jillian Hanesworth; Julia Bottoms, whose work is currently featured at Buffalo’s Burchfield Penney Art Center; and the show’s curator Tiffany Gaines.

We also got words with visual artist Edrey Wajed, who is one of four artists who painted the city’s Freedom Wall, and local singer-turned-international superstar Jay Dref (pictured above), who is currently touring the world with celebrated soprano Sarah Brightman.

Watch and learn more about these talented Buffalonians!