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Visual Arts

Art in the City- A Senior Art Student Celebration of Space

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3qgi3zd25l3jt9q85p58rfpgn6worhojA group of University of Dayton Fine Arts majors will be exhibiting their artwork at the Mike Elsass Gallery on Front Street Friday, November 15, 2013 thru November 22. With the assistance of their department Chair Judith Huacuja, these current UD senior painters worked collectively to organize the show entitled “Art in the City – A Senior Art Student Celebration of Space.” All the students are scheduled to graduate May 2014.

An opening reception is scheduled for Friday, November 15, 2013, 6 – 9 pm. with a brief program by the students at 6:30 p.m. including an interactive discussion with visitors. The public is invited to attend this reception and also participate in the Fall Into Art event, which will be taking place at the Front Street venue during this time.

Local painter and community philanthropist Mike Elsass has donated the use of his recently completed Front Street Galley to support the students and has assisted with technical and artistic advice. Mr. Elsass’ support of young artists includes providing internships and marketing assistance as they begin their careers.

Local community art supporters have joined the effort as “guest curators” to further assist the efforts of these students. Jim Dicke, II of New Bremen, well known in our community as a philanthropist and an artist is one of those supporters. “It is exciting to have these students embrace the community where they are pursuing their education. They’ve taken the initiative to share their talent with the greater Dayton area, enriching the lives of everyone around them.” he said.

According to student Abby Maurer, their work has an amazing range of styles from hyperrealism to free-form abstraction, all of which will be of interest to visitors to the gallery.

Featured artists include:
Abby Rose Maurer, Sidney, OH
Chloe McEldowney, Russia, OH
Jed Helmers, Dayton, OH
Niky Motekallem, Centerville, OH

Guest curators include:
Laura Reed Myers (representing Mr. Dicke)
Mike Elsass, Artist
Judith Huacuja, Chair, UD Visual Arts
Jeffrey Cortland Jones, Associate Professor, UD Visual Arts
Ginny Strausburg, Community Volunteer
Ron Rollins, Cox Media Ohio
Mike Houser, Houser Asphalt
Deb Norris, Sinclair Community College
Belinda Kenley, Centerville City Council
Maha Kashani, Dayton City Paper

ArtPrize 2013 Day 1 & 2

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imageAmway/Rick DeVos funded (1 prize $250k to 1 artist; 20k to most popularly voted venue, 560k in prize money total) + 1,524 artists and 168 venues who sign-up to partner via a to a “speed-date system + vibrant, walkable downtown who welcome an additional 500k visitors for 2 weeks (bringing an estimated 15m economic impact) + ANYBODY can vote for their fave, not once (“ugh, don’t make me feel dumb by asking me to pick the best work of art!”) but vote for as many things that float your boat + really high production value in graphics, wayfinding, “info hubs,” and apps (google Grand Rapids impact history of design) + a guiding principle to spark conversations about and around art = a one of a kind art experience / social experiment. That’s gotta be good right?

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But what about the art?

I arrive in Grand Rapids Thursday afternoon by driving up one of the main drags downtown that curves around right in front of the Grand Rapids Art Museum – a very modern multi-level glass and angled thing sprawled in the center of park, nestled with food trucks, a Maya Lynn public amphitheater and bustling small town/downtown city sidewalks. And I mean bustling. Folks with maps in their hands. Wait. With smartphones in their hands. Hundreds of “em. Voting via the geo-targeting ArtPrize app. Right there in broad daylight in the middle of the street.

And thus begins the adventure.

As a guest of my former colleague (read: my old boss invited me to tag along) I enter the staff side of the museum, intros all around and we’re off. Up the street we run, past many more Amway-funded entities to DeVos Hall – basically a convention center filled with art. Atrium, hallways, you name it. Hours. Hundreds of pieces. Hundreds of people voting. Everywhere.

On a Thursday afternoon. Some artists sitting near their works like at art shows/festivals, some with short list, top 25, popular and guest juror designee signage. All with clear, distinct signage, artist info (international but 90% of what I saw US/Midwest) artists statement, info about media. Some good art. Some bad art. Some artists I recognize. Or recognize what they are trying to do. I’m told the first few years works had to be no more than 1 year old to keep things fresh, contemporary.

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After a few enterprising artists re-purposed works year after year, organizers figured screw it and opened it up to any year by living artists. Nice dinner with a group of collectors and then a pub tour of sorts, including stops at a burning man type outdoor street party and a few brew pubs (note Dayton: GR calls it self the beer city). Did I mention hundreds of people voting? everywhere. After a walk back to the hotel, a nightcap and a slide show to complete strangers in the hotel bar of my top 40 of the day, I called it a night.

Friday began with a tour of GRAMs Top 25 ArtPrize show in which contenders were paired w notable works from the collection, a brunch with the artists and ArtPrize DirectorChristian Gaines (4 mos new from the LA independent film scene) and we’re off again. This time via trolley to Kendall College, a stop to see last year’s winner “Elephants,” a monumental graphite on paper allegorical “Peaceable Kingdom” type drawing (installed amidst a plethora of clever merchandising (My 2 cents about that maybe tomw)), to the sleek, expansive LaFontsee Galleries (good regional contemporary, framing and design-y merch and then to meld food and art culture at the Downtown Market (25 varieties of pink salt and almond biscotti ice cream).

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We finished our evening at the home of the city’s most eclectic private art collection. What can you say about collectors like this? Old masters hung salon style along side graffiti art above a custom case of Japanese netsuke, a Van Gogh drawing in the atrium a Wolf Kahn in the bedroom and rows upon rows of unknown, but compelling to the owners small, medium large, accomplished and a bit raw, paintings. My favorite kind of collector is what I say. Just a great reminder of living with art you love.

So. Wildly liberating to view art in museums, galleries, hotel lobbies, an auto-body shop, a few brew pubs, a yoga studio, cathedrals, community centers, sidewalks, Starbucks, pizza joints, a sports arena,

city parks, Buffalo Wild Wings, a courthouse, a presidential museum, a bank and a nice cream parlor, huh? And did I mention hundreds of people … you know.

Here’s a smattering of pics in no order. See what you thin and tom’w Ill tell you more about what the artists think of all this and how it all may benefit Dayton.image

 

Music for Teacups: Melissa Haviland & David Colagiovanni

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teacupsA composition in image and sound, the exhibition “Music for Teacups” employs video, sculpture and installation that utilize one object —the teacup—as a whimsical metaphor through which to explore and subvert notions of class and etiquette.

 

The video Music for Teacups, 2013 is a composition in image and sound that recombines captured footage of falling and breaking teacups. Like the “Drop Art” movement of the early 1960s and more recently a 1995 photographic triptych by prominent dissident Chinese artist Ai Wei Wei in which he is shown dropping a Han dynasty urn in an irreverent gesture to the worship of China’s past, the artists are in good company making art that expressive and even beautiful in its destruction. Central to Music for Teacups, however, are the sounds you are hearing as a direct representation of what you are seeing. Watch how the artists have captured both the image and sound of the moment a teacup or bell opens up, bounces on the ground or violently shatters and find the musicality hidden within these transformative events.

 

A Host of Options (wallpaper), 2013 is an installation of 2,400 small laser cut teacup shapes to create a fluttering wallpaper effect in the gallery. Installed with mother-of-pearl headed corsage pins, the teacups dangle by the handle—shifting as the viewer walks through the space. The black silhouette emphasizes the patterns that begin to develop as well echo true multiplicity available in porcelain production.

 

In addition, the video For Best, 2013 and the installation, To rend and to mend, 2013 document a performance in which the artists walk a simple, oval shaped balance beam (12′ long by 5′ wide) while Haviland balances china on her head. After balancing and breaking five full sets of china the remnants of the performance are mended and presented as sculpture. Haviland and Colagiovanni have said “Porcelain for us isn’t precious and neither are the roles associated with its use. We hope our work can communicate the fragility of both.”

 

Haviland and Colagiovanni are artists who live and collaborate in Athens, Ohio. Haviland, who is Associate Professor of Art, Ohio University, straddles the boundaries between printmaking and installation-performance exploring lineage, ritual, and practice within objects that are gendered and classed. Colagiovanni, who also teaches at Ohio, is a video and sound artist with interests in the reconfiguration of image and sound and the effects of gravity and immersion in virtual and physical space. They have exhibited nationally both singly and as a duo; been awarded numerous grants, fellowships, and residencies and have works in several permanent collections. In October, Music for Teacups will be included in the 2013 British Ceramics Biennial in England’s former Spode factory.  You can learn more about the artists and their work on their websites: www.colagiovanni.net  and www.melissahaviland.com.

 

The exhibition was selected from 117 applications through DVAC’s 2012 Biennial Call for Exhibitions.

 

You can check out this exhibition through October 19th at DVAC, located at DVAC 118 North Jefferson, downtown Dayton.  The galleries are open Tuesday through Saturday from 11am to 6pm.

Experience the Best of Downtown During the Aug. 2 First Friday

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Roaming performers, saxophonist Tyrone Martin and steel drum player Joseph Glenn, entertain the crowd during the July First Friday.

Art. Music. Shopping. Food. Fun. First Friday in downtown Dayton is about all of these things.

This free event will be held from 5 to 10 p.m. Friday, Aug. 2, throughout downtown. The August First Friday is always one of the year’s largest, and this year promises to be the same with the range of activities taking place. Roaming performers — the McGovern Ceili Dancers, acoustic duo Pourover and juggler Tony Steinbach — will provide entertainment throughout downtown.

If you plan to enter the Downtown in Focus photo contest, be sure to bring your camera along. From 8 to 11 p.m., most of downtown’s buildings will be lit for photographers who would like to capture city nightscapes to enter in the competition.

Just a few events taking place during the Aug. 2 First Friday are listed below:

Are you ready to rock? Canal Street Tavern (308 E. First St.) is presenting a tribute show by American Pink Floyd. The show starts at 9 p.m. and tickets are $12. Call 937-461-9343.

In honor of the second anniversary of Clash Consignment (521 E. Fifth St.), the store will throw a party to celebrate with all its customers. Entertainment will be provided by DJs Mike Wishnewski and Matt Freeman and henna artist Lily Whitehead. Boston Bistro will cater, and a $2 sidewalk sale will be held. Work by artist Robert Walker also will be featured. Call 937-241-9434.

The monthly Courteous Mass Ride will meet for two rides this month at Don Crawford Plaza in front of Fifth Third Field, (220 N. Patterson Blvd.). The first will ride leaves at 5:30 p.m. and the second at 7 p.m. Rides are free of charge and all skill levels are welcome. This month’s route will go past the downtown dog park, hit spots in Old North Dayton and surrounding areas (DATV, Mike Sell’s Potato Chips, Charlie’s Deli and Whitewater Warehouse) and head down the Mad River bike path back.

Synergy Incubators  will produce their fourth  First Friday Food Truck Rally.  Street Food is all the ragea and Dayton Food Park  (2oo S. Jefferson St.) will have 14 of Dayton’s food trucks lined up from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.  After you grab some grub, browse through the booths of local artisans that include jewelry, homemade soaps, pottery and other crafts.

To celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Great Dayton Flood, the Dayton Visual Arts Center (118 N. Jefferson St.) is showcasing artwork by local artists around the theme “Water, Water Everywhere.” Visitors can talk to the featured artists from the exhbit. The gallery will be open until 8 p.m. Call 937-224-3822.

Green Baby (31 S. St. Clair St.) will exhibit work by local artist Bley Hack, offer free chair massages to visitors and host a sale on select children’s items. The store will be open until 8 p.m. Call 469-8665.

Miami-Jacobs (110 N Patterson Blvd.) will host a Summer Block Party. HOT-FM 102.9 and WROU-FM 92.1 will broadcast live from the event, and entertainment includes a photo booth, indoor cornhole tournament and outdoor games. Call 937-668-0213.

As part of the First Friday Salsa Music Series, Son del Caribe will play live music from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. at RiverScape MetroPark (111 E. Monument Ave.) on the MetroPark Pavilion Stage. Experience sounds that include salsa and other styles of Latin dance music. Call 937-274-0126.

Sew Dayton (16 Brown St.) will showcase artist-of-the-month Craig Galentine, creator of the The Kokeshi Clan. A group of local children will be selling lemonade for Hanna’s Treasure Chest outside the store and the winner of the “Make It Work” contest will be announced, along with the next challenge. Call 937-234-7398.

Wiley’s Comedy Niteclub (101 Pine St.) presents Cutthroat Freakshow by Dirty Little Secrets. This off-the-beaten-track show begins at 9 p.m. Tickets are $10 for 18 and older. Call 937-224-5653.

First Friday is presented by the Downtown Dayton Partnership with support from the Oregon District Business Association and Rev. Cool’s “Around the Fringe” show that airs on Fridays from 8 p.m. to midnight on WYSO-FM 91.3. The Downtown Dayton Partnership’s website has a complete list of downtown’s arts and cultural amenities, as well as a dining guide, parking map and much more. Download the Find It Downtown mobile search tool for smartphones at http://mobile.downtowndayton.org.

A complete list of what downtown businesses have on tap for First Friday is available on the DDP website. Call 937-224-1518 or email info@downtowndayton.org for more information.

Lights, Camera, Dance!

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Lights Camera Dance

Photo by Andy Snow”

Lights Camera Dance is a brand new idea – Gem City Ballet is opening up their ballet performances this season to photographers of all stripes or experience levels, and then hosting a juried show &  sale at the end of the season.   Earn money and support Gem City Ballet at the same time.  You’re probably saying – “You can’t take photos during a performance; that’s just wrong!”  But they’ll make it right.  Live dance can be one of the most exciting and challenging subjects for a photographer – beautiful dancers moving in colorful costumes under intense lighting.  This project will give photographers  a chance to explore this subject area with an intimacy and freedom seldom available.

The schedule of events includes:

  • Essentials of Dance Photography – an optional seminar taught by Andy Snow and held in the performance space, Sunday September 8, 2013, 2 pm.  A bargain at $20.
  • Performances to photograph – October 12, 2013 and/or February 8, 2014.  Please register!  Registration Deadline is September 13, 2013.
  • Access to rehearsals in the weeks prior to performance to become familiar with the dances and plan your photos.
  • Submit 3-5 framed prints of your choosing and/or up to 20 digital prints, submission deadline March 7, 2014.
  • Display at the GCB studio and at area galleries and art venues in Spring of 2014, including the final GCB repertory show of the season, April 25-27, 2014.
  • Online and live sales, March 15-April 30, 2014, will be split 60% to the photographer and 40% to Gem City Ballet, with copyright retained by the photographer.

Details and the registration link can be found at http://www.gemcityballet.org/LCD.html

Annual Downtown Dayton Photo Contest

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998702_10152509198158840_814700363_a Amateur and professional photographers are invited to participate in Downtown in Focus, a photo contest aimed at finding new and distinctive shots of our downtown. The City of Dayton, Downtown Dayton Partnership, Kaplan College and Dayton Daily News are sponsoring the contest.

One amateur winner and one professional winner will be selected in each of the following categories:

  • Downtown Living:  You know that place you and your friends go to every Saturday night downtown? Now is your chance to win some money for being a regular! Take photos showing off Dayton’s vibrant dining and nightlife scene, urban housing or anything else unique to living and playing downtown.
  • I Heart Downtown: The architecture of one of the historic buildings you have always admired. Your favorite spot along the river. That coffee shop where you buy your morning brew — this category is wide open to photograph anything and everything you love about downtown Dayton.
  • Skyline: It’s hard to single out the best thing about Dayton, so why not just capture the whole city? Show us your best shot of our downtown Dayton skyline!

A panel of judges ― consisting of professional photographers, photography editors and instructors, and arts community leaders ― will select the winners in each category and award a $250 cash prize to the Best in Show winner in each division. Honorable mentions also will be awarded at the discretion of the judges. In addition, City of Dayton Mayor Gary Leitzell will select one photo that best represents the City’s “Dayton Originals” motto. This photographer will receive a gift basket from the City of Dayton. Contest winners will be recognized at the Sept. 20 Urban Nights, and all entries will be displayed in a special exhibit during Urban Nights.

From approximately 8 to 11 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 2, during First Friday, many of downtown’s buildings will be lit for photographers who would like to capture night shots of the city.

The deadline to submit photos is 5 p.m. Friday, Aug. 30, 2013. There is no fee for application or participation.

Photographers are not required to be Dayton-area residents, but winners must be age 18 or older. Photos must have been taken in Greater Downtown ― which includes the Central Business District, Oregon Arts District, Webster Station and the ring of neighborhoods that surrounds downtown ― within the past calendar year. Official contest guidelines and entry forms are available at www.downtowndayton.org and www.daytonohio.gov.

For more information, contact:

Kristen Wicker: 937-224-1518, ext. 228, or wicker@downtowndayton.org

Courtney Deutsch: 937-224-1518, ext. 231, or deutsch@downtowndayton.org

For contest submission details and entry forms: www.downtowndayton.org

 

 

New Street Art To Debut Today

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Kids_Murals_1On Tuesday, May 21st at 6:00 pm there will be an unveiling of 4 new pieces of art on East Third Street at Sears St. in downtown Dayton! These master replicas have been created by young people in the HAALO (Helping Adolescents Achieve Long-term Objectives) Program. This program is a partnership project between Montgomery County Juvenile Court and K12/TEJAS Gallery which focuses on young people who are Court-involved.  The goal is to expose Court-involved youth to different mediums of art while also teaching them life skills that will assist them in being successful members of our community; from critical thinking, problem solving, and communication skills to creativity, motivation, and patience, the therapeutic process of the HAALO Program has endless benefits for the young people involved.

In its third year, this program has been successful at generating artwork for the community, but more importantly, in helping young people learn that the choices they make have consequences in the future. They work alongside a local artist who guides them through the creative process and teaches them about the lives of the Great Masters as they recreate their artwork.  The youth learn that great artists have had to struggle with the same kinds of difficulties and situations in their lives that the youth face today.  Local Judges and attorneys support the program because it is showing signs of reducing recidivism for the young people involved. Supported by the Ohio Arts Council, the Iddings Foundation, and the Dayton Foundation, the HAALO partnership is successfully bringing art to the Dayton community!  Join K12/TEJAS Gallery at 510 East Third Street on May 21st to help unveil the new additions to the Museum on the Street!

Love art. People watch. Buy art.

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Deal

“Think No More” by Amy Deal, Mixed Media on wood 24×24  In her most recent series of work, Amy Deal explores layering typography to create visual texture and pattern. She appreciates typography as an art form that lends itself to affecting imagery and enjoys the balance that can be achieved between visual and verbal designs. Deal is a national award-winning, professional visual communicator living in Oakwood, Ohio. She took a break from fine art to raise a family for the past 18 years, but is now reuniting with her love of painting.

 That’s the word on the street about DVAC’s annual gala Art Auction, which will be held April 26th at the Ponitz Center at Sinclair, silent auctions starting at 6:30pm, live auction begins at 8 pm.

For the 19th year, the Dayton Visual Arts Center is calling on members of the community to help celebrate the vibrant art and artists of the Dayton region. Gear up for an evening of exciting silent and live auctions, good friends— new and old— abundant hors d’oeuvres, wines, and lively music by Puzzle of Light.  And above all: a night of making a big difference to DVAC’s ability to provide programs and exhibitions that support area artists. Of all the fundraising events in town, DVAC’s Art Auction is the only one that features art and only art. It’s the biggest art buying party of the year and DVAC’s most important fund raiser.

This year, 118 DVAC member artists have generously donated work for the auction. This adds up to a genuine feast for the eyes and soul: paintings, photographs, sculptural pieces, and works in ceramic, glass, metal and mixed media. Simply viewing everything in this exhibition is a treat; but it’s even more fun to bid and win a piece or two to grace the walls of your home or office, give as a gift, or wear with style.

If you haven’t already purchased your tickets to the best art party of the year, call DVAC at 937.224.3822 or visit dvacartauction.com to get in on the excitement. See you there!

Dayton Art Institute Commemorates 100 Year Anniversary of the Great Dayton Flood of 1913 with Three Exhibits + TICKET CONTEST

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April Gornik, The Horizon, 2008

April Gornik, The Horizon, 2008

Next week will be the 100 year anniversary of the Great Dayton Flood, which was not only the biggest natural disaster to happen to Dayton and other communities along the Great Miami River – it was the worst natural disaster to happen in the entire country.  Local media is covering this historic event, including here on Dayton Most Metro (check out our five-page feature by Joe Aiello), and several local organizations are recognizing this anniversary this month, including Dayton History, The Miami Conservancy District and Dayton Art Institute.  The latter opened up a brand new three-part exhibit almost a month ago that runs through May 5 which I had the pleasure of previewing.  (See our ticket contest at the end of this article!)

The first exhibit at DAI is called “Storm: Paintings by April Gornik“, with large-scale pieces that greet you and evoke the feeling one may have had watching those storms from a hundred years ago roll in over the Miami Valley.  Gornik,  an internationally renowned artist and Cleveland native, uses horizons, light and clouds to create an ominous atmosphere in each of her paintings that set the tone beautifully for the rest of the exhibit. She will be at DAI on Saturday 3/23 at 3pm to discuss the genesis and development of her work in the talk Landscape and Metaphor.

After you experience the larger-than-life paintings by April Gornik, you then begin “Watershed: 100 Years of Photography along the Great Miami River” and step back in time as you first view old photographic equipment that was used a century ago, putting into perspective the amount of work it took to carry these cameras around and capture those frightening scenes from the great flood.  A far cry from today’s cameras that are simply part of our everyday smartphones that we slip into our pockets!  From there you experience stunning historic photographs taken at all stages of the great flood, from the beginning rising waters to the height of the flood and desperation of those trying to escape, and finally to the mind-blowing aftermath that took an unprecedented community effort to not only rebuild, but rebuild in a way that avoided such a disaster for the next century and beyond.

Looking North on St. Clair St. in Downtown Dayton (1913)

Looking North on St. Clair St. in Downtown Dayton (1913)

The unique thing about the photos in this exhibit is that each is paired with a modern-day photo taken at each of the same locations by Dayton photographer Andy Snow.  Andy painstakingly reviewed hundreds of historic photographs from the great flood and then went out and shot on-location over the course of several months to re-capture those moments in time one hundred years later.  Andy happens to be a good friend of mine (his Downtown Dayton skyline image continues to serve as our social media profile backdrop) and I had a chance to ask him recently about his experience with this project.

Dayton Most Metro: The pictures you took for the Watershed exhibit at DAI are amazing. How long did this project take you?

Andy Snow: When the exhibition closes on May 5 it will be one year since I began the project. My mission was not necessarily to precisely match the old with the new, though you will see in the exhibition and the new book some images that are quite astonishingly close. The overarching concept that we (the MCD and I) worked on was to return to the sites of selected 1913 photos and create a representation of what exists at the site today in a fashion that resonates and informs not only how the Miami Conservancy District has helped us stay safe from a repeat of the disaster, but also how communities have returned with vibrancy and development along the Miami River without worry about such devastation happening again. Identifying exact locations is more of an art than science given that our only reference is the photos themselves. No GPS tagging back then. Often all I had to work with in the field was a small thumbnail of the 1913 image on my iPhone. I approached this as a documentarian. Record what was in front of the camera. No Photoshop post processing. I often made repeat visits to specific sites to get the light and the location just right. Having so many blue-sky days last summer and fall was an incredible bonus. I had many moments of serendipitous synchronicity.

Looking North on St. Clair St. in Downtown Dayton (2012) Photo by Andy Snow

Looking North on St. Clair St. in Downtown Dayton (2012) Photo by Andy Snow

DMM: Looking at the historic photos that were part of the exhibit, it doesn’t take much to imagine the horror that people went through during those terrifying days of the flood and the weeks and months that followed. Which historic photos had the biggest effect on you personally before you started shooting?

AS: The 1913 panorama view from hill where the The Dayton Art Institute was built in the 1920s, in my mind, one of the most iconic views. The glass transparency on display of this view is a treasure that we found in the MCD archive. It’s hand-tinted from the original B/W photo. I printed most of the prints in the exhibition; not just the new pictures but also the 1913 images from scans or high res digital photos I made of the postcards that were loaned from Historical Societies and collections.

Seeing photos of people standing on the remains of bridges to rescue poor souls clinging to pieces of houses coming downstream has impacted me for life.

DMM: And as you were photographing all of those same locations and vantage points, were there any that took on a new meaning once you stood in that spot?

AS: One favorite example would be how I was able to bring up more detail from the scan of the 1913 panorama (pictured below) so you can see more detail of the City of Dayton across what I have come to call “Lake Miami” which is what the Great Miami came to look like. The part of the picture that shows just how much McPherson Town was totally underwater is astonishing. The 2012 photo is now already an historic artifact because of the new work on I-75. The view has changed! As they rework the exits to downtown Dayton, the steel girders visible in this “new” photo have been removed. Lesson: nothing is permanent.

E. Third Street at St. Clair looking west 1913 & 2012 (Andy Snow)

E. Third Street at St. Clair looking west 1913 & 2012 (Andy Snow) Click to enlarge

DMM: It is one thing to read about the flood, but it must be quite another to have studied those historic photos and then shoot modern-day photos in all of those same locations. What did you take away from your experience that you didn’t know or feel before you started?

AS: The big thing was how much the entire region was affected. Many Hamilton industries, for instance, along the Miami River were lost forever. Piqua was flooded first and the water traveled for several blocks to the downtown square. We knew about the impact here in Dayton. The revelation was how much wide-spread impact there was to other communities up and down the River, from farm lands to all kinds of businesses and neighborhoods.

Another big revelation came at the end of the photography process when I learned that a cousin of mine made some of the very photos from 1913 in West Carrollton that I referenced for the new photos there. We are descendants of a common ancestor that settled near the Great Miami along Bear Creek (north of Miamisburg) in 1804. Jacob Weaver was one of the region’s pioneers. His farm was a land grant received for fighting in the Revolutionary War for the Colony of Pennsylvania. (I love to say those last 3 words.) Noah Elwood Weaver was a photographer who worked for the West Carrollton Envelope Company as well as NCR. Yeah, his name was Noah. Photographing the Great Flood.

DMM: What do you hope people will take away after seeing the Watershed exhibit at the Dayton Art Institute?

AS: The Great Flood left a stamp, a watermark if you will, of caring and giving that makes living in this exceptional community such a joy and such a motivator of humanitarian deeds and great work for the good of all.

We have become stronger by evolving into a region of people that help their neighbors make a better place, a safer place for prosperity and growth. And I’m really proud to be a part of such a community.

The level of cooperation and collaboration between the cities and communities along the Great Miami is now at an all time high thanks to the anniversary of the Great Flood. It’s an historic moment and we can all benefit from the interaction and new growth possibilities and amenities that every community is working to complete. Fear of the River has subsided immeasurably. There’s really nothing quite like this return to the River anywhere else in the country.

Andy Snow will be at DAI on Saturday 3/23 at 4pm to present the talk Sherlock Holmes Meets Ansel Adams, a discussion of how he used cues and clues from 1913 photos of the flood to create new images that inform us about life and culture in the Miami River Valley, past, present, and future.

The last part of the exhibit is titled “Riverbank: Exploring Our River-Centered Development” and consists of images and information that capture development concepts and realities along the Great Miami River. You can revisit earlier concept plans for development of the area at the foot of The DAI’s grand staircase that runs along the northwest bank of the Great Miami, and current developments on the river are shown. Historical plans generate the basis of an interactive display that captures visitors’ ideas about ways in which The Dayton Art Institute might connect with kayak/canoe runs, bike and walking paths, public transportation routes and newly opened freeway access at their front door.

The three part exhibit at Dayton Art Institute is open now through May 5th.  Tickets are $12 for adults, $9 for seniors, students and active military, $6 for youth (7-17) and free for DAI members and children under 7.

1913 panorama view from the hill where DAI now stands

1913 panorama view from the hill where DAI now stands

TICKET CONTEST CLOSED

Congratulations to our ticket winners!

Rachael Sizemore
Susan Steinmetz
Bettina Back
Matt Langdon

 

Antioch College to present Meme: Culture in Transmission at the Herndon Gallery

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Antioch College is pleased to announce the opening MEME: Culture in Transmission, a multimedia exhibition that invites investigation of the concept and the phenomenon of memes, considering their origin, evolution, mechanisms, and role in contemporary society. An opening reception for the exhibition will be held on Friday, November 30, at 7:00 p.m. in the Herndon Gallery in South Hall on the Antioch College campus.

The word “meme” originated as a term coined by evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins in the 1976 book The Selfish Gene. Dawkins’ term derives its concept from the behavior of genes, which replicate from an organism to its offspring to ensure the duplication and transmission of genetic code. Similarly, Dawkins’ “meme” is defined as a “unit of cultural transmission,” such as an idea, tune, catch phrase, style, fashion, symbol, practice, etc. that spreads from one person to another through imitation.

Since its introduction, there has been a great deal of scholarly study of the concept of memes. In the late 1990s, the term became used, and is now commonly known to define a style of internet-based image/text posting shared broadly on the web via blogs and social media. These Internet memes have proliferated as the influence of the Internet has grown.

What constitutes a meme? How do we observe the influence and evolution of memes? How do artists affect the transmission of their own ideas? Work in the exhibition explores archetypes, prevailing ethical mores, cultural icons, environments and institutions through a broad range of media including photography, sound, video, painting, sculpture, mixed media, and performance.

Will Davis: “Leave Britney Alone”

Visitors to the exhibition will encounter artwork ranging from Jeanne Philippe and Judith Huacuja’s “Unseen Rain” an installation that includes a deerskin canoe modeled after those made by Kutenai women in British Columbia, to Will Davis’s audio piece appropriating an impassioned YouTube plea to “Leave Britney Alone.”  Chris Shea and Charmaine Renee trace the path of phrases from Shakespeare to their usage in contemporary culture, while Glenna Jennings mines the National Cash Register archives to create images of laborers in her wallpaper piece called “Right To Work.”

Each artist featured in the exhibition is engaged with the generation and transmission of contemporary culture on multiple levels, also playing roles as curator, teacher, choreographer, dancer, actor, director, comedian, program director, audio producer, gallery director, etc. All artists reside in Ohio.

Exhibition events also include a night of performance featuring Will Davis, Rodney Veal, and Free Shakespeare! on Thursday, January 24, at 7:00 p.m., and a community roundtable discussion on Thursday, February 7, at 7:00 p.m.

For more information, contact Dennie Eagleson, creative director of the Herndon Gallery at deagleson@antiochcollege.org or 937-768-6462.

Second Annual Art Off at K12 Gallery/TEJAS

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This Friday’s downtown Urban Nights celebration marks the exciting first round of the second annual Art Off at K12 Gallery/TEJAS in The Cannery. Stop by and check out the sights and sounds as dozens of artists age 16 and up go head-to-head in a live competition set on three stages, complete with heart-pumping music and a whole host of spectacles created by the artists themselves. The Art Off, a major fundraiser for K12/TEJAS, kicks off its opening night this Friday, September 14th with four rounds of live painting beginning at 6 p.m. The artists will have 50 minutes per round to create a piece of 2D art reflecting the theme Transformation. Jurors will then judge each round’s art and select winners who will advance. Competitors will be fighting for a spot in Round Two of the Art Off, which will be held Friday, October 5, and ultimately hope to be selected to compete in the finals to be held at the November 9th fundraiser finale where they will compete against reigning champion Donivan Hahn, a printmaker and local artist who currently teaches art at the Summit Academy in Cincinnati. In addition to bragging rights, the 2012 Art Off champion and runners up will receive coveted “knot awards,” crafted especially for the Art Off by Dayton’s own famed metal sculptor, Hamilton Dixon.

Last year’s inaugural Art Off kicked off with nearly 200 participants, and K12’s Rebecca Sargent was excited to say, “This year we went above and beyond!” since the event was such a hit in 2011. They plan to have three stages setup for the artists- one outside and two inside TEJAS- along with a DJ, food, beer and wine, theatrical lighting and some surprise “spectacles” provided by the artists themselves. Judging criteria this year will be based on not only the artist’s finished product and interpretation of theme, but the overall spectacle created by each artist as well.

"Knot Award" by Hamilton Dixon

The Art Off event is free to attend although donations can be made to K12/TEJAS. The public is encouraged to not only attend but participate in this fabulous event, as no artistic ability is required to compete. The entry fee of $5 covers the costs of materials, which are provided by K12, and competitors can opt to join in the fun as late as the night of the event itself, as long as space permits. Round One begins this Friday at 6 p.m. with three more rounds following at 7 p.m., 8 p.m. and 9 p.m. Bring friends and family, art lovers and newbies alike to enjoy this entertaining evening of artistic expression and friendly competition.

To purchase tickets or learn more about the Art Off, contact Rebecca Sargent and Kelly Sexton at 461-5149 or visit the website at www.k12gallery.com. The 2012 Art Off is generously sponsored by: DP&L, Ron and Janet Shuff, Lexis Nexis, and the University of Dayton.

DVAC Opens “In Vivo” – Artists, Scientists, Photosensitive Lab Coats and Wine in the Studio

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Erin Holscher Almazan - "Elaine" from the series Tethers

To kick-off its fall season, the Dayton Visual Arts Center (DVAC) presents In Vivo: Erin Holscher Almazan, Francis Schanberger and Diane Stemper, opening for Urban Nights, Friday, September 14, 5-10 pm and running through October 20.  A homegrown showcase of the area’s most talented artists, the exhibiton features drawing and prints by University of Dayton (UD) faculty member Erin Holscher Almazan; photographs and prints by UD Artist-in-Residence Francis Schanberger; pen & ink drawings and artist’s books by Diane Stemper; and is curated by Bridgette Bogle, painter and art department Associate Professor, Sinclair Community College.

In Vivo: Latin for “within the living” exemplifies the artists’ investigations into biology, cosmology and anatomy. They approach their chosen subjects—classifying, categorizing and organizing—with a degree of the romantic, humorous, political or metaphorical.

Special Site Specific Project:  Anthotype and Photogram Coats by Francis Schanberger

Get ready for this: Schanberger will be tackling a fugitive photographic process called Anthotype—considered “fugitive” since the the image is created by the fading power of light.

With a background in biochemistry and cell biology, Schanberger’s affinity to lab coats is tied to their appeal as a symbol for a scientist, doctor or nineteenth century naturalist as well as an early experience in which his lab supervisor admonished him to “Never wear your lab coat outdoors. If you do, you will bring back spores that will contaminate our cell lines.”

Since 2004, he experimented with a dark ground (cyanotype) and light ground (anthotype) photogram designs on coats. For him, it is a way of brnging the outdoors back inside to “contaminate” the research being displayed. Experiments of the naturalists, both processes were used and invented by an early photographer.

The anthotype process is a very “green” photographic process that utilizes the fading power of light to “etch” an image on material coated with plant pigments. Berries, flower petals and beet roots are the favorite of practitioners of this photographic technique. It is considered a fugitive photographic process since the image is created by the fading power of light.

For DVAC’s Site Specific installation, the progress will be seen on Ash Seed Coat (In Progress During Exhibition), a saffron stained coat which will get about two hours of late, late afternoon exposure. He will also create an ash seed light resist which will form an image on both sides of the garment. The coat will have the added context of using a fabric dye used by monks in Asia. This final coat will be a mixture of the spiritual and scientific; an ephemeral recording of its time at the Dayton Visual Arts Center.

Francis Schanberger - "Don't Take This Personally"

Wait. What’s this About Wine in the Studio?

Picture this: a late Saturday afternoon: start at UD’s Print Studio; get an up-close and personal view of three artists’ materials and methods in a casual, behind-the scenes gathering; follow-up with a glass of wine or beer with the artists at Jimmie’s Ladder 11; head-out with your very own signed, limited edition print to start or add to your collection by one of your new artist friends. Ends before your Saturday night plans.

And that’s just what DVAC has organized for a small group of 24 guests. Studio Visit: A DVAC Field-trip will take place on Saturday, September 22, 2012. Tickets available on a first-come; first-served basis and are $85 each; $100 couples. For Field-trip only (studio + 1 drink ticket each): $35 each, $50 couples.  A new experience. A deeper connection to art. A good time. RSVP to ebuttacavoli@daytonvisualarts.org or call 937.224.3822.

Diane Stemper - "Tropical Pursuits"

About the Artists

All three artists live, work and teach in Dayton; have won numerous grants and fellowships; and whose artwork is known and widely collected throughout the region and across the country. They will be featured in DVAC’s Fall exhibition: In Vivo: Erin Holscher Almazan, Francis Schanberger and Diane Stemper, Sep 14-Oct 20. Erin received her BFA from Minnesota State University Moorhead and her MFA in Printmaking from Rochester Institute of Technology, New York and is Associate Professor of Printmaking and Drawing at the University of Dayton. Francis received a BS in Biochemistry and Cell Biology from University of California San Diego and MFA in Photograph and Digital Imaging from The Ohio Stte Unveristy and is Artist-in–Residence at the University of Dayton. Diane received a BFA in Printmaking from the San Francisco Art Institute and an MA in Interdisciplinary Arts from San Francisco State University.

Call For Submissions! DAY OF THE DEAD Exhibition

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Missing Peace Art Space is graciously hosting/mounting the Community Ofrenda (altar) Day of the Dead Exhibition, SCHEDULED FOR THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER 2012. This is a NON-JURIED show, and all submissions will be accepted, as long as they fit within the theme of Day of the Dead (which is NOT associated with Halloween and has little in common with images from that holiday). Items must not pose a safety issue — for example, candles are a very common item on an ofrenda, but if you want to incorporate them in your submission, please use battery-operated ones. Do keep in mind that this is a community exhibit for ALL AGES. It is not necessary to be an “artist” to contribute. Day of the Dead altar items are usually small by nature, but if you have something sizable in mind, please contact Gabriela Pickett at the gallery to make sure we are able to accommodate it.

Opening reception is on the actual Day of the Dead, FRIDAY, NOV. 2, which is a FIRST FRIDAY. The exhibition will run for the entire month of November.

DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS IS OCTOBER 15, 2012. ART NEEDS TO BE DELIVERED TO THE GALLERY ON OCT. 15, BETWEEN 3-5:30 P.M.

THERE WILL BE A WORKSHOP FOR ALL AGES AND LEVELS OF EXPERIENCE ON OCTOBER 13, FROM 1-5 P.M., AT THE GALLERY.

All items will be handled with great care, and all reasonable precautions will be taken to ensure the safety and integrity of artwork on loan for the exhibition, but the gallery cannot be responsible for any damage to artwork in the unlikely event that should happen.

Stay tuned for information and details about a gallery talk that will delve into the culture, history, origins and traditions of El Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead).

Also, the gallery is looking for volunteers to help with various aspects of this community-driven exhibition. Please contact Gabriela Pickett at the gallery, (937) 241-4353, if you’d like to volunteer. Contact the gallery at 234 S. Dutoit St, Dayton  for more information.

 

Blue Sky Project Celebrates Summer with “Creative Surprises”

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Shaw Pong Liu, Katherine Mann and Rodney Veal in collaboration

Three months of collaborative art making at Blue Sky Project concludes on Saturday, September 15 at 6:00 PM with a final exhibition, “Creative Surprises”.  The evening will feature the work of seven Blue Sky resident artists, all of whom spent a part of their summer in Dayton, collaborating with area youth and local artists.

A program of Involvement Advocacy, Blue Sky Project is a summer experience that empowers professional artists from around the world and Dayton-area teens to collaborate and build community through the creation of ambitious works of contemporary art and performance.

Blue Sky’s objectives are threefold:

  • Provide an environment for the Resident Artists to extend their own artistic exploration and studio practice in a unique collaborative setting with youth and the community;
  • Develop the leadership, self-awareness, critical-thinking, communication and collaborative skills of the Teen Participants through Blue Sky Project’s unique contemporary art making process;
  • Enhance the reputation and vibrancy of the region through increased engagement and creative energy.

Since its inception in 2005, work produced at Blue Sky Project has been exhibited and sold at museums, galleries and festivals in the United States, Europe, Africa and Asia, and been featured in The New Yorker, The New York Times, Art in America and FiberArt.

The 2012 resident artist are:

• Michael Casselli, Yellow Springs, OH

• Shaw Pong Liu, Boston, MA

• Katherine Mann, Washington, D.C.

• Kaz McCue & Pamela Ayres, Leeland, MI

• Adam Parker Smith, Brooklyn, NY

• Rodney Veal, Dayton, OH

Adam Parker Smith - "This Side of Paradise"

Blue Sky Project is made possible with the generous support of the University of Dayton College of Arts and Sciences, the Ohio Arts Council and hundreds of foundation, corporate and individual supporters.

Tickets for “Creative Surprises,” which takes place at 8 North Main Street in the PNC Bank Building, are $25. The evening will include visual art, live performances, door prizes, food, drink, and of course, creative surprises.

Tickets for “Creative Surprises” are available online or by calling 937.732.5123.

(submitted by Peter Benkendorf – founder and co-creator of Blue Sky Project)

Dayton Most Metro Ticket Contest

We have TWO TICKET PAIRS to give away for “Creative Surprises” on September 15 ($50 value)!  Just fill out the form below and then leave a comment telling us that you want to win.  We’ll announce winners on Friday 9/7 – GOOD LUCK!

CONTEST CLOSED

Congratulations to our winners:

Sarah Muench
and
Lisa Perdomo

Adam Parker Smith: An Artistic Conversation

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Adam Parker Smith

Adam Parker Smith is a Brooklyn based multidisciplinary artist who constructs kinetic, animated and static paintings, sculpture, video, assemblage, and collage to form visual paradoxes and parodies.  Smith received his BA from the University of California at Santa Cruz and his MFA from Tyler School of Art.  His work has been shown throughout the U.S., Canada, Europe, and Asia.

Blue Sky Project is a summer experience that empowers professional artists from around the world and local youth to collaborate and build community through the creation of ambitious works of contemporary art and performance.  Adam Parker Smith participated in Blue Sky Project in 2007.  At that time the program was stationed in McHenry County, Illinois before being relocated to Dayton, Ohio in 2009.   Smith is now paying his first professional visit to Dayton as one of six returning resident artist who have come back to the program for the summer of 2012.  I had the opportunity to sit down with Adam and discuss his work.

Philip Titlebaum:  How did you first find out about and get involved with Blue Sky Project?

Adam Parker Smith:  When I first moved to New York, I was looking for any excuse to get out of the city, so I found myself applying for as many residency programs as possible.  Luckily one of the programs that I applied to was Blue Sky.  I took an interview with Mequitta [Ahuja] and Peter [Benkendorf] and everything seemed to be a good fit so they asked me out for the summer and I had an incredible time.

"Bold As Love" 2007

PT:  Could you discuss the work you did with Blue Sky Project in 2007?

APS:  Collaborating seven high school students I created seventy heads  on wooden pikes constructed from felt and pins form a landscape of imagined creatures and American icons including Mike Tyson, Anna Nicole Smith, and John F. Kennedy.

PT:  Can you speak a little about your installation “This Side of Paradise (I Lost All My Money in the Great Depression and All I Got Was This Room)” and what led you to reimagine it?

“This Side of Paradise (I Lost All My Money in the Great Depression and All I Got Was This Room)” 2012

APS:  The original installation that I did was in a unique location up in the Bronx.  The show that I was involved in that the piece was constructed for was put on by the organization, No Longer Empty.  In an attempt to connect with the community and bring together different arts organizations from the Bronx, No Longer Empty had taken the Andrew Freedman Home and converted it into a large environment for collaborative and installation based art projects.  The Andrew Freedman Home has an interesting history.  It was opened in the late 30’s for a retirement home for formerly wealthy individuals who had lost all their money in the Great Depression.  Abandoned in the 70’s, large portions of the house laid vacant until the opening of the show.  My installation piece that I did at the Andrew Freedman Home related to the economical history of the community and past residents as well as the current socioeconomic status of the Bronx and also the nation as we struggle through another recession.   The installation took the form of a three-dimensional wall treatment for a former bedroom at the Andrew Freeman Home that underscored the fact that the “wealth” that manifested itself there was in fact an illusion, created for the comfort of its residents. The greatly enlarged pattern emulated a traditional wallpaper motif, and was articulated with an array of plastic flowers and fruit, varnished baked goods, elegantly wrapped hard candies, jelly beans, and costume jewelry. While the materials alluded to opulence, they were purchased inexpensively at a dollar store. There was a cheery hopefulness to the arrangement that suggested both optimism in the midst of loss, and the absurdity of keeping up a good facade.  Also important to the piece was the idea of the involvement and engagement of the surrounding community and the population that visited the site while my work was installed.  These elements made for an easy transition to the Blue Sky Project, which at its core holds collaboration as a crucial element.

“This Side of Paradise (I Lost All My Money in the Great Depression and All I Got Was This Room)” 2012

PT:  How has your experience with the first manifestation of this project informed your process this time around?

APS:  The initial installation was constructed primarily by myself, so upon completion I was eager to get a larger community involved in the project.  Blue Sky has such a great network here in the Dayton community that this is now possible.

PT:  What is your other work like?

APS:  My work is a mixture of animated and static painting, sculpture, video, assemblage, and collage.  I try and form visual paradoxes and parodies to make visual tableaus that are taken from my daily experiences and glorified. I try and draw moments from a range of political, personal, and fantastical scenarios to establish psychological sites for different elements to coagulate.  I gather my materials from vernacular culture, hardware stores, and museums. Most of the work starts with simple pranks and tongue in check humor and then erodes to display undercurrents of dissatisfaction and dysfunction.  There is humor in the work, but it is mostly related to a more academic definition of comedy with origins in the theatre of Ancient Greece where dramatic performances pit two societies against each other in an amusing conflict. The vantage point taken of this agon of comedy is a struggle between the powerless youth and societal conventions where the youth is left with little options other then to take dramatic unconventional action.

Adam's collaborators in the midst of the creative process

PT:  What inspires you as an artist?

APS:  Inspiration for me comes from many different sources, but for this installation, almost all of my inspiration comes from the young artists that I get to collaborate with.  Most of the piece for this installation will be constructed by the artists that I am working with.  Although the original framework is in place for the piece the creative energy will be fueled by the community and my collaborators.

Please join us this Friday, August 3 between 5 and 8 pm for the opening of Adam Parker Smith’s installation “This Side of Paradise (I Lost All My Money in the Great Depression and All I Got Was This Room)” at 8 North Main Street, Dayton, Ohio.  This event is free and open to the public.  It is presented as a part of Downtown Dayton’s First Friday Art Hop.

Summer ART Camp at K12 Gallery/TEJAS

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For 19 years K12 Gallery has been providing the Miami Valley with summer art making experiences for all ages.  With summer art camps offered in three separate studio spaces for three age groups (K-2nd grade, 3rd-6th grade, and 7th-12th grade), students are able to explore and truly immerse themselves in the project for the week.  Each week offers a different art medium for each age group.

The newest addition to K12 Gallery is TEJAS the “Teen Educational & Joint Adult Studio”.  This 1,000 sq ft space allows teens to learn more than just the basics; it provides them with a mentorship opportunity and a chance to exhibit their work.  “When I teach a K12/TEJAS summer art camp I bring my knowledge and passion for art as well as life experiences to my students, and they in turn, inspire me.  It is a rare opportunity to grow and learn together in a completely open and creative environment,” states Rebecca Sargent, MFA, TEJAS Exhibition and Programming Coordinator.

This year, the line-up of camps has been the best yet.  Eco-friendly art, Portfolio Development, Gamers Camp, and Clay are just a few of the camps that have already taken place this summer.  Teen camp participant Alexis Geeting shared her favorite camp experience. ”My favorite camp this year has been Portfolio Development, we learned everything from drawing and painting skills to prepping and hanging a show-we even designed our own exhibition announcements!” Every year K12 Gallery/TEJAS provides quality instruction in the visual arts to hundreds of kids and teens in the Dayton area.  Our camp staff consists of working artists in the community, art teachers, and arts professionals.  The lead artist for each camp has the education and experience to offer students a unique and valuable experience in art camp.  Students are engaged and they have FUN!

In addition to creating art in the studio, students get an opportunity to visit artists at work in our community, see and explore art related spaces on daily field trips and artist talks. On Friday students get to spend time eating lunch and splashing in the fountains at Riverscape Metro Park!  The week ends with an art show and reception that celebrates the creativity and hard work each student has been involved in during the week’s camp.

Although the summer is halfway gone, K12 Gallery/TEJAS still has plenty of opportunities to get your child involved in an extraordinary experience.  Summer Art Camps run through August 10, 2012. It is not too late to sign up for a camp!  The cost of a weeklong camp is $150 for members and $225 for non-members. You can see the full schedule, pricing information and details at www.k12gallery.com or by calling 461-5149.

Summer Art Camp Schedule

K-2 Camps:

Week 6: July 23-27th 9:30am-3:30pm

“Duct, Duct, Glue”

Design and create your own costume from all kinds of materials including fabric, duct tape, paper, junk jewelry, glue and much more.  Students will have a set of designs and sketches as well as a finished costume to show at the end of camp.  Join us Friday July 27th at 3:00pm to celebrate the week with family, friends and refreshments!

Lead Artist: Atalie Gagnet

Week 7: July 30-August 3rd 9:30am-3:30pm

“Clay Family Portraits”

Learn clay techniques including hand building and wheel throwing.  Make family heirlooms, dog bowls or cat cookie jars for your family pets .  Create a portrait of your family in a 3-D clay relief.  Use photos and other materials to collage your background and frame the entire piece.    Join us Friday August 3rd at 3:00pm to celebrate the week with family, friends and refreshments!

Lead Artist: Ben Deeter

Week 8: August 6-10th 9:30am-3:30pm

“HandPRINTS: clay and ink”

Explore the world of printmaking!  Students will create and embellish prints in a variety of ways including sun prints, monoprinting and screenprinting.  Add painting, drawing and collage to prints to create a fantastic finished masterpiece. Students will also explore mold-making: cast your face out of plaster and sink your hands in clay to make a mold of your handprints.  Join us Friday August 10th  at 3:00pm to celebrate the week with family, friends and refreshments!

Lead Artist: Bethany Booth

3-6 Camps:

Week 6: July 23-27th 9:30am-3:30pm

“City Shapes: Painting and Drawing”

The city is a fantastic place to explore sights, sounds and shapes.  Students will view, paint and draw buildings from a variety of locations including street-level on the side walk, inside a downtown building, several stories high and on a downtown rooftop!  Join us Friday July 20th at 3:00pm to celebrate the week with family, friends and refreshments!

Lead Artist: Phyllis Niemeyer Miller

Week 7: July 30-August 3rd 9:30am-3:30pm

“Costume Design”

Warrior’s, fashionistas, super heroes and fairytale characters all have one thing in common…fantastic costumes!  Design and create your own costume using materials such as fabric, junk jewelry, glue, needle and thread, and other embellishments.  Walk the runway at the end of camp in our costume fashion show.  Join us Friday August 3rd at 3:00pm to celebrate the week with family, friends and refreshments!

Lead Artist: Atalie Gagnet

Week 8: August 6-10th 9:30am-3:30pm

“Alternative Processes: Photography, Graphic Arts, Drawing & Painting”

Learn the basics of photography and graphic arts, including photoshop.  Manipulate your images to create new and exciting pieces of artwork.  Use cameras, drawing materials, paint and other materials to finish your masterpiece!  Join us Friday August 10th  at 3:00pm to celebrate the week with family, friends and refreshments!

Lead Artist: Diana Cordero

7-12th Camps:

Week 6: July 23-27th 9:30am-3:30pm

NEW“Art of Innovation: Film”

Learn the basics of filmmaking.  Students will learn the history of film, sketch storyboards and create and edit their own group short film. Launch your film on K12’s YouTube Channel with help from fellow teen Bradley Lee (a YouTube expert!)  Friends and family are invited to view the final cut (complete with popcorn and soda) at the week’s end. This camp made possible through funding from the Ohio Arts Council.

Join us Friday July 27th at 3:00pm to celebrate the week with family, friends and refreshments!

Lead Artist: Film Dayton & Bradley Lee

Week 7: July 30-August 3rd 9:30am-3:30pm

“Hot Glass”

Manipulate glass under a torch head to create colorfully designed beads.  Students will learn the art of “lampworking” or glass bead making.  Turn your beads into finished pieces; necklaces, bracelets, earrings or even small sculptures with wire.  Students will also learn glass fusing.

Join us Friday August 3rd at 3:00pm to celebrate the week with family, friends and refreshments!

Lead Artist: Kelly Smith & Karen Armacoft

Week 8: August 6-10th 9:30am-3:30pm

“Clay Throwing & Handbuilding”

Learn wheel throwing techniques or build on the skills you already have.  Use hand built elements, clay tools and glazes to finish your clay creations.  All clay pieces will be fired and ready to go at the end of camp.

(submitted by K12 Gallery)