After 31 years of teaching art at Holley High School, Howard “Tony” Barry finally has the chance to practice what he preached.

      With lesson plans behind him, he spends his days painting the familiar scenes close to his home. Sandy Creek in Holley, the sun setting on a street corner, a little red farmhouse — rendered in oil on canvas they breathe life.

      A dual exhibit of 27 paintings Barry has created since retiring two years ago will be on display at the Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council satellite galleries at the Albion Visitor’s Center and the Shirt Factory Café through Feb. 29. Titled “Reflections,” the collection is a manifestation of his growth as an artist since his liberation from teaching.

    “I really feel as though I’m working a lot,” Barry said Friday evening at the opening reception held at the Shirt Factory Café. “I started one this afternoon.”

      Many of the pieces — which take a full eight to nine hours to complete — began as experiments with composition, he said.

      When the weather agrees, he brings his easel outside with him to capture a truer image. The challenge is in beating the shadows before they move and the picture completely changes.