Featured solo exhibitions include local artists Matt Miller and Sylvia Sykes
Akron, OHIO (March 12, 2024) — Five exhibitions open at Summit Artspace on Friday, April 5 from 5-8 p.m. Spring Exhibitions will be on view Fridays 12 p.m.-7 p.m. and Saturdays 11 a.m.-5 p.m. through June 15.
Summit Artspace’s Spring Exhibitions Opening Night will showcase a diverse group of local artists in five galleries throughout all three floors of the historic Akron building. The event provides an opportunity to meet exhibiting artists, hear their stories, and engage with the community.
The Artists of Rubber City Juried Exhibition awards will be announced in the Forum Gallery at 6 p.m.
“Themes of growth, resilience, and the shared human experience within our community take center stage in our upcoming spring exhibition season,” notes Summit Artspace’s Director of Artist Resources, Natalie Grieshammer Patrick. “Artworks in the solo exhibitions explore how individuals, especially those in marginalized communities, have been shaped and transformed by adversity. Our StarBurst high school senior exhibition embodies the potential for growth in young artists, while group exhibitions spotlight terrific work from established local artist groups.”
Betty and Howard Taylor Main Gallery
Happiness & The End of the World | Matt Miller
An exhibition of new works by Akron artist Matt Miller seeks to balance the positives and negatives inherent in human experience. Paintings and multimedia works explore themes of life, death, love, loss, and growth. The vibrant pop and psychedelic aesthetic in Miller’s work is grounded by his fascination for nature, mythology, and folklore.
Welcome Gallery & Hallways *Exhibition closes early on May 18
StarBurst | Regional Juried High School Exhibition
Highschool Night: April 12, 5 – 7 p.m. | Awards Announcement at 6 p.m.
Summit Artspace celebrates local high school artists with an annual, county-wide juried exhibition for seniors. StarBurst invites art departments from schools across Summit County to showcase artwork by high-school seniors in any visual media. This year’s jurors are local artists Dara Harper, Owner of Art Only Boutique and co-founder of Akron Black Artist Guild, and Drew Ippoliti, Associate Professor of Instruction and Coordinator of Ceramics at The University of Akron Myers School of Art.
Intersections Gallery
Medina County Art League Exhibition | Group Exhibition
This exhibition of artwork from Medina County Art League members features a span of media and subjects from artists working at all points in their careers. The group is excited to show work outside of Medina County, as many of the League’s members reside across Northeast Ohio.
Forum Gallery
Artists of Rubber City Juried Exhibition | Group Exhibition | Awards Announcement at 6 p.m.
Artists of Rubber City hosts its traditional juried show of adult artists from Summit and neighboring counties. The show is juried by Adriana Caso, Director and Founder of Door 2 Art Studio in Hudson, Ohio. The exhibition represents current work by many of the region’s most talented artists.
Horizon Gallery
The Aunties | Sylvia Sykes | 2024 BIPOC+ Exhibition Recipient
This series of paintings by Sylvia Sykes shows the importance of aunties’ role in Black and Brown communities. The works on view, inspired by community member’s stories, serve as diverse examples of what womanhood looks like, which is crucial in a world where the identities of
Black women are often placed in small boxes. Sykes wants to draw attention to and appreciation for the Black family structure, as many historical events tore apart the traditional nuclear African American family, and new structures emerged.
BOX Gallery
Resident organization Artists of Rubber City presents three upcoming solo exhibitions in The BOX Gallery, located on the third floor of Summit Artspace. Juniper Mainelis will explore her visionary paintings, poems, and songs in
She Had to Lose Herself to Find Herself on view April 5 – 27. Paper Play, on view May 3 – 25, will show mixed media works in paper, wood, and photography by Deborah French. From May 31 – June 15, Nancy Richard Davis will exhibit works ranging in materials from encaustics to mosaics in Pondering and Process.
