Despite being months away from one of the most important celestial events for skywatchers around the world, Rochesterians are getting a head start to celebrate.

“This is a big deal,” co-president of Webster Art Club Barb Ruffino said. “People are coming from all over to view and photograph and draw this eclipse that will only last a few minutes.”

In collaboration with the Rochester Eclipse Task Force Webster Parks and Recreation, they are hosting their first art exhibition for the solar eclipse.

"It's something that we've been wanting to do for a long time,” recreation director Katie Kovar said. “The Webster Art Club is extremely important to the work that we do here, and they have a display that goes year-round. So they are constantly turning that over. And it seemed just like a natural fit between the Webster Art Club and us.”

Work from eclipse artist and astronomer Dr. Tyler Nordgren, whose 2017 eclipse artwork is featured in the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum’s collection, is displayed.

Aside from the 30-poster exhibit they have also incorporated many pieces of its own local artists from the Webster Art Club.

“What does the word eclipse mean,” co-president of Webster Art Club Mary Coy said. “There's different meanings besides just the solar event. And so we tried to get our members excited about exploring art in all those different ways.”

It's giving all guests a sense of what to look forward to in the spring. 

“Rochester is a very cultural area and this is another example of it,” Ruffino said. “Whether it's plays or art or music. We are very fortunate in Rochester to have the variety that we do.”