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happy ending

July 8, 2013 in artists, hanging around town | No comments

The current exhibit in the Summit Artspace Gallery is my final one as gallery coordinator. It’s been an engaging six years of incredible art and artists and, since my studio is only two floors away, there is no really no need to say goodby (although I am bidding adieu to the hardware, hammer and ladder).

Closing my tenure with the Contemporary Fiber Artists and their marvelous collection of work has been delightful. The eight artists in the Converging Visions exhibit all work with fiber, but their exact media, methods and styles vary. . . a lot. The show is large, brimming with color and texture, and has received rave reviews from both visitors and media. From Dottie Shinn, writing for the Akron Beacon Journal: “These women . . . make work that brings delight to us all. We should all be lucky enough to be able to do that.” The article is available here.

The overall look of the gallery was noted by Roger Durbin, reviewer for the West Side Leader: “The exhibit is well laid out. Each vantage point around the rooms provides an eye-catching and rich-looking production.” That’s quite a compliment and much appreciated. Although installing such a large show (112 pieces) is a challenge, the process is absorbing and, when it all comes together, quite exciting – and, in this case, provided for a very happy ending.

Contemporary Fiber Artists:
Jean M. Evans
Polly Gilmore
Fredericka A. Hagerty
Karen Hinkle
Kris Kapenekas
Mary Platis Kapenekas
Kathryn Markel Levy
Jean A. Markowitz

Converging Visions
June 14 – July 27, 2013
Summit Artspace
140 East Market Street
Akron, Ohio 44308

Miller Horns

October 25, 2012 in artists | 1 comment

Roma by Miller Horns

Miller Horns, friend and artist, died yesterday at Summa/Akron City Hospital.

“. . . But someday somebody’ll
Stand up and talk about me,
And write about me–
Black and beautiful–
And sing about me,
And put on plays about me!

I reckon it’ll be
Me myself!
Yes, it’ll be me.”
Langston Hughes

This 2009 photo is from Miller’s exhibit in the BOX gallery; a few weeks later he won the Akron Area Arts Alliance Arts Alive! award for visual arts.

Miller’s public artwork depicting the Matthews Hotel, constructed last year, was to be a monument to George Mathews [sic], but will forever be a reminder of someone I was fortunate to know. Rest in peace, Miller.

Artist who dreamed of Matthews Hotel monument dies before final view, Akron Beacon Journal.

women artists documentary

October 12, 2012 in artists, on page or screen | No comments

The visual used for the facebook event page for the world premier of Dr. Sol Haring’s film, No Time to Get Old, is a familiar one. The lettering was photographed in the hallway outside my studio in 2011 during the interview and filming. The quote, “life is serious, but art is fun,” is from John Irving’s Hotel New Hampshire. The upbeat message comes at a sad turn of events in the novel, reminding the characters and the reader to ‘keep passing the open window.’ For some reason I have never had the inclination to repaint the moulding – and now it seems unlikely to change anytime soon.

Sol, of Graz, Austria, focused on a dozen women artists, from Little Rock, Arkansas and Akron, Ohio, whose ages she described as circling 50. The group included musicians and visual artists. While each story is individual, attitudes and concerns were often similar. Appreciation for the sense of knowledge and freedom that comes with age was expressed by most of the artists. A feeling of gratitude for the ability to follow their passions further into the future was universal.

Interviews were conducted and filmed in Akron a year ago by Sol and her crew, Andrea Wildbein and Isa Hollauf.

photo courtesy of Sol Haring film

Sol returned to the states for the premier, presented in Akron, Ohio, on October 9, 2012. Following the film, screened in the auditorium of the Akron- Summit County Public Library, there was some friendly interaction between the artists and the audience.

photo by Daniela Jauk

No Time to Get Old has not yet been released to the public, but the stories and images are now online at videography – sol haring film. Included in her site are the formative ideas and background for the project and the stories shared by all of the women. Featured artists from Little Rock are Sherrie Shepherd, Shannon Boshears, Marjorie Williams-Smith, V.L. Cox, Delita Martin and Diane Page Harper. Closer to home are Peggy Coyle, Marti Jeffers, Amy Walker, Marilyn Dirrig and Connie Bloom, whose statement about time and aging became the title. Participating in this project was way outside my comfort zone. Meeting Sol and the other incredible, inspiring women was a memorable reward for trying something new.

photo from Sol Haring’s No Time to Get Old

postcard pup

September 30, 2012 in artists, hanging around town | No comments

The first time I saw the gallery dog image was before photographer Robert Dill decided on his choices for last summer’s photo show, Life’s a Beach, at Summit Artspace. Although I thought he captured the feeling of life’s a beach, he went with a more traditional grouping of his photographs. Little did I know that he would print up a 4 x 6 version for The Postcard Show – and I must confess that it was the very first postcard sold. (There are advantages to being gallery coordinator!) I am in love with the gallery pup in the window – art and dogs, what can I say?!

Postcard art can find its way into even the smallest niche: here it is in the company of books, framed to sit in the bookcase.

Akron Bound from The Postcard Show

September 30, 2012 in artists, hanging around town | No comments

The Postcard Show, a celebration of the first decade of Summit Artspace, was a success on many levels: artists enjoyed supporting the gallery while trying their hand at some (very) small art; patrons enjoyed the variety of artwork and hoped that their favorites hadn’t already acquired a red dot; Summit Artspace benefited from the generosity of both the artists and the patrons; and, those of us lucky enough to purchase work are now able to enjoy it daily.

I was immediately drawn to Kathleen Harrington’s tiny painting, Akron Bound. Visit Kathleen’s site to see more of her expressive work.

Little did I know that I already owned the perfect frame for this piece. Akron Bound is displayed beneath an untitled photo by Charles Szabla. The two were made to hang around together!

Akron Art Prize Finals

September 29, 2012 in artists, summit artspace | No comments

The first ever Akron Art Prize is now down to the top ~~ten~~ eleven! All of the finalists are now installed on the third floor of Summit Artspace, following a week of dismantling and rearranging artwork. The opening of the final round added to the Friday night festivities – around 360 people attended the gallery receptions.

Needless to say, voting for just one piece is going to be very, very difficult.

Mr. Midnight

Mr. Midnight, by Joseph Blue Sky, pondering the competition.

37 days at Summit Artspace

September 29, 2012 in artists, hanging around town, summit artspace | No comments

. . . as of this writing it’s 35 days and counting . . .

37 Days
Ephemeral Sculpture
curated by Don Parsisson

September 28 – November 4, 2012
Summit Artspace

Fifteen artists are participating in the ephemeral sculpture show, best described by Don Parsisson: “Ephemeral sculpture is intended to have a short life span; in this case the duration of this exhibition. The pieces in this show are temporary in nature, some being created just for this gallery space, others self-destructing over time, and still others never to be assembled or exhibited again in exactly the same way. Check it out, day after day. . . ”

Items on the ingredients list include: feathers, paving bricks, brick gravel, yards of fine fabrics, tree roots, wood, newspapers (whole and cut), insects, a variety of electronic media, tea, muck, a tree and gelatin – lots and lots of gelatin.

photo by Diane Chambers

Don with the first day of his installation, 24-Hour News Cycle.

summer shows at Summit Artspace

September 6, 2012 in artists, artists of rubber city, hanging around town, summit artspace | No comments

On a stifling hot weekend in late July artists took to the sidewalks, plazas and parks of downtown Akron to create works for the Streetscapes: Akron in Plein Air 2012 exhibit. Organized by guest curator Brian Shellito, the exhibit opened on August 10 and will remain in the gallery through Saturday, September 15, 2012. At the same time the tenth anniversary of Summit Artspace is being celebrated with The Postcard Show. Over sixty small artworks (4 x 6 inches) were created and generously donated by artists whose work has appeared at Summit Artspace during its first decade. Each postcard is available for sale for $10 with proceeds to benefit the gallery.

The BOX gallery, a project of Artists of Rubber City, features We the People: 2042, a sound installation by Don Parsisson and Martin Nielsen along with Nothing by Mouth, work by Emily Meister, in the ‘little box.’

All of the exhibits were recently reviewed by Beacon Journal art critic, Dottie Shinn, who wrote, “All of these are handsome shows, meticulously designed, installed and lighted. They demonstrate not only our American resourcefulness and spirit, but also that no matter the size of the venue or space, we can still create big ideas.”
The full review is available online here.

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