Local News from Marbletown, Rochester, & Rosendale
This November, art historian and curator Sevan Melikyan, founder of Artblazing Tours and owner of Wired Gallery in High Falls, presents Splendors of Sicily, a four-part lecture series exploring the rich cultural and artistic heritage of Sicily and Malta. Offered via Zoom on Wednesdays at 2 p.m. throughout November, beginning Nov. 5, the series invites participants on a virtual journey through more than 5,000 years of history—from prehistoric temples and Greco-Roman ruins to the breathtaking Baroque masterpieces of Caravaggio.
The lectures are presented in conjunction with and in support of the upcoming “Splendors of Sicily and Malta” tour, confirmed for Feb. 16–25, 2026, which will bring travelers face-to-face with the artistic and architectural marvels featured in the talks. The tour still has room for up to two additional participants. Each lecture may be attended individually for $15, or as a full series for $40, offering an inspiring preview of the fascinating sites and stories awaiting travelers on the February tour. Melikyan, a passionate educator and leader of more than a dozen international art tours since 2018, brings to life the mosaic of civilizations that shaped Sicily and Malta—from ancient Greeks and Romans to Arabs, Byzantines, Normans, and Knights of St. John. His concluding lecture focuses on the dramatic life and work of Caravaggio, whose revolutionary realism and use of light left an indelible mark on both islands and on the history of art itself.
For details and registration for both the lecture series and the tour, visit artblazing.com.
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Art historian and curator Sevan Melikyan, founder of Artblazing Tours and owner of Wired Gallery in High Falls.
