*FREE* Printmaking Open Studio!

Haven’t been to Art House Inc. in awhile? Never been to Art House? Now is the perfect time to come and check us out! The third Saturday of every month from 1-3pm we open our studio and invite everyone to stop in and make some art. We like to mix it up just a little (because that’s how we roll) so this month we’ll be featuring printmaking. The beauty in printmaking is it’s versatility and accessibility. We’ll show you how to incorporate found words and images as well as your own designs to make reproducible works of art. This is a great activity for the whole family.

While you’re there, check out the studio space and see what else we have on offer. Two of our ceramics classes are already in session but we have drawing & painting, teen, kids and (drum roll) PRINTMAKING classes coming up! See what you could be learning in that March class including some of the basics of linocut, monoprinting, contact paper silk screening, and freezer paper stencils. See you in the studio on February 18th!!

Your Weekend: Planned (you’re welcome)

Alright. You’ve picked up your copy of the CAN Journal (not yet? download here) and you are ready to plan an art-packed weekend because it might be 20 degrees out (-2 with wind chill) but this is Cleveland, baby, and this is how we roll! But, where to begin? Not to worry, Art House Inc. has got your back.

Thursday, January 19th: Tonight! Spaces Gallery is hosting a viewing of videos from The Vault (the walk-in safe that has been converted to their video screening room) from 6:30-8pm. $5 at the door, $2 if you can correctly answer cat trivia questions, or FREE for SPACES’ members. Click here for more info.

Friday, January 20th: Zygote Press opens “Collected Gems II: Zygote Members Collect”, a truly beautiful show of original prints collected by (and many created by) Zygote members. Reception from 6-9pm.
MOCA Cleveland opens “8501 to 11400 (On Moving)” to celebrate the last show in their old space before they move to their new location. Zygote’s own Corrie Slawson will be debuting an incredible installation directly on the glass wall inside the gallery–a first for MOCA!
The Sculpture Center opens a slew of new works by artists Lauren Yeager, Scott Stibich, and Linda Ding. Opening reception begins at 5pm with artist talks at 6:15 and 7pm.
78th Street Studios hosts their monthly Third Friday open studios from 5-9pm.

Saturday, January 21st: Take a break! You deserve it. Do a load of laundry, have a glass of wine and catch up on those Celebrity Wife Swap episodes you missed (I am not even going to link that, you are on your own there).

Sunday, January 22nd: the Dragonfly Restaurant and Lounge opens “upLIFT, an homage”, new works by artist Liz Maugans. Enjoy great food and great art from 5-7pm. The perfect way to round out the weekend in our fair city.

See you out there!

Because we CAN! (Get it?)

Fellow art lover, prepare to have your mind officially rocked. Today marks the release of the first Collective Arts Network Journal (CAN): a publication put forth by approximately 28+ local arts organizations. (Did you even know there were that many right here in our little neck of the woods?!) A tremendous amount of planning, organization, communication, and time took an innovative idea and turned it in to the new go-to resource for what is happening in our arts community. Right now, 10,000 of these babies are being distributed throughout the city. Pick one up, well, just about anywhere. And if your favorite coffee shop, library, independent movie theater, lunch spot, small business doesn’t have CAN in stock, ask for it!

Art House Inc is thrilled to be a part of such a wonderful, rich, creative community! Want to learn more? Check out this blog post by one of CAN’s creators, Michael Gill.

Happy New Year!!

The tree’s on the lawn, the menorah candles extinguished, lights taken down, champagne drunk, and sweets foresworn for the next month, at least. Now the kids are back in school and it’s official: the crazy winter holiday season is over! If you are like me, your first reaction was to declare victory. I survived! The budget is still intact (and so is my waistline) and now I can relax and look forward to…the long, dull days of winter.

Any citizen of our fair city knows the key to keeping the winter blahs away is staying busy. And not in a shovel-the-driveway-make-sure-the-deicer-in-the-car-is-full way but in a it-might-be-horribly-gray-and-dark-out-but-I-refuse-to-let-it-crush-my-spirit-so-I-will-feed-my-soul kind of way. Let us help! Art House Inc. just posted a whole slew of fabulous classes to keep you happy and creative from now until spring. Whether it’s Sippin’ in the Studio with friends, Printmaking or Painting with the spouse, or something for the kids, you will stay blissfully engaged until one day you look up and it’s spring! This works! I promise. See you in class.

Happy Holidays from Us to You!

Here we are. Gifts have been wrapped, cocoa drunk, parties attended and copious amounts of sugar consumed. Ok, so maybe not every part of the holiday season is as altruistic as we sometimes like to think it is. But, no matter how you feel about certain aspects of this time of year, it’s hard not to feel a little warm and fuzzy inside as the weather rages outside. The dark cold days of winter and the impending end of another year leave me feeling grateful and sentimental every time. With all of the ancillary stress that inevitably comes with the holidays: family, presents, budget, traffic, calories, family, family…it can be hard to take time out and enjoy a respite from the everyday. So here’s our wish for you. We hope that at some point in the next few days, you find yourself in the company of those you love, warm, fed and content. With time to reflect on the year past and optimism for the future but firmly grounded in the here and now, at least for a day or two. Happy Holidays, everyone!

Give the Gift of Art (House)

So, here we are, in the heart of the season of giving and…you’re stumped. What gift could possibly convey how you feel to friends and loved ones?

Socks seem understated. Coffee mugs are cliche. Books are difficult because you don’t know what they’ve already read. Art is hard because you’re not sure what they like. And you can just forget about that sweater and tie combo right now. Then there are all of the practical concerns: budget, of course, is a factor. But what about recycled? Fair Trade? Local? Handmade? Agh! It’s enough to send you straight to the mall…except that’s even worse (what size? what color? can they return it? do you giftwrap? is this where the line begins? seriously?!)

Do not despair! The perfect solution to the gift-giving quandary is to give an experience. You don’t have to worry about size or color or waiting in line at the Banana Republic for three hours of your life on a Saturday afternoon while munching on more Auntie Anne’s pretzels than you ever thought you could consume in one sitting (or, standing, as the case may be.) And the lucky recipient need not be left with some thing that needs storing or cleaning or shelf space. Art House Inc. is the perfect holiday present! Give the gift of a class, a workshop, an art-filled date night or girls evening out. Budget friendly, buying local, and always the perfect size. Happy Holidays!

A Big THANK YOU!

Thank you to everyone who came out for Art House Revealed, our annual fundraiser, last Friday night!! Music, food, fantastic art and terrific company made for a wonderful evening. The lovely and talented Morgan Minch set the mood with beautiful harp music. And who knew a clay studio could clean up so well? Art House staff and interns did a great job of transforming a working studio space in to a winter wonderland for the evening.

A number of guests, including a representative from the Brooklyn Centre Naturalists and artist Kristen Cliffel, were invited to speak about the impact the Art House Inc. has had on the community. Personally, the best part of the evening came when I was lucky enough to walk away with one of two Dana Depew pieces that were up for auction! If you missed out, you don’t have to wait until next year to come and see us! Stay tuned for more updates, including details on the upcoming holiday clay workshop with Mark Yasenchak.

A Little About Art House Inc.

I thought it might be time to talk a little bit about who we are and why we are worth supporting. Northeast Ohio is extremely fortunate to have tremendous support for the arts. We have the cultural infrastructure (Severance Hall, Playhouse Square, Cleveland Museum of Art) of some of the best cities in the world. But, also a wealth of grassroots efforts (Zygote Press, Dobama Theater, Art House Inc.) throughout the region that have sprung up through the efforts of communities and artists who saw a need and wanted to meet it. So, why support us, specifically?

In this difficult economic time, funding for the arts has been cut dramatically. All nonprofits are hurting, as are many individuals. Unfortunately, this is when we need the arts more than ever. Creativity and exploration are a gateway to economic development. Not only are they safe places to invent, try, fail and invent again, but they encourage us to ask questions and start thinking bigger. We need critical thinkers now and, more importantly, for the next generation.

Art House Inc., through its Urban Bright Initiative and free Family Open Studio sessions, offers a unique environment and the materials to foster the kind of creativity that many would not otherwise have access to. Art programs do not aim to make artists of us all but, rather, to help us realize our potential everywhere. Please help us as we aim to meet the needs of an ever changing and growing community. Thank you!! Go to our homepage to donate now. Or buy a ticket to our annual fundraiser, come check out our facility and learn more!

Holiday to do List

Now that the turkey is gone, number one on many people’s to do list: shopping. I know, I know. We all face the same dilemma: how to get the perfect gift, not spend too much money and get out of the mall alive. My quick and easy solution to all three? Shop local + handcrafted! Not only will you be giving your friends and loved ones one-of-a-kind gifts they will treasure, you will be supporting the local economy and the shopping experience is pleasant rather than nerve wracking.

I’m sure I don’t need to tell you (dear reader) about the wealth of artistic talent and skill we have here in Northeastern Ohio. This coming weekend, many of Cleveland’s best artists will open their studios and galleries to holiday shoppers looking for a more satisfying experience. So, without further ado, here is the weekend itinerary!

Friday night: Start the weekend off right with the Art House Revealed! Benefit. Come enjoy music, wine and snacks and the opportunity to bid on fantastic works of art. Tickets still available! Other places to check out? Terra Vista Studios will be holding their 12th annual holiday sale featuring 20+ local artists (all weekend). In the same building, if you are there on Saturday, be sure to stop in Zygote Press; get a tour of the studio and buy art right off the walls! Just up the road, the Art Craft Building will be hosting it’s 24th annual open studio and guest artist holiday sale as will it’s sister building Tower Press at 1900 Superior Avenue. Ample parking, music, and good cheer as well as a variety of items guaranteed to meet all of your holiday shopping needs (from holiday cards to fine jewelry). Hope to see you there!

Anna Arnold: Revisited

Just a teensy-weensy break from introducing artists to brag about someone we’ve already talked about. Check out some of these photos from Anna Arnold! Maybe you’ve already seen her beautiful new work but, if not, take a drive down Buckeye Road and check out some of the concrete trash containers that she has greatly improved. A little eye candy for Clevelanders as we get ready for that long, gray winter ahead of us. Thanks, Anna!

Meet Artist: Kristen Cliffel

The super fun and funky Kristen Cliffel is a ceramic sculptor living and working in Cleveland, Ohio. She graduated from the Cleveland Institute of Art in 1990 with a BFA in Ceramics. Kristen is in many public and private collections in the area including, University Hospitals, Metro General Hospital, Lutheran Hospital, Hahn, Loeser and Parks LLP. Kristen has completed Residencies at The Banff Centre in Alberta, Canada and the Kohler Company in Wisconsin. She has received an Ohio Arts Council Individual Artist Fellowship, has been a Louis Comfort Tiffany Foundation Grant Nominee. She is represented by The William Busta Gallery in Cleveland and the Sherrie Gallery in Columbus. She continues to show her sculpture widely across the United States. Kristen is the mother of two, the wife of one and the baker of many cupcakes and sweet treats.

No telling what Kristen’s planning for her “house” but it’ll be very cool, guaranteed! Tickets are still available…(hint, hint)

Meet Artist: Jen Craun

Jen Craun is a Cleveland-based printmaker and maker of Artist Books.

She is currently the Associate Director of Zygote Press, Inc. Craun teaches part time in the Printmaking Department for the Cleveland Institute of Art, including the Artist Book courses. She also teaches printmaking as an artist resident for Progressive Arts Alliance — a Cleveland-based non-profit that partners artists with classrooms of the Cleveland Public Schools. She currently lives and makes her work in Cleveland with her husband and two children.

Ok, so maybe I’m partial because I’m a printmaker, too. But Jen’s work is some of my all-time favorite Cleveland-local art. I look for her prints every year at the HeightsArts holiday shop (ahem, going on now!) and am always thrilled to see what she’s come up with. Her creativity and spontaneity as an artist is inspiring. I’m very excited to see the “house” she’s brought in for Arthouse Revealed! Is it me, or are we really super lucky to live in such a culturally rich town? Yeah, I feel feel lucky.

Meet Artist: Rachel Harbert

Rachel Eve Harbert is a local Cleveland artist.  She works in the areas of painting, murals, multimedia, photography, found art, and sculpture. Rachel recently graduated from Cleveland State University.  Along with her husband, she is also part of Eve And Steven Harbert Designs.  They offer illustration, murals, and fine art. A prevalent theme in her works is a subtle element of unpredictability.  God is her favorite artist and sunsets are her favorite works.

Like so many of our artists, Rachel works in a variety of media and it’s so exciting to see the wide range her creative proficiency produces. I can’t wait to see what she brings to Arthouse Revealed and you should be a little curious, too! (You are, aren’t you? Yeah, I thought so.)

Meet Artist: Beth Whalley

Ok, back to discussing some of the really fantastic artists we’re so fortunate to have participating in Art House Revealed this year.

Beth Whalley is a life-long northeast Ohioan and proprietor of Proximity gallery in Cleveland’s St. Clair – Superior neighborhood (if you haven’t been yet, go! Beth has done a tremendous job with this space and has curated some really inspiring shows). Her two and three-dimensional work is heavily influenced by local wildlife, architecture, and landscape laced with pattern and repetition. She received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Fiber and Material Studies at the Cleveland Institute of Art and is a member of the Guild of Nature Artists, an associated society of The Cleveland Museum of Natural History. Beth lives in Cleveland with her business partner/better half, an “odd couple” of cats, and a college-educated canine.

So, what kind of “house” is Beth bringing to the benefit on December 2nd? Hmmm. Only time will tell. But get your ticket and join us there and you might just be the lucky bidder bringing it home! (Get it? Home. I know, right? Hilarious!!…I do promise no lame jokes at the benefit, really.)

Paint Your Own Holiday Wine Glasses

Okay, taking a teensy weensy break from introducing our artists (not to worry, upcoming posts with be chock-a-block with artist photos and info) just to bring you breaking news: the next Sippin’ in the Studio class is scheduled, posted and ready to roll! Taught by the FABULOUS Melinda Placko, the upcoming workshop is both timely and theme-related: wine glass painting! From 7-9pm, Thursday November 17th, create a beautiful and useful work of art that you will be able to enjoy for years to come. These are so fun to create and make wonderful gifts (that is, if you can stand to part with them). A super date night with the significant other or something fun to do with girlfriends before the craziness of the holiday season takes over. And this isn’t your standard craft-night fare: “Greek vases, Japanese ink painting, and contemporary graffiti serve as inspiration as we design a painting in the round. Sketch on paper then adorn a special wine glass with washable enamel paints!” Click here to go straight to our website and add this little goody to your cart!

Meet Artist: Mark Yasenchak

Cleveland artist and instructor Mark Yasenchak is perhaps best know for his ceramic art, though he works in a variety of media, from encaustic wax to music and poetry. Mark studied Biology at Baldwin-Wallace college before taking his first ceramics class in his senior year. His glazed, wheelthown pieces soon evolved in to handbuilt vessels with glazed detail as he explored the relationship between form and texture. He is currently combining his love of prose with elements of texture as he works with encaustic wax and found text to create collage pieces.

Looking at some of Mark’s vessels, you might think you already know what he’s got in store for the Art House Revealed Benefit Art Sale but don’t be too sure! The broad scope of Mark’s expertise leaves the question wide open. If you want to find out, click here!

 

Meet Artist: Anne Kibbe

Anne Van Metre Kibbe is a printmaker, artist and educator. She grew up in Baltimore, Maryland then moved to Cleveland, OH to attend Case Western Reserve University where she received a BA in Art History and Sociology.  Afterwards, she attended Cleveland Institute of Art and received a BFA in Printmaking.  Her studio is at the printmaking cooperative, Zygote Fine Art Press.  Her work has shown widely at various Cleveland venues as well as in Spencertown, New York.   Her work is part of the permanent collections of Progressive Insurance and Western Reserve Academy and several private collections. Look for her “house” at the Arthouse Revealed benefit on December 2, 2011!

Meet Artist: Gina Desantis

If you’ve been following our blog, checked out our new website or looked for us on Facebook, you already know that we are gearing up for our next big event: ArtHouse Revealed! Our annual fundraiser promises to be a fun filled evening of music, food and great art. If you haven’t been before, it’s a wonderful opportunity to come and check out our studio space as well as bid on beautiful works from some of Cleveland’s most talented artists! Leading up to the event, we’ll be featuring a sneak peak at some of these artists to whet that donating appetite. Curious?

We wanted to start by introducing well known local ceramic artist and ArtHouse instructor: Gina Desantis. Gina earned her BA in 2002 from Cleveland State and graduated with an MFA from Kent State in 2006. She works primarily in white stoneware clay to make beautiful, functional wares both on the wheel and using handbuilding techniques. Through the use of sustainable materials and employment of organic imagery, Gina articulates her connection with the earth and her environment with gorgeous results.

For more on Gina and her work, click here. To see the piece submitted for ArtHouse Revealed, you’ll have to come and see for yourself! You can buy tickets here. See you there…

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Save the Date!

Art House Revealed: Art Sale and Benefit Party
Drinks, music and, of course, fabulous art guarantee a fantastic evening of celebration on December 2, 2011 from 7pm-10pm in the Art House Studio. For more information, check out the Coming Events section of our website or click here. Don’t wait to pay at the door! Buy your tickets online now and mark your calendars for a fun and festive evening, all in support of one of Northeast Ohio’s hardest working nonprofits. See you there!!

Next Sippin’ in the Studio: Printmaking

If you haven’t heard, Sippin’ in the Studio is one of the newest programs here at Art House and we are so excited! Brainchild of Program Coordinator Stephanie Kluk, the Sippin’ series is a new take on art class for grown-ups. Each class is sold separately so you can sign up for one class or all of them. A different guest artist is invited to share his/her expertise with an adults-only hands-on instruction class. Art House provides all art materials and wine to make it a truly relaxing night out with friends. We are thrilled to announce that our next session will be printmaking, with artist Kate Ward Terry! Reserve your space now for October 27th, 7-9pm. Hope to see you there

Meet Artist Anna Arnold

Cleveland artist Anna Arnold is a dynamic instructor who has taught adults and children through programs at galleries, universities, schools and museums. We are thrilled to partner with her for the first time! As part of our Urban Bright Arts-in-Education program, she will be teaching a 10 week painting residency at Denison Elementary for 7th and 8th grade students starting in mid-September. Anna received a  BFA in drawing and video from the Cleveland Institute of Art in 1983. Since then, she has gone on to create a prolific body of work in a range of media, even venturing in to ceramics, sculpture and jewelry. Her exhaustive client list includes such Cleveland institutions as the Cleveland Museum of Art and Friends of Harmony Park, as well as prominent corporations like Verizon Wireless and Progressive Insurance, among others. We can’t wait to post photos from the residency!!

Urban Bright Turns 10!!

Starting in September, Urban Bright Arts-in-Education will be entering its 10th year of providing artists residencies to students in the Cleveland Metropolitan School District! To learn more about this award winning program, click on the URBAN BRIGHT tab above, or click here.

 

Wine Benefit at Visible Voice

A big THANK YOU to Visible Voice Books in Tremont and everyone who came out to support us last Friday night when we held our Wine Tasting Benefit for Art House!! The weather was wonderful and we had a really great time. If you haven’t yet, please go and check out the fantastic artwork of Anne Kibbe, Kate Ward Terry, and Malinda Placko, now hanging at Visible Voice through the end of the month. It is a really beautiful show. And, it’s not too late to donate! If you would like to become a part of Art House, go to our website and head to the “donate” section.

https://www.arthouseinc.org/secure/OnlineDonation.shtml

And stay tuned! We are gearing up for fall which means a whole new schedule of art classes taught by some of Cleveland’s best artists and another year of our Urban Bright Initiative.