Visual Arts

May Exhibit

2009-05-05T13:39:00.003-04:00

“Lake Shore Artists Presents...”

On display May 2 - 30.

An opening reception will be held Friday, May 8 from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.

The Lake Shore Artists invite anyone interested in creative visual art to join them the second Friday of each month (except January and February) at the Arts Center. Following a 6:30 p.m. business meeting, demonstrations are held. Dues are $15 per year. Group members also get together at different times during the month to work on their individual projects and share each others company. For more information about joining the group contact Ramona Cotton at (440) 293-7888 or Cynthia Richards at (440) 993-5211.

June Exhibit

2009-05-04T13:45:00.000-04:00

“Accessible Expressions Ohio”
Spotlights the Work of
Artists with Disabilities

On display June 4 - 30

For more than 13 years, Accessible Expressions Ohio has been the only known statewide, adjudicated art exhibition and tour for persons with disabilities. With stops in Columbus, Dayton, Sandusky, Xenia and more, Accessible Expressions Ohio touches the lives of thousands of Ohioans every year with its message of disability awareness and the unique abilities in all of us.

Accessible Expressions is a program of VSA arts of Ohio, an organization dedicated to empowering people with disabilities, creatively and inclusively, through the arts. Since 1986, VSA arts of Ohio has provided opportunities for artists and audiences of diverse abilities to share their creativity through education, accessibility, professional development and outreach programs. VSAO is a member of the international network of BSA arts, an affiliate of The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

Stop in at the Arts Center through the month of June to see some of these wonderfully creative pieces! For more information about the exhibit or to learn more about VSA arts of Ohio , contact VSA arts of Ohio at (614) 241-5325 or visit their website at http://www.vsao.org/.

March 2009/Jeff Pitman

2009-03-06T08:59:00.001-05:00

Jeff Pitman began his photographic journey during his fifteenth summer on a quarterhorse ranch in central Ohio. Photography became a means of actively exploring the beauty of the land and the residue of man's attempts to subdue it. Questions abounded, such as "Who lived here?" and "What were they like?"

“I grew up pouring over ‘Life’ and ‘The National Geographic’ magazines. The images I found there drew me to lands far away from my Grandmother’s coffee table in her house on Blair Avenue. My world view began to enlarge. The world I found in those pages was a fascinating place filled with beauty and the dignity of man under the watchcare of God. All this from images! I never finished high school and was headed for trouble. But God used these images of exotic places and peoples to draw me out into the world.”

New skills were acquired along the way. Jeff was introduced to the photographic darkroom while serving in the US Army at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii.

“My first sergeant in Alabama taught me discipline and to work hard toward a goal. My wife’s family in Hawaii supplied an apprenticeship in how a Christian husband and father should love his family. The GED earned under orders from a Drill Sergeant in South Carolina opened the door to college and a degree in Engineering. God used the successes and defeats in Seattles’s rough-and-tumble aerospace industry to
further polish my sharp edges. And these days after our nest in Phoenix emptied, Becky and I share the pleasures of image-making to come back full circle to that which started it all.

Today Jeff and Becky, his wife of thirty years, make their home in Savannah Georgia and integrate image-making in their free time. They work as a team, sharing the beauty they find in the world to the glory of God. Eric Liddell once said, "...When I run I feel His pleasure. ...To win [a race] is to honor Him." Jeff and Becky seek to bring honor to God through capturing the beauty of creation and the dignity of man on film.

“I say these things to encourage young and old alike. Make art. Promote beauty. Bring distant people together. Give back. These are worthy measures of artistic success. We hope you enjoy this work. We thank you for your time and we thank Him for the beauty we see everywhere we go.”--Jeff Pitman

April 2009/Kiwanis Competion

2009-03-06T07:04:00.000-05:00

A favorite annual exhibit of Arts Center visitors, the Kiwanis Competition, for Ashtabula students in grades 7-12, was established over 20 years ago by the Ashtabula Kiwanis Club as a way to encourage and recognize outstanding achievement in the visual arts. Teachers are asked to submit the best of their students’ works. Entries are judged and scholarships are awarded which allow winners to register for a class of their choice at the Arts Center. The cost of the classes is paid for by a grant from the Kiwanis Club of Ashtabula. All entries will be displayed at the Arts Center throughout the month of April.

Over 300 scholarships have been awarded in the history of this competition. The benefits of this type of recognition program can be far-reaching. Many winners have gone on to receive scholarships to study art or a related field in college. All have had the benefit of having their excellence recognized and rewarded.

This exhibit is an annual favorite of Arts Center visitors. A common comment is "I had no idea we had so many talented students around here." View this exhibit in our gallery April 1 - 29. Admission is free.

January/February Exhibit

2008-12-16T10:46:00.001-05:00

“Mortal Images: Kindred Souls”

by Mike Wheeler

On display January 14 through February 26

An opening reception will be held Friday, January 16 from 7:00 - 8:30 p.m.

The word “icon” derives from the Greek word meaning “image.” While icons usually represent the divine, Mike Wheeler’s series “Mortal Icons” and “Mortal Images: Kindred Souls” use the form of the icon to express the images and convictions of every day people. These wooden tabernacles are done mostly in copper and brass using hammering techniques called ‘chasing’ and ‘repousse.’

“The mission and foundation of my art work,” says Wheeler, “is to be a voice for people whose voices go unheard by the many others around them who are reluctant to hear.”

Mike’s piece, “Maple Leaf” from his first “Mortal Icons” series, tells the story of a woman who is unhappily married to a man that she is not in love with. On prescription drugs to fight depression, she manages to find the strength and courage to stand on her own. Nevertheless, she still faces the nagging question of whether or not leaving her husband is the right thing to do in a downturned economy.

The icon’s leaf is a representation of the woman who has reached a fork in the road. Pushed upon rocks by the current, circumstances will push the leaf either to the left or to right. But which way? In the icon, the image of the praying mantis represents the woman’s husband waiting for its prey. The dragonfly represents the woman’s freedom to fly if she chooses. Mike’s second series “Mortal Images: Kindred Soul” is more serene and tranquil, representing unity, the common bond, one soul next to another. In the piece “Uriah,” an alignment of stones expresses how society shuns Uriah because of his piercings and tattoos. Although he is a kind and playful young man, no one sees him for who he is inside but judge him only by his outward appearance.

Mike’s exhibit will be on display in the Arts Center’s main gallery January 14 through February 26. An opening reception will be held on Friday, January 16 from 7 - 8:30 p.m.

Admission to the exhibit and reception is free. Stop in and see this unusual, beautiful and fascinating exhibit!

Gallery hours:
Mon. through Thurs. 9.- 8

Fri. and Sat. 9 - 4

The gallery is also open before all theater performances and during intermission.
Admission to the gallery is free.

October/November Art Exhibit

2008-10-06T12:27:00.002-04:00

October/NovemberExhibit

“Growing Season:
The Life of a Migrant Community”

by Gary Harwood & David Hassler

On display Oct. 7 - Nov. 24

An opening reception will be held

Thursday, Oct 23 from 6:30 - 7:30 p.m.

followed by a talk by the artist at 7:30 p.m.

The Ashtabula Arts Center, in collaboration with Kent State University Ashtabula, is presenting the documentary exhibit "Growing Season: The Life of a Migrant Community." The photos by Gary Harwood and text by David Hassler will be on display in the Art Center's main gallery through November 24.

Photographer Gary Harwood first began photographing the migrant workers at the K. W. Zellers and Son, Inc., family farm in Hartville, Ohio, during the summer of 2001 while on assignment for Kent State University. At the time, Kent State nursing and translation faculty and students, along with other organizations, were treating and working with the migrant workers and their families at the Hartville Migrant Community Center.

Harwood was so impressed and inspired by what he saw at the Migrant Center that he knew he wanted to make the migrant community his next project. Over the next four seasons, Harwood photographed the community of Mexican American and Mexican migrant families, capturing the unique lifestyle of this strong and caring community of families who travel back and forth each year between Ohio and their homes in the southern United States and Mexico. Of the approximately 130 agricultural migrant camps in Ohio, most provide housing only for single men. Zeller's is different in that they allow entire families to migrate, live and work together in the fields (once they are of age).

At the start of the project, Harwood says that he anticipated that he would be documenting hardship.

"Migrant workers continually face difficult conditions while trying to support themselves and their families," reads an excerpt from the website, http://www.growingseason.net/. "Farm work is physical, hot, and dirty. The days in the fields are long and exhausting. Growers can be brutal employers, and there is no shortage of documented cases of terrible living and working conditions.

"In Hartville, however, Gary found a different story. "Here the workers and their families live in a strong, tightly knit community supported by the Hartville Migrant Center and many caring neighbors."

Hartville's community provides a range of in-house health, education, and legal services that are not usually available to migrant workers anywhere in the country since there are few government regulations to support or offer aid to migrant workers. But the benefits that the community of Hartville sees from taking better care of their workers are many.

"About 70 percent of the workers return annually to this small northeastern Ohio town where they have established solid friendships and stable lives."

In 2004, Harwood teamed up with writer David Hassler to create the documentary project. "That spring, when the workers returned to the farm, David began interviewing the migrants as well as community members and volunteers at the Center. Working from the transcripts of his interviews, David wrote first-person narratives that speak with the voices of the people themselves."

'Growing Season' portrays the life of a community rich in social capital and gives voice in a new way to a group of people largely unseen and misunderstood. Our hope is that these portraits-in pictures and words-will deepen others' understanding of the migrant experience and perhaps offer an important contribution to the ongoing dialogue about migrant labor and immigration laws."

Harwood's and Hassler's "Growing Season" project was funded in part by the Ohio Arts Council. Copies of the book "Growing Season: A Life of a Migrant Community" may be purchased from Kent State University Press at http://upress.kent.edu/.

The Ashtabula Arts Center’s gallery is open Monday through Thursday from 9:00 a.m. – 8 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. The gallery is also open prior to G. B. Community Theatre performances and during intermission. Admission to the gallery is free.

September Exhibit

2008-09-04T12:08:00.002-04:00

September Exhibit
“Glenn Morisue...Abstractions”

On display Sept. 3 - Oct. 1.

In a departure from his usual style of photo-realistic paintings, Glenn will be showing a collection of recent abstract works. These works are in the expressionist tradition of artists like Jackson Pollock and William DeKooning.

A graduate of the Art Institute of Pittsburgh and the Cleveland Institute of Art, Glenn is a member of the American Society of Portrait Artists, the Pastel Society of America and the Meadville Council on the Arts.

Winning a national award for drawing, he was featured in American Artists Magazine and locally in the premiere issue of Shore Magazine.

Currently Morisue is listed in Who’s Who in American Art, Who’s Who in America and Who’s Who in the World. His gallery representation includes the Kada Gallery of Erie, Gallery One in Mentor and Art Review Today in Cleveland.

Gallery hours:

Mon. through Thurs. 9.- 8

Fri. 9 - 4 Sat. 9 - 12

The gallery is also open before all theatre performances and during intermission.

Admission to the gallery is free.

Stop in to see this wonderfully expressive artwork of a very successful local artist!

July Exhibit

2008-06-25T14:06:00.003-04:00

July Exhibit

“50 Years with

Grant Williams”

On display

July 2 - 29

An opening reception will be held
Fri., July 11 from 3:30 - 5:30 p.m.

Grant’s style has evolved since his early years at Cleveland Institute of Art and Kent State University. While working on his masters at Florida Atlantic University, he was required to produce a series of paintings. His work at that time was in abstract, scalloped shapes of color against a black background and silhouetted groups of people, completed with a paint knife. His scalloped paint knife shapes continued to evolve into a semi-abstract impressionist style through the 70’s and 80’s. He showed a brief interest in hard edge painting in the late 70’s. Subject matter in his work has changed with local and world events and new travel experiences. A trip to Europe in 1983 inspired several paintings and prints depicting Venice, Rome and the Austrian and Italian countrysides. A road trip to California inspired the beginning of a series of vast landscapes of canyons and colorful local events such as Native American festivals and Mardi Gras. A trip to the Dalmatian Islands of Croatia inspired an Ethnic phase with evidence of old world struggles in a series of paintings and prints of bomb scarred but tranquil architecture and scenery. Grant’s working media include sketches, paintings and printmaking, etchings and silkscreens. Stop in to see this remarkable show!

Gallery hours:
Mon, through Thurs. 9 a.m.-8 p.m.
Fri. and Sat. 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
The gallery is also open before all theatre performances and during intermission.
Admission to the gallery is free.

August Exhibit

2008-06-14T15:34:00.001-04:00

August Exhibit

“Through the Years with Duane and Dorothy Searl”

On display August 1 - 27

An opening reception will be held Friday, Aug. 15 from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.

Artists look at the world in their own way. Inside, they have a creative passion which causes them to express themselves in ways that enriches their own lives and the lives of others. Through art, an artist expresses his own emotions and shows the world how he views the world around him.

Local artists, Duane and Dorothy Searl had a lifelong love of art. Before his death, Duane was a well-known local artist and was chairman of The Lake Shore Artists Association. He was an Ashtabula Arts Center Trustee and a member of the exhibit committee. Duane was also a member of the national Wood Carvers Association and served on the Board of Trustees of the Ashtabula County Arts Council.

Also a member of Lake Shore Artists, Dorothy, who recently celebrated her 90th birthday, began painting with watercolors while attending classes in Ashtabula and Hutchinson Island, Florida. In addition to her paintings, she created note cards from her collection of prints.

The collection on exhibit is a selection of the many works this long-married couple completed throughout their years together. The exhibit will include watercolors, wood carvings and oil paintings. Don’t miss this interesting look at life through the eyes of two talented long-time, local artists.

Gallery hours:

Mon, through Thurs. 9 a.m.-8 p.m.

Fri. and Sat. 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.

The gallery is also open before all theatre performances and during intermission. Admission to the gallery is free.

June Exhibit

2008-04-24T14:49:00.003-04:00

“Our Backyard” by Dee Riley

On display June 3 - 29.
An opening reception will be held
Friday, June 6 from 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.

Dee Riley started out as a watercolor artist because she couldn’t afford to buy a camera. When the financial picture improved and she finally bought that longed for camera, she found the world of film and the darkroom fascinating.

“I took photography courses at Lakeland Community College for an Arts degree with a concentration in photography. Now with the digital age, I have run full course with combining my art with the camera image. With the opening of Riley Photography, I enjoy working with people to create wedding, senior and family photos that I hope bring joy and memories for future generations.”

Dee has won numerous awards including the international KINSA award and competitions sponsored by “Life on Lake Erie” for three years in a row, Family Affair, Chardon Maple Sugar Festival and the Geneva Grape Jamboree. Her work has been exhibited at numerous libraries, hospitals and banks.

She is a member of the Geneva Camera Club, WRPS (Western Reserve Photographic Society) and NEO Shoots, a professional group of Ohio shooters located around the suburbs of Cleveland.

“I also enjoy being a stringer for the Gazette and writing and photographing for Pennsylvania Magazine. For me, photography is a fascinating, creative and satisfying experience and brings
fulfillment to life.”

Gallery hours:

Mon, through Thurs. 9 a.m.-8 p.m.

Fri. and Sat. 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.

The gallery is also open before all theatre performances and during intermission.

Admission to the gallery is free.

May Exhibit

2008-04-24T14:46:00.002-04:00

“Presenting Lake Shore Artists”

On display May 3 - 30.

An opening reception will be held Fri.,May 9, 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.

The Lake Shore Artists are a non-profit organization that culitvates the visual arts through education, exhibitions, demonstrations, critique sessions and painting outings. The group started in November of 1973 as the Professional Artist of Ashtabula County. As membership grew, the direction of the organization was changed. Membership was opened to professionals, amateurs and anyone interested in the arts. In 1975, the name was changed to the Lake Shore Artists of Ashtabula County.

The Lake Shore Artists invite anyone interested in creative visual art to join them the second Friday of each month (except January and February) at the Arts Center. Following a 6:30 p.m. business meeting, demonstrations are held. Dues are $15 per year. Group members also get together at different times during the month to work on their individual projects and share each others company. For more information about joining the group contact Ramona Cotton at (440) 293-7888 or Cynthia Richards at (440) 993-5211.

Gallery hours:
Mon, through Thurs. 9 a.m.-8 p.m.
Fri. and Sat. 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
The gallery is also open before all
theatre performances and during intermission.
Admission to the gallery is free.

April Exhibit

2008-04-11T12:06:00.000-04:00

“Kiwanis Club Competition”

On display April 2 - 29.

An opening reception will be held Thursday, April 3 from 6-7 p.m.

A favorite annual exhibit of Arts Center visitors, the Kiwanis Competition, for Ashtabula students in grades 7-12, was established over 20 years ago by the Ashtabula Kiwanis Club as a way to encourage and recognize outstanding achievement in the visual arts. Area teachers are asked to submit the best of their student’s work. Entries are judged and scholarships are awarded which allow winners to register for a class of their choice at the Arts Center. The cost of the classes is paid for by a grant from the Kiwanis Club of Ashtabula. All entries are displayed at the Arts Center.

Over 300 scholarships have been awarded in the history of this competition. The benefits of this type of recognition program can be far-reaching. Many winners have gone on to receive scholarships to study art or a related field in college. All have had the benefit of having their excellence recognized and rewarded. This exhibit is an annual favorite of Arts Center visitors. A common comment is "I had no idea we had so many talented students around here." View this exhibit in our gallery April 2 - 29. Admission is free.

Gallery hours: Mon, through Thurs. 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Fri. and Sat. 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. The gallery is also open before all G. B. Community Theatre performances and during intermission.

Admission to the gallery is free.

Congratulations to our 2008 Kiwanis Competition Winners!

From Lakeside High School: Connor Dickey, Christine Misinec, Carli Hatfield, Angela DeGeorge and Cameron McClain.

From Lakeside Junior High School: Jordan Manning and Naomi Griggs.

From Wallace H. Braden Junior High: Clayton Ketola.

From Saints John & Paul: Brittany DiMare, Jessica Laurello, Melanie Romano and Taylor Dietz.

From Edgewood Senior High School:Zach Adkins, Caitlin Ashbrook, Courtney Yopp and Savannah Justice.

March Exhibit

2008-03-11T12:12:00.002-04:00

“Wood Workings”
by Brad Stevenson

On display March 5 - 31.
An opening reception will be held Fri.,March 7, 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.

“Wood has been central to civilization for tens of thousands of years. It has provided our shelter, our weapons, our tools and our toys. Even more today, in a world of steel, cement, and plastics, the sight and touch of wood connects us with the souls of our ancestors. We cannot truly live without it. “Since my childhood, I have been in awe of wood's many colors, grains, and characters. With such a powerful medium, my need as an artist is to combine the raw beauty of nature with the skilled craftsmanship learned by generations of wood workers before me. Based on traditional designs, my pieces seem familiar, yet fresh; common, yet unique. For my art to succeed, it must forge a link between nature and mankind as well as a bridge from the past into the future.” --Brad Stevenson

January Exhibit

2007-12-11T12:21:00.000-05:00

“On My Bicycle” by Stjepan Erdeg

On display Jan. 4 - 29

Meet the artist at an opening reception on Fri., Jan. 11 from 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.

Stjepan was born in Ivanovac, Croatia in 1953. He spent his early years in the village of Cepin and the city of Osijek and in these early days showed artistic talent. For years he worked in the sign industry and in the restoration of antique buildings and their contents providing him with added experience. In 1984, he emigrated to the United States and currently lives in Madison. Stjepan has been actively painting for more than 30 years, using mostly watercolor, acrylic and oil. For the past 15 years, he has been painting large scale pieces based on various historical, religious and mystical stories harmoniously connected with thousands of squares and messages written in approximately 40 languages.

The “On My Bicycle” series exhibited at his Arts Center are filled with marvelous detail. The series represents Stjepan’s views of wonder, love and opinions of the real world, “looked at with one eye closed through the window of modern society.” Samples of these beautiful works can also be seen at www.susaartstudio.com.

Gallery hours: Mon, through Thurs. 9 a.m.-8 p.m.

Friday and Saturday 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.

The gallery is also open before all G. B. Community Theatre performances and during intermission. Admission to the gallery is free.

February Exhibit

2007-12-10T12:32:00.000-05:00

“Sunrise Sojourn”

by Dennis Kortyka

On display Feb. 1 - March 2

Meet the artist at an opening reception on Fri., Feb. 8 from 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.

To celebrate his sixth decade, Dennis’ family took him to see the Monet in Normandy exhibit at the Cleveland Museum of Art. This proved to be the inspiration for his 128 day sojourn into sunrise photography. With rolls of film and photography equipment, Dennis began his project at North Kingsville Sunset Park on April 7, 2007 at 5:30 a.m. Each morning Dennis arrived at the park at least one hour before sunrise where he set up his tripod on a small spit of land next to a tree near the point. Each dawn brought new colors, cloud formations, light effects and various lake conditions. Visiting the same spot every morning gave him time and solitude for introspection and to observe his surroundings. Over the weeks, muckleheads threatened his sanity, fishermen stopped by to chat and check out lake conditions, and a few early risers came to watch the sunrise.

“Deer and their fawns were most prevalent. Up to four great blue herons arrived on various mornings. Turkey vultures soared in the air currents. A single bat showed up to feast on muckleheads. Woodpeckers tapped out Morse Code while searching for breakfast. One morning, he was startled by the sound of breaking branches in the woods and remembered recent reports of black bears. “Suddenly two big coyotes ran out of the woods and along the fence just 25 feet away! I was surprised and was thinking I would never see that again. Just a few minutes later, a third ran out and followed after the first two. It was an experience that will stay with me forever.”

The 45 photographs in this show represent the differences in color and conditions during the sunrise project. Be sure to stop by the Arts Center to see these marvelous works of art!

Holiday Kids Day Out!

2007-11-07T11:55:00.000-05:00

It’s a “Hands-On Christmas” Kids Day Out!

Friday, Dec. 21st 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.

For kids in grades 1 - 6

$30 per child or $27 member rate

Pre-registration and prepayment required.

Register early! (440) 964-3396

Let the Arts Center keep those little hands busy for a few hours while they are out of school and you do some last minute shopping. Working with a large variety of materials and techniques to keep everyone interested and engaged, we will make Christmas decorations, cards, gifts and treats. Kids will come home with some special things to share with family and friends. Of course, we will take a break for singing silly Christmas carols and a visit from Santa! Pack a lunch and wear your old clothes!

In Our Gallery--October/November

2007-10-05T14:15:00.000-04:00

Contemporary Chinese Prints

from the Meili Collection

On display Oct. 1 - Nov. 25.

An opening reception will be held Oct. 5

from 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.

and will include a short talk by Hal Retzler.

Mary Retzler was an exchange student at Fudan University in Shanghai for two years in the early 1980’s. In the course of six visits to China, Mary and her parents, Joanna and Hal Retzler, have collected over two hundred paintings and prints, many of which will be on display in this fabulous exhibit. The shows name, “the Meili Collection” is derived from the Chines name “Meili” given to Mary while attending Fudan University. For centuries starting in the Tang Dynasty, printing was used to preserve and disseminate great Chinese paintings. In the social upheavals of the 20th century, the emphasis changed from reproducing traditional painting to the production of prints of great force and realism to be used to promote social changes. In recent years, with the opening of China to outsiders and the loosening of Communist Party controls, print artists have become more free to experiment. Don’t miss this wonderful collection!

Gallery hours:

Mon, through Thurs. 9 a.m.-8 p.m.

Friday and Saturday 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.

The gallery is also open before all G. B. Community Theatre performances and during intermission. Admission to the gallery is free.

2007-10-04T14:35:00.000-04:00

In Our Gallery--August/September

2007-08-27T10:40:00.000-04:00

“R. Jacob Sposito”

On display August 1 - September 30.

An opening reception will be held Friday, August 3

from 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.

If you want to make art, just make it. True artistic activity is found at the place where technique and intuition merge. Technique is mastered when you no longer have to think about what gets done; you just do it. Intuition is best found when you remove your thinking self and merge with the project at hand. When true work is being produced, there is no you, no me, no laundry list, no chores…just a brush, paint, a surface, and choices. The trick is to remain open to any possibility. When you are truly open, your work will be also. It will be accessible and others will be able to relate to it, making it truly universal. That is true communication. So when you work at artistic endeavors, forget yourself; forget concept, forget politics, forget schools, forget opinion, and be open. A beautiful image has no limitations because it encompasses everything. Everything near such an image is enhanced, connected and relevant,including the viewer. Wordless, effortless communication is oneness. It allows us to transcend our confusions as individuals and helps us peer into the never-ending depth of consciousness.--R. Jacob Sposito

R. Jacob Sposito has a BFA from The New York State School of Ceramics, Art, and Design, at Alfred University, Alfred, NY. He was Museum Technician, exhibitor, and preparator at the Rhode Island School of Design for three years. He currently owns the Harbor Perk Coffeehouse, on Bridge Street in Ashtabula.

Gallery hours:
Mon, through Thurs. 9 a.m.-8 p.m.
Friday and Saturday 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
The gallery is also open before all G. B. Community Theatre performances and during intermission. Admission to the gallery is free.

In Our Gallery--July

2007-06-22T10:38:00.000-04:00

“FinnFest USA 2007”

On display July 6 - 28.

An opening reception will be held Friday, July 13

from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.

Approximately 20 artists of Finnish background will display their art work at the Ashtabula Art Center. There will be many different mediums represented at the show. Of special interest will be several paintings by Mamie Collander, donated to the Finnish Center by her grandson. Also some of the paintings by Ray Koski will be on display as well as works by Chuck Altonen, Leroy Hurst and Martha Chapman, all familiar names in this area. The art show is a part of the FinnFest which will be held on the Kent Ashtabula Campus, July 26, 27 and 28. There will be a large marketplace, music, lectures, movies,and continuous entertainment on the outdoor stage. Opening exercises will be held at 3:00 on Thursday, July 26. A choir coming from Finland will perform on Thursday evening at Lakeside High School as well as a full symphony concert on Friday evening also at Lakeside High School. There will be dances at the Elks' Club across from the campus and also at the Conneaut Community Center each evening. The festival will end with a beach party at Lake Shore park with a variety of foods available. Music and door prizes will be a part of the party.

Full registration for FinnFest at Kent State University is $50.00 or $10.00 per day with additional costs for tickets for various performances.

Check out the website http://www.finnfestusa2007.com/ and click on “mail in registration" for a complete listing of programs and ticket costs.

Our May Exhibit--Lake Shore Artists

2007-05-15T14:14:00.000-04:00

On display May 3 - 31.

An opening reception will be held Friday, May 4

from 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.

The Lake Shore Artists started in November of 1973 as the Professional Artist of Ashtabula County. As membership grew, the direction of the organization was changed. Membership was opened to professionals, amateurs and anyone interested in the arts. In 1975, the name was changed to the Lake Shore Artists of Ashtabula County.

The Lake Shore Artists invite anyone interested in creative visual art to join them the second Friday of each month (except January and February) at the Arts Center. Following a 6:30 p.m. business meeting demonstrations are held. Dues are $15 per year. Visitors are welcome. For more information contact Jan Bidlack at 466-3448.

Our June Exhibit--Kevin White

2007-05-15T14:12:00.000-04:00

On display June 5 - 29.

An opening reception will be held Friday, June 8

from 6:30 - 8:00 p.m.

Kevin White suffered a spinal cord injury as the victim of a drunk driver. The accident left him a quadriplegic, dependent on a wheelchair and with very limited use of his hands. Kevin had attended art school prior to his accident with the intention of working toward a career in art. With encouragement and support from SIL staff (Services for Independent Living, a United Way partner agency) Kevin began to pursue his dream.

With the use of a personal computer, Kevin designs and creates his art with special equipment that coordinates the computer cursor with his head movement. When SIL encouraged Kevin to sell his art at their annual disability fair, he sold seven pieces. He recently displayed his work at the Willoughby Artsfest where he sold 5 pieces. Kevin continues to set new goals as an artist and his dream is to one day have a piece of his art in a museum.

Kevin resides at Broadfield Manor Nursing & Convalescent Home in Madison. Visit his web page at www.donsphotos.com/kevinwhite/

Kiwanis Competition

2007-03-19T14:29:00.000-04:00

Kiwanis Club Competition Winners

will be on display April 3 - 30.

An opening reception will be held

Thursday, April 5 from 6-7 p.m.

The Kiwanis Competition was established over 20 years ago by the Ashtabula Kiwanis Club as a way to encourage and recognize outstanding achievement in the visual arts. The competition is open to students in the 8th - 12th grades in the Ashtabula Area. Teachers from the Ashtabula Area Schools, Saints John and Paul and the Buckeye schools are asked to collect the best of their students work and submit it to the competition. Entries are judged and 16 scholarships are awarded each year. These scholarships allow the winners to register for a class of their choice at the Arts Center. The cost of the classes is paid for by a grant from the Kiwanis Club of Ashtabula. All entries submitted to the competition are displayed at the Arts Center.

Over 300 scholarships have been awarded in the history of this competition. The benefits of this type of recognition program can be far-reaching. Many winners have gone on to receive scholarships to study art or a related field in college. All have had the benefit of having their excellence recognized and rewarded.

This exhibit is an annual favorite of Arts Center visitors. A common comment is "I had no idea we had so many talented students around here." View this exhibit in our gallery April 3-30 . Admission is free.

Coming in May....

2007-03-15T08:37:00.000-04:00

The Lake Shore Artists will be on display in our gallery May2 - 31.

An opening reception will be held on May 4th.

Watch for further details...

In our gallery...

2006-12-18T12:47:00.000-05:00

In our gallery....

Art by Women: Selections from the Corporate Collection

of A. G. Edwards & Sons, Inc.

On display January 24 through the end of March.

An opening reception will be held Wednesday, January 24 from 5 - 8 p.m.

Admission is free.

Gallery hours: Mon. through Thurs. 9 a.m.- 8 p.m. Fri. and Sat. 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.Exhibits can also be viewed before G. B. Community Theatre performances and during intermissions.Admission to the gallery is free.

Spanning more than 200 years and featuring more than 4000 works by noted American and European artists, the A. G. Edwards & Sons, Inc. Corporate Art Collection was created in 1967. Lithographs, engravings, woodcuts, serigraphs, gelatin silver and platinum prints as well as mixed media, are all included in the collection.

Portions of the collection have traveled and been displayed throughout the country. They are loaned by A. G. Edwards for two or three months free of charge, most often to small museums that lack the resources to display expensive special exhibits but which are nonetheless, important cultural centers to their community.

Branch offices of A. G. Edwards cover the bulk of the cost, bringing to their local citizens the opportunity to enjoy an exhibit that they would otherwise never see.

The Ashtabula Arts Center is excited to be hosting one of these special exhibits beginning January 24 and running through the end of March. This is the second time the Arts Center has hosted an A. G. Edwards exhibit. In order to bring the exhibit to the Arts Center, Visual Arts Coordinator Meeghan Humphrey worked directly with James Mayer of A. G. Edward’s Ashtabula office. Mr. Mayer also hopes to work with the Arts Center on future projects. Entitled “Art by Women: Selections from the Corporate Collection of A. G. Edwards & Sons, the exhibit is being funded through the generosity of the Ashtabula Arts Center Foundation and the Ashtabula branch of A. G. Edwards at 145 W. 46th St. in Ashtabula.

The Arts Center exhibit will include 24 works including:

“Grand Central” by American artist Gayle A. Foster, 1930-40. As a street photographer, Foster used a view camera and natural light to capture this dramatic image of one of New York’s grandest public spaces, the great hall of Grand Central Terminal.

“Rounding a Bend on the Mississippi--The Parting Salute” by American artist Frances Flora Bond Palmer, 1866. This lithograph with hand-coloring tells a story of steamships carrying cargo and passengers up and down the length of America’s great waterway.

Also included will be: “Wimbledon by Underground” by Sybil Andrews and Cyril Power, 1933; “Noodermarkt, Amsterdam” by Eva Sesnyo, 1952; “Reply to Stanley Hayter” by Louise Bourgeois, 1997; and many, many more.

We hope you will all come out to see this very special exhibit!