1. Jessica Paris

Artist Statement:
I have an absolute love for anything in miniature and truly get immersed each time I begin what I refer to as “Tiny Projects”. I have several throughout my home, all in various themes, and this is my most recent and most substantial creation. I was inspired by a prompt from a social media scrollsaw challenge – Music. While most artists were using their favorite band, or album cover, or song lyrics as inspiration, I decided to tackle the prompt by incporating my love of the 1960s mid mod era with my obsession of miniatures. I designed and cut all of the miniature pieces – instruments, furniture, picture frames, accessories, etc – on my tabletop scrollsaw using wood and other found objects. A spray paint cap for the bass drum, a plastic icicle ornament for the lava lamp, real vinyl records for the miniature versions. The atomic-style frame is my own design, also cut on the scrollsaw, made from walnut with 45 vinyl records inlaid into channels. I built the wooden box that the entire piece is constructed of. I am ecstatic with the finished piece and how it presents as it’s own tiny room where you can just picture a musician sitting in the corner, furiously scribbling away (and then crumpling up) new lyrics and ideas in this mid mod miniature musical haven.

Bio:
I am a full-time artist and Jess-Of-All-Trades working primarily with 3D wood art cut by hand on a tabletop scrollsaw. However, I enjoy experimenting and incorporating several different mediums into my art, such as welding/metalwork, ceramics, textiles, and found objects. My primary business is setting up and selling my scrollsaw wood art at local and regional markets and fairs throughout the year. My subject matter is always changing and evolving, and can skew from pop-culture to vintage to natural elements (and everything in between!).

2. Kathryn Skidmore

Artist Statement:
In art we often are drawn in by an unrecognizable familiarity found in nature. With this hyper focused, still life of strawberries we find something familiar, comforting and nostalgic at the same time. I focused on the golden ratio, along with playing with the saturation of a striking and vibrant red to create a dynamic composition. The results are something timeless that connects with a human innate innocence.

Bio:
Ohio native residing currently in Stark County. Professional artist and educator with bachelors degree in studio art from Kent State University.

3. Benjamin Young

Artist Statement:
For 15 years, I built a career in software engineering. Working my way up the white-collar ladder. At the height of my career, working up to the Director or Executive level. At times, running my own businesses. My same-aged friends coined the nickname “Young Money” for me, which I was never big on being titled. Sooner or later, I believe all of us working in an office setting eventually reflect and ask ourselves, “What am I doing?” Questioning if what we’re doing is even meaningful. Maybe longing for the outdoors and venturing into the rest of the world beyond the concrete highrise walls in that corporate park. This painting is meant to exemplify that moment of reflection.

Bio:
Ben Young is a contemporary fine arts painter, originating from Appalachia Ohio. Painting in watercolor and oil paint since beginning in December 2023. A fairly new artist with a lot of raw talent continuing to develop. He specializes in painting emotional narratives based on his own experiences and feelings.

4. Patrick Dougherty

Artist Statement:
This painting is from a series of photographs students created in which they had their subjects wear head coverings that were not designed to be worn as hats. This sitter wore a plastic grocery bag. The image reminded me the classical paintings of Hans Holbein.

Bio:
I recently retired from teaching art after 40 years working with students in kindergarten through college. In 1993, I received an MFA in Painting from East Carolina University. I have always maintained my artistic practice throughout my teaching career. The human figure in its natural environment play an important role in my work. I love to explore various mediums and approaches. I look forward to connecting with other artists as I continue my artistic journey.

5. Shirley Ende-Saxe

Artist Statement:
This work is a combination of art history reoproductions, antique textbook and miscellaneous papers that points to a narrative of neglect and deceit.

Bio: 
Working primarily in collage, mixed media and watercolor, Shirley Ende-Saxe is a local artist/teacher who is mostly obsessed with making art.

6. Tamara Jaeger

Artist Statement:
Having grown up immersed in the natural world, surrounded by the beauty of parks, nature centers, and a menagerie of pets, I’ve developed a profound connection to nature and animals. For me, experiencing nature, in any form, is a spiritual journey that evokes a sense of awe and wonder, connecting me to something far greater than myself. Through my art, I aspire to share this powerful connection with others. At its core, my art is about connection – to nature and to each other. It serves as a metaphor for the human community, where individual fragments, seemingly insignificant on their own, come together to form a cohesive and meaningful whole. Just as each member of a community is essential, so too is each element in my artwork. My current work incorporates found materials from my local environment, breathing new life into discarded objects. This reuse of seemingly worthless items symbolizes regeneration and revitalization—mirroring the need for people to reconnect and rebuild a sense of community.

Bio:
Tamara Jaeger is a mixed-media artist best known for her wildlife collage art, created from torn paper and discarded materials found in her local neighborhood. Through her highly textural pieces, Jaeger invites viewers to slow down, look deeper, and experience the restorative and awe-inspiring power of nature. Her work serves as a reflection on the interconnectedness of all things, exploring themes of community, renewal, and spiritual connection to the natural world. Jaeger has exhibited her work in a variety of juried group exhibitions, and her torn paper collage pet portraits were featured in the 2020 “Pets” issue of Akron Life Magazine. Currently based in Akron, Ohio, Jaeger initially studied visual arts and anthropology at Albion College in Michigan. She later trained and worked as an archaeological conservator and chemical engineer, ultimately earning a PhD in polymer engineering during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Her diverse background in both the arts and sciences informs her unique approach to art, particularly her use of reclaimed materials to convey messages of regeneration and community.
Her website: www.tamarajaeger.com

7. Diane Pribojan

Artist Statement:
In this painting I aim to promote a dialogue and intersection between realism and abstraction. This is not solely an aesthetic choice but one that has a more significant meaning to me. It reflects my belief in the coexistence of order and chaos, spontaneity and rigidity, simplicity and complexity. Though this synthesis, I hope to create spaces that are both familiar and conceptual, offering the viewer a vantage point from which to explore their own perceptions and emotions.

Bio:
Diane was born in a small village in the former Yugoslavia, called Zvjerinac. She moved to the United States with her family eight days before her forth birthday. She has lived in the Cleveland area since then and now resides in Medina County. Although, she loved making art as a child, it was not until high school that she became passionate about making art. She went on to receive her BFA in drawing at the Cleveland Institute of Art and her MFA in painting at Kent State University. In her work Diane finds inspiration in her immediate surroundings, in the cities and suburbs. She continues to pursue her passion by painting and exhibiting her work.

8. Kyle Bee

Artist Statement:
Inspired by old fountains I’ve seen in Rome I decided try my hand at making one out of ceramics. Usually my pieces are not planned out but for this I had to do a lot of planning and sketching for it to work functionally and also fit inside the kiln. Every piece of the fountain is hand built through slab of pinch pot methods without the use of the pottery wheel. The fountain is fully functional with the use of a small water pump fitted inside the bottom.

Bio:
My work includes many different kinds of functional pottery—each piece thoughtfully designed and carefully hand-built through pinch pot, or slab built pottery techniques. A key element in my ceramics is the use of illustrative glazes, which imbue each item with a distinct narrative and visual texture.

9. Beth Prindle

Artist Statement:
Intended to invoke an early music synthesizer, this is a tribute to an electronic music pioneer and his hit song of 1969. The knobs used are from a vintage sewing machine. and appeared to me like soundwaves.

Bio:
Beth Prindle’s rediscovery of art began with Covid. Six months before the lockdown, she had returned from 30 years in the Pacific Northwest to live in her home state of Ohio, where she had earned a BA in Design at Kent State. A new home with studio space was key, but so was the fact that garage sales continued as usual during the pandemic. Collecting, as often happens after a loss, turned into an informal, self-directed art therapy; then, into something bigger. After a year of building assemblages, she began showing her work and has since been accepted into many juried exhibitions. Her work has been shown at The Zanesville Museum of Art, the Erie (PA) Museum of Art, and the Butler Institute of American Art, as well as other institutions and galleries across the region.

10. Sam Taylor

Artist Statement:
This is the Bronze hand. This hand spent its whole life reaching out towards the light. When the hand finally got close to the light it became incased in bronze. Close enough to feel the light, not close enough to grab it. The blue streak across the hand is meant to check the hand off, because it is not the first to reach for the light.

Bio:
My name is Sam Taylor. I am a young artist out of Akron. I mostly specialize in painting and drawing. I’ve painted everything from commercial buildings, all the way down to the shoes on your feet. As a young person I have many dreams, but the one I’m most passionate about is making art for everyone.

11. Dave Petty

Artist Statement:
This composition explores the balance between geometric structure and expressive abstraction. The dominant sphere casting a shadow conveys a sense of depth and movement, while the textured background of muted tones and architectural forms creates a dynamic tension. The interplay of bold red, soft blues, and neutral shades suggests contrast—energy versus restraint, precision versus spontaneity. The layered textures and gestural brushstrokes in the lower portion of the piece evoke a sense of erosion or time’s passage, reinforcing themes of impermanence and transformation. The structured vertical bar serves as both a visual anchor and a divider, emphasizing the painting’s architectural influences. Through this work, I seek to explore spatial relationships, color harmonies, and the dialogue between form and abstraction.

Bio:
My name is Dave Petty and I’m a self-taught abstract, mixed media, not-quite-sure-what-to-call-myself kind of artist. I didn’t start painting until later in life and actually wonder what caused me to pick up a paintbrush initially – probably the result of corporate boredom or a midlife crisis – who knows? At first, I just dabbled, but the more I painted, the more I wanted to paint. I have a feeling most of us are like that if we would just give something creative a try. For me, it didn’t take long before there wasn’t a space left on my walls, and I had to seriously think about what I was going to do with these paintings in order to continue. It was with the urging and insistence of my family and friends – my greatest supporters and motivators – that I created a website and began to showcase my work to move the paintings from my walls to yours.

12. Luanne Bole-Becker

Artist Statement:
I grew up in the sixties and was enthralled by the race to the moon. I read and wrote space-related stories as a kid. I so much wanted to be an astronaut! In fact, the star chart on the top of this artwork is copied from a Plain Dealer chart I saved from childhood. And I remember playing that space card game with my brothers. As an adult, I was fortunate to attend Space Camp. Afterward, I completely changed careers to work alongside astronauts and Teacher-in-Space finalists. I even flew “weightless” on a NASA Cleveland jet. “I Want to Go!” incorporates materials from the Challenger Center for Space Science where I worked. Plus that 1960s cigarette holder is truly out of this world. “Ad astra!” (to the stars)

Bio:
Magic from the Mundane My artwork is a lot like me: quirky, whimsical, a bit disjointed, and full of vintage pieces and parts! I love storytelling through photography and assemblage, building magical worlds to explore. My work often includes: – Surprises–unexpected angles and perspectives, quirky details, or pairing of incongruous elements. ‘- Vintage items I’ve accumulated over the past 40 years. These objects carry history, unique craftsmanship, and reflections of usage and decay. ‘- Whimsical creations that entertain. ‘- Behind-the-scene stories that intrigue. ‘- Immersive worlds that invite. I have exhibited regularly since 2019 with acceptance and awards in dozens of galleries throughout Northeast Ohio.

13. J.J. Thornberry

Artist Statement:
This wearable art piece was inspired by the Catholic Baroque period – full of gold, pearls, filigree and over-the-top decor. Each rhinestone, pearl, appliqué and lace decor were hand applied to replicate the adornment found in Baroque churches and architecture. All of this glitz was applied to a men’s tuxedo jacket as a play on the idea of masculinity and femininity being interwoven. The tulle skirt was hand tied to create a larger than life, full bodied silhouette. The exaggerated overlapping strings of pearls create a touch of sophistication and accentuate the excess common in the Baroque period.

Bio:
I am a local artist and art educator. I have been teaching for 12 years and continue to work to find a balance between teaching and creating for personal artistic expression. I graduated with a degree in Graphic Design from Cleveland State University and my Masters in Art Education from University of Akron. My passion is drawing and mixed media works.

14. Diane Anderson

Artist Statement:
Optional Octopus was born, like many things are, out of necessity. My jewelry work was getting larger and larger, as I began exploring the electroforming of small sculptures in copper. I wear gigantic pendants at every opportunity, so this large octopus did not present a problem for ME. However, in designing the piece, I wanted its owner to have the option to display it as an ornament when not being worn. The neckpiece is made from adjustable-length braided recycled sari silk, copper sheet, wire and tubing, all hand formed. Copper chain stabilizes the piece, and a handmade riveted copper hoop provides a gripping point for the octopus’ tentacle. The octopus itself is made from epoxy clay, set wtih a charoite head, amethyst eyes, and a little amethyst ball in its tentacled grasp – all electroformed in copper. It can be easily removed from its neckpiece to be displayed on an ornament stand. Whether this statement piece is worn to an event or put on display at home is up to you. It is your option – decorate yourself or decorate your space.

Bio:
Diane Anderson is a mixed media artist located in Hartville, Ohio USA, who primarily focuses on copper jewelry and wall pieces. Her inspiration comes from the natural world and can be sparked by something as simple as a rock or a feather. While her pieces may include epoxy clay, stone, shells and other objects, their commonality is copper – both electroformed and enameled. Diane began creating jewelry in 1993 after taking a basic jewelry class and learning to lampwork glass beads. Adding enameling and electroforming to her skill set freed her voice and brought her ideas to life. Her love of science and nature shines through her body of work, which includes elements like eyes, flower petals, tentacles and sometimes whole creatures. An IT specialist by day, Diane has a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology and spends her free time creating artwork, knitting, or playing on her computer with her husband, dog and pet birds.

15. Ja Miller

Artist Statement:
“We were Only Looking for that which Long Belonged to Us (A Song for Those Waiting to See Us Once Beautiful and Brave Again)” is an abstract expressionist work with a particular focus on using words and language as art. My work is heavily influenced and inspired by music and the song “Skin” by Kid Tigrrr (Jenna Fournier) served as the source material for the content and emotional quality of this painting. My research for this piece included an email exchange with the song writer, where Jenna shared some detailed thoughts about her song (and her story of loss and hope). I took Jenna’s thoughts and pushed them through my own story of chronic physical pain and my search for buoyant hope amidst a sea of relentless heartache and loss. Jenna said that “Skin” might be one of those songs that resonates perhaps with “people who sorta ‘lost themselves’.” The Polaroid Emulsion I lifted onto the canvas are two different polaroids of the same person and were inspired by a hopeful scene from a movie with a similar theme, “Lost in Translation.” Polaroid emulsion lifting is a technique that is particularly delicate and risky and messy, and I think it was fitting for this artwork. “Violet” is a character I created for a short film and who now appears frequently throughout my body of artwork. She is a personification of Hope, Resilience, and Bravery amid suffering, pain, and loss. This work’s title contains ideas from Rainer Maria Rilke.

Bio: 
Hawaii-born Ja Miller is a Korean-American film maker, photographer and abstract expressionist painter with a focus on using words and language as art. He has lived in Akron since 2003. Abstract expressionists Gerhard Richter, Mark Rothko, Jason Craighead, Taylor O. Thomas and Ty Nathan Clark have strongly influenced him, as well as street artists, Blek Le Rat and Shepard Fairey, and filmmakers, Jim Jarmusch and Sophia Coppola. Music plays a big role in inspiring Ja’s art and he considers mewithoutYou, Comrades, Tina Boonstra, Jenna Fournier, Pearl Jam and Sonic Youth particularly influential. He studied photography and graphic design at Indiana Wesleyan’s School of Art, with an emphasis on large format film photography and alternative photo processes.

16. Seth Russell

Artist Statement:
Traveling from far abroad over fields and mountains to reach the path of totality will decide the fate of your people. Do you continue to live in peace while the world burns around you? Or do you choose to end that destruction? I try to imply a story of some kind to my work without overexplaining. I imagine early humans who witnessed eclipses saw them as magical signs of the future.

Bio:
Seth Russell is an Ohio-based artist, illustrator, and graphic designer based in Akron. He creates thoughtful figural multimedia artworks with themes involving nature, life, and death. Seth is currently the Director of Graphic Arts at EEG (the Educational Empowerment Group) and holds two degrees from the Art Institute of Pittsburgh. Seth also loves drawing pop culture art, Sci-Fi, and Superheroes.

17. James Buckey

Artist Statement:
A charcuterie of textures and colors surrounds and envelopes Mac Miller on stage during the last year of his life. The threads of the denim jacket blended against themselves in different color channels along with various size color halftones, and some tracing of hard edges help exemplify the unique energy Mac radiated in his life and through his music.

Bio:
Buckey creates works that explore the interplay of visual representation and emotional depth. Using photography and Adobe Photoshop, he combine textures, tones, and print styles to craft layered and evocative narratives. His work often celebrates landmarks and moments frozen in time, reimagined with dynamic energy and hidden dualities.

18. Norman Mallard

Artist Statement: 
Using scavenged metal, my work seeks to bring beauty and joy from mundane materials, allowing the viewer to see cast-off pieces in a new light. My background in graphic design shapes my bright, yet wry view of the world, celebrating consumerism and the green movement equally.

Bio:
Norman is a mixed-media artist living & working in Akron, Ohio. He was raised in the mid-1900s in Norfolk, Virginia, and spent his working career as an Art Director and Graphic Designer. He received an advertising degree from Portfolio Center in Atlanta. His 20+ years in the “big city” (Washington, DC) has influenced his collage work which is often crowded and slightly dystopic. His tin collages and assemblages are decidedly less so. He works from his basement studio, where his hoarding can be somewhat contained.

19. Helena Sarah Richardson

Artist Statement:
A familiar little bird emerges from slices of light, crushed flowers, feathers, and fur. Plastic label scraps line the nest. Here is a window of large and small lives woven together.

Bio:
I am an artist working primarily in drawing and textile processes – interlacing strings and structures, colors and textures into storied cloth. The loom brings order to the chaos of loose threads and wild fibers, both natural and synthetic. The finished cloth traps impressions from my imagination. Originally from Cleveland Heights, Ohio, I earned a BFA in painting from the Maryland Institute College of Art and an MFA in Textiles from Kent State University.

20. Tina Gordon

Artist Statement:
Window Visit includes abstract and representational forms which create a daydream like place. Maybe buildings, maybe gardens, it is a an escape. It was created in the Spring when I feel hopeful, joyous and enchanted. The make believe world bursts with delicate growth in the glow of morning sun. The window shapes in the background make a wall, although it is open and not a barrier. A finch waits at the window. This little painting is void of disruptive noise and never ending traumas. It’s my daydream filled with the song of birds and tranquility of the Earth rising.

Bio:
I feel very fortunate to be able to make and share my art professionally. Prior to focusing on developing my artmaking abilities, I worked as an art educator. Since that time I have been a member of several arts organizations including AoRC and Group Ten. I participate in selected and juried exhibitions throughout N.E. Ohio. I have been honored to receive recognition for my art, whether by a jury or grandchild. My work is inspired by the places I’ve been, real or imagined. It may also be intwined with current conditions; the intoxication of a new Spring, the disturbing climate of politics, a sense of peace or unrest of anxiety. These cannot be concealed from the spirit from where I create. My construction of place is purely abstract. Forms, line, color, pattern are manipulated to recall a feeling of my presence within a space. The specific representation is dependent on the viewer’s reflection. As no two people see the world or experience their place in it in the same way, no two will arrive at the same interpretation of my vision of the places I create.

21. Susan Yingling

Artist Statement:
This visit to Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin West included an immersive tour of Wright’s winter home. My challenge with this piece was to capture the subtle variations in color of both the landscape and the structure and their balance of nature.

Bio:
Susan Yingling holds a BFA from Kent State University and taught visual art in the Akron Public Schools 35 years, the majority of that time serving the students of Margaret Park Elementary School and the George C. Miller South School for the Visual & Performing Arts. She has served as co-chair of the NECO Scholastic Art Committee, chair of the Akron-Summit Council on Holocaust & Genocide Education, docent at the Akron Art Museum and the Canton Museum of Art, Summit Artspace Board and the Akron Art Museum Education Committee. She has judged and/or adjudicated the Akron Arts Expo, Summit Artspace Fresh exhibit with Arnold Tunstall, the 11th Congressional District Art Exhibit, the Medina Art League student show, the Akron-Summit Council on Holocaust & Genocide Education art competition, NECO Scholastic Art competition, Medina Art in the Park, and the Norton High School Art Department Fashion Show and Competition. She holds memberships in the Artists of Rubber City, the Ohio Collage Society, the Akron Art Museum, and is a resident artist in Summit Artspace utilizing the Akron-Summit County Library’s Tech Zone on Main in her photography and collage work.

22. Jessica Paris

Artist Statement: 
I have an absolute love for anything in miniature and truly get immersed each time I begin what I refer to as “Tiny Projects”. I have several throughout my home, all in various themes. This one was a combination of a handbuilt ceramic fireplace and found objects becoming the accessories. I designed and slab-built the fireplace structure and painted the bricks with underglazes. After the firing, I used lightweight spackling for the grout to help add dimension. I cut and painted masking tape and wire for the snake plants, the fire is real sticks and hot glue for the flames. The potted plants were all formed from found bits and pieces and the miscellaneous accessories were odds and ends. I used a scrollsaw to cut the clock out of wood with jewelry pieces for the decoration.

Bio:
I am a full-time artist and Jess-Of-All-Trades working primarily with 3D wood art cut by hand on a tabletop scrollsaw. However, I enjoy experimenting and incorporating several different mediums into my art, such as welding/metalwork, ceramics, textiles, and found objects. My primary business is setting up and selling my scrollsaw wood art at local and regional markets and fairs throughout the year. My subject matter is always changing and evolving, and can skew from pop-culture to vintage to natural elements (and everything in between!).

23. Josh Chefitz

Artist Statement:
To me, Rex Magna presents an aerial perspective of a futuristic cityscape under construction—cranes, rooftops, perhaps built for humans, though I’m not so sure about that…

Bio:
Josh Chefitz is a self-taught, multimedia artist based in Cleveland, Ohio, who aims to create pieces where the closer you get, the more you discover. Chefitz cites these “grid doodles” from his childhood as his primary inspiration. Using paper, ink, gel, paint pens, acrylics, oil pastels, and spray paint, Chefitz reframes these doodles as a commentary on memories, exploring the dissonance between those that are authentic and those constructed to help us move forward. Chefitz is also the driving force and creator of ActLoCLE, a web-based art hub that provides community and visibility for makers in Northeast Ohio. His work has been shown across the region.

24. Janet Mikolajczyk

Artist Statement:
In this piece i used images of plastic that we use in daily life. It is a digital collage. I used the 6-pack containers as part of the digital collage and then echoed them in reality by gluing them to the surface. This addresses the idea of the thing and the thing in itself.

Bio:
B.A. in studio art from Barat College Illinois, M.A. in art history from Kent State University taught art history for 15 years at Cleveland State University I show my work locally.

25. Will Wilson

Artist Statement:
My current work is concerned with creating a joyful celebration of the different. I like big colorful expressions of character through a variety of representations, style and media. I love mixing traditional art techniques with cartoons and illustrations, graffiti inspired art, and abstraction. I want my art to be an uplifting connection with the creative expressions of the unique. Through the collective exposure and re-expression of information I want my art to feel weird and comfortable at the same time, a reminder of the continuum of information we’ve been exposed to all of our lives that is bold, expressive, and symbolic of the freedom to be your unique self. It’s my desire for my work to be bold and grab you from a distance but then to reward you for taking the time to get close and explore with small details and textures. Through these tiny details, like my interlocking drawings, I want to represent the subtlety and variety of what we often stereo-type and categorize. By taking the time to investigate deeper, whether art, nature, people, or the secrets of the universe, you will find the simplest labels often hide the complexity and often contradictory nature of things. The ultimate compliment for me is when someone tells me they’ve discovered something new after owning one of my works for 5 years or more.

Bio: 
Wilson was born and raised in California, receiving his BFA in Drawing and Painting from California State University of Long Beach. He also holds an MA in Arts Education from Case Western Reserve University. He now resides in the greater Cleveland area where he is a high school art teacher and a father of three. He works as an artist, muralist, and illustrator.

26. Care Hanson

Artist Statement:
The evolution of this painting surprised me. Early layers were filled with jagged lines and a high contrast, rather jarring palette of yellow, black & pink. At one point I let the canvas rest for days, listening to see if she had more to say. When I took her back to the easel for just a few minor tweaks, the entire mood and palette changed. There was an overall softening into a quiet scene with gentle pops of energy. The harsh yellows became an underlying glow of optimism. The title ‘Hope Springs’ was inspired by the the abstract suggestion of a water scene and also by a line in Alexander Pope’s 1732 poem ‘Hope springs eternal in the human breast’. It was gratifying to discover Hope still evident at my easel in these recent times of personal & political challenge.

Bio:
Care Hanson is a visual artist with an eclectic practice that includes acrylic on canvas, altered book art journals, mixed media on recycled cardboard, nature mandalas and hand stitching. She thrives on color exploration, using intuition and a spirit of ‘just try’ Care lives in Stow, finding inspiration on trail hikes, in other people’s gardens and in unexpected interactions. Her favorite art is a bit open ended, leaving room for conversation with the viewer. She earned an BFA from BGSU many moons ago. She’s grateful to now reached at a stage where art play is her daily habit and way of life. You can follow Care’s creative journey on Instagram @carehanson

27. Robert J. Putka 

Artist Statement:
What piqued my interest in this subject was not only the color, textures, and activity within the picture plane, but most importantly the juxtaposition of “life and death” that is represented in the painting. The contrast between the dead stalks of the sunflower plants and the lush colors of the annual flowers around their base.

Bio:
Robert J. Putka, graduated from Kent State University in 1975 with a B.F.A. in art education. Robert taught art and theatre for 46 years at Stow Munroe Falls High School. He taught A.P. Drawing, as well as designing theatrical sets. He has worked in batik, but has always painted in watercolor, acrylic, and oils, with an emphasis in landscape painting, and in particular, revels in pleinaire painting when able. His canvases are teeming with life, movement and bursting with color filled with activity from edge to edge. Robert’s paintings are in numerous collections, and has exhibited his work earlier in his career at the Cleveland Museum May Show, the Massillon Museum, and the Butler Institute of Art. Recently, his work has been seen at “Dualities” at KSU School of Art, the Floral and Landscape Show at the Cuyahoga Valley Art Center, The Lakeland Juried Art Show, Fairmount Center for the Arts juried Show, The Mansfield Art Center’s May Show, The Kaleidoscope Juried Show at Summitartspace, Tending the Garden at Kent State University Stark, The Forest Calls at The Geauga Parks Visitors Center, The Valley Art Center’s 53rd Annual Juried Show, Akron Society of Artists Show with first place honors, actlocle.org online show, with second place, and the Butler Museum National Midyear Show in 2024. To start 2025, he received second place in the Flora Show at White Rabbit Gallery in Barberton, the BayArts Show, The CVAC Winter Exhibition, the Door2Art Juried Show and “A Cleveland Bouquet” at Worthington Yards.

28. Steven Windham

Artist Statement:
AB acrylic abstract on canvas. Love working with blues and greens. I see a stand of trees in summer. ergo, Forest.

Bio: 
I’m a covid artist. Started painting abstract designs on reclaimed fence pickets, calling them swimsyfish. Friends and family encouraged me to keep going and expand. I opened an Etsy store and started seling across the country. Expanded my designs. Loved it! When I became a widower, I learned about an artist in California and started following him on social media and took a class or two. He is an abstract artist, so I tried abstracts on wood and canvas. It struck me that I’ve been doing abstract designs since I began in 2020 – just. painting on different materials. I have focused on creating slats (or totems) wth abstract designs focused on vibrant and balanced colors. Opened a studio at Bounce/Curated Storefronts on Main in Akron and have continued to expand my artworks to zendodles and even a landscape or two. I love creating and have started submitting my art to juried shows and art fairs. I’m 2 for 3 on submissions thus far and will continue to show my art.

29. Matt Shiarla

Artist Statement: 
Twins’ is a watercolor capturing the enchanting scene of twin fawns in a mid-summer pine grove. The reference photo, taken by my game camera, documents my ongoing observation of deer growth – a process I find endlessly fascinating. The way sunlight filtered through the trees that day, illuminating the fawns, was truly magical. My preferred technique, negative painting, is central to this piece. Through multiple layers, it allowed me to build a vibrant, luminous image with striking highlights. A limited palette, primarily focused on complementary greens and reds, further enhanced the natural harmony, with neutural pigments adding richness to the highlights and overall color.

Bio:
As an art educator and artist, I find inspiration in the beauty of everyday life and the grandeur of the natural world. My primary medium is watercolor, with which I embrace the inherent spontaneity and luminosity to capture landscapes, wildlife, and the essence of rural living. My process begins with photographic observations of my surroundings, which I translate into studio paintings, though I also enjoy the immediacy of plein air work. I am drawn to the interplay of light and color, particularly the dramatic contrasts created by the sun. My goal is to create art that reflects my deep appreciation for life and the outdoors. This summer’s travels to Western national parks mark a step towards my aspiration of becoming an artist-in-residence, particularly at Isle Royale National Park, and dedicating my work to celebrating the diverse landscapes of our nation.

30. Brad Nellis

Artist Statement:
Drone photography offers an incredible opportunity to capture an image from a completely different perspective, whether from an angled view at elevation or looking directly down onto the subject. This location is a spot in a local metro park that I’ve passed by and stopped at fairly frequently; in fact, I’ve shot the curvy road at ground level a variety of times as well. On a whim, I threw my drone up and got this shot; and it’s one of my favorites. I’m reminded of intersections when I look at this picture: – the obvious intersection of the road and the creek; – the less obvious intersection of old and new as the creek existed long before the road; – and the intersection of serendipity and technology that enabled this shot.

Bio:
Brad Nellis is a retired technology professional with a passion for exploring and photographing the beautiful parks in and around northeast Ohio. He has a passion (bordering on obsession) for waterfall photography and has spent countless hours exploring the well-known, not-so-well-known, and undiscovered or ephemeral waterfalls throughout the region. Nellis has resided in northeast Ohio for 50+ years and is a graduate of the University of Akron and Baldwin Wallace University. He’s been married to his ever patient wife, Sue, for nearly 40 years and is the proud father of 3 children and 4 (almost 5!) grandchildren.

31. Elizabeth Soehnlen

Artist Statement:
Many believe we cannot see the depths that reality reaches but I can attest that we are not trying hard enough. Science alludes us to the belief that there is more we are missing. New research is proven every single day, making the possibility of reality limitless. As a researcher, I will find more knowledge to change our reality. As an artist, I will push past our limitations of reality. Theory and reality are closer than we think. As I rework my mind, I think of chemistry: The chemical composition of the materials I am using. The way these chemicals would run in spectroscopy. Molecules splitting, coupling, and spinning. The time it takes to purify during synthesis. And most importantly, the chemistry between my piece and myself.

Bio:
My name is Elizabeth, and I was named after Queen Elizabeth I. This fun fact makes me extremely happy, especially because it ties me to my sisters who were also named after Queens. Currently, I am in my third year at Kent State University and I study Biochemistry. Art is my way to express myself, because throughout the day, I am buried in the basement of a physical chemistry laboratory, synthesizing chemicals and running their microwave spectroscopies. Art is also like a therapy to me for any frustrations that I run into throughout the day, and trust me, with chemistry research there are plenty of frustrating moments. I have never entered an art show, but I am so extremely excited to try! I think that my work can give people something to look and think about, and hopefully even take their mind off of their daily frustrations.

Buckey creates works that explore the interplay of visual representation and emotional depth. Using photography and Adobe Photoshop, he combine textures, tones, and print styles to craft layered and evocative narratives. His work often celebrates landmarks and moments frozen in time, reimagined with dynamic energy and hidden dualities.

36. Dalia Jean

Artist Statement:
I love to explore the world around me through my photography. I often find myself looking up and around at architecture, other objects, and the sky, noticing the influence of light on colors and textures created by the changing of time and day. Through the removal of context and the use of symmetry, the imagery in my work strangely separates itself from our everyday lives while also creating a sense of familiarity in the new and unseen. I work to design a sense of harmony and wholeness in the seemingly incomplete, while also urging the viewer to acknowledge modern day’s fast-paced society as a culture built to bury the mindful art of noticing.

Bio:
Dalia Jean is a Cleveland, Ohio-based artist and art educator with 25 years of experience in designing and creating artwork across various mediums. Specializing in photography and digital media, Dalia explores the world of surrealism through symmetry, capturing the aesthetic qualities of her subjects. Her work invites viewers to pause and appreciate the beauty inherent in ordinary objects often overlooked in daily life. Through her meticulously crafted compositions, Dalia’s art serves as both a reflection on and a critique of today’s fast-paced society. By highlighting the unnoticed beauty around us, she encourages a deeper connection with the present moment, challenging the culture of distraction that dominates modern life. Each piece she creates is a visual dialogue that underscores the importance of mindfulness and the art of noticing. Her work has been exhibited and admired for its thought-provoking nature and its ability to foster introspection in an increasingly hurried world.

37. Jeanne L. Fashempour 

Artist Statement:
I love to layer this medium creating texture above the translucent background which gives depth to the images.

Bio:
I attended Cooper school of art in Cleveland while in high school and attended the Cleveland Institute of art after high school. I have been an illustrator, designer, art director and art teacher. Now I am a fine artist and am immersed in encaustic medium. This medium dates back to 300 A.D. and the colors of those original paintings are still as vivid as when they were painted due to the preservative quality of beeswax. It is a diverse and exciting, medium to work in. I teach Encaustic classes in my studio in Medina as well as at Peninsula art academy and Artisans Corner Gallery in Newbury.

38. Gwen Waight

Artist Statement:
This is a found object assemblage using mcm figurines, an old footstool, craft hats and upholstery roping to take a light hearted approach to racism and societal norms of micro aggressions.

Bio:
My studio is in Peninsula, Ohio in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. I have resided and worked in Ohio for 21years. I received my degree from the University of Iowa in sculpture and worked in my dad’s ceramic studio for ten years. It was in my father’s studio that I learned my appreciation of three-dimensional space. It was also my dad’s non-sentimental nature of tossing/ burning all things deemed unnecessary clutter that rooted my deep need to covet and collect almost everything. With found objects and assemblage I truly discovered my voice. The objects I lean towards always seem to have lived and have a story to tell….some objects are complete memories for me and just as a writer will string words together to create a work I assemble objects to create my art. I love the fact that like words, smells and colors; objects hold meaning and memories. The wonderful thing is that sometimes the viewer has similar or completely different ones than my own. I feel that found object assemblage is just like painting in 3D or perhaps, collaging. Often in my studio I will have three or four different pieces going at the same time. I start sometimes with an idea first and search for the objects that are going to express that idea or I start with an object or several objects that shout so loudly that they need to be together.

39. Helen Wilson

Artist Statement:
This mixed media assemblage is constructed using paper, acrylics and recycled materials. The piece is covered with acrylic monoprints. I have used a variety of cutting and painting techniques to create an unique piece which tells of the wonder and mystery of a Botanical Garden.

Bio: 
Helen Wilson is a mixed media and paper collage artist with  education from the Morgan Conservancy of Paper. She has completed numerous mixed media workshops under Jean Deemer, ACS Diane Mauer, and author and mixed media artist Ann Woods.