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Visual Arts

The Dramatic Moment & Character Studies at DVAC

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"Peaceful Protests" by Issa Randall

The Dayton Visual Arts Center (DVAC) presents two new exhibitions which celebrate the synergies between Dayton’s ethnic and cultural communities. The Dramatic Moment is a solo exhibition by Dayton artist Issa Randall that presents figures that emerge from layers of torn, burned and collaged paper to create a provocative statement on the power of images. The Dramatic Moment will feature an exhibition brochure with writings by guest essayist Peter Ainsworth, London-based photographer, and the artist. Character Studies, DVAC’s second Members’ show of the season, includes selected works from all mediums that express the spirit of “character.”

Dayton artist, Issa Randall, has a Bachelor’s of Art in Communications from the University of Dayton and Master’s of Art in photography from the University of Arts, London. His work explores many aspects of U.S. society, from the role of politics and media to the effects that life has on ones mental space. His exhibition, The Dramatic Moment, features large-scale mixed-media pieces with arresting surfaces and imagery.

"Don't Burn the Trash" by Issa Randall

Randall, along with new executive director Eva Buttacavoli, will serve as co- jurors for Character Studies. This juried members’ exhibit will feature a variety of artwork by DVAC members that address how we define and identify character.

About REACH Across Dayton

Both exhibitions were organized in partnership with Sinclair Community College and EboNia Gallery for the 19th annual REACH (Realizing Ethnic Awareness and Cultural Heritage) Across Dayton project. Founded by artists and educators Tess Little, Willis “Bing” Davis and former DVAC executive director Paula Recko, this year’s REACH initiatives include Gallery Talks by exhibiting artists at each venue, a community art project of collaborative relief prints organized by “Bing” Davis, and a Studies Conference featuring sessions that explore the theme “In the Spirit of Developing Character” at Sinclair Community College.
The Dayton Visual Arts Center provides art for the community and a community for artists. DVAC receives operating support from the Ohio Arts Council, Culture Works, Montgomery County and the Virginia W. Kettering Foundation. The DVAC gallery, at 118 N. Jefferson St., in downtown Dayton, is free and open to the public five days each week, 11 a.m.- 6 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday. For more information, visit the Web site at www.daytonvisualarts.org or call (937) 224-3822.

Exhibition Dates

Jan. 17-Feb. 24, 2012

Exhibition Programs

Gallery Talk: Character Studies Artists & Community Art Project – Feb. 3, 6:15 p.m.

Gallery Talk: Issa Randall – Feb. 23, 5:30 p.m.

Studies Conference: In the Spirit of Building Character – Feb. 24, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

at Sinclair Community College Ponitz Center

Closing Reception – Feb. 24, 5-7 p.m.

Where

Dayton Visual Arts Center

118 N. Jefferson St.

Downtown Dayton

Gallery Hours

11 a.m.-6 p.m., Tuesday-Saturday Closed Sunday & Monday

For more information

(937) 224.3822

www.daytonvisualarts.org

dvac@daytonvisualarts.org

(from DVAC)

A Handmade First Friday

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If you’re reading this, you’ve most likely heard of a little thing called First Fridays. These art walks (and in some cities, African-American business networking or conservative political events) happen in urban areas all over the United States on the first Friday of each month.

first friday logoTheir goal? Connect people with their communities.

But here in Dayton, things are getting a little out of hand. First of all, you’ve got dozens of art studios, performance venues and event leaders offering so many awesome opportunities downtown, how’s a fan supposed to see it all? Second of all, pretty much everything’s free. Whatever happened to good old-fashioned capitalism?

I’m joking, of course. The Gem City’s art scene is as vibrant as any I’ve seen outside the big metropolitan meccas. And good old greedy capitalism can go take a dose of its own medicine in a third-world factory or a Dayton factory layoff line. Because you know what? We’ve got Handmade Holiday.

On the first Friday of December, for the past three to five years (yep, even the organizers can’t remember exactly how many now), Dayton’s best knitters, photographers, crafters, painters, and urban revolutionaries pack themselves into a brightly lit storefront and offer their wares to folks who care about keeping their shopping dollars local.

Etch at work at HH 2009 - photo by Melissa Trent

You can find hand-crocheted caps for babies, joke books for 8-year-olds, edgy phone pouches for the teens on your list, and enough wildly sweet local art (and cupcakes!!!) to satisfy your friends and grandparents from here to the end of Kwanzaa. And your cash? Sure, you’ll hand out more than you’d pay for one of those plastic things from a box store, stamped out by slave kids in other countries whose bosses got our old jobs. But your extra dollars will get at least one more cycle in the Miami Valley, and it makes a world of difference to the dedicated artists sharing their creative energies with us First Friday revelers.

Want to see the wares? Check out the Handmade Holiday market at the St. Clair Lofts, St. Clair Street at 4th Street (just north of the Neon and south of the Dayton Metro Library) from 5 to 10pm Friday, then 11am to 6pm Saturday.

And yes, fans, there’s talk of making this market a monthly event in 2012. Organizer(s) and venue(s) needed!

If you don’t recognize plenty of the works and their creators this weekend, keep on coming to First Fridays! It’s all about connecting us with our communities, after all.

(Click the poster to view it full-size — how many names do you recognize?)

American Chronicles: The Art of Norman Rockwell – at DAI

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(from The Dayton Art Institute)

Norman Rockwell painted the best of America, creating indelible images of the lives, hopes, and dreams of Americans in the 20th century. Those images continue to resonate with subsequent generations, well into the 21st century.

 

"Checkers"

The Dayton Art Institute will celebrate the life and work of Norman Rockwell with the special exhibition American Chronicles: The Art of Norman Rockwell, presented by PNC. The exhibition opens Saturday, November 12 and runs through February 5, 2012.

The exhibition, organized by the Norman Rockwell Museum, explores Rockwell’s unparalleled role as an iconic American storyteller. American Chronicles features 42 original artworks from the Norman Rockwell Museum’s collection, including well-known images such as Triple Self-Portrait (1960), Girl at Mirror (1954), Going and Coming (1947), and Art Critic (1955). The exhibition also includes cover sheets of all 323 Saturday Evening Post covers created by Rockwell. His work for the Post spanned a remarkable 47 years, and the artist became a household name in the process.

Expertly weaving both narrative and painterly images, Rockwell was a consummate visual storyteller with a finely honed sense of what made an image successful in the rapidly changing era of mass media. Rockwell’s unique artistic legacy, established during 65 years of painting, offers a personal chronicle of 20th century life and aspirations that has both reflected and profoundly influenced American perceptions and ideals.

"Mine America's Coal"

American Chronicles traces the evolution of Rockwell’s art and iconography throughout his career – from carefully choreographed reflections on childhood innocence in paintings such as No Swimming (1921) to powerful, consciousness-raising images like The Problem We All Live With (1964), which documented the traumatic realities of desegregation in the South.

The exhibition also includes materials from the Museum’s archives that demonstrate how Rockwell worked, from preliminary sketches, photographs, color studies, and detailed drawings to the finished painting. Commentary focusing on recurring personal themes, artistic and cultural influences, and the commercial climate that influenced Rockwell’s creative process will be woven throughout the exhibition.

 

"Going and Coming"

Related Events and Programs

The Dayton Art Institute is planning a number of special events and programs in conjunction with American Chronicles. These include a Veterans Day Program on November 11, talks, workshops, the popular Tour and Tea programs, and a special visit by Ruby Bridges, the subject of Rockwell’s painting The Problem We All Live With.

Visitors to American Chronicles will also have the opportunity to have their pictures taken in front of a life-size Saturday Evening Post cover. Props will be available for those who want to create a Rockwell-inspired scene. Photos will be posted to the museum’s Flickr and Facebook pages.

For more about related events and programs, visit www.daytonartinstitute.org/rockwell or call the museum at 937-223-5277 to request a copy of the exhibition brochure.

How To Go:

"No Swimming"

American Chronicles: The Art of Norman Rockwell is on view at The Dayton Art Institute from November 12 – February 5, 2012.

Admission is $15 for adults, $13 for seniors (60+), students (18+ w/ID) and active military, $10 for youth (ages 7-17) and free for children (ages 6 & under). Museum members are free for their first visit, $10 for return visits. Exhibition tickets include admission to the museum’s permanent collection.

Exhibition audio guides, providing commentary on Norman Rockwell’s life and work, are available at the Visitor Services Desk for an additional $5.

Group tour packages are available, including docent-led tours of the exhibitions and boxed lunches from the museum’s Cafe. Group tickets (groups of 10 or more) are $13 per person. Information about group tours is available by contacting Mary Eberle, at 937-512-0152 or meberle@daytonart.org.

For more about the exhibition and other programs at The Dayton Art Institute, go to www.daytonartinstitute.org or call the museum at 937-223-5277. Be sure to also visit The Dayton Art Institute’s Facebook and Twitter pages for additional information and offers. On Twitter, look for the hashtag #rockwelldai.

FilmDayton Announces New Executive Director

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The FilmDayton Board of Trustees voted on October 25 to hire Megan Cooper as the new Executive Director. Cooper takes the helm on November 1, 2011.

A two-time graduate of the University of Dayton, Cooper studied theater and communication before beginning a career as a development professional.  An active member of the Dayton community, she is a trustee at Culture Works, featured writer on DaytonMostMetro.com, Updayton board member, and project volunteer with Activated Spaces. As an actor, Cooper has performed on many local stages and for regional radio, film and television spots.

Ron Rollins, President of the FilmDayton Board of Trustees, says, “Many of the board members already knew Megan either through her film work or community involvement. As we consider what FilmDayton can be for the region, we know she has the drive and knowledge to help us grow and meet our goals. We’re looking forward to what the future holds for FilmDayton.”

As the new Executive Director, Cooper is challenged to further the FilmDayton mission to provide opportunities for filmmakers. She will work with a strong coalition of volunteers to plan the annual FilmDayton Festival, facilitate educational programming (such as the Boot Camps and Film Connections), and support economic development in hopes to bring more productions to the region.

Cooper says, “FilmDayton was a great fit. I believe in the future of Dayton, the arts, and economic development opportunities in our region; FilmDayton brings those aspects together. I look forward to serving the organization and sharing my skills to support film in the region.”

Next steps for FilmDayton include an internship collaboration with Wright State University and a renewed dedication to economic development. As reported previously, FilmDayton will continue talks with the Dayton Art Institute and Dayton Visual Arts Center to determine if a partnership could lead to greater sustainability and successful programming.

Downtown’s Biggest Street Party Is Getting Bigger

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A child paints the street as part of an interactive component of Urban Nights.

If you are looking to take your weekend to new heights, look no further than downtown Dayton.

Urban Nights will be back with even more fun activities on Friday, Sept. 16, from 5 to 10 p.m. New this year is Over the Edge, a challenge that combines fundraising with adventure. Participants who raise at least $1,000 will be given the opportunity to rappel over the side of the 27-story KeyBank Tower. All proceeds will benefit Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Greater Miami Valley. Space is limited; for more information, call 220-6857.

Urban Nights has plenty of live entertainment. Check out the stage featuring Celtic and folk music, including performances by  Norman’s Conquest. Back by popular demand is the Community Stage. For the first part of the evening, local bands and performers will be allowed 10-minute slots on the stages. The second half will feature karaoke, when anyone can take a turn at the mic.

Urban Nights is filled with interactive activities. The public pianos that debuted

A street performer juggles fire.

during the fall 2010 Urban Nights are also back by popular demand. Hauer Music will provide four pianos to be placed on street corners throughout downtown, which pedestrians are invited to play. Other interactive activities will include an opportunity to help create a work of art with jelly beans, a chalk walk on the sidewalk, and a chance to learn how to break dance and juggle.

K12 Gallery for Young People, 510 E. Third St., will host Round 1 of Art-Off, a new fundraising event in which individuals battle to create the greatest art-making spectacle in an Iron Chef-like competition. Participants will receive materials (announced the night of the event) to create artwork within the theme “chaos vs. order.” Ten artists will compete during six 30-minute time slots from 6 to 9 p.m., and audience members will vote on each time slot’s winning artist based on the artists’ performances in crafting their pieces, as well as their finished products. To sign up to participate, contact Kelly Sexton at 461-5149 or k12.kelly.e@gmail.com.

Winning entries from the Downtown in Focus amateur and professional photography contest will be on display in the Kettering Tower lobby during Urban Nights. One amateur winner and one professional winner were selected in each of the following categories: My Downtown Favorite, Downtown at Night and Abstract Downtown. A panel of judges awarded a $250 cash prize to the Best in Show winner in each division. In addition, City of Dayton Mayor Gary Leitzell selected one photo that best represents the City’s “Dayton Originals” motto.

The weekend-long Taste of Miami Valley will kick off during Urban Nights at RiverScape MetroPark. Guests can sample food from more than 30 area restaurants. Admission is free, and most tastes are $3 each.

A street painter illustrates the vibrant downtown atmosphere.

A map of participating venues and a complete performance schedule, including a listing of all participating locations’ events and specials, is available online at www.downtowndayton.org. Follow Urban Nights on Facebook at www.facebook.com/UrbanNightsDayton for regular updates and more information.

The best way to see as much as possible during Urban Nights is to walk, and many of the destinations are just a short distance from each other. Greater Dayton RTA also will provide free event trolleys to help visitors get around. In addition, cyclists will gather at 5:15 p.m. at Don Crawford Plaza in front of Fifth Third Field for Urban Bikes @ Urban Nights, a community ride through the action hosted by Bike Miami Valley.

For more information, contact Krystal Luketic at 937-224-1518 ext. 227 or luketic@downtowndayton.org.

Urban Nights is presented by the Downtown Dayton Partnership, Culture Works, Montgomery County and the City of Dayton, with additional support from WDTN-TV2, DP&L, Greater Dayton RTA, Budweiser Select, the Downtown Priority Board, Clear Channel and Mix 107.7-FM, Wright Dunbar, Inc., Generation Dayton and the Ohio Arts Council.

Blue Sky Project’s Final Exhibition in Downtown Dayton

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Six contemporary artists selected from 55 applicants from across the US and 11 foreign countries, five college interns and 35 area teen participants, all thrown into this cauldron we call Dayton for eight weeks, and what do you get? One tasty artistic stew!

Blue Sky Project’s third summer in Dayton will bear fruit on Wednesday, August 3 in the heart of downtown when their final exhibition unveils itself in the long-vacant former CVS location at 8 North Main Street, across from the Old Courthouse. Additional locations include KeyBank Tower and 33 North Main Street, the former Roly Poly Sandwich Shop, both on Courthouse Square. The 2011 resident artists are visual artists Marin Abell, Newport News, VA; Rory Golden, Brooklyn, NY (originally from New Carlisle); Kaz McCue, Interlochen, MI; Susannah Mira, Pueblo, CO; and performance artists Sara Mitchell Sherman, Columbus, OH and Shaw Pong Liu, Boston, MA.

Using Dayton as a palate, the collaborative groups of artists and teens are taking on critical issues of our time, including the importance of water in our city’s history; the impact of racism on today’s society; the repurposing of discarded industrial materials; and self-identity in the age of social media. The net result is a compelling mix of visual art, sculpture, installation, video and live performance.

Blue Sky Project is offered without cost to the youth participants, who come from across the region—city and suburb, public, charter and private school, and as far away as Springfield. Youth are selected based on their interest in exploring their creative spirits, and a desire to contribute at a conceptual level in a collaborative environment. Past work from Blue Sky Project has sold at galleries in New York, Chicago and Houston, as well as been featured in The New Yorker, the New York Times and Art in America.

Times & locations:

PREVIEW PARTY • $20/PERSON

• Wednesday, August 3 • 6:00 – 9:00 PM

EXHIBIT HOURS (Free Admission)

• Thursday, August 4 • 5:00 – 8:00 PM

• (First) Friday, August 5 • 5:00 – 10:00 PM

• Saturday, August 6 • 6:00 – 9:00 PM

EXHIBIT LOCATIONS

• 8 North Main Street – Primary exhibition space

• 10 West Second/KeyBank Tower – Installation by resident artist Marin Abell

• 33 North Main (Courthouse Square) – “Artists Without Borders” retrospective of work

from Blue Sky Project 2008 by African artist Akirash

If you are heading out of town, you can catch the Blue Sky exhibition on First Friday, September 2 and Urban Nights, September 16. For more information and to order preview party tickets, visit www.blueskydayton.org or call 937.732.5123.

Activated Spaces is back.

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My last adventure got me out of the car and exploring the region via bus, bike and good ol’ fashioned walking. And you know what I saw? Well, in addition to the random shopping cart and dude who was arguing about drugs – I saw great local art! And not by seeking out a gallery (although I recommend that, too) – but by just walking around.

The Activated Spaces team (powered by the Greater Downtown Dayton Plan) worked with local property owners and invited artists to share their work with the community while focusing on our region’s assets. It was a great success and resulted in 17 vibrant art displays filling downtown windows and the selection of Amanda Sue Allen as the People’s Choice award (work currently on display at the Cannery Art and Design Center). Everything from photography to quilt-work and paintings to cloth and pottery to cellophane was represented (and much, much more!) It was a great, diverse and eclectic celebration of Dayton’s professional and amateur artists.

Serida checks to make sure the QR code is working on the Dayton Creative Syndicate's installation featuring the Culture Works festival.

So – they’re doing it again! They have put the call out to local artists to submit work for a second round of storefront window art displays to be unveiled at the September Urban Nights. The fall 2011 installation theme, “Spotlight Dayton,” challenges artists to focus on our many downtown neighborhoods and highlight favorite places. They hope to include aspects of all areas of downtown–neighborhoods, parks, organizations and various community assets may be featured. It may be a challenge to remain strictly faithful to the theme, but the emailed prospectus states that they welcome artists’ interpretations of the theme however loose or literal it may be; if the artwork is not an exact demonstration of the theme, the artist statement may tie the work to the theme.

Details of the project and submission guidelines are available online. Submissions are due by Friday, August 12, at 5PM.

Check out the Activated Spaces web site for more information.

It’s Alive! Downtown Storefronts In Action

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Pictured below is artist Carol Stoops at work on her Activated Space on North Main Street – next to Flying Pizza – one of many original works of art that will “come alive” on Friday May 6th.
Her work, “Celebrating Dayton” is part of the Activated Spaces projects sponsored by the Downtown Dayton Partnership as part of May’s First Friday festivities. Look for more of these lively works all over downtown this Friday. There’s fun in the hunt!
Enjoy Stoop’s contribution at 223 North Main next to Flying Pizza. More of Stoop’s vibrant paintings are available for sale at the Cannery Art and Design Center, 434 East Third Street. Downtown galleries, restaurants and activated spaces will be celebrating First Friday on May 6 from 5-10 pm.

Blue Sky Project Looking for Creative-Minded Teens

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The following was submitted by Peter Benkendorf of Blue Sky Project.

If you have teens, work with teens, know any teens or are one, Blue Sky Project, the international summer art making community is looking for 40 teens from the Dayton region to collaborate with five contemporary artists selected from applications from around the world.
Hosted by the University of Dayton, Blue Sky Project is committed to producing ambitious and meaningful works of public, contemporary art. It includes a strong youth development component and an emphasis on art making as community-building. 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;·  Develop the leadership, self-awareness, critical-thinking, communication and collaborative skills of the Youth Participants through Blue Sky Project’s unique contemporary art-making process;·  Enhance the vibrancy of the community through increased engagement and creative energy.

Past artists have included painters, sculptors, dancers, writers, musicians and filmmakers. Art produced at Blue Sky has been exhibited around the world and sold in galleries in New York, Chicago and Houston.  Here is what past youth participants have had to say about this one-of-a-kind program:

“Blue Sky took me out of my comfort zone, improving my overall confidence and creativity in every angle of my personality.” – Chris Miskell, Miamisburg (Chris’s poem “To Me You are a Work of Art” became the centerpiece of art Rodney Veal’s performance installation of the same name.)

“Before Blue Sky, I did not think there was anything in Dayton for me. I did not see it as fun or artistic. At Blue Sky we were taken seriously. Now I know what I want to do with my life. I want to be an architect.” – Meriel James, Dayton

“Blue Sky changed everything. It has brought out a passion I did not know I had in me. It made me realize that I can start a revolution through art if I focus on the things I really care about.” – Emily Coughlin, Oakwood.

Blue Sky is offered without cost to the youth participants. Only forty (40) positions are available for the 2011 season.  Youth should be committed to exploring their creative spirit. Acceptance into the program is NOT portfolio- or audition-based. More information and applications, please visit www.blueskydayton.org. Application deadline is April 11

Byzantine, by Blue Sky Project artist Katherine Mann from 2009 is currently on two-year loan to the United States Embassy in Cameroon, Africa, having been juried into the State Department's Art in the Embassies program.

DAI’s New Must See Exhibit – “Creating the New Century”

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John Alexander - Ship of Fools

John Alexander - "Ship of Fools"

The Dayton Art Institute has a new exhibit that opens tomorrow (3/12/2011) called “Creating the New Century” – an amazing collection of 70 pieces created by 69 different artists after the year 2000 in a wide range of styles and techniques.  The collection is owned by James F. Dicke II – an Ohio businessman and artist himself (who also sits on the DAI Board of Trustees), and it includes several thought-provoking works that deal with modern-day social and political issues, along with many whimsical pieces that are simply fun to take in.

The exhibit has been put together masterfully by DAI in the special exhibit wing of the museum, and it includes several video displays featuring interviews with the artists themselves as well as QR Codes by ScanDayton.com that link visitors with smartphones to additional videos and information about individual works.  The exhibit is free for DAI members, $10 for adults and $8 for students and seniors, and it runs through July 10, 2011.

What makes this exhibit exciting is the collection itself – an eclectic mix of paintings, drawings and sculptures with a modern vibe that contrasts greatly with the more historic pieces that many have come to expect at DAI.  I was able to preview the exhibit this past Wednesday and was amazed – especially after listening to John Alexander (an artist whose work “Ship of Fools” is part of the collection) and Ellie Bronson – the author of the exhibit catalog.  Hearing the stories behind the art really completes the experience, and I encourage visitors to check out the videos and smartphone guides as they tour the exhibit.  Below are just a few examples of what you’ll see… and when you check out the exhibit yourself we’d love to hear your thoughts here.  Bravo to DAI’s new Director/CEO Janice Driesbach and the rest of her team – you’ve put together a winner!

Will Cotton - "Candy Curls"

Will Cotton - "Candy Curls"

Marilyn Minter - "Bloodshot"

Marilyn Minter - "Bloodshot"

Inka Essenhigh - "Spring"

Inka Essenhigh - "Spring"

Disclaimer – DAI has a paid banner ad for “Creating The New Century” on DaytonMostMetro.com

Just Go

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Marking the Past/Shaping the Present: The Art of Willis "Bing" Davis (at DAI)

I want to thank Mary McCarty for her DDN column of Sunday, January 16. She made note of something we all do in regards to the arts. We talk and talk and talk about how we need to go more, see more, do more, and do it all more often, and then one day, when we do go, it’s gone, and just like the song, we realize we don’t know what we’ve got till it’s gone.

That’s what could happen to our arts – all of them – if we don’t change our attitudes.

Back in the early 80s, my husband and I lived in the Washington DC area, a region rich with art – the many museums of the Smithsonian, the Phillips Collection, the galleries, free stuff on the Mall, the Baltimore Museum of Art, the Walters Art Gallery – and to this day I regret not going more often to these wonderful places while I lived so close and it was so easy. Some of them I never got to (shame on you Marsha!). I had the same problem we all have in our lives; I had a finite number of hours in a day, a week, a month, and I still had to do laundry, run errands, clean the house, go to work, so how could I possibly set aside those “have tos” for an “I‘d really like to”?

Because, as Mary so rightly points out, those “like tos” have to become “must dos” or those things in life that enrich us will disappear. Some already have, sadly. It’s tough to change our actions; it’s a decision to be intentional; to set time aside to nurture ourselves. And, as we all know, the laundry still has to get done.

How do we do it? Am I making a case for a 12 step program in saving the arts? Do we need to form a support group of arts lovers who drag us to the museum, to the theatre, to those wonderful galleries full of interesting, thought-provoking local art?

I don’t think so. But I do think it’s time to make a promise: to honor that part of us that gains health and nourishment from creation, visual thought, and imagination. Otherwise we will surely starve.
When you go to the Dayton Art Institute: Enjoy the permanent collection, then visit these:

100 Years of African-American Art: The Arthur Primas Collection
On view through January 30

Marking the Past/Shaping the Present: The Art of Willis “Bing” Davis
On view through January 30


Folk Art from the Collection of Porter Wright Morris & Arthur LLP
January 21 – March 27 in the Lower Level Galleries

Investigation Destination: Science and Math in Art
On view through April 3 in the Experiencenter

Art Is Life-Giving.

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DMM welcomes our newest columnist Marsha Pippenger who will blog about art in our region.

Some New Year’s Thoughts 2011

Art is life-giving.

It’s an intangible. How can you explain to someone who has never experienced the power of

Medusa-a-Tangled-Web by Marsha Pippenger

a piece of work, something that has sprung from the thought of one human being, brought into existence due to that person’s trials and errors, sweat, mental anguish, trying to get it right, to make physical that which he or she sees in the mind’s eye? Art adds life – to the walls of your home, your cubicle at work, your city parks, the very roadways you travel – breath and thought and feeling and connection, a communication offered from the artist to you.

It was a difficult year, 2010. Many of us felt the negatives of an economy sliding downhill, jobs moving in not equal to the companies moving out, the broad sweep of cuts to the arts because funds are stretched to the nth degree just to cover the most basic of services. Hard decisions have had to be made. We all want to live in a community with plenty of recreational opportunities and cultural offerings. Most of us realize that in our current world we must get creative to provide those amenities when our cities are pushing to fill empty buildings, entice new enterprise, appeal to and keep our young adult residents.

Daniel and the lions den mosaic by K12 Gallery students

This is why we need the life sustaining power of art more than ever, and it is also why it is time for those of us who live and breathe and work in the arts to do more – I know, I know, we all are always being asked to do more – but small things can truly add up to big accomplishments. There is strength in numbers, and while competition is healthy, there really is great power in collaboration.

Dayton is remarkable in its offerings in the arts; it has more than most cities its size (a provable statistic by the way). We have more talented professional artists than most, we have fine galleries that could use more traffic and support, and we have an art institute that rivals those of many larger metropolitan areas. Dayton has been blessed by the philanthropy of past citizens who loved this city and its people; we are still enjoying the fruits of that generosity today. Moreover, we are charged with living up to that legacy. We need to, now more than ever before.

NOW, what is that next step? Patronizing art spaces of course. Listed below (in random order so keep reading) are some fine commercial galleries, museums and art centers where you will find quality original art in a range of prices. It is by no means a definitive list; if you know of others, please add them!

Cannery Art and Design Center, 434 East Third St, Dayton, (937) 313-9883

Visceral Gallery, 65 W. Franklin St,Centerville, (937) 409-0069

Willis Bing Davis Art Studio, 1135 W 3rd St, Dayton, (937) 223-2290

Zig Zag Gallery, 101 E Alex Bell Rd, Dayton, (937) 434-3565

Town & Country Fine Arts Gallery, 300 E Stroop Rd, Dayton, (937) 293-5381

Dayton Visual Arts Center, 118 N Jefferson St, Dayton, (937) 224-3822

High Street Gallery, 48 High St, Dayton, (937) 228-4532

Gallery 510, 510 E 5th St, Dayton, (937) 222-5151

Hotel Gallery, 109 E Main St, Tipp City, (937) 667-3696

Village Artisans Gallery, 100 Corry St, Yellow Springs, (937) 767-1209

Gallery St John, 4400 Shakertown Rd, Dayton, (937) 320-5405

Alley Fine Art & Framing, 269 W Central Ave, Springboro, (937) 748-0822

Dayton Society Of Painters & Sculptors, 48 High St, Dayton, (937) 228-4532

K12 Gallery For Young People, 510 E 3rd St, Dayton, (937) 461-5149

Dayton Art Institute, 456 Belmonte Park N, Dayton, (937) 223-5277

Rosewood Art Centre, 3600 Shroyer Road, Kettering, (937) 296-2400

Springfield Art Museum, 107 Cliff Park Road, Springfield, (937) 324-3729

Impressed

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Press Coffee Bar To Hold Premier Art Opening

Black as the Devil, Hot as Hell,
Pure as an Angel, Sweet as Love.
~Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Perigord

There are things that are serendipitous. There are things that smack of predestination. Then there are things that are just pretty damn creepy. I’m not sure which category this story falls under.

Artwork by Josh Flohre

Artwork by Josh Florhe

To introduce this story, I have to backtrack to October of last year when I received a call from my friend, Emanuel, telling me that I had to get down to the old home décor place at the corner of Wayne Ave. and E. Third St. and check out this gallery showing. I made it down there as soon as I could and…no Emanuel…but his phone call had led me to some of the most original artwork I had seen in quite some time. It was a mélange of media ranging from the contrasting screen print designs by Jannell Barker to the found art of Josh Florhe which held the moment of another age within its imagery.

I toured the gallery showing, tellingly titled Shut Up Art, and was amazed at the innate talent that the artists imbued. I began speaking with Janell about various topics, such as , how the exhibition came to be, bartending and even meandering over some of the technical aspects of silk-screening. Before leaving, I promised Janell that I would contact her (as well as some of the other featured artists) soon and we would get something down in print for the group. It was a promise that I fully intended to keep…right up until the moment that life got in my way.

It’s one of those things where unforeseen circumstances throw walls up in front of you and then, the momentum of the moment is lost until, one day, you are paging through one of your notebooks and you see a phone number and a pang of guilt forces you to close the book quickly.

Photo by Brooke Medlin

Fast forward to last week…Wednesday December 29th to be precise. I was to meet DMM’s Brooke Medlin at a new coffee house called Press Coffee Bar to cover an art exhibition that they were planning. As I ducked inside the building, escaping from the gloomy day above, I was taken in by the warmth of the newly laid wooden floor and the expansive invitation of the room itself. I saw Brooke and another woman crouched in the loft at the rear of the building, which looked out over the whole storefront. I said hello to the bearded gentleman behind the counter and waited for Brooke to come downstairs and fill me in on the details. As I waited, I took in the freshness of the interior. New floors. A newly constructed and conformingly curved coffee bar whose coiled shape and muted tone was a wild variation from the gleaming utilitarian sharpness of the state of the art cappuccino machine. A bearded man behind the counter (who has a name which happens to be Brett Barker) informed me that the machine was made in Florence, Italy and was temperature controlled by a PID computer module that collected data from various sensors and made self correcting adjustments and that it had been used as a demo model at a Seattle coffee festival before arriving in Dayton.

Hearing Brooke and the other woman descending the stairs, I turned around to see…Janell Barker. Dammit, dammit, dammit! I could just hear the snarky remarks that may have been running through her head, remarks that she never said (but justifiably could have!) such as, ‘Do you think you could get this article done in time?’ or saying something to Brooke like, ‘This is the best you could do?’ or even, ‘You’re never going to amount to anything, so you might as well get used to digging ditches!’…sorry, that last one was me channeling my sophomore guidance counselor.

Photo by Brooke Medlin

Apparently harboring no ill will, Janell began preparing a freshly ground cup of coffee for me, which made me groan inwardly, knowing that in moments, I would have to admit that I couldn’t stand the taste of coffee. Telling someone something that will disappoint them after you have already disappointed them is hard. Telling someone something that will disappoint them after you have already disappointed them as they approach you with a scalding hot cup of coffee is just plain scary. I began to quickly understand Al Green’s aversion to grits.

After I made my embarrassing admission, Brett began talking about the types of coffee they would be using, the type of rotating and artisan roasters they would be utilizing and then onto one of Press’ previous events, which was a coffee tasting experience that they call ‘Coffee Cupping.’ These things I will save for a future article, such as the circular pouring of water through a Hario V60 single cup coffee filter to make a perfect cup of java or how one should, “slurp” vigorously when tasting a new coffee to completely saturate the tongue all at once. These things will come later. The thing to concentrate on now is their Premier Opening Art Show.

As Brett and Janell detailed the type of art and the artists that would be showcased, I looked around the vaulted room, taking in the rough edges of the remodeling that had yet to be polished, looking upwards at the newly painted, bare walls, knowing that soon, a clamorous collection of artwork would peer down at the patrons of this little coffee shop, inspiring them with a thirst larger than the one to be quenched by any fancy French pressed brew. The artwork is what motivates us, that brings us together, that allows us to appreciate and accept without the burden of being deigned acceptable by others. The artwork is there as a vehicle for our muse to move us forward. The coffee is there to make us savor the moment.

This is a coffee shop that aspires to be more than just a retail establishment. They want to be part of the community and this art show is the first step in that direction. The Premier Opening Art Show will be held on Friday, January 7th from 4pm until 12pm at Press, located at 257 Wayne Ave. The show will feature artwork by Rueben Briggs, Eric Patton, Josh Florhe, Kasey Henneman, Jason Watkins, Jeff Richards, Mike Guidone, Jason Goad and Zach Armstrong. Regular store hours will be Monday through Friday from 7am until 8pm and Saturday and Sunday from 9am until 8pm.

Art Weekend in Yellow Springs

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It’s a bit mind-boggling. There are almost too many art events going on in Yellow Springs this October 15th-17th weekend…… nah!

Friday night is Art Sroll, and I am really looking forward to that. But I’ve already told you about Art Stroll in my last blog. Though I do have 2 new offering to add to Friday night’s mix:
At 8 p.m. you can stop by the Gardens of 100 Corry Street for a free outdoor theater performance of- “Hey that’s a Nice Bike “ created by Vanessa Query. A second performance at 9 p.m. will be in the courtyard in front of Sam &Eddies on Xenia Ave.

From 5p.m.-9p.m, in King’s Yard, Mike Garrett will be carving Tikis.  Mike is a great Tiki Carver, I can’t wait to see this!

Big breath, get ready, here’s the rest of the weekend-

On Saturday is a “Couples Adventure.” If you’d like something new to do to keep your relationship growing or just want to have fun with your love, here’s a list of 5 new experiences that you can have together on Saturday the 16th.
1. “Healing and relaxation comes when you drum. ”Make a drum filled with your spirit and then later learn to drum together. In this special workshop at Wild Gourd Studio you can each make your own gourd drum with gourd artist Cynthia McDonald. Cynthia plays a lovely, haunting Native American flute and the drum. She has drums in her studio for you to try.
2. A new way to care for each other. During a Thai-Yoga Massage workshop, you’ll learn how to help each other with a deeply relaxing form of bodywork that combines assisted stretching derived from yoga with acupressure style massage and energy balancing. The instructor, Jen Ater, traveled to Thailand to learn with masters this healing bodywork of Thai-Yoga Massage.
3. Bliss out with a great combo-a relaxing private yoga class followed by Swedish massage sessions for the both of you. Janet Baer offers this private session at her beautifully decorated old farmhouse with a labyrinth in the garden.
4. Declare your love forever. Work with Sarah Strong, at Strong heArt Studio and an old time printing press to hand print your own love poster.
5. Create a masterpiece together with New Orlean’s artist Jennifer Float. In Jenny’s Cork and Canvas Class you’ll drink wine, party and make art.
You can sign up and pay for any of these activities at www.getawaysforwomen.com

You need to sign up by Friday morning.

Both Saturday and Sunday 11 a.m.-6 p.m. is Yellow Springs Artist Studio Tour and Sale. It’s the one time each year that some of Yellow Springs fabulous artists open their studios to visitors. You get to see how they make their art, what tools they use, watch demos, talk with the artists and purchase art. It’s a fascinating peep into an artist’s life. This year there are also 1-2 guest artists at each of the 8 artist’s studios, so you get the opportunity to meet a couple of artists at each stop on the tour.
Download a map at www.ysarts.org This is a free event.

For a great end to a wonderful day, on Saturday from 5 p.m.- 10 p.m. you can stop over at the “Artoberfest” for a music festival and Beer Garden. “Artoberfest” will be held at The Barr Property on the corner of Limestone and Xenia Ave.
During “Artoberfest”, you can enter your favorite beer container in the “Finest Stein” contest to be judged by local artists and celebrities between 7 and 8 pm. Seasonal beers, wine and food will be available and live bands will perform. Brewing and other food and drink demonstrations are planned. Tickets are $10 in advance and $15 at the gate. Advanced tickets can be purchased online at www.yellow-springs-experience.org

On Saturday from 6:00-8:30 p.m. is another reception for an exhibit called “Emerging Visions: Antiochians Make Art” It’s at the Herndon Gallery, in South Hall at Antioch College. The show features paintings, prints, and works on paper and tile by 6 alumni artists.

As always, there is more going on, but I’ve run out of steam. Hope you get a chance to join the fun in Yellow Springs this weekend! If you meet up with me, (I’ll be the one in the black ball cap with Jafagirls written in hot pink across the front) say hi!

Third Fridays in Yellow Springs

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On Third Friday, there was a fiddler playing in the moonlight in the first garden of Alan Macbeth’s fantastical building on Xenia Avenue in Yellow Springs. On the side of the building is a beautiful, warm mural of an African woman and her child. To get to the Yellow Springs Arts Councils Gallery you pass under the swooping brick arch and enter by the fountain. There is another garden in the back with tables and chairs to sit and enjoy this enchanted, peace filled space.

The show I came to see was a whimsical combination of Sharon Mohler’s sculpted miniature stories in the round and Karen Russell’s colorful textile quilts and paper art. For a month beforehand Karen had been reporting on face book about how she just couldn’t stop herself making these gorgeous tiny paper boxes. It was amazing to see the final results when she put them together. Sharon’s tiny sculpted stories are heart warming; they are frozen moments from “three generations of memories.” She calls them Sharon’s Songs. On her web site she says: “Life has been a bumpy road for me, but it has never been dull. I am blessed with a good memory. I can remember things that happened when I was only two years old. So these works are called my “songs” because they are the ballads of my life.” Sharon once told me that in her home she has stacks of hatboxes everywhere, lovingly filled with these sculpted stories.
Sharon and Karen’s work will be up at the YSAC Gallery through October 31st
Since there are 2 artists they decided to have 2 receptions. So you have a second chance on October 15th, this coming up Third Friday to meet the artists and see their work.

On my way back to visit some of the other art receptions on Corry and Dayton Street, I was pulled in by the joyful live music cascading out the open doors at the Emporium. I stood on the sidewalk and watched the musicians laughing and jamming together with people of all ages dancing in the glow of the Emporium’s golden light. Right in front, two little bitty girls were gyrating like mad. The Emporium holds a wine tasting with live music every Friday night.

Across the street on Xenia Avenue, there were drums being played and Soul Fire Tribe, the fire dancers of Yellow Springs, were dancing and whirling fire sticks and hoops. I can’t just walk by when they are performing, I had to stop and join the crowd ooohing and ahing.

September was a perfect Third Friday Fling. But if you missed that one there is a very special one coming up October 15th. Two times a year, Yellow Springs puts on an art stroll. (I know that sounds confusing, the September Third Friday that I just described sounds like an art stroll. Third Fridays often have art receptions but usually not to the degree that Art Stroll Night is dedicated to them. There is added effort for all the businesses/galleries and restaurants in town to have new art, live music and great food. Plus many more people come out to see the art and chat with each other. It’s sort of the friendly super bowl of Art Strolls for Yellow Springs.) Traditionally all the spots with a reception that night have balloons out front.  Also traditionally Art Stroll is from 6-9 p.m. but it often goes on later.

This year Art Stroll is in memory of a beloved Yellow Springs artist who passed away this past year- Eddie Eckenrode. At Sam & Eddies Open Books, 232 Xenia Ave. (one of my favorite Yellow Springs’ shops for getting unusual cards and birthday presents,) there will be an Art Reception to celebrate Eddie’s new permanent collection, in the upstairs gallery. On display will be an amazing collection from and history of an Ohio artist’s life.

I’ve got to let you know right now that I am not going to cover all the places with receptions, new art up or wine tastings and live music for Art Stroll. I can’t, you’ll just have to come and discover them yourselves!

But I’ve got to tell you about 2 of the art receptions because I am completely biased about them.

The first one is at the Village Artisans at 100 Corry St. Village Artisans is a Co-Op of 20 local artists. I have happily been one of them for 6 years. We are oil, acrylic and water color painters, potters and wood turners, carvers and inlay artists. We work with stones, gourds and precious metals to make jewelry, ornaments, bowls and drums. We are calligraphers and philosophers, textile artists that quilt and embroider and sew and make fabric bowls and wall art. We work with cameras and computers and stained glass. We make books and author books. And pretty much everyone makes cards. (I sure hope I didn’t forget anyone!)
The Village Artisans is putting on the Dare 2B Square show for the month of October. All the art is 12”X12” and is being sold for $100.00 our reception is on (I bet you guessed it) Art Stroll, October 15th from 6-9 p.m. We have over 20 extra artists from this region that are being showcased and then there is the home crew from Village Artisans who are also well represented. And if I do say so myself it is a great show. Come talk to the artists and enjoy our wine and cheese and other goodies.

The other reception that I am totally biased about is at “would you, could you In A Frame” 113 Corry St. The “Stitch Gasp” show is going to be totally weird and totally wonderful. The artist is Corrine Bayraktaroglu aka Jafabrit, (and my Jafagirl art partner.) She has been on an artistic journey from oil paint to graffiti art to stitched art that is fascinating. At her reception on Art Stroll night you will get to see all the stages from art journals to paintings to glorious hand stitched art. Besides, you’ll get to hear the stories behind the art. Stories told in a delightful, non-reverent British way. It will be fun, I promise you.
Art Stroll in Yellow Springs, 6-9 p.m. October 15th- Be there or be square. (Where have I heard that before?)

Where’s the Art in Yellow Springs?

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photo by Corrine Bayraktaroglu

Sometimes visitors to Yellow Springs ask, “Where’s the Art?  I heard this was an art town but there aren’t rows of galleries like other art towns I’ve visited.”

Here’s my answer “the whole town is a gallery.”  Art is everywhere in Yellow Springs, you sit on it – the mosaic benches and the painted daisy benches.  You lean against it- the knit and felt covered benches.  You can touch it on the poles in the knit graffiti.

Visit the public restrooms in the Train Station and look up.  It’s a Loo with a view! Local artists started the Chamber Pot Gallery 4 years ago.

Walk behind Xenia Ave. in Keith’s Alley and see the ever-changing murals. You might catch an artist painting one.

You drive past murals and sculptures on Xenia Ave. and Dayton St. coming into town.

We sneak art in everywhere.  Going for a walk in the glen?  Stop in for a map in the Glen Helen Building and bingo! someone has hung a new art show in the atrium.

Hungry? Get a bite to eat at the Winds Café or the Sunrise Café and you are surrounded with a beautiful art show that changes every month.

Going to listen to the live band at the Wine Tasting at The Emporium?  Whose show is on the walls tonight?   Love the   Pizza at Ha Ha’s?  Check out this month’s featured artist.   On Corry St., Williams Eatery has a couple of regular artists who keep their walls filled with color and wonderful scenes of the Glen.

If you go to see an art film at The Little Art Theater there’s a visual art show hung in the lobby. That’s a double art whammy.

This past month, at the Corner Cone, you could get a scoop of ice cream and depending on the day listen to live music, watch the 10 Minute Play Festival or explore the Art Phone Booth.

Then there are the galleries- Herndon Gallery on the Antioch Campus, Would you, Could you In A Frame on Corry St., the Yellow Springs Arts Council Gallery on Xenia Ave and the new kid on the block- Art Happens in Kings Yard.   Plus there are 2 long established artist co-ops, Yellow Springs Pottery and the Village Artisans.   Or go see the John Bryan Community Pottery with its magnificent ceramic mural on one side and it’s painted penguins on the other side of the door.  It is right behind the John Bryan Building at 100 Dayton St..  Inside ceramic artists are working at the wheels and firing the kilns day and night.

Many Fridays, you can find free art pieces left around town by the Jafagirls.

O.K. there’s much  more but I think I will end with a challenge mystery.  Can you find these art pieces?  They are outside, in plain view, in downtown Yellow Springs.

photo by Corrine Bayraktaroglu

1. The Giant Nose- including nose hair

2. A Lion’s Head

3. A Vampire Bunny

4. The small, white Art Box that changes what’s inside from time to time.

5. The mural on a ceiling.

For useful links on upcoming art events visit the Yellow Springs Chamber of Commerce

A public art map is available at Yellow Springs Arts Blog