ArtsOhio Blog

Athens Musician, Composer, and Professor Paschal Yao Younge Awarded 2020 Ohio Heritage Fellowship

Wed, 12 Aug 2020 15:49:51 GMT

Dr. Paschal Yao Younge, a master artist specializing in African Traditional Musical Arts, has been awarded the 2020 Ohio Heritage Fellowship Award for Performing Arts from the Ohio Arts Council (OAC).

Ohio Heritage Fellowships are awarded in recognition of the significant impact an individual or group has had on the people and communities of the state through their advancement and preservation of the folk or traditional arts. The award, which is $5,000, is given in one of three categories: Performing Arts, Material Culture, or Community Leadership.

Younge is a professor of music education at Ohio University, where he also serves as director of the annual International Summer Program in African Interdisciplinary Arts and co-artistic director of the African Ensemble. A musician, composer, scholar, and author, Younge is a specialist in African choral and brass music and a clinician in sub-Saharan African musical arts. His research focuses on topics such as intercultural and multicultural music education and fine arts curricula, creative performance issues and practices in music and dance, and world percussion. Younge also directs Azaguno, an Ohio-based performance group focusing on the “research, preservation, and performance of African, African-American, Caribbean, and Latin American music and dance,” according to its website.

WATCH: "THE STRUGGLE AHEAD (LIFE IS SHORT)" PERFORMED BY AZAGUNO

Video courtesy of Azaguno on YouTube

Through Azaguno, as well as his career as a solo artist and teacher, Younge has performed and taught traditional African Musical Arts throughout Ohio and abroad. As part of this work, Younge has created opportunities for children, university students, academics, and professional artists to engage, study, and perform African music.

Younge said he is “delighted and humbled” to be selected for the 2020 Ohio Heritage Fellowship Award.

"My heritage and identity are intricately tied to Ghanaian (African) history, culture, and the arts, which I have been performing and promoting from an early age of 8,” Younge said. “I am forever thankful to the Ohio Heritage Fellowship Committee and the Ohio Arts Council’s board for this prestigious honor. What a privilege to be joining the exclusive group of past awardees. A country, a state, a town, or a village without a conscious mechanism put in place to promote the arts is undoubtedly a society without a soul."

Rising to the level of traditional master artist through years of study and practice, Younge acquired the skill, techniques, and knowledge of traditional African Musical Arts and Culture from the Republic of Ghana and in other parts of sub-Saharan Africa. Throughout his career, he has worked closely with nearly 100 traditional masters and performance groups and has presented and performed in more than 16 countries.

WATCH: "CLAIM YOUR SPACE!" A TEDx TALK BY DR. PASCHAL YAO YOUNGE

Video courtesy of TEDx Talks on YouTube

The Ohio Heritage Fellowship program supports artists who are not only masters of their chosen art form, but who also contribute to the public visibility of the folk and traditional arts in Ohio as practitioners, mentors, or community leaders.

OAC Executive Director Donna S. Collins said Younge routinely occupies all three of these roles at once.

“Paschal’s passion for his life’s work is evident in his performances and compositions, as well as his experience as an educator,” she said. “The devotion with which he approaches his art and research inspires others to deepen their awareness of the artistic and cultural traditions that flourish throughout Ohio. The OAC is pleased to present Dr. Younge with this award in honor of his continued exemplary accomplishments.”

To learn more about the Ohio Heritage Fellowship program and Ohio folk and traditional arts, visit folkarts.ohioartscouncil.org.

ABOUT THE OHIO ARTS COUNCIL
The Ohio Arts Council is a state agency that funds and supports quality arts experiences to strengthen Ohio communities culturally, educationally, and economically. Connect with the OAC on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, or visit our website at oac.ohio.gov.

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Article by Amanda Etchison, Communications Strategist
Featured Image Photo Credit: Kelly O'Quinn

Governor DeWine Names Kari Gunter-Seymour Ohio Poet Laureate

Thu, 11 Jun 2020 13:43:46 GMT

Governor Mike DeWine has named Kari Gunter-Seymour of Albany, Ohio, the state’s poet laureate. Gunter-Seymour, whose term began June 10, 2020, succeeds the state’s second poet laureate, Dave Lucas.

“Poetry is a way for people to express their thoughts and feelings, and it can bring people together. Fran and I are looking forward to the work Kari Gunter-Seymour will be doing to highlight poetry to Ohioans, especially young people, across our state,” Governor DeWine said.

Gunter-Seymour said she hopes to use her time as poet laureate to build a greater appreciation for poetry and serve as a mentor to poets and writers across Ohio. She also plans to focus her efforts on providing workshops for those in recovery.

“I am honored and grateful for this opportunity to serve as poet laureate of the state of Ohio. Poetry—hearing it, reading it, writing it, sharing it—can be so deeply healing. When we write our truths, we create a force of light and understanding, a place where we can draw strength and find solace,” Gunter-Seymour said.

A third-generation Athens Countian, Gunter-Seymour has a Bachelor of Fine Arts in graphic design and a Master of Fine Arts in commercial photography from Ohio University. In 2020, she was named Ohio Poet of the Year by the Ohio Poetry Association. She is the founder/executive director of the Women of Appalachia Project (WOAP) and a recently retired instructor in the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism at Ohio University. Prior to joining the teaching staff, Gunter-Seymour worked for Ohio University’s Advancement Communication and Marketing office, the Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine, and served on the Provost’s Women’s Commission.

Gunter-Seymour was named poet laureate for Athens, Ohio, in 2018-2020, during which time she partnered with Ohio University to develop a “Poetry Trail,” part of “mAppAthens,” OHIO Museum Complex’s outdoor museum project; and also published an anthology titled "Essentially Athens Ohio,” a collection which includes more than 100 poets, storytellers, songwriters, and fine artists living in or having strong ties to Athens county. In 2019, she was a featured poet for the Thurber House Summer Literary Picnic Series; Word Stream: The Weekly Writers Voice in Knoxville, Tennessee; the Bridgewater International Festival in Bridgewater, Virginia; and the Ohio Poetry Association Showcase at the Ohio State Fair. Her fine art and photography work has been published in The Sun Magazine, Light Journal, Looking at Appalachia, and Appalachian Heritage Magazine. Gunter-Seymour is the editor of the WOAP “Women Speak” anthology series and author of “A Place So Deep Inside America It Can’t Be Seen” (Sheila-Na-Gig Editions 2020) and “Serving” (Crisis Chronicles Press 2018).

More information about Gunter-Seymour can be found at her website at karigunterseymourpoet.com.

Legislation creating the position of the state’s official poet was passed in 2014. Gunter-Seymour was recommended for the position by the Ohio Poet Laureate Selection Committee, following an extensive statewide nomination and review process. Members of the selection committee were:

Committee Members:
Geraldine (Ginger) B. Warner, Chair
David Barber
Jon Holt
Tina Husted
William B. White

Advisors:
Dave Lucas, former Ohio Poet Laureate
Jeff Worley, Kentucky Poet Laureate

ABOUT THE OHIO POET LAUREATE PROGRAM
The Ohio Poet Laureate has the opportunity to foster the art of poetry, encourage literacy and learning, address central issues relating to the humanities and heritage, and encourage the reading and writing of poetry across the state.

Throughout a two-year term, the Ohio Poet Laureate undertakes a significant cultural project, such as bringing poetry to people or to a region of the state that might otherwise be underserved in this regard. The Ohio Poet Laureate engages a variety of constituencies, enriching the lives of residents by sharing and promoting poetry through public appearances, readings, workshops, and digital and social media.

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Ohio Arts Council Individual Excellence Awards Announced

Tue, 11 Feb 2020 14:53:02 GMT

Members of the Ohio Arts Council (OAC) board have approved $375,000 in grant funding to be awarded to Ohio artists through the OAC’s Individual Excellence Awards program for state fiscal year 2020.

Individual Excellence Awards are peer recognition of a creative artist’s body of work that exemplifies their specific discipline and advances the larger artistic community. These awards support artists' growth and development and recognize their work in Ohio and beyond.

During this funding cycle, applications in choreography, criticism, fiction and non-fiction, music composition, playwriting/screenplays, and poetry were accepted. Each award is $5,000. The grants were approved at the OAC board’s winter meeting on Jan. 29.

Awarded through an open panel review process focused on the basis of exceptional merit of an artist’s past body of work, Individual Excellence Award funding gives artists the resources to experiment and explore their art forms, develop skills, and advance their careers.

“The Ohio Arts Council’s Individual Excellence Awards give artists the opportunity to be recognized and rewarded for their exemplary artistic achievements,” said OAC Executive Director Donna S. Collins. “Through their art, the individuals selected for these grants have expressed visionary ideas, spoken in a diversity of voices, and explored thought-provoking topics and themes from a variety of viewpoints. We congratulate the Individual Excellence Award recipients and thank them for enriching Ohio’s creative community.”

For a complete, filterable list of grant recipients, download the Excel spreadsheet here. For a PDF list of grant recipients, click here.

A list of Individual Excellence Award winners follows:

CHOREOGRAPHY

Alice Blumenfeld (Oberlin, Lorain County)
Kimberly Karpanty (Akron, Summit County)
Russell Lepley (Columbus, Franklin County)
Samuel McIntosh (South Euclid, Cuyahoga County)
Alysia Ramos (Oberlin, Lorain County)

CRITICISM

Melissa Barrett (Columbus, Franklin County)
Jeremy Glazier (Columbus, Franklin County)
Joel Oliphint (Columbus, Franklin County)

FICTION

Seth Borgen (Akron, Summit County)
Valerie Cumming (Westerville, Franklin County)
Terry Dubow (Cleveland Heights, Cuyahoga County)
Bradley Felver (Toledo, Lucas County)
Erin Flanagan (Kettering, Montgomery County)
Billy Hallal (Lakewood, Cuyahoga County)
Michelle Herman (Columbus, Franklin County)
Karen Frank Kotrba (Columbiana, Columbiana County)
Lee Martin (Grove City, Franklin County)
Lynda Montgomery (Shaker Heights, Cuyahoga County)
Susan Petrone (Cleveland, Cuyahoga County)
Robert Pope (Akron, Summit County)
Valli Jo Porter (Solon, Cuyahoga County)
Doug Ramspeck (Lima, Allen County)
Jason Sanford (Columbus, Franklin County)
Jamie Lyn Smith (Mount Vernon, Knox County)
Toni Thayer (Cleveland Heights, Cuyahoga County)
John Thorndike (Athens, Athens County)
Gina Ventre (University Heights, Cuyahoga County)

NON-FICTION

Sayuri Ayers (Columbus, Franklin County)
Amy Butcher (Delaware, Delaware County)
James Cummins (Cincinnati, Hamilton County)
James Fox (New Concord, Muskingum County)
David Hassler (Kent, Portage County)
Michael Loderstedt (Cleveland, Cuyahoga County)
Sarah Lohman (Cleveland, Cuyahoga County)
Joe Mackall (West Salem, Ashland County)
Sarah Minor (Cleveland Heights, Cuyahoga County)
Jenny Patton (Dublin, Delaware County)
Mary Quade (Madison, Lake County)
Eliza Smith (Columbus, Franklin County)

MUSIC COMPOSITION

Daniel Bruce (Lakewood, Cuyahoga County)
Christopher Coles (Cuyahoga Falls, Summit County)
Brian Harnetty (Columbus, Franklin County)
Mikel Kuehn (Sylvania, Lucas County)
Daniel McCarthy (Akron, Summit County)
Robert McClure (Athens, Athens County)
Jeffrey Mumford (Oberlin, Lorain County)
Adam Roberts (Akron, Summit County)

PLAYWRITING

George Brant (Cleveland Heights, Cuyahoga County)
Vera Brunner-Sung (screenwriting) (Columbus, Franklin County)
Anton Dudley (Mount Vernon, Knox County)
Thomas Hayes (Cleveland Heights, Cuyahoga County)
Les Hunter (Shaker Heights, Cuyahoga County)
Lisa Langford (Cleveland Heights, Cuyahoga County)
Faye Sholiton (Beachwood, Cuyahoga County)
Erik Sternberger (Westerville, Franklin County)

POETRY

Ruth Awad (Columbus, Franklin County)
Melissa Barrett (Columbus, Franklin County)
George Bilgere (Cleveland Heights, Cuyahoga County)
Schyler Butler (Columbus, Franklin County)
Akhim Cabey (Columbus, Franklin County)
Babette Cieskowski (Columbus, Franklin County)
James Ellenberger (Cincinnati, Hamilton County)
Becca J.R. Lachman (Athens, Athens County)
Paula J. Lambert (Columbus, Franklin County)
Keith Leonard (Columbus, Franklin County)
Rebecca Lindenberg (Cincinnati, Hamilton County)
Aimee Noel (Dayton, Montgomery County)
Douglas Ray (Cleveland Heights, Cuyahoga County)
Robin Beth Schaer (Wooster, Wayne County)
Meg Shevenock (Columbus, Franklin County)
Joel Showalter (Columbus, Franklin County)
Ann Townsend (Granville, Licking County)
Christina Veladota (Athens, Athens County)
LaWanda Walters (Cincinnati, Hamilton County)
Catherine Wing (Cleveland Heights, Cuyahoga County)

For more information about the OAC’s grant programs, visit oac.ohio.gov/grants.

ABOUT THE OHIO ARTS COUNCIL

The Ohio Arts Council is a state agency that funds and supports quality arts experiences to strengthen Ohio communities culturally, educationally, and economically. Connect with the OAC on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, or visit our website at oac.ohio.gov.

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Article by Amanda Etchison, Communications Strategist

Athens Organization Selected to Host Rural Design Workshop Led by National Endowment for the Arts

Thu, 26 Sep 2019 15:51:33 GMT

A community organization in Athens, Ohio, has been selected to host one of three multi-day community design workshops led by the National Endowment for the Arts.

Part of the Citizens’ Institute on Rural Design (CIRD) program, a national initiative that aims to support rural communities through hands-on training and other events, the workshop in Athens will focus on the efforts to preserve and reimagine the use of Mt. Zion Baptist Church, a century-old church founded in 1872 that is the last standing building in the city that was built by free-born and formerly enslaved black artisans.

The workshop will focus on the work of the Mt. Zion Baptist Church Preservation Society and its partners as they envision the architectural rehabilitation and revitalization of the church as an economic engine and as a hub for black history and culture in Athens.

“A lot of times when you think about Appalachia, it is often perceived as a white culture and not immediately associated with African Americans, so it is important to save this church so that its history and the fact that we have been here contributing to the community since its inception is acknowledged,” said Cherri L. Hendricks, board president of the Mt. Zion Baptist Church Preservation Society. “We feel that Mt. Zion can play a role as a black cultural space where the community can come together and talk about issues such as racial justice, equity, and food security. As we move forward, these issues of race, space, and place become more and more relevant and important to us.”

A partnership of the National Endowment for the Arts, the Housing Assistance Council, and Texas-based buildingcommunityWORKSHOP, CIRD works with communities with populations of 50,000 or fewer to “enhance the quality of life and economic viability through planning, design, and creative placemaking,” according to a Sept. 10 National Endowment for the Arts media release announcing this year’s workshop participants.

With the goal of using creative thinking to address issues unique to each community, CIRD workshops seek to empower local citizens to explore creative solutions with assistance from design, economic development, and creative placemaking professionals. In addition to providing competitive funding to support workshop expenses, CIRD also provides support through webinars, digital resources, and customized follow-up materials.

“We’re excited about the expertise our CIRD partners will bring to this project. There will be an incredible convergence of their decades of experience working with and applying participatory design methods and design justice frameworks with the embodied expertise of the Mt. Zion team, including the experiences of several members who were congregants in the church and have deeply embedded local ties with the community,” said Sam Dodd, director of the Ohio Valley Center for Collaborative Arts (CoArts) at Ohio University, who assisted the Mt. Zion Baptist Church as the primary strategist and lead grant writer for their CIRD award.

“I think the time is right for this to happen inside of Mt. Zion’s mission – to graft together our conceptual plans and material needs. With CIRD, we can have discussions that make concrete change—or in this case, brick and stone—through memory and identity and storytelling.”

This year, in addition to Athens, Millinocket, Maine, and Pueblo of Laguna, New Mexico, have been selected to host workshops. Specific dates and the participating members of the resource team for these workshops have yet to be announced, but more information will be available on the CIRD website.

An inaugural Rural Design Summit attended by members of a peer-learning cohort comprising these three communities and 20 others from 17 states ranging from Alabama to Wyoming will also be held this year Oct. 9-11 in West Virginia.

Ohio Arts Council Executive Director Donna S. Collins said she thinks Athens is an excellent choice for a CIRD workshop city.

“Athens has long been an outstanding example of the amazing things that can happen when a community comes together to imagine innovative ideas and approach challenges in a creative way. From transformative public art initiatives to community collaboration among the city’s diverse arts and culture organizations, it’s clear that Athens is not afraid to infuse a healthy dose of creativity into the problem-solving process,” she said. “For the Mt. Zion Baptist Church Preservation Society to be selected to participate in the National Endowment for the Arts’ Citizens’ Institute on Rural Design is a tremendous opportunity. The skills, connections, and resources shared through this program will undoubtedly equip all who participate with the tools to make a difference in the community for years to come.”

Hendricks and her team are already looking to the future. She expressed excitement about the opportunities that exist through creative placemaking and spoke of the enthusiastic engagement of the Mt. Zion partners, which include the Athens County Foundation, the City of Athens Planning Department, and the Southeast Ohio History Center.

“The possibilities with this are limitless,” she said. “Our whole organization is just incredibly thrilled. We are excited, we are energized, and we are motivated, and we are really looking forward to making the absolute most of this opportunity that we’ve been given by having a national light shined on our little corner of Southeast Ohio and Appalachia.”

To learn more about the CIRD program, visit rural-design.org. Find more information about the Mt. Zion Baptist Church Preservation Society at mountzionathens.org.

ABOUT THE OHIO ARTS COUNCIL
The Ohio Arts Council is a state agency that funds and supports quality arts experiences to strengthen Ohio communities culturally, educationally, and economically. Connect with the OAC on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, or visit our website at oac.ohio.gov.

ABOUT THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS
Established by Congress in 1965, the National Endowment for the Arts is the independent federal agency whose funding and support gives Americans the opportunity to participate in the arts, exercise their imaginations, and develop their creative capacities. Through partnerships with state arts agencies, local leaders, other federal agencies, and the philanthropic sector, the Arts Endowment supports arts learning, affirms and celebrates America’s rich and diverse cultural heritage, and extends its work to promote equal access to the arts in every community across America. For more information, visit arts.gov.

ABOUT THE HOUSING ASSISTANCE COUNCIL
The Housing Assistance Council (HAC) is a national nonprofit that strengthens communities across rural America through investment and assistance with affordable housing and community and economic development. Based in Washington, DC, HAC is actively involved in shaping federal policy and the affordable housing industry with its research, lending and conferences. We also deliver technical assistance, training and affordable loans to local organizations that help rural communities prosper.

ABOUT buildingcommunityWORKSHOP
buildingcommunityWORKSHOP ([bc]) is a Texas-based nonprofit community design center seeking to improve the livability and viability of communities through the practice of thoughtful design and making. We enrich the lives of citizens by bringing design thinking to areas of our cities where resources are most scarce. To do so, [bc] recognizes that it must first understand the social, economic, and environmental issues facing a community before beginning work.

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Article by Amanda Etchison, Communications Strategist
Featured photo: A 1909 postcard of the Mt. Zion Baptist Church in Athens, Ohio. Photo courtesy of Ada Woodson Adams

Ohio Arts Council Board Approves More Than $14.7M in Arts Grants

Tue, 23 Jul 2019 20:47:11 GMT

The Ohio Arts Council (OAC) board has approved $14,733,107 in grants to support Ohio artists, organizations, students, educators, and public arts programming during its initial and major state fiscal year 2020 funding round.

The board approved 743 grants when it met publicly on July 17 for its summer board meeting.

OAC Executive Director Donna S. Collins said the grant awards help arts organizations, educators, and artists throughout the state strengthen Ohio’s creative economy and enrich communities through the arts.

“We are honored to award these grants to the phenomenal arts organizations, art educators, and artists who work to champion the arts in Ohio,” she said. “Our state is rich in artistic ingenuity, creative collaboration, and passionate individuals who know firsthand the positive impact of the arts.”

The 743 grants awarded during this funding round are an important step toward the fulfillment of the agency’s ongoing commitment to directly fund arts and culture initiatives taking place in all 88 Ohio counties, something it has been able to do for the past two biennia.

Collins said a commitment to providing statewide support of the arts is more important than ever following the announcement of an historic $34.5 million allocated to the OAC through the 2020-21 state budget—a $5 million increase in funding from last biennium.

“We are very grateful to Governor Mike DeWine, and members of the Ohio House of Representatives and the Ohio Senate, for their support of public funding for the arts through the state budget’s appropriation to the Ohio Arts Council,” she said. “As we conclude a grant application cycle that saw a record-setting number of requests for funding, we are thrilled that support from our state’s governor and legislators ensures that more public dollars will be spent over the next two years on grants for the arts in Ohio.”

For a complete, filterable list of grant recipients, download the Excel spreadsheet here. To view all grants awarded this funding round as a PDF, click here.

Operating Support

Sustainability supports ongoing arts and cultural activities in all genres. Awards support the largest and most administratively sophisticated organizations in the state's arts and culture ecosystem. This four-year funding supports a wide range of the state's arts providers that are positioning Ohio as a national leader in creativity, artistry, and cultural wealth.
- Large Organizations: 40 grants totaling $7,616,964
- Mid-Sized Organizations: 264 grants totaling $4,126,315

Arts Access supports ongoing arts and cultural activities in all genres that broaden opportunities for the general public to participate in the arts. This flexible two-year funding provides general operating support for small organizations.
- 51 grants totaling $156,926

Project Support

ArtSTART provides accessible funding to help organizations complete short-term projects. Most awards support the programming of new or emerging organizations, first-time OAC applicants, and organizations in areas not served by other arts providers.
- 156 grants totaling $370,020

ArtsNEXT provides competitive funding for innovative and experimental projects. These forward-looking projects help define Ohio as an exciting, cutting-edge place to make, consume, and experience the arts.
- 55 grants totaling $422,889

Arts Learning

Arts Partnership supports arts education projects that address the needs of individual learners and their communities. By supporting these projects and programs, the OAC aims to strengthen arts education locally, regionally, and statewide.
- 79 grants totaling $797,979

TeachArtsOhio brings schools and community organizations together with teaching artists to share engaging, personal, high-quality arts learning experiences.
- 50 grants totaling $880,800

Individual Artists

Traditional Arts Apprenticeships provide support for master artists to work with apprentices to build understanding and proficiency in folk and traditional art forms. These awards support the teaching and sharing of important cultural traditions and enrich the lives of Ohioans.
- 14 grants totaling $35,997

Ohio Artists on Tour

The Ohio Artists on Tour program enables Ohio organizations to tap into the creative potential of performing artists and ensembles to enrich their programming and the vitality of their communities.
- 28 grants totaling $113,008

Statewide Arts Service Organization Support

Statewide Arts Service Organizations (SASO) are qualifying organizations that provide statewide professional services to arts and cultural organizations. These organizations often serve as critical partners as they, along with their members or constituents, support the OAC's mission to strengthen Ohio communities through the arts. Statewide Arts Service Organizations are eligible to receive OAC support in a way that honors their unique and valuable contributions to Ohio’s arts sector.
- 6 grants totaling $212,209

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Article by Amanda Etchison, Communications Strategist

Fiber Arts in the Ohio Arts Council's Riffe Gallery

Wed, 01 May 2019 14:02:46 GMT

The Ohio Arts Council’s (OAC) Riffe Gallery will open its newest exhibition, Thread Count: The Intersection of Mathematics and Fiber Arts, on Thursday, May 2. This exhibition features work by 13 contemporary fiber artists from the state of Ohio. These artists have created work featuring a variety of materials, shapes, and sizes.

Featured artists include Deborah Bewley (Bowling Green), Sandra Palmer Ciolino (Cincinnati), Judy Kahle (Wauseon), Aimee Lee (Cleveland), John Lefelhocz (Athens), Janice Lessman-Moss (Kent), Migiwa Orimo (Yellow Springs), Christina Pereyma (Troy), Jessica Pinsky (Cleveland), Ian Ruffino (Columbus), Judy Rush (Bexley), Petra Soesemann (Cleveland Heights), and Mary VanWassenhove (Columbus).

Artwork in Thread Count varies by artist and medium. One artist, VanWassenhove, will be exhibiting an interactive piece which highlights the practice of meditation through the geometric principle of Aristotle’s Golden Mean. This philosophy is known as “the desirable middle between two extremes, mathematically defined as two quantities that have the same ratio to one another as the sum of their parts has to the larger quantity (a+b is to a as a is to b, with a being the larger quantity),” said Jane A. Black in her curatorial comments. Guests are invited to sit and meditate on a hand-tufted rug below a suspended intersection of fabric rectangles.

Another artist, Pereyma, implements themes of finance and human understanding into her work. “Responding to the 2015 Harvard Business Review study that states insertion of a graph in a presentation increased its believability by 23 percent, Pereyma explores the trust we assign to mathematical data, whether we understand it or not,” Black said of Pereyma’s piece. Pereyma’s piece, Financial Data: winners, losers, stumbling emerging, capital flows, M1 and M2, posting outsize, one day moves, EBITDA, seasonally adjusted, fixed, steadied, moving average, resistance lines, upbeat chatter (2018). The piece features a variety of seemingly mathematical graphs, which Pereyma intentionally leaves ambiguous, providing no numerical statements or explanations. She seems to do this with the purpose of emphasizing man’s trust and interest in graphical data.

Many of the artists featured in Thread Count will also lead fiber arts-themed programming. Registration is suggested for most events and required for some. Continue reading for more information.

The opening reception for Thread Count will be Thursday, May 2, 5 – 7 p.m. Guests can enjoy local art, thoughtful conversations, and delicious refreshments at the event. Live music will be provided by local band The Knot Duo. Registration is not necessary. Feel free to stop by anytime between 5 – 7 p.m.

Friday, May 3 from noon – 1 p.m. is Black’s curator’s tour. This event is an excellent opportunity to learn more about the specific artworks in the exhibition and Black’s curatorial process. Registrations are suggested. Visit riffegallery.org to reserve your spot.

Two drop-in workshops will be offered throughout the exhibition. These workshops are open to 15 participants and feature 30-45 minutes of instruction, followed by a time of hands-on art creation. The first is Aimee Lee’s Hanji thread workshop on Wednesday, May 8, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. In this workshop, participants will create a thread from a sheet of Korean hanji, then use the thread to knit, crochet, or weave an artwork that fits in the palm of their hands. Registrations are suggested. Visit riffegallery.org for more information.

The exhibition’s next drop-in workshop features instructor Jessica Pinsky. She will be leading participants in a drop-spindle workshop where they will create their own yarn. This beginner technique allows one to blend colors and fibers together to create custom, hand-spun yarn. Registrations suggested. Visit riffegallery.org.

For a kid-friendly hands-on event, look no further than Judy Rush’s friends and family workshop on Saturday, May 18, 1 – 3 p.m. Participants will create a keepsake item in felt while encapsulating a message into a ball of fibers. Participants will attach a felted cord and turn their memento into a piece of jewelry or a keychain. Space is limited, so please register at riffegallery.org. Participants of all ages are welcome to join this artmaking fun!

Two artist talks will take place during the run of the exhibition as well. The first is an artist talk with Janice Lessman-Moss on Wednesday, June 5, noon – 1 p.m. The second is an artist talk with Petra Soesemann on Wednesday, June 12, noon – 1 p.m. Guests will learn more about each artist’s background and art creation process and will have an opportunity to participate in a Q&A session at the end. Registration is not required for these events, but guests are encouraged to arrive early to secure a parking spot and seat in the gallery.

The final event of the exhibition is a creative writing workshop with Rikki Santer on Thursday, June 27, 5:30 – 8 p.m. Participants will expand their creative writing skills through exercises and discussion with Santer, an award-winning poet. Registrations are required. Visit riffegallery.org.

Thread Count: The Intersection of Mathematics and Fiber Arts will be on display at the OAC Riffe Gallery May 2 – July 6, 2019. Admission to the gallery and all events is free and open to the public. For more information, visit riffegallery.org or call 614-644-9624. The gallery is open Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Thursday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

ABOUT THE RIFFE GALLERY
The Ohio Arts Council’s Riffe Gallery showcases the work of Ohio's artists and the collections of the state's museums and galleries. The Riffe Gallery is located in the Vern Riffe Center for Government and the Arts, across from the Statehouse on High Street in Downtown Columbus. Like the Riffe Gallery on Facebook and follow us on Instagram and Twitter.

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78 Artists Receive Ohio Arts Council Individual Excellence Awards

Tue, 26 Mar 2019 13:56:46 GMT

Board members of the Ohio Arts Council (OAC) approved Individual Excellence Awards for state fiscal year 2019 during a public meeting on March 20.

Individual Excellence Awards are peer recognition of artists for the exceptional merit of a body of their work that advances or exemplifies the discipline and the larger artistic community. These awards support artists’ growth and development and recognize their work in Ohio and beyond.

Seventy-eight artists will receive funding for 75 applications—three of which were collaborations. Awarded through an open panel review process focused on the basis of exceptional merit of an artist’s past body of work, Individual Excellence Award funding gives artists the resources to experiment and explore their art forms, develop skills, and advance their careers.

During this funding cycle, applications in crafts, design arts/illustration, interdisciplinary (i.e., collaborative and performance art), media arts, photography, visual arts 2D, and visual arts 3D were accepted. Each award is $5,000. (Collaborative winners split the award equally.)

“These awards honor the artistic excellence of individuals who are sharing their creative talents with Ohio,” said OAC Executive Director Donna S. Collins. “The Ohio Arts Council’s 2019 Individual Excellence Awards represent the highest level of achievement in these artistic disciplines, and each year the diversity and caliber of applications is astounding. The impressive group of artists receiving awards this year proves that amazing work is being done in the arts throughout Ohio.”

For a complete, filterable list of grant recipients, download the Excel spreadsheet here.

A list of Individual Excellence Award winners follows:

ATHENS

Melissa Haviland (Athens) – Visual Arts 2D
Alex Hibbitt (Athens) – Crafts
Matt Wedel (Albany) – Visual Arts 3D

CUYAHOGA

Judith Brandon (Cleveland) – Visual Arts 2D
Steve Cagan (Cleveland Heights) – Photography
Amy Casey (Cleveland) – Visual Arts 2D
Kristen Cliffel (Cleveland) – Crafts
Ryan Dewey (Cleveland) – Visual Arts 3D
Thomas Frontini (Cleveland) – Visual Arts 2D
Sarah Kabot (Cleveland Heights) – Visual Arts 3D
Mimi Kato (Cleveland Heights) – Visual Arts 2D
Gregory Martin (South Euclid) – Photography
Paul O’Keeffe (Cleveland Heights) – Visual Arts 3D
Dana Oldfather Darling (Newburgh Heights) – Visual Arts 2D
Kristina Paabus (Cleveland) – Visual Arts 2D
Sarah Paul (Cleveland) – Media Arts
Kari Russell-Pool Petrovic (Euclid) – Crafts
Deborah Silver (Cleveland Heights) – Visual Arts 2D
Corrie Slawson (Cleveland Heights) – Visual Arts 2D
Rachel Smith (Strongsville) – Crafts
Petra Soesemann (Cleveland Heights) – Visual Arts 2D
Judy Takacs (Solon) – Visual Arts 2D
Barry Underwood (Cleveland Heights) – Photography
Lauren Yeager (Lakewood) – Visual Arts 3D

FRANKLIN

Christopher Burk (Columbus) – Visual Arts 2D
Susan Cavanaugh (Columbus) – Crafts
Daric Gill (Columbus) – Visual Arts 2D
Glen Holland (Columbus) – Visual Arts 2D
Jessie Horning (Columbus) – Visual Arts 2D
Morris Jackson (Columbus) – Visual Arts 2D
Lynda McClanahan (Columbus) – Visual Arts 2D
Cody Miller (Columbus) – Visual Arts 2D
Mike Olenick (Columbus) – Media Arts
Joshua Penrose (Columbus) – Interdisciplinary
Julie Rae Powers (Columbus) – Photography
Dani ReStack (Columbus) – Interdisciplinary⁺
Sheilah ReStack (Columbus) – Interdisciplinary⁺
Boryana Rusenova Ina (Columbus) – Visual Arts 2D
Laura Sanders (Columbus) – Visual Arts 2D
Jennifer Schlueter (Columbus) – Interdiscplinary^{^}
Suzanne Silver (Columbus) – Visual Arts 2D
Matt Slaybaugh (Columbus) – Interdisciplinary^{^}
Ryland Wharton (Worthington) – Visual Arts 3D

+ denotes collaboration
^ denotes collaboration

GREENE

Justin Teilhet (Yellow Springs) – Crafts

HAMILTON

Kimberly Burleigh (Cincinnati) – Media Arts
Kate Kern (Cincinnati) – Interdisciplinary
Guy Michael Davis (Cincinnati) – Visual Arts 3D*
Katie Parker (Cincinnati) – Visual Arts 3D*
Alice Pixley Young (Cincinnati) – Interdisciplinary
Marlene Steele (Cincinnati) – Visual Arts 2D
Erick Stoll (Cincinnati) – Media Arts

*denotes collaboration

KNOX

Karen Snouffer (Gambier) – Visual Arts 2D

LICKING

Abram Kaplan (Granville) – Photography

LORAIN

Donna Coleman (Oberlin) – Visual Arts 2D

LUCAS

Jordan Buschur (Maumee) – Visual Arts 2D
Deborah Orloff (Sylvania) – Photography
Zac Weinberg (Maumee) – Crafts
Lynn Whitney (Waterville) – Photography

MADISON

Tracy Greenwalt (London) – Visual Arts 2D

MAHONING

Stephen Chalmers (Boardman) – Photography

MONTGOMERY

Glenna Jennings (Dayton) – Photography
Suki Kwon (Oakwood) – Crafts
Tracy Longley-Cook (Dayton) – Photography
Eleanor Moseman (Dayton) - Photography

PORTAGE

Chanjuan Chen (Kent) – Design Arts
Mahwish Chishty (Kent) – Interdisciplinary
Peter Christian Johnson (Kent) – Crafts
Amber Kempthorn (Hiram) – Visual Arts 2D
Keith Lemley (Kent) – Visual Arts 3D
Jenniffer Omaitz (Kent) – Visual Arts 3D
Christine Zuercher (Kent) – Photography

SHELBY

Maureen O’Keefe (Sidney) – Visual Arts 2D

STARK

Oxana Dallas (Canton) – Crafts
Coty Giannelli (Waynesburg) – Photography

SUMMIT

Dave Szalay (Richfield) – Design Arts
Laura Vinnedge (Akron) – Visual Arts 2D
Casey Vogt (Akron) – Visual Arts 2D

WOOD

Erwin Redl (Bowling Green) – Visual Arts 3D

For more information about the OAC’s grant programs, visit oac.ohio.gov/grants.

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Article by Amanda Etchison, Communications Strategist

National Endowment for the Arts Awards $565K to Ohio Recipients

Wed, 13 Feb 2019 16:51:34 GMT

Twenty-nine Ohio recipients have been awarded grants through the National Endowment for the Arts’ (NEA) Art Works, Challenge America, and Creative Writing Fellowship programs.

Through Art Works and Challenge America, $540,000 has been awarded to 28 nonprofit arts organizations throughout the state. Additionally, Hugh Martin of Athens, Ohio, was awarded a $25,000 Creative Writing Fellowship. Martin was one of just 35 individuals chosen for this fellowship and is a first-time recipient of this award.

“The National Endowment for the Arts is a valued partner in supporting the work of Ohio’s artistic and creative leaders,” said Ohio Arts Council Executive Director Donna S. Collins. “Every day, these 29 grantees from around the state are engaging audiences and inspiring others through meaningful and impactful arts experiences. We are grateful for the National Endowment for the Arts’ support of the arts in Ohio.”

More than $27 million in grants were awarded in total during this first round of funding announcements, with recipients in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.

“The arts enhance our communities and our lives, and we look forward to seeing these projects take place throughout the country, giving Americans opportunities to learn, to create, to heal, and to celebrate,” said Mary Anne Carter, acting chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts.

A complete list of Ohio NEA grant recipients follows:

Athens

Hugh Martin: $25,000

Chagrin Falls

Fevered Dreams Productions (aka Chagrin Documentary Film Festival): $20,000

Cincinnati

Cincinnati Ballet Company, Inc.: $10,000
Cincinnati Opera Association: $30,000
Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park: $10,000
Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra: $40,000

Cleveland

Center for Arts-Inspired Learning: $10,000
Cleveland International Film Festival, Inc.: $20,000
Cleveland Modern Dance Association (aka DANCECleveland): $25,000
Cleveland Play House: $15,000
Cleveland Public Theatre, Inc.: $15,000
Community Partnership for Arts and Culture: $10,000
Cuyahoga Community College Foundation: $20,000
Cuyahoga Community College Foundation (on behalf of Tri-C JazzFest Cleveland): $20,000
L.A.N.D. studio, Inc.: $25,000
Musical Arts Association (aka The Cleveland Orchestra): $40,000
SPACES: $30,000
Zygote Press, Inc.: $20,000

Cleveland Heights

Apollo's Fire, The Cleveland Baroque Orchestra: $35,000

Columbus

Ballet Metropolitan, Inc. (aka BalletMet): $15,000
Columbus Museum of Art: $20,000
OhioDance: $10,000
Opera Association of Central Ohio (aka Opera Columbus): $20,000
Wexner Center Foundation: $15,000

Dayton

Muse Machine: $20,000

Delaware

Central Ohio Symphony, Inc.: $10,000

Gambier

Kenyon Review: $15,000

Oberlin

Slowik Music Institute (aka Credo Music): $10,000

Shaker Heights

Verb Ballets: $10,000

For more information about these recipients and their projects, click here to download a complete, filterable list of awards.

According to the National Endowment for the Arts, Art Works grants support “artistically excellent projects that celebrate our creativity and cultural heritage, invite mutual respect for differing beliefs and values, and enrich humanity.” It is their largest funding category. These matching grants typically range from $10,000 to $100,000.

For federal FY 2019, the National Endowment for the Arts awarded 972 Art Works grants totaling more than $25 million.

Challenge America grants support projects that “extend the reach of the arts to underserved populations—those whose opportunities to experience the arts are limited by geography, ethnicity, economics, or disability,” according to the National Endowment for the Arts. Each grant is $10,000.

This year, the National Endowment for the Arts awarded 138 Challenge America grants totaling $1.38 million.

According to the National Endowment for the Arts, Creative Writing Fellowships in fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction “enable recipients to set aside time for writing, research, travel, and general career advancement.” Each grant is $25,000, providing direct support to creative writers.

This year, 35 Creative Writing Fellowships were awarded totaling $875,000.

For more information about the National Endowment for the Arts’ grant programs, visit arts.gov.

ABOUT THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS
Established by Congress in 1965, the National Endowment for the Arts is the independent federal agency whose funding and support gives Americans the opportunity to participate in the arts, exercise their imaginations, and develop their creative capacities. Through partnerships with state arts agencies, local leaders, other federal agencies, and the philanthropic sector, the Arts Endowment supports arts learning, affirms and celebrates America’s rich and diverse cultural heritage, and extends its work to promote equal access to the arts in every community across America. Visit arts.gov to learn more.

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Article by Amanda Etchison, Communications Strategist

37 Ohio Artists Featured in 12th Annual OOVAR Statewide Exhibition

Fri, 30 Nov 2018 14:58:00 GMT

The 12^th annual Ohio Online Visual Artist Registry (OOVAR) Juried Exhibition is a treasure trove of talent.

Featuring work by 37 Ohio artists, My Treasures Are Within: 12^th Annual OOVAR Juried Exhibition is on view at the Columbus Metropolitan Main Library’s Carnegie Gallery (96 S. Grant Ave., Second Floor) through Jan. 12.

Presented by the Ohio Arts Council (OAC), Columbus Metropolitan Library, and Friends of the Library, the exhibition showcases Ohio artists registered in OOVAR, a database of work of more than 1,900 artists from Ohio and all over the world.

The artists on display hail from 22 Ohio cities and work in a variety of mediums.

Artists in the show include:

Fatima Azimova, Dublin
Ginny Baughman, Westerville
Donald Black Jr., Shaker Heights
Edmund Boateng, Reynoldsburg
Jennifer Brown, Reynoldsburg
Stephen Calhoun, Cleveland Heights
Dan Cleary, Dayton
Clifford Darrett, Dayton
Pamela Daum, Kent
Randy DePuy, Columbus
Lisa Di Giacomo, Dublin
Leslie Durham, Cincinnati
Phyllis Fannin, Lakewood
Maureen France, Cincinnati
Pam Geisel, Yellow Springs
Becky Grasser, Kirtland
Kari Gunter-Seymour, Albany
Linda Hutchinson, Kent
Glenna Jennings, Dayton
Susie Jordan, Columbus
Charlotte Lees, Solon
Baila Litton, Cleveland
Bob Maurer, Canton
Kathleen McKenna, Shaker Heights
Jason Morgan, Wilmington
Ardine Nelson, Columbus
Elizabeth Nelson, Columbus
Frauke Palmer, Columbus
Katherine Palmer, Columbus
Hollis Richardson, Strongsville
Michael Rosen, Glenford
James Ruby, Newburgh Heights
John Sargent III, South Euclid
Vanda Sucheston Hughes, Columbus
Gwen Waight, Peninsula
Paul Wilbur, Columbus
Evie Zimmer, Cleveland

A filterable list of artists and their work in the exhibition can be downloaded here.

Exhibition juror Marlene VonHandorf Steele, a Cincinnati-based artist who serves as arts ambassador to Ohio for the Portrait Society of America, said she found the variety of artwork impressive and added that it was interesting to see how each of the artists explored the “My Treasures Are Within” theme.

“The exhibition title … is uniquely personal and inwardly directed. The theme asserts self-searching and self-affirmation in the positive, accepting passions and dreams as well as perceived flaws and imperfections,” Steele said. “In reviewing the submissions of these Ohio-based artists, I was personally impressed by several works expressively concerned with 'home space' and deep community roots. The artists’ utilization of these elements authenticates their personal introspectiveness while projecting a sense of community identity and ‘personal place.’”

This year, the show’s three jurors are Steele, Tamara James of Friends of the Library, and Greg Easterling of the Columbus Metropolitan Library. In addition to selecting the pieces for the show, each of the jurors will award one $500 Juror’s Choice Award. These three $500 awards are sponsored by the OAC.

A People’s Choice Award of $500, sponsored by the Friends of the Library, will be selected based on ballots cast by patrons of the gallery and library through Jan. 9.

Awards will be presented publicly on Jan. 12 during a closing reception held at the Main Library from 2 to 4 p.m.

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Article by Amanda Etchison, Communications Strategist

Ohio Arts Council Board Approves More Than $12.6M in Arts Grants

Tue, 31 Jul 2018 17:18:58 GMT

The Ohio Arts Council (OAC) board has approved $12,620,446 in grants to support Ohio artists, organizations, students, educators, and public arts programming during its initial and major state fiscal year 2019 funding round.

The board approved 679 grants when it met publicly on July 25 for its summer board meeting.

For a complete, filterable list of grant recipients, download the Excel spreadsheet here.

“Thanks to the Ohio governor and legislature’s prioritization of arts funding in the state budget, the Ohio Arts Council continues to invest in Ohio’s creative economy,” said OAC Executive Director Donna S. Collins. “With these awards, Ohio’s arts sector will engage our citizens, undertake innovative projects, and lead our state to a bright, shared future.”

Grant funding was awarded in the following areas:

Operating Support

Sustainability supports ongoing arts and cultural activities in all genres. Awards support the largest and most administratively sophisticated organizations in the state's arts and culture ecosystem. This four-year funding supports a wide range of the state's arts providers that are positioning Ohio as a national leader in creativity, artistry, and cultural wealth.
- Large Organizations: 35 grants totaling $6,359,375
- Mid-Sized Organizations: 245 grants totaling $3,750,082
Arts Access supports ongoing arts and cultural activities in all genres that broaden opportunities for the general public to participate in the arts. This flexible two-year funding provides general operating support for small organizations.
- 31 grants totaling $89,526

Project Support

ArtSTART provides accessible funding to help organizations complete short-term projects. Most awards support the programming of new or emerging organizations, first-time OAC applicants, and organizations in areas not served by other arts providers.
- 172 grants totaling $424,244
ArtsNEXT provides competitive funding for innovative and experimental projects. These forward-looking projects help define Ohio as an exciting, cutting-edge place to make, consume, and experience the arts.
- 60 grants totaling $521,548

Arts Learning

Arts Partnership supports arts education projects that address the needs of individual learners and their communities. By supporting these projects and programs, the OAC aims to strengthen arts education locally, regionally, and statewide.
- 62 grants totaling $717,014

TeachArtsOhio brings schools and community organizations together with teaching artists to share engaging, personal, high-quality arts learning experiences.
- 41 grants totaling $641,700

Artist Programs

Traditional Arts Apprenticeships provide support for master artists to work with apprentices to build understanding and proficiency in folk and traditional art forms. These awards support the teaching and sharing of important cultural traditions and enrich the lives of Ohioans.
- 10 grants totaling $37,425

Ohio Artists on Tour

The Ohio Artists on Tour program enables Ohio organizations to tap into the creative potential of performing artists and ensembles to enrich their programming and the vitality of their communities.
- 23 grants totaling $79,532

In addition to approving the grants, the OAC board also affirmed the selection of Westlake musician Hasu Patel for an Ohio Heritage Fellowship Award. The OAC annually awards Ohio Heritage Fellowships in recognition of the significant impact an individual or group has had on the people and communities of the state through their work in the folk or traditional arts.

This year, Patel, a world-class artist who performs classical music on the sitar, was selected for the Performing Arts category. In addition to receiving a $5,000 award, she will be recognized at a community event and ceremony later this year.

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Article by Amanda Etchison, Communications Strategist

Ohio Artists Receive Individual Excellence Awards

Thu, 03 May 2018 12:58:45 GMT

Board members of the Ohio Arts Council (OAC) approved Individual Excellence Awards for state fiscal year 2018 during a public meeting on April 25.

Individual Excellence Awards are peer recognition of creative artists for the exceptional merit of a body of their work that advances or exemplifies the discipline and the larger artistic community. These awards support artists' growth and development and recognize their work in Ohio and beyond.

During this funding cycle, applications in choreography, criticism, fiction/non-fiction, music composition, playwriting/screenplays, and poetry were accepted. Each award is $5,000.

“We are fortunate to have a creative abundance of outstanding artists in Ohio,” said OAC Executive Director Donna S. Collins. “Frank Lloyd Wright was known to say, ‘I know the price of success: dedication, hard work, and an unremitting devotion to the things I want to see happen.’ The artists earning the Ohio Arts Council’s 2018 Individual Excellence Awards have indeed been tapped for their success.”

For a complete, filterable list of grant recipients, download the Excel spreadsheet here.

A list of Individual Excellence Award winners follows:

ASHLAND

Sarah Wells (Ashland) – Non-Fiction

ATHENS

Merri Biechler (Guysville) – Playwriting
Sharon Hatfield (Athens) – Non-Fiction
Mark Phillips (Athens) – Music Composition

BUTLER

TaraShea Nesbit (Oxford) – Non-Fiction

CLARK

Mimi Dixon (Springfield) – Non-Fiction

CUYAHOGA

Michael Credico (Lakewood) – Fiction
Caitlin Dargue (Shaker Heights) – Playwriting
Keith Fitch (Cleveland Heights) – Music Composition
Mary Grimm (Cleveland) – Fiction
Christopher Johnston (Shaker Heights) – Non-Fiction
Bradley Ricca (University Heights) – Non-Fiction
Pandora Robertson (Cleveland Heights) – Playwriting
David Shimotakahara (Cleveland Heights) – Choreography
Gregory Vovos (Rocky River) – Playwriting
Megan Young (Cleveland) – Choreography

DARKE

Myrna Stone (Greenville) – Poetry

DEFIANCE

Mary Catherine Harper (Defiance) – Poetry

ERIE

Daniel Sapp (Berlin Heights) – Poetry

FAIRFIELD

Charles Salmons (Canal Winchester) – Poetry

FRANKLIN

Marc Ainger (Columbus) – Music Composition
Jenny Deller (Columbus) – Playwriting
Darren Demaree (Columbus) – Poetry
Mya Frazier (Columbus) – Criticism
Linda Fuller-Smith (Columbus) – Poetry
Kevin Griffith (Columbus) – Poetry
Samantha Tucker Iacovetto (Columbus) – Non-Fiction
Jahir Johnson (Columbus) – Playwriting
Kris Paulsen (Worthington) – Criticism
Susan Petry (Columbus) – Choreography
Rebecca Seum (Westerville) – Non-Fiction
Maggie Smith (Bexley) – Poetry
Michael Vander Does (Columbus) – Poetry
Nick White (Columbus) – Fiction
Carmen Winant (Columbus) – Criticism
David Yee (Columbus) – Fiction

GEAUGA

Patrick Culliton (Chardon) – Poetry
Brian Macaskill (Chardon) – Criticism

GREENE

Heather Christle (Yellow Springs) – Non-Fiction
Will Clemens (Fairborn) – Poetry
Rebecca Kuder (Yellow Springs) – Non-Fiction

HAMILTON

Michael Fiday (Cincinnati) – Music Composition
Luke Geddes (Cincinnati) – Fiction
Jennifer Habel (Cincinnati) – Poetry
Ellen Harrison (Cincinnati) – Music Composition
Kristen Iversen (Cincinnati) – Non-Fiction
Matt Jones (Cincinnati) – Non-Fiction
Douglas Knehans (Cincinnati) – Music Composition
Julia Koets (Cincinnati) – Poetry
Brian Roley (Montgomery) – Fiction
Judith Turner-Yamamoto (Cincinnati) – Fiction

HARRISON

Sharon Mooney (Scio) – Poetry

KNOX

Jaquira Diaz (Gambier) - Non-Fiction
Kora Radella Feller (Gambier) – Choreography
Margaree Little (Mount Vernon) – Poetry

LAKE

Christopher Harris (Madison) – Non-Fiction

LORAIN

Elizabeth Ogonek (Oberlin) – Music Composition
Marco Wilkinson (Oberlin) – Non-Fiction

LUCAS

Jim Ferris (Sylvania) – Music Composition
Mikel Kuehn (Sylvania) – Music Composition
Eric Pfeffinger (Toledo) – Playwriting
Benjamin Stroud (Toledo) – Fiction

MADISON

Vicki Sairs (London) – Fiction

MONTGOMERY

Furaha Henry-Jones (Centerville) – Poetry
Sharon Short (Centerville) – Fiction

PORTAGE

Lora Gray (Kent) – Fiction

RICHLAND

Mark Jordan (Lucas) – Criticism

SUMMIT

Mary Biddinger (Akron) – Poetry
Robin Prichard (Akron) – Choreography
Barbara Sabol (Cuyahoga Falls) – Poetry
Stefanie Wass (Hudson) – Fiction

WARREN

Katrina Kittle (Springboro) – Fiction

WAYNE

Anthony Tognazzini (Wooster) – Fiction

WOOD

Sharona Muir (Perrysburg) – Fiction
Frank Rzicznek (Bowling Green) – Poetry
Daniel Williams (Perrysburg) – Playwriting

For more information about the OAC’s grant programs, visit oac.ohio.gov/grants.

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Article by Amanda Etchison, Communications Strategist
---
Updated May 3, 2018: This story has been revised to include an updated version of the spreadsheet that lists Sarah Wells' current city and county (Ashland, Ashland County) and Individual Excellence Award recipient Jaquira Diaz.
Updated May 29, 2018: This story has been updated to include the correct spelling of Mya Frazier's name.
Updated June 1, 2018: This story has been updated with Daniel Williams' correct discipline (playwriting).

19 Artists Receive OAC Awards at State Fair

Wed, 29 Jul 2015 19:55:53 GMT

The Ohio Arts Council (OAC) presented 19 awards totaling $7,100 at the Ohio State Fair Fine Arts Exhibition opening reception on Tuesday, July 28, 2015.

“The Fine Arts Exhibition engages artists and fairgoers from all corners of the state,” said Donna S. Collins, executive director of the OAC. “The OAC award recipients, and all exhibiting artists, are an excellent representation of the amazing creative talent living and working in Ohio.”

More than 400 amateur and professional artworks, along with 14 short films, were selected for the exhibition. Jurors include Janice Driesbach, Akron Art Museum; Martina Lopez, professional visual artist; and Robert E. Peppers, Ohio University School of Art + Design. A grand total of $19,650 in awards was presented at the Fine Arts Exhibition.

Many other organizations and individuals sponsored awards, including: the McConnell Arts Center, Creative Arts of Women, Westbridge Camera Club, William J. Shelia Riat, City of Upper Arlington, Collage of Women Artists, Connie Layne Memorial, Hazen-Taft, Southern Hills Arts Council, and the Greater Columbus Arts Council.

OAC-supported award recipients and winning pieces are listed below by category:

Ten $300 Professional Awards

Jessica Summers, Findlay, The Haircut
Barbara Vogel, Columbus, Ursula Dazing
Lisa Bumbaugh Vottero, Columbus, Unexpected Interlude
David & Roberta Williamson, Berea, Botanical Study
Julian David & Roberta Williamson, Berea, Botanical Study
Julianna Bibb, Columbus, Tomatoes
Ken Coon, Fairport Harbor, Work Days
Julie Woodrow, Marysville, Donkey
Nathan Gorgen, Columbus, Imminent Unmasking
Kellie McDermott, Columbus, Window Wall
Danna Lynn Harper, Columbus, Pool Studies

One $250 New Artist Professional Award
Carol Stewart, Columbus, Paper Lanterns

Two $500 Professional Photography Perspective Awards
James Aubry, Waterville, Cool Cat
Ralph Corriveau, Columbus, Not Going Anywhere

Two $250 Amateur Awards
Issac Smith, Bowling Green, Stasis
Emily Dockery, Chauncey, Stranded

One $250 New Artist Amateur Award
Mollie Hannon, Columbus, Baggage 1

One $500 Amateur Photography Perspective Award
Jordan Potts, Columbus, On the Inside

One OAC Purchase Award for $1,500
Richard Lillash, Columbus, Blue & Grey Still Life

One OAC Purchase Award for $100
Martha Gaustad, Toledo, Shutterpencilbrushii

An OAC-sponsored $500 People’s Choice Award was also presented at the close of the exhibition to James Mellick of Milford Center for his piece Wounded Warrior Dogs Project. His piece received the most votes from fair visitors.

The Fine Arts Exhibition was open to the public for the duration of the Ohio State Fair in the Cox Fine Arts Center at the Ohio Expo Center.

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Laurels Ladies Share their Story

Tue, 16 Jun 2015 15:14:18 GMT

The first year of the Artful Aging Ohio (AAO) program brought fabric art to Athens, music and movement to Akron, and Gospel to Toledo. With the pilot nearing its end, and seven successful programs on the books, there is a clear desire among residents and artists alike to continue the creative process in senior living homes. Goldean Gibbs, Artful Aging Ohio coordinator, uncovered the value in providing access to arts opportunities while witnessing their meaningful outcomes.

"Artists who are well versed in their art form have the uncanny ability to unleash participation and creativity from residents. It reminds them of something within their previous life or simply touches their souls," Gibbs said.

In an effort to hear the stories behind the praise, I traveled to Athens to visit Stacia Davis Moore at The Laurels of Athens. Volunteer extraordinaire, among many titles, Stacia kindly agreed to introduce me to a few hesitant residents. In the open activity room a display case proudly houses resident-designed jewelry, an easel in the corner holds a colorful landscape, and of course, puzzles are not far out of reach.

The residents at The Laurels of Athens have experienced two AAO residencies. The first, with visual artist Patty Mitchell, included a massive project around the holidays. It was aptly titled "Winter Wonderland." “Oh it was magical,” Margaret, the first resident to join us in conversation, tells me.

Bonnie, our second guest at the table, echos her sentiment immediately. With sound creative direction, the residents transformed the gazebo into a fabric enclave with hand-painted lanterns, a cardboard village, and more. “We spent hours,” Bonnie says, with Margaret quick to add, “but it was so much fun.”

The second residency consisted of creative writing and poetry workshops with Wendy McVicker. It sparked not only creativity, but fond memories too. Even as the second program comes to a close, the “Laurels Ladies,” or “Twister Sisters,” (an inside joke among friends) continue to create. “I’ve liked it all, especially the jewelry, because I’ve learned something I had never done before. I didn’t quite think I was capable of learning something new, especially at 80 years old,” Margaret tells me as we look at the necklaces and bracelets she designs for friends and family.

As is the case for Bonnie, whose decorative pens are placed with care by Stacia on the table in front of me. “I take regular pens and then pick different colors of clay to create art around them,” Bonnie says as she places the pens in my direction. As I pick one up, it fits instantly into my hand, it wasn’t until this point that I glance at her hands. Rheumatoid arthritis. “I like a challenge,” Bonnie says with a smile.

Merlene, or “Mer,” joins our table next and is keen to explain the value beyond the beads. “It’s so important to know that it’s not just jewelry, but learning what their talents are,” she told me. A former school principal, Mer's insight leans more to self-worth and empowerment than arts and crafts. “I’ve probably taught every class that could be taught, but this lesson has been invaluable," she says. "It’s an ongoing process. That’s what learning is about. We can’t just be settled on one thing.”

As Mer spoke, I notice the expressions on Margaret and Bonnie’s faces shift. When Margaret spoke next it was with full eyes, “I thought life was over until I came here and I learned that everybody can work together and we can be a big family.” Looking around the table with admiration, Bonnie spoke up, “We’re not going to fade away, we’re going to leave something behind."

Among many conversations, I had the pleasure to learn the story behind the colorful landscape I spied earlier. All you have to do is ask Martha, "Marty", one question about her painting and the memories flood back. She talked us through the components of her painting, Seven Sisters, and it quickly became more than blue trees and vibrant flowers, it became a visual aid to her childhood memories. “It just connects me to so many stories,” Marty said, smiling as she looked across the canvas. “It’s a tribute to my sisters, I’m mindful of them wherever they are. We may be separated by miles or heavens but we’re always connected at heart.”

The value of being asked to participate is paramount. "Participation among many of the residents comes down to a simple, Would you like to?" Stacia says. It’s clear by the collective nodding around the table that the Laurels Ladies agree.

After a few hours at The Laurels, it's clear that the ask goes beyond breaking the participation barrier. Listening to the memories that drive the creative process is a clear indication of the key role these arts opportunities fulfill.

"The value is definitely awakening the creativity and giving residents another venue to become engaged," Gibbs said.

The aging population, though they may express initial apprehension, is willing and ready to be engaged when given the proper canvas and encouragement, all we have to do is ask.

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Article by Hannah Brokenshire, Communications Strategist
Photo by Jazmin Quaynor on Unsplash