Fri 6/5
Cleveland gallerist Bill Busta announced in January that he would be retiring from the business this summer, ending his long and respected stint as an advocate, promoter and mentor for some of the area’s most exciting visual arts talent.
He opened his final set of shows on Fri 6/5, including photos by Lori Kella who sets up miniature scenes that she shoots; Mary Jo Boles’ diverse work including pieces based on prison plumbing; and unsettling ceramics by Kristen Cliffel.
Busta’s openings were always great events where people of all types and ages mingled to enjoy the challenging work of area artists — some just getting established, some older artists producing new bodies of work, often specifically with Busta’s encouragement. He also created marriages between artists, coming up with intriguing collaborations.
Busta says that after the current shows close at the end of July, he’s planning to spend more time checking out other things going on around town, something difficult to do when he was pinned down in the gallery.
In September, the gallery will reopen as the 2371 Prospect Gallery under the direction of siblings John and Lauren Davies. John is a businessman with deep roots in Cleveland’s cultural scene. Lauren has relocated to Cleveland after years in the San Francisco area where she earned a degree in sculpture and served as director of exhibitions and public programs at the Kala Art Institute in Berkeley.
More about the transition here.
View the PHOTOSTREAM here.