March Art Exhibit Features Jo Ann Blair
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Posted on 2/27/2010 — Read More
March Exhibit: by Jo Ann Blair
Posted on 2/24/2010 — Read More
April Exhibit: Kiwanis Annual Art Scholarship Competition
April Exhibit
“2010 Kiwanis Annual Art Scholarship”
On display April 5 - May 2
An opening reception will be held Thurs., April 15 from 6:00 - 7:00 p.m.
Once again, the Ashtabula Arts Center gallery will be filled from wall to wall with the inspiring artworks of area students. Over the years, the Kiwanis Competition has become a favorite exhibit with visitors of the Arts Center.
The competition, for students of the Ashtabula Area Schools, Saints John and Paul and the Buckeye Schools in grades 7-12, was established over 20 years ago by the Ashtabula Kiwanis Club as a way to encourage and recognize outstanding achievement in the visual arts. Teachers are asked to submit the best of their students’ works to the competition. Entries are judged and scholarships are awarded which allow winners to register for a class of their choice at the Arts Center. The cost of the classes is paid for by a grant from the Kiwanis Club of Ashtabula. All entries will be displayed at the Arts Center.
Over 300 scholarships have been awarded in the history of this competition. The benefits of this type of recognition program can be far-reaching. Many winners have gone on to receive scholarships to study art or a related field in college. All have had the benefit of having their excellence recognized and rewarded.
Stop in to view this annual favorite and see just how many talented students we have living in our community. Admission is free.
Posted on 2/24/2010 — Read More
You're invited to the January Exhibit at the Ashtabula Arts Center!
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Posted on 12/20/2009 — Read More
February Art Exhibit
February Exhibit--“Geometric Collages”by Craig Mitchell.
On display Feb. 4 - 28. An opening reception will be held Friday, Feb. 5th from 7:00 - 8:30 p.m. Gallery hours: Mon. through Thurs. 9 - 8 Fri. and Sat. 9 - 4. The gallery is also open before all theater performances and during intermission. Admission to the gallery is free.
“I began making collages in the 1980’s as a way to do something useful with photographs I had taken that were, what I considered, too poor to show anyone. I thought if I recontextualized them something interesting would occur. At the time, I was very interested in Geomancy (sacred Geometry) so I often used sacred patterns in the underlying arrangements of my collages. I used X-Acto knives to cut up my photos into pieces in ways that obscured the original image. Eventually I began to shoot rolls of film specifically for cutting up. I would take photographs of anything that had an interesting texture, color or compelling visual feature to add to my pallet. Over the years I have also tried incorporating found objects into my work. I am a self taught artist and as I learned from experience I have tried to expand the scope of my collages and even attempt representational images.”
--Craig Mitchell
Posted on 12/17/2009 — Read More
January Art Exhibit
January Exhibit will feature “Watercolor and Clay” by Sandy Miller & Annika Farmer.
On display Jan. 8 - Feb. 1. An opening reception will be held Friday, Jan. 15th from 7:00 - 8:30 p.m. Gallery hours: Mon. through Thurs. 9 - 8 Fri. and Sat. 9 - 4. The gallery is also open before all theater performances and during intermission. Admission to the gallery is free.
“Sitting at the wheel with freshly wedged clay rhythmically spinning, a pot begins its journey.......as does the potter. Decoding an initial sketch or idea from brain to fingers , I try to stay on task during this early part of the process, usually finding this impossible. “Working as a fiber artist early on, my eye became trained to form. After several years of making baskets, I decided to make a transition to clay. Spending several years producing functional work it became apparent there were other pots to make. The basket maker and the potter needed to merge and become the artist. "Dust-ables" were born, no real function at all. Form is the challenge; functional or dust-able. And can I possibly be the consummate chemist who will mix a glaze that will match the form? It's what keeps me coming back to the studio.
“I have found it necessary over the last 25 years to take extended breaks from the studio; to garden, hike, paddle, tear my house apart and re-examine what I am doing in the studio. Is it valid for me to be in the studio? My work changes frequently on this journey. I have just returned full time to the studio and am excited to be working with new challenging forms. Above all I find it a privilege to maintain a studio and work in a craft I have grown to love and respect.”--Sandy Miller
“Some of my paintings start with a clear idea, others are developed intuitively one layer at a time. The first step is to cover the watercolor paper with gesso, using a large brush that can create a distinct texture. Depending on the type of subject matter, the texture will either be toned down, or played up, using other tools to aid in making a livelier texture. After the gesso is completely dry the painting process starts. As each layer of transparent watercolor is applied, and allowed to dry, the entire look of the painting changes, and in turn leads me to the next step. This is a very meditative process. It is pure pleasure to see how the wet layers of color mingle to form subtle textures and new blended hues.”--Annika Farmer
Posted on 12/17/2009 — Read More
November Exhibit
Gebhart grew up in the Pacific Northwest, in an artistic and creative family who filled his young years with experiences of art and music. In 1967, he came to the Cleveland Institute of Music to study harp, but a part time job at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History opened his eyes to the natural world and led to a career of exhibit design and illustration.
“The habitat of the Great Lakes enticed my first sailing trip on Lake Erie with the assistant director of the Cleveland Aquarium. Since then, I’ve owned more boats than cars, or harps and I could fill a small dump with paint brushes, pencils, erasers and other artistic artifacts of plein air painting.”
Gebhart sailed to the Dominican Republic in 1980 where he built a small museum. In Arizona he built and opened a painting studio while also crisscrossing the country to work on other projects. By 2008, he had settled into a farmhouse in Windsor, Oh, and opened a studio where he has been painting scenes from around Ashtabula County, among his many other projects which include working on historic exhibit panels for the Windsor Historical Society.
The exhibit will be on display Nov. 5 – 29. An art opening reception will be held Friday, Nov. 6 from 7:00 - 8:30 p.m. where visitors can view the exhibit and meet the artist.
Light refreshments will be served.
Gallery hours are Monday through Thursday 9 - 8 and Friday and Saturday 9 – 4.
The gallery is also open before all theater performances and during intermission. Admission to the gallery is free.
Posted on 10/27/2009 — Read More
Christmas Kids Day Out
Tuesday, December 22
School is closed, you have all those last minute preparations to complete, and the kids have all that energy! Sign them up for "Kids Day Out" at the Arts Center and they’ll spend the day making Christmas decorations, gifts and goodies. The children will make their own ornaments, scherenschnitte (German paper cuts), pop-up Christmas cards, a popcorn tree, bird garland, a gift for Mom or Dad and much more! We will even have a special visit from a certain someone in a red suit…
Bring a packed lunch and dress for a mess!
Posted on 10/27/2009 — Read More
September Exhibit
--Lawrence Baker’s artwork is a reflection of his love for the remarkable beauty of the world we live in. From the strong branches of an ancient oak swaying softly in a gentle morning breeze to the delicate petals of a chicory bloom or the bursting seedheads of a grass growing along the roadside, Baker portrays his subjects in a way that he hopes will make his audience stop and take a new look at the everyday scenes around him that man often takes for granted.
“Elements of Nature” by Lawrence Baker will be on display at the Ashtabula Arts Center from Sept. 3rd through the 29th. An opening reception will be held Friday, Sept. 11 from 7:00 - 8:30 p.m. Visitors to the gallery can view the exhibit and meet the artist. Light refreshments will be served. Admission to the gallery and the reception are free.
A retired visual arts teacher for the Cleveland Municipal School district, Baker holds a M.F.A. from Kent State University. He presently lives and practices his craft in Cleveland. The Ashtabula Arts Center exhibit will feature a collection of pencil and charcoal drawings depicting Baker’s interpretation of the many elements found in nature.
Baker has participated in numerous exhibits and juried competitions including most recently, “Each in their Own Voices,”Cleveland State University, “Annual Ohio Exhibition,” Zanesville Art Museum, Zanesville, OH,”Artist Archives of Western Reserve” Cleveland, OH, “Art Institue and Gallery,” National Juried Show in Salisbury, MD, and “Dimensions 2008” national Juried Fine Arts in Winston-Salem, NC.
Posted on 8/26/2009 — Read More
October Exhibit
Just in time for Halloween, the Ashtabula Arts Center staff will be digging into our nooks and crannies to bring out and display objects created for our theater and dance productions. For many years, costumers, props people and artists have been making unique creations to bring our productions to life. Many, many hours of creative energy and talent are put into these objects which are often seen only for a moment on stage and are rarely seen up close. Visitors to the gallery exhibit will find animal masks, armor, gowns, headdresses and unusual props from over the years. Most of these creations spend their lives stored away in closet or loft awaiting another turn on the stage. But this time, they’ll come out of the attic to be the stars of the show!
Posted on 8/26/2009 — Read More
"From Shrimp to Sharks" Underwater Photography of Tom Szabo
See Our July Art Exhibit:
"From Shrimp to Sharks" Underwater Photography of Tom Szabo
On display July 3 - Aug. 2
An opening reception will be held Friday, July 10 from 6:00 - 8:30 p.m.
Admission is free.
Gallery hours:
Mon. through Thurs. 9 - 8
Fri. 9 - 4
Sat. 9-noon
The gallery is also open before all theater performances and during intermission.
Admission to the gallery is free.
Posted on 7/07/2009 — Read More
May Exhibit
The Lake Shore Artists are a non-profit organization that culitvates the visual arts through education, exhibitions, demonstrations, critique sessions and painting outings. The group started in November of 1973 as the Professional Artist of Ashtabula County. As membership grew, the direction of the organization was changed. Membership was opened to professionals, amateurs and anyone interested in the arts. In 1975, the name was changed to the Lake Shore Artists of Ashtabula County.
The Lake Shore Artists invite anyone interested in creative visual art to join them the second Friday of each month (except January and February) at the Arts Center. Following a 6:30 p.m. business meeting, demonstrations are held. Dues are $15 per year. Group members also get together at different times during the month to work on their individual projects and share each others company. For more information about joining the group contact Ramona Cotton at (440) 293-7888 or Cynthia Richards at (440) 993-5211.
Posted on 5/05/2009 — Read More
June Exhibit
Spotlights the Work of
Artists with Disabilities
On display June 4 - 30
Accessible Expressions is a program of VSA arts of Ohio, an organization dedicated to empowering people with disabilities, creatively and inclusively, through the arts. Since 1986, VSA arts of Ohio has provided opportunities for artists and audiences of diverse abilities to share their creativity through education, accessibility, professional development and outreach programs. VSAO is a member of the international network of BSA arts, an affiliate of The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
Posted on 5/04/2009 — Read More
March 2009/Jeff Pitman
Jeff Pitman began his photographic journey during his fifteenth summer on a quarterhorse ranch in central Ohio. Photography became a means of actively exploring the beauty of the land and the residue of man's attempts to subdue it. Questions abounded, such as "Who lived here?" and "What were they like?"
“I grew up pouring over ‘Life’ and ‘The National Geographic’ magazines. The images I found there drew me to lands far away from my Grandmother’s coffee table in her house on Blair Avenue. My world view began to enlarge. The world I found in those pages was a fascinating place filled with beauty and the dignity of man under the watchcare of God. All this from images! I never finished high school and was headed for trouble. But God used these images of exotic places and peoples to draw me out into the world.”
New skills were acquired along the way. Jeff was introduced to the photographic darkroom while serving in the US Army at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii.
“My first sergeant in Alabama taught me discipline and to work hard toward a goal. My wife’s family in Hawaii supplied an apprenticeship in how a Christian husband and father should love his family. The GED earned under orders from a Drill Sergeant in South Carolina opened the door to college and a degree in Engineering. God used the successes and defeats in Seattles’s rough-and-tumble aerospace industry to
further polish my sharp edges. And these days after our nest in Phoenix emptied, Becky and I share the pleasures of image-making to come back full circle to that which started it all.
Today Jeff and Becky, his wife of thirty years, make their home in Savannah Georgia and integrate image-making in their free time. They work as a team, sharing the beauty they find in the world to the glory of God. Eric Liddell once said, "...When I run I feel His pleasure. ...To win [a race] is to honor Him." Jeff and Becky seek to bring honor to God through capturing the beauty of creation and the dignity of man on film.
“I say these things to encourage young and old alike. Make art. Promote beauty. Bring distant people together. Give back. These are worthy measures of artistic success. We hope you enjoy this work. We thank you for your time and we thank Him for the beauty we see everywhere we go.”--Jeff Pitman
Posted on 3/06/2009 — Read More
April 2009/Kiwanis Competion
A favorite annual exhibit of Arts Center visitors, the Kiwanis Competition, for Ashtabula students in grades 7-12, was established over 20 years ago by the Ashtabula Kiwanis Club as a way to encourage and recognize outstanding achievement in the visual arts. Teachers are asked to submit the best of their students’ works. Entries are judged and scholarships are awarded which allow winners to register for a class of their choice at the Arts Center. The cost of the classes is paid for by a grant from the Kiwanis Club of Ashtabula. All entries will be displayed at the Arts Center throughout the month of April.
Over 300 scholarships have been awarded in the history of this competition. The benefits of this type of recognition program can be far-reaching. Many winners have gone on to receive scholarships to study art or a related field in college. All have had the benefit of having their excellence recognized and rewarded.
This exhibit is an annual favorite of Arts Center visitors. A common comment is "I had no idea we had so many talented students around here." View this exhibit in our gallery April 1 - 29. Admission is free.
Posted on 3/06/2009 — Read More
January/February Exhibit
The word “icon” derives from the Greek word meaning “image.” While icons usually represent the divine, Mike Wheeler’s series “Mortal Icons” and “Mortal Images: Kindred Souls” use the form of the icon to express the images and convictions of every day people. These wooden tabernacles are done mostly in copper and brass using hammering techniques called ‘chasing’ and ‘repousse.’
“The mission and foundation of my art work,” says Wheeler, “is to be a voice for people whose voices go unheard by the many others around them who are reluctant to hear.”
Mike’s piece, “Maple Leaf” from his first “Mortal Icons” series, tells the story of a woman who is unhappily married to a man that she is not in love with. On prescription drugs to fight depression, she manages to find the strength and courage to stand on her own. Nevertheless, she still faces the nagging question of whether or not leaving her husband is the right thing to do in a downturned economy.
The icon’s leaf is a representation of the woman who has reached a fork in the road. Pushed upon rocks by the current, circumstances will push the leaf either to the left or to right. But which way? In the icon, the image of the praying mantis represents the woman’s husband waiting for its prey. The dragonfly represents the woman’s freedom to fly if she chooses. Mike’s second series “Mortal Images: Kindred Soul” is more serene and tranquil, representing unity, the common bond, one soul next to another. In the piece “Uriah,” an alignment of stones expresses how society shuns Uriah because of his piercings and tattoos. Although he is a kind and playful young man, no one sees him for who he is inside but judge him only by his outward appearance.
Mike’s exhibit will be on display in the Arts Center’s main gallery January 14 through February 26. An opening reception will be held on Friday, January 16 from 7 - 8:30 p.m.
Admission to the exhibit and reception is free. Stop in and see this unusual, beautiful and fascinating exhibit!
Mon. through Thurs. 9.- 8
Admission to the gallery is free.
Posted on 12/16/2008 — Read More
October/November Art Exhibit
“Growing Season:
The Life of a Migrant Community”
The Ashtabula Arts Center, in collaboration with Kent State University Ashtabula, is presenting the documentary exhibit "Growing Season: The Life of a Migrant Community." The photos by Gary Harwood and text by David Hassler will be on display in the Art Center's main gallery through November 24.
Photographer Gary Harwood first began photographing the migrant workers at the K. W. Zellers and Son, Inc., family farm in Hartville, Ohio, during the summer of 2001 while on assignment for Kent State University. At the time, Kent State nursing and translation faculty and students, along with other organizations, were treating and working with the migrant workers and their families at the Hartville Migrant Community Center.
Harwood was so impressed and inspired by what he saw at the Migrant Center that he knew he wanted to make the migrant community his next project. Over the next four seasons, Harwood photographed the community of Mexican American and Mexican migrant families, capturing the unique lifestyle of this strong and caring community of families who travel back and forth each year between Ohio and their homes in the southern United States and Mexico. Of the approximately 130 agricultural migrant camps in Ohio, most provide housing only for single men. Zeller's is different in that they allow entire families to migrate, live and work together in the fields (once they are of age).
"Migrant workers continually face difficult conditions while trying to support themselves and their families," reads an excerpt from the website, http://www.growingseason.net/. "Farm work is physical, hot, and dirty. The days in the fields are long and exhausting. Growers can be brutal employers, and there is no shortage of documented cases of terrible living and working conditions.
"In Hartville, however, Gary found a different story. "Here the workers and their families live in a strong, tightly knit community supported by the Hartville Migrant Center and many caring neighbors."
Hartville's community provides a range of in-house health, education, and legal services that are not usually available to migrant workers anywhere in the country since there are few government regulations to support or offer aid to migrant workers. But the benefits that the community of Hartville sees from taking better care of their workers are many.
"About 70 percent of the workers return annually to this small northeastern Ohio town where they have established solid friendships and stable lives."
'Growing Season' portrays the life of a community rich in social capital and gives voice in a new way to a group of people largely unseen and misunderstood. Our hope is that these portraits-in pictures and words-will deepen others' understanding of the migrant experience and perhaps offer an important contribution to the ongoing dialogue about migrant labor and immigration laws."
Harwood's and Hassler's "Growing Season" project was funded in part by the Ohio Arts Council. Copies of the book "Growing Season: A Life of a Migrant Community" may be purchased from Kent State University Press at http://upress.kent.edu/.
The Ashtabula Arts Center’s gallery is open Monday through Thursday from 9:00 a.m. – 8 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. The gallery is also open prior to G. B. Community Theatre performances and during intermission. Admission to the gallery is free.
Posted on 10/06/2008 — Read More
September Exhibit
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“Glenn Morisue...Abstractions”
In a departure from his usual style of photo-realistic paintings, Glenn will be showing a collection of recent abstract works. These works are in the expressionist tradition of artists like Jackson Pollock and William DeKooning.
Posted on 9/04/2008 — Read More
July Exhibit
On display
Fri., July 11 from 3:30 - 5:30 p.m.
Gallery hours:
Mon, through Thurs. 9 a.m.-8 p.m.
Fri. and Sat. 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
The gallery is also open before all theatre performances and during intermission.
Admission to the gallery is free.
Posted on 6/25/2008 — Read More
August Exhibit
“Through the Years with Duane and Dorothy Searl”
On display August 1 - 27
An opening reception will be held Friday, Aug. 15 from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.
Artists look at the world in their own way. Inside, they have a creative passion which causes them to express themselves in ways that enriches their own lives and the lives of others. Through art, an artist expresses his own emotions and shows the world how he views the world around him.
Local artists, Duane and Dorothy Searl had a lifelong love of art. Before his death, Duane was a well-known local artist and was chairman of The Lake Shore Artists Association. He was an Ashtabula Arts Center Trustee and a member of the exhibit committee. Duane was also a member of the national Wood Carvers Association and served on the Board of Trustees of the Ashtabula County Arts Council.
Also a member of Lake Shore Artists, Dorothy, who recently celebrated her 90th birthday, began painting with watercolors while attending classes in Ashtabula and Hutchinson Island, Florida. In addition to her paintings, she created note cards from her collection of prints.
The collection on exhibit is a selection of the many works this long-married couple completed throughout their years together. The exhibit will include watercolors, wood carvings and oil paintings. Don’t miss this interesting look at life through the eyes of two talented long-time, local artists.
Posted on 6/14/2008 — Read More
