artHound

new exhibits at Summit Artspace

May 10, 2014 in artists, artists of rubber city, hanging around town, summit artspace | No comments

Following a three week hiatus, the galleries at Summit Artspace are open! With new exhibits in four spaces the building was positively humming during the Friday evening receptions.

Adorned Spaces – photography by Andrew Thomas Lopez and Marissa McClellan
Summit Artspace Gallery

Maggie Duff – Parade Bomb
Bernadette Houk – Interior and Exterior
the BOX gallery

Bravura photo-illustration exhibition
Kent State University students
Summit Artspace 3rd floor

The Nevin Family: Three Generations of Art
Akron Society of Artists Gallery

May 9 through June 21, 2014
Summit Artspace
140 East Market Street
Akron, Ohio 44308
Hours: exhibits are open Fridays and Saturdays, noon – 5 p.m.
Summit Artspace Gallery has additional hours on Thursdays, noon – 9 p.m.

Downtown Akron Artwalk ~ May

May 4, 2014 in artwork, hanging around town, studio(s), summit artspace | No comments

Every year there are a few artwalks that find the galleries in Summit Artspace between shows. Although the first floor was dark Saturday evening, the third floor studios were open for visitors.

A peek into the window shows the opposite wall rearranged to accommodate the recently completed Monkshood group of prints, Aconitum.

The Downtown Artwalk is held on the first Saturday of each month. A visit to the Downtown Akron Partnership site will provide you with updated information on venues and artists. Stop in during the next artwalk on Saturday, June 7!

remembering Ina

April 26, 2014 in artwork, miscellany | No comments

Memories of Ina Federman will always be colorful ones. She had a strong personality, full of passion for family, for animals, for art and for life. I met Ina over twenty years ago at the Akron Arts Expo where she commissioned a mixed media painting depicting five birds and two cats, all of which shared her home. Over the years we became friends. As her menagerie changed she increased her portrait collection, first with drawings on the mat and later with additional paintings. Ina would be so pleased to know that Shane, her companion cat in assisted living, will continue to reside at the facility, charming residents and employees alike.

Ina Federman died on April 20, 2014.

The Monk, et al

April 23, 2014 in artwork | 1 comment

Finally there are five prints to complete the Aconitum (monkshood) group in the As Potent as a Charm series! The final prints are designed to flank the first three, although they all work just as well individually.

Aconitum, the bane of women and wolves, is reputed to be deadly to whales, tigers and leopards when used in poison darts; its scent alone is enough to fell a mouse. The situation is dire for the little mouse in the print, Mousebane, where the potential for herbal poisoning is the least of its worries.

Meanwhile, the monk now must consider unearthly entities to his left in the print, Beyond. Two more common names for the queen of poisons, derived from the appearance of the Aconitum flower, are suggested: a rocket (blue rocket) soars into the the night sky above the devilish gargoyle lurking in the shadows (devil’s helmet).

Browse previous posts for more information or visit As Potent as a Charm on my website.

Tags: Aconite, Aconitum, linocut, linoleum print, monkshood, poison, relief print

Happy Easter!

April 20, 2014 in artwork, miscellany | No comments

The Hare
woodcut

Tags: hare, relief print, spring, woodcut

studio update

April 15, 2014 in miscellany, studio(s) | No comments

A month ago the studio was in complete disarray under a coating of soot, plaster and drywall dust from the wall repair. With a new coat of paint (still deciding whether I like the addition of subtle color as opposed to white), it’s sporting a slightly new look. Now, to get back to (art)work!

and now . . . THE LARCH

April 14, 2014 in garden, miscellany | No comments

Yes, the Monty Python reference is a bit obscure, and no, my larch will never reach 60 to 150 feet in height like its cousins, but the weeping larch in my garden is one fascinating specimen. There are 10 to 15 species of Larix, all of which are deciduous conifers, losing their needle-shaped leaves each autumn. In spring the leaves reappear fairly early in the season. Unlike the needles on more familiar conifers, larch leaves are very soft and touchable.

And, about that Monty Python reference? That little bit of silliness is viewable on YouTube.

Tags: larch, Larix

aconitum, again

April 12, 2014 in artwork | No comments

Even though the initial three prints in the monkshood series, included in the Upstairs Downstairs exhibit earlier this year, worked fine as a triptych, I knew then that five was the magic number to complete the set of Aconitum inspired images. The ‘queen of poisons’ is probably best known as monkshood, but it also answers to leopard’s bane, devil’s helmet, blue rocket and mousebane (in addition to the previously depicted women’s bane and wolfsbane).

After many initial drawings of devils, the final sketch has him perched like a gargoyle, while the leopard eventually wound up on an overhead tree branch. Both drawings have been transferred to linoleum blocks and cutting has begun – printing can’t be far behind.

Tags: Aconite, Aconitum, block print, linocut, linoleum print, relief print

spring garden – Chinese lanterns

April 10, 2014 in artwork, garden, miscellany | No comments

With the possibility of cold temperatures and more snow, early April seems a bit too soon to do any serious garden clean-up, but when the weather permits it’s nice to get outdoors. The remaining pods of the Chinese, or Japanese, Lantern Plant, Physalis alkekengi, have taken on a lovely, lace-like appearance. The delicate look of the weathered lanterns in spring guarantees that they will continue to have at least a small presence in the garden, although their invasive tendencies can be difficult to contain.

Several years ago the fragile lanterns inspired a small series of pod prints, using both wood and linoleum blocks.

left to right: Lantern Plant, Peas + Pods, Framework

Tags: garden, linoleum print, relief print, woodcut

April Artwalk

April 6, 2014 in hanging around town, summit artspace | No comments

There were three floors of activities at Summit Artspace for the April edition of the Downtown Akron Artwalk – three gallery exhibits and eight studio artists were joined by Theatre All Night Long on the second floor. It’s always fun to catch up with patrons and friends and a pleasure to meet people who are just discovering the artwalk and Summit Artspace.

Given that it was still daylight for much of the evening, observant visitors might have noticed the small installation outside of the building. Although it’s been there for months, the little diorama seems none the worse for its time outdoors. The artist is a mystery, at least to me, which only adds to its allure. It’s always a delight to walk past and see that this small piece of outside(r) art is still in place.

Tags: Downtown Akron Artwalk