Fri 7/11 – Sat 7/12
Some weekends in Cleveland, it’s very difficult to attend all the great art events in the area. This weekend is a perfect example. To help you navigate your way to as many of these exciting events as possible, we’ve compiled this list of the weekend’s best events.
Due to July’s First Friday falling on Independence Day, The Maria Neil Art Project will be hosting the opening reception for their latest exhibition this Friday evening. Convergence/Divergence features the work of husband and wife creative collaborators Laila Voss and Bruce Edwards. The works include Voss’ sculptures, Edwards’ prints and a collaborative book – inspired by one of the many gifts they’ve collaborated on over the years for friends and family. The exhibition will also feature a video documenting their collaborations.
Zygote Press also hosts a very unique two-person exhibition. The Rasmuson Exchange Exhibition features the work of Alaskan artist Jimmie Riordan and Cleveland artist Melissa Daubert. Riordan will be exhibiting work related to his current residence at Zygote Press – specifically his translation of Le Roman du Lievre. Daubert’s work was inspired during her residency at the Brunnell Street Art Center in Homer, Alaska (Zygote’s residency sister-city in Alaska). Daubert was inspired during her residency by the culture of the Dena’ina of South Central Alaska.
BAYarts will host opening receptions for two exhibitions on Friday evening. Old Friends is an exhibition of 20 professional illustrators pay tribute to their most beloved children’s books. The show is curated by The Rust Belt Monster Collective’s own Erin Schectman and includes (in no particular order) Jim Giar, Ben Hale, Erin Schechtman, Tim Switalski, Robin Krantz, Dee Piotrowski, Craig Worrell, Randy Crider, Rebecca Zomchek, Angela Oster, Clare Kolat, Steve Ellis, Gary Dumm, Laura Dumm, Steve Defino, Rachelle Boyd, Ashley Ribblett, Emily Meluch, Mark Laubenthal and more.
BAYarts’ Sullivan Family Gallery will showcase New Works by Cleveland-based painter Martin O’Connor. O’Connor’s photorealistic paintings are masterful. He graduated with a BFA in Painting from Cleveland Institute of Art in 1998, and has been teaching classes and workshops for over 20 years. He currently teaches at BAYarts and maintains a studio at Lakewood’s Screw Factory.
It’s the second Friday of July, so you can end your evening scavenging for art around Tremont.
The fun continues Saturday with the 5th Annual Lakewood Summer Meltdown. This full day event includes over 40 family-friendly activities, yoga, dancing, healthy food and exercise demonstrations, games, food trucks, a sprinkler park, kids 1-mile fun run, Meltdown 5k and an after party featuring music from the Burning River Ramblers.
Just blocks away, on the corner of Madison and Cordova, Breakneck gallery hosts an opening reception for Cousins. This four-person exhibition features the work of Jeff Hulligan, Deb Perry, Kathleen Sonnhalter and Kevin Strang. This is the first time these cousins have exhibited their work together. Their creative backgrounds include architecture, photography, precious metals jewelry, graphic design, illustration, abstract painting and sculpture.
Be sure to stop by MOCA Cleveland to Get With The Action! with a community printmaking day. Inspired by the work of Corita Kent – whose work is currently on display in a 200+ piece retrospective in the main gallery – guests can use a variety of printmaking techniques to make uplifting and positive posters that will be prominently displayed at next month’s Gay Games. This event free and open to participants of all ages and skill levels.
End your Saturday evening with a mini roadtrip down to Downtown Cuyahoga Falls for the opening reception of Tiltcycle: A Pinball Machine Revival. Tiltcycle is an exhibition of upcycled work created by Ohio-native Dan Burfield using repurposed pinball machine art and mechanical parts.
Amy Mothersbaugh, owner of Studio 2091, explains, “Much of the work includes lighting in a variety of forms. There is a cocktail table which lights up interactively by pressing arcade buttons to illuminate additional sections of a vintage pinball backbox glass. A disco-themed martini bar cabinet has a disco ball that projects fractals of light. There’s also a Twilight Zone pinball machine TV complete with LCD monitor that streams old Twilight Zone episodes. There is a collection of mini-pinball machines in tin and various mixed media. Each one is named and given a backstory as to their creation.”
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.
Cleveland, OH 44110
Cleveland, OH 44114
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Cleveland, OH 44106
Cuyahoga Falls, OH 44221