By Josh Usmani
This week, there are various art-related events all over town – including opening receptions for new art exhibitions. From Kirtland to Gordon Square and from Downtown Cleveland to Akron, there are so many great events that picking any one would be an injustice to the rest.
This Thursday, admission to the Akron Art Museum is FREE! They will have Story Time in the Galleries, featuring picture books inspired by the works on view, for young visitors at 11:15am.
Later, Lakeland Community College in Kirtland will host an opening reception their Visual Arts Faculty Exhibition from 7-9pm. The reception will feature a musical performance by the FAC-PAC – Dr. Bob Brown, piano; Dave Sterner, tenor saxophone; Dr. Stephen Stanziano, bass; Larry Smith, drums. This eclectic show includes drawing, painting, sculpture, ceramics, photography, jewelry/metals, textile design, mixed media and graphic arts.
Out in Tremont, the Rust Belt Monster Collective will host their monthly Drink-n-Draw at Lava Lounge. Anyone is welcome to bring a sketchbook and enjoy this creative environment. There is no model, theme or direction – just an opportunity to sketch, socialize and have a delicious beverage. RBMC have recently done live paintings at IngenuityFest and the Cleveland Museum of Art’s Mix: Underneath. They recently expanded their monthly Drink-n-Draws to include an event at Great Lakes Brewing Company on the first Wednesday of each month as well.
Friday is packed with art events. Start it all at 12:15pm, with Cleveland Institute of Art’s weekly Lunch on Friday series. This week, 2011 CIA grad Nick Fenell discusses his work as a multidisciplinary artist and curator. Fenell graduated with a degree in painting, but performance and interaction with the public are critical to his work. He has also been working with The Sculpture Center as an intern and curator since May 2011. Fenell is a 2013 Jewish Arts and Culture Lab Fellow. His work has been exhibited at the Mandel Jewish Community Center in Beachwood and Ursuline College’s Wasmer Gallery.
At 6pm Friday evening, The Galleries at Cleveland State University will host poetry readings in collaboration with CSU’s Poetry Center. Rebecca Hazelton will read selections from her book, Vow, a Small Press Distributor 2013 bestseller. Wendy Xu will read from You Are Not Dead, named an Indie Lit Classic by Vouched Books. Both works, published by Cleveland State University Poetry Center, were finalists for their national competition in 2012. Following the reading, audience members are encouraged to participate in an interactive poetry project (TBD). Light refreshments and appetizers will be served. Come out to meet the authors and get your books signed. While you’re there be sure to check out Analong Immigration, the conceptual installation by Polish artist-in-residence Przemyslaw Jasielski and Two Minds…One Canvas, collaborative paintings by New York-based artist Jo Gelbard and Jazz icon Miles Davis.
Just a few blocks away, William Busta Gallery is hosting an opening reception for Mark Howard’s paintings, new work from Barbara Polster and Jerry Birchfield’s photographs and drawings.
Further east of Downtown, the Artists Archives of the Western Reserve hosts an opening reception for their 2013 Holiday Members Show. Each of the 100+ member artists were allowed to submit two works. The exhibition shows the diversity in the local art community.
The Cleveland Museum of Art hosts a conversation between artist Dario Robleto and curator Cory Korkow discussing Robleto’s work in context with Korkow’s current exhibit Disembodied: Portrait Miniatures and their Contemporary Relatives. Guests will be able to ask questions and discuss your reactions to the exhibition — which features the museum’s entire 150+ portrait miniature collection displayed in its entirety for the first time ever. Tickets to the talk are $15 general admission and $10 for CMA members. Students are free with ID in-person only.
Out in Lakewood, The Beck Center will open their 2013 Holiday Art Show on Friday.
Just a few miles down Detroit Avenue, Gordon Square’s 1Point618 Gallery will host an opening from 7-10pm for new works by Amber Kempthorn and Sarah Kabot. Both artists are interested in books, ephemera and overlooked artifacts. While their process and materials are similar, they approach similar content differently. This 2-person exhibition explores the complexities of memory, memorials and preserving the forgotten evidence of human lives through sculpture, drawing and collage.
Thursday, Friday and Saturday, MOCA teams up with Dobama Theatre to present special performances of Cock by English playwright Mike Bartlett:
When John takes a break from his boyfriend, he accidentally meets the girl of his dreams. Filled with guilt, confusion, and indecision, he decides there is only one way to straighten things out. Stripping drama down to its essential language only, Bartlett’s punchy drama takes a playful, candid look at sexuality and the difficulties that arise when you realize you may have a choice of who you love.
The play is directed by Corey Atkins, Associate Producer at the Cleveland Play House, and features Andrew Gombas, Bob Keefe, Lara Knox, and Drew Kopas. Thursday’s performance begins at 7:30; Friday and Saturday’s performances begin at 8pm. Tickets to all performances are $30 general admission and $25 for MOCA members.
All events are FREE and open to the public unless otherwise noted. No reason to stay home this weekend.
Josh Usmani is a 27 year old local artist, curator and writer. Since 2008, his work has been featured in over 50 local and regional exhibitions.
Lakeland Community College, Kirtland, OH 44094
Cleveland, OH 44113
Akron, OH 44308
Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106
Cleveland, OH 44106
Cleveland, OH 44102
Cleveland, OH 44115
Cleveland, OH 44115
Cleveland, OH 44106
Lakewood, OH 44107
Cleveland, OH 44106