May 2022

This has been a busy month! I think the count for this spring is 5 shows and at least 40 pieces on the wall at different galleries in the area.  I also got to finally show off my curatorial debut at the Massillon Museums' Silk Room gallery.

Threads moving Backward and Forward

This show has been a goal of mine for a while now. I am always looking for ways to show off the talents of Ohio textile and fiber artists.  This show featuring the talents of Katie Mongroven, Malcolm Dakar!, Benedict Scheuer, and Jo Westfall was on display in conjunction with “the big read”. I was so happy to work with these artists, and the museum staff.

Unnatural Fibers

This show finally happening after 2 years of planning and emailing was so amazing.  I love that I was able to have my pieces on the wall with my weaving and fiber friends. It was important to me to have a show of people who are artists, but also educators and arts advocates in the area.  The show contains pieces from myself, Trey D. Ghering, Allison Smith, Erin Miller, and Priscilla Roggenkamp.  We are all different in our practice, which spans weaving, quilting and felt-making, but  I think we all have a similar aesthetic to make things that are finished and clean, which is what I liked about all the pieces.  Even though they contain many colors and textures, they all have that tension of being existing inside a form. Even Priscilla’s “dress” sculptures have that hard edge that the work doesn’t go beyond.  After the stress of hanging this first show, I really enjoyed the interplay of the pieces that were put together in groups or pairs.  We recently did an “artist talk” event, and while it was not well attended, it was really great to see the other artists (some of who I have not talked to for 10 years!).  We shared yarn and fabric samples and were able to catch up.  This show will be on view at Summit Artspace until June 25th.

Strauss Studios

At last, it was time for my solo/ separate-but-duo show in downtown Canton! Strauss Studios was so welcoming and accommodating with all my work and so amazing with everything.  All I had to do was drop things off!  They hung all my pieces so well that I almost want to hire them to hang any future shows I have.  The opening event was amazing with appetizers, special drinks, and lots of friends. Special thanks to my new favorite accountant/bartender Yvonne who made everyone feel welcome in the 2nd floor gallery space.  This was such a nice way to have my work from the past 3 years up on the wall for the first time in context with some other “legacy” pieces. Next first Friday, be sure to check them out!  This show will close on May 26th.

In addition to these shows, I was asked to hang my work at Troppus Projects in Kent, Ohio for the “A/New” show, and at Gallery 202 in Cleveland, Ohio for their “3rd Period Art” show.  Should I be “offer only” from now on? Not sure, but I’ll be thinking about that as I continue to fill out calls for art this June.  I also only have 4 student days of school left.  Please keep me in your thoughts!

Thanks for reading, and tune in next moth for updates about things coming up in Cleveland and Pittsburgh.