Paula Damm earned best-in-show honors in The Gallery at Lakeland Community College’s 14th “May Show at Lakeland” for “Together Voice,” a work of embroidery on linen. (Courtesy of Lakeland Community College)
Let the festivals begin!
It’s time to savor the arts outdoors. I love to get creative outside; garden art makes gardening more fun. Get functional and creative. Use flowers to accent yard art by repeating color or form, create a topiary sculpture or learn the art of Bonsai. Take a walk in a garden or woodland to sketch or paint.
Take pictures and include notes in your sketchbook help you when adding details later. Comments about the day, weather, sights and smells can trigger memories and form clearer images of things you did not sketch but want to remember.
And, of course, it is time for outdoor art festivals. By the way, volunteering is a great way to make artsy friends and support the artists.
First up is Valley Art Center’s 40th annual Art by the Falls in Chagrin Falls. It has grown to require a move to the Cleveland Metroparks Polo Field, 41324-44998 S. Woodland Road. It will be held from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on June 8 and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on June 9.
The Wildwood Fine Arts & Wine Festival will be open from noon to 6 p.m. on June 22 on the grounds of the Wildwood estate, 7645 Little Mountain Road, Mentor. Learn more about the event or become a vendor by calling 440-974-5735 or email wildwood@cityofmentor.com,
New shows are opening, and the calls for artists is increasing. Get busy, people! I want to see your work.
Gallery at Lakeland
The 14th “May Show at Lakeland” is on display through July 19 in The Gallery at Lakeland Community College, 7700 Clocktower Drive, Kirtland.
According to Gallery Coordinator Mary Urbas, 450 artworks were submitted for consideration. Of that, juror Laura Domencic — artist and executive director of the Erie Art Museum — selected 80 pieces from 70 artists to include into this year’s exhibition. Media included embroidery, ceramics, photography, assemblage, woodworking and different styles of painting, from acrylic and pastel to oil on canvas.
In her juror’s statement, Domencic wrote, “There is a seamless poetry when artists are working at this level of dedication to their practice. The work submitted for the 14th ‘May Show’ at Lakeland Community College is an excellent introduction to Northeast Ohio’s impressive array of artists.
“This year I saw at least 65 percent of the artists submitting work were ‘new to me’ and new to entering the ‘May Show,’” Urbas said. “The word is getting out there! Fun to see and discover these new artists and their art!”
In addition to the $1,500 cash award for Best in Show, five Juror Awards were presented, each with a $500 cash prize. This brings the cash awards for the show, which started in 2010, to more than $50,000.
Paula Damm won Best in Show, while Mary Bahan, Mark Giangaspero, Jurors Award, Jill Yanik Eisert, Kenn Hetzel, and Tony Skinner earned Jurors Awards.
A video walkthrough of the exhibition soon will be available for viewing at lakelandcc.edu. Call 4440-525-7029 for more information.
Stella’s Art Gallery
Two calls for art from Stella’s Art Gallery, 38033 Euclid Ave., Willoughby are out for June shows.
First up is “Size Matters,” with the following categories in any medium: Tiny Bits for artwork no larger than 4 by 6 inches or; Medium Muscle must be 8 by 10 inches to 12 by 16 inches; and Living Large for artworks 18 by 24 inches or larger — as long as it fits through a standard doorway.
Entries will be accepted from 11:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on June 6 and 7 and from 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on June 8. The awards reception will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. on June 14. Awards are presented promptly at 8 p.m.
The second call for art is for “Ekphrastic Poetry.” This is poetry written about a specific artwork. Writers are invited to visit the gallery between June 14 and 27, choose an artwork that inspires them and register at the front desk. Only one poem per artwork. A reading of the poetry will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. on June 28.
For more information, visit StellasArtGallery.com or call 440-266-9111.
Cleveland Museum of Art hosting ‘Korean Couture: Generations of Revolution’
Valley Art Center
Valley Art Center, 155 Bell St. Chagrin Falls, is seeking artists for “In Touch: A Hands-on Exhibition,” which will celebrate the multisensory experience of touchable art. Really, touch it — no alarms will go off. (Sorry, just remembered a school field trip to the Cleveland Museum of Art with my kids. Yes, alarms went off. No arrests were made.)
From sculptures and installations to textured paintings and mixed media pieces, a diverse range of tactile artwork will encourage exploration, curiosity and connection.
The entry deadline is Aug. 14. To enter, visit valleyartcenter.org or call 440-247-7507 for more information.
Penitentiary Glen
The entries are in, and the judging takes place on June 6 at Lake Metroparks’ Penitentiary GlenReservation, 8668 Kirtland-Chardon Road, Kirtland, for the 37th annual “Amateur Photography Contest and Show.”
It will open with an awards ceremony at 1:30 p.m. on June 8 and remain up for viewing through Aug. 4.
Learn more at goto.lakemetroparks.com/photo-contest-show.
Fairmount Center for the Arts
The new exhibit at Fairmount Center for the Arts, 8400 Fairmount Road, Russell Township, is Lee Eckles’ “From My Point of View,” on display through July 19.
A comment in her artist’s statement struck a chord with me: “Painting has made me more observant of nature, and many of my paintings are from photos I have taken. Some of the paintings in this show have been inspired by my frequent walks in the area metroparks and others are of everyday scenes as I see life.”
The call is out for artists to enter the 48th annual “Fairmount Art Exhibit,” set to open Aug. 6. Submissions are being accepted online, but art will not be accepted until July 27 and 29. Get details at fairmountcenter.org or 440-338-3171.