Exhibitions

Standing Rock Cultural Arts presents

Nature Made” Art Exhibition
-Acrylic Paintings and Prints by Gary Phile
-Sculptural Installation by Laine Keener

Saturday, February 4th, 7:30pm. Opening Reception.
-Exhibit runs through February 25th.
- at the North Water Street Gallery. 257 N. Water St.
CONTACT: 330-673-4970

GALLERY HOURS: Thursday-Saturday, 1-5pm. Or by appontment at 330-673-4970



ABOUT THE ARTISTS

GARY PHILE

"Gary Phile was born and raised in Rootstown, Ohio. He has loved art and has drawn and painted since he was young. He has just recently began painting again after taking a long break to go to school and to pursue other ventures. After painting a picture for a family member for Christmas, he was encouraged to keep going. He still lives in Rootstown with his wife and daughter. This is his third time showing his paintings in an art exhibition." His work is often inspired by his natural surroundings and so “Nature Made” became the theme for this exhibit.

LAINE KEENER

Laine Keener is locally raised artist currently living in Kent, Ohio. Born in Akron, she always showed interest in art and completed her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Sculpture at Kent State University in 2011. For this exhibit, Laine will expand on her recent study titled, Ethereal Tension”

Ethereal Tension is a body of work that consists of seven sculptures that are mounted on the wall. Each piece is made of one or multiple fabric-wrapped steel frames measuring between one and five feet in width. Within the frame is an open and airy weave that creates a web-like structure. Everything in the show is kept light in color, including whites, creams and very subtle earth tones. I began working with fabric to create woven and braided sculptures this past summer and I was drawn to the delicateness of such material and the interconnections that a weave or braid provides.

This work is an embodiment of my exploration inward. I have been on the path of discovering my own spirituality and place in this world. My investigation into the metaphysical is the driving force of my art’s formal and conceptual underpinnings.

The pieces in this body of work symbolize a metaphorical “Web of Life”. They are held together with tension and connections that rely on one another. Despite that some parts are far from others, each connection within each sculpture can be traced through a single line. The weave of thread and yarn comprising each web is dependent on the tension of every other connection within it. Without one thing, the other could not exist. Only through each connection working together are these pieces able to take form.

There is also a less physical aspect of this “Web of Life” —the metaphysical aspect. This is represented with the strong shadows cast from the objects themselves. The shadows are not manifested in any material way and they cannot be reached out and touched. Still, they are as much a part of the work as the physical webs. They are a continuation of the physical work; part of a whole.

There is an undeniable relation to traditional Native American dream catchers in this body of work. The weave used to create the pieces is a traditional Ojibwe weave that was used to make the first dream catchers long ago, yet its application within this work gives it a contemporary twist. Dreams are something that I consider to be very important in my life. My own experiences with dreams have always been powerful and have become even more intensified while working on this project. I believe dreams are a place where there is a thinning and blurring of the line between physical and metaphysical. In turn, they can bring us closer to the spiritual world.

The task of weaving each web required patience, and eventually became incredibly meditative. The materials and methods used in the creation of each sculpture are meant to give a sense of light and openness to them. Materials such as wax and soft white fabric allude to purity, giving a semi-transparent, layered effect. The softness and delicate nature of the work is meant to evoke a peaceful yet contemplative state of mind. I have also included the use of some natural materials such as leaves and feathers, which are to remind the viewer of the human connection to Earth and nature.

I have found inspiration in artists such as Maud Cotter, Petah Coyne and Kirsten Hassenfeld, all of whom share similar theories or sensibility as my own work. Petah Coyne uses wax in many of her pieces, a material I have grown to love. All three of these female artists’ work is metaphorical and communicates through its materials. These artists all exude a feeling of something other-worldly or fairy tale like. They also use the materiality of their work to comment on humanity and, as Maud Cotter puts it, “communicate the nature of existence.”


Standing Rock Cultural Arts presents

“A Beginning” Sculpture Exhibition
-Work by Liza Enos

Sunday, January 8th, 3:30-5:30pm. Opening Reception.
-Exhibit Runs through January 28th.
The North Water Street Gallery. 257 N. Water St.

GALLERY HOURS: Thursday-Saturday, 1-5pm. Or by appointment at 330-673-4970

ABOUT THE EXHIBIT

My work is based in abstraction. Although I used actual fungi as a reference, I am not trying to literally depict fungi. Instead, I am reshaping the world I see for expressive purpose. I chose fungi because these organisms recycle and distribute nutrients. I see this activity as a metaphor for the motion I go through as an artist. I see my creativity as a living force that must be allowed to develop and become refined. My hope is that, by allowing my creativity the freedom to build, positive results from this energy will be reflected in the world around me.
-Liza Enos, January 2, 2012

Images from the Opening




Standing Rock Cultural Arts is a 501(c)(3) organization. We are always looking for sponsors to help cover expenses for our art and educational activities. Donations are tax deductible.

Checks payable to:

SRCA
257 N. Water St.
Kent, OH 44240

Thank you to our current sponsors: The Ohio Arts Council, The City of Kent, The Henry V. and Frances W. Christenson Foundation, The Sylvia Coogan Memorial Foundation, The Kent Environmental Council, The Western Reserve Land Conservancy, The Kent Stormwater Department, The Portage Area Regional Transit Authority (PARTA), Family and Community Services of Portage County, City Bank Antiques, The Akron Beacon Journal, The Home Savings Bank, The Hall-Green Insurance Agency, Woodsy's Music, Kent Parks and Recreation, The Pan African Studies Department of Kent State University, Wild Goats Cafe, Taco Tantos, Rays Place, Main Street Kent, 91.3 The Summit Radio, Mr. And Mrs. Don Schjeldahl, Abruzzo’s Wine and Homebrew Supply, The Hoppin Frog Brewery, Walt and Nancy Adams, The Lucky Penny Creamery, Totally Cooked Catering, The Master Gardeners of Portage County, Jim Burris of The Universe, and Edwin George, Cherokee.

We now also offer reasonably-priced memberships to assist in the cause. Membership fees, benefits, and forms are available on our website. Donations and memberships are tax deductible.

Thank you also to our current members: Daiv Whaley, Andrea and Rick Stahl and Family, Ken Robinson, Bill and Shirley Mars, Jim Vandenboom, Maj Ragain, LuAnn Csernotta, Emily Parker, Vicki and Joe Bocchicchio.

Thank you for supporting the Arts!

Contact: info@standingrock.net
Phone: 330-673-4970


Standing Rock Cultural Arts presents

“Sundays @ One” Watercolor Painting Exhibition
-An Artist Collective coached by Henry Walker
-In Conjunction with Kent's Annual "Festival of Lights" in Downtown Kent
-2nd Annual Watercolor Exhibition
-Featuring Henry Walker, Claire Culleton, Maureen Keller, Tom Auld, and Scott White

Saturday, December 3, 7-9pm Opening Reception

-Exhibit runs through December 31st.
The North Water Street Gallery. 257 N. Water St. Kent, OH


Images from the Opening




ARTIST BIOGRAPHIES

HENRY WALKER (ows)
Lead Painter & Coach

A traditional transparent watercolorist, Henry began painting seriously in the late 1980s when his career as a professor of English at Kent State ended abruptly following two cancer operations. He discovered a new enthusiasm for art, specifically painting, and to quote, “If it weren't for art, I doubt I would be here.”

Walker's work is a frequent exhibitor and prize-winner in both national and local juried competitions. In 2009, he once again had a piece accepted in the Ohio Watercolor Society show and was named a signature member. For three years running, his paintings were accepted in the Butler Midyear Show at the Butler Museum, Youngstown. He was a cash prize recipient in the 2010 Fairmont Art Show, the Artists of the Rubber City show in Akron and the Gates Mills Show, Gates Mills, Ohio. His work was included as part of at the inaugural Peninsula Plein Aire competition in Peninsula, Ohio. In addition to exhibiting in juried competitions, He has had one-man shows in Akron, Aurora, Robinson Memorial Hospital, and locations in Maryland and North Carolina.

Henry holds a Master of Arts from Kent State University and studied art at the Columbus College of Art and Design, the Cleveland Institute of Art, and the Art Students League in New York City.

CLAIRE CULLETON
Sundays @ One Organizer

Claire joined the English department at Kent State University in 1990 as an Assistant Professor.
Her field of expertise is 20th century Irish and British literature and she currently teaches both graduate-level and undergraduate courses at KSU.

Culleton has experimented and casually explored painting as a hobby since 1985. In 2008, she convinced Henry Walker to serve as a painting mentor and invited another friend to join their weekly sessions. The group has been meeting on Sundays since that time.

Her transparent watercolor paintings feature traditional still life and landscape subjects. The quality of her work was recognized by juries for the 2009, 2010 and 2011 Fairmont Art Shows and included in the annual exhibitions. She has also had work accepted in the Akron Society of Artists Kaleidoscope show for 2010.

Claire holds a Masters degree from University of Tennessee and a PhD from University of Miami. She has written and co-edited several books on Irish and British literature and literary figures for Palgrave- Macmillan.

MAUREEN KELLER
Apprentice painter and all-round good person

Maureen studied art and painting at Kent State University in the 1990s while following a different career path in her professional life. During the week, she is an Occupational Therapist assistant at the Hattie Larlham Center in Mantua, Ohio. She has worked in the field for 23 years.

With considerable encouragement from Henry Walker, Keller rediscovered her paints and brushes in 2009, became an active member of the Sundays @ One group, and successfully ended the long hiatus from art.

Preferred subjects for her watercolor studies are landscapes and intricate still life paintings. She works both from photographs and from life. Though her University artwork was almost exclusively acrylics, she admits to a perverse fascination with the characteristic challenges of transparent watercolor.

TOM AULD
Media wonk and painter

Tom joined the Sundays @ One group in 2008 in a desperate attempt to fill the vacuum that followed his retirement as an advertising executive with an in-house agency in Akron, Ohio. Although he was introduced to painting and art during his undergraduate years at Kent State University, his profession required a focus on writing and photography.

Auld has pursued transparent watercolor painting and drawing through on-going study with various locally recognized artists: Linda Hutchinson, Sally Heston, and Jane Slivka, teaching staff at the Cuyahoga Valley Art Center. He is currently coached by Henry Walker.

Auld has competed in local juried shows and had pieces accepted in the Kaleidoscope show in Akron, the CVAC and Peninsula's Plein Aire competition in 2009. Most recently he had work accepted in the 2011 Fairmont Art Show in Novelty, Ohio.

SCOTT WHITE
Nature enthusiast, machinist and fledgling watercolorist

Scott was born in Texas and raised in Portage County and has a strong love for Kent. A machinist by trade, he has spent the majority of the last 20 years working on bakery equipment and spent his vacation time wandering the wilderness areas of this country. Scott is fond of carousing with various miscreants & misanthropes from KSU's English and Music departments.

Scott joined Sundays @ One after an intense year of personal loss in a rather misguided attempt to staunch his personal consumption of beer. Having always had a strong interest in the arts, his personal influences stem from the visual & literary works of the romantic age, particularly Wallace Stevens, John Muir, and Winslow Homer.

Watercolors are new to Scott, but he has already fallen in love with the medium. He travels extensively in the U.S. backcountry and consequently his favorite subjects are landscapes and the Southwest.


Standing Rock Cultural Arts and The Stone Tavern present:
9th Annual Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) art exhibition.
-19th Birthday of The North Water Street Gallery
-in Cooperation with The Stone Tavern, 110 E. Main Street in Downtown Kent.
-featuring Vince Packard, Gina M. Corron, Gary Phile, Trey Berry, Joanne Arnett, Jim Jewell, David Jrome Bragg, Frederick John Kluth, David Kiss, Scot Olson, Frederick John Kluth, Emily Bronski, Justin Evans, Mark Fabry, Jacob Davis, Tiffany Evans, and David Montaro
-paintings, collage, large scale puppets, masks, photographs and more!

Saturday, October 29, 7pm. Opening Reception
-Family Friendly parade. Meet at 7pm.
-coincides with the annual downtown Kent Halloween parade
-exhibit runs through November 26, 2011.
-North Water Street Gallery, 257 N. Water St., Kent and
-The Stone Tavern, 110 E. Main Street, Downtown Kent

CONTACT: 330-673-4970 or 330-677-7320

Images from the Opening



About The Stone Tavern and Standing Rock Cultural Arts.

Louis Delbene, longtime supporter of Standing Rock Cultural Arts and co owner of The Stone Tavern, has decided to team up with SRCA in celebrating our 9th Annual Dia De Los Muertos Art Exhibition. We are pleased to announce this partnership and welcome all the downtown merchants to join us in celebrating the creative spirit here in Kent, Ohio.

From Louis,

. . .towards a more perfect union, The North Water Street Gallery, Stone Tavern, and Standing Rock Cultural Arts are joining to celebrate the annual Dia De Los Muertos holiday. Standing Rock’s 9th show is now expanding to the walls of Stone Tavern featuring a cache from local artists David Bragg, John Kluth, David Kiss, Emily Bronski, Robert Wood, and from the stables of downtown’s Smokn’ Tatttoos, Jacob Davis, Mark Pabry, Justin Evans, Tiffany Evans, together with interlopers, Scott Olson and more!

Saturday Night, October 29, starting at 8pm, there will be simultaneous Art Receptions at The Stone Tavern and The North Water Street Gallery. Additionally, there will be Live Music @ The North Water Street Gallery by Taxidermy Special & Crane Lake Willow. The music will culminate in drum march to Stone Tavern @ 10 for an art reception. DJ’s from Kent’s Vinyl Underground spin’ crazy deep cuts all night..

More Info about the Stone Tavern can be found at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Stone-Tavern/112302538835652#!/pages/Stone-Tavern/112302538835652?sk=info

Dia De Los Muertos Description:

Come celebrate our 9th annual Day of the Dead show. This festive Mexican Holiday honors all those who have passed before us. But let us not be somber. There will be music, food, drinks, paintings and large puppet sculptures. Like the celebration of a birthday, this holiday reconfirms annually the love, goodwill, and generosity that the beloved can count on, no matter that they are dead.

From Wikipedia…

Día de los Muertos is a holiday celebrated in many parts of the world, typically on November 1 (All Saints' Day) and November 2 (All Souls' Day).

The Day of the Dead is also celebrated to a lesser extent in other Latin American countries; for example, it is a public holiday in Brazil, where many Brazilians celebrate it by visiting cemeteries and churches. The holiday is also observed in the Philippines. Observance of the holiday has spread to Mexican-American communities in the United States, where in some locations, the traditions are being extended. Similarly-themed celebrations also appear in some Asian and African culture.

Though the subject matter may be considered morbid from the perspective of some other cultures, celebrants typically approach the Day of the Dead joyfully, and though it occurs at the same time as Halloween, All Saints' Day and All Souls Day, the traditional mood is much brighter with emphasis on celebrating and honoring the lives of the deceased, and celebrating the continuation of life; the belief is not that death is the end, but rather the beginning of a new stage in life.


Standing Rock Cultural Arts in cooperation with The Kent State University School of Arts' Downtown Gallery and TransPORTAGE present an Exhibit to Inspire a Greater Tomorrow in Portage County

-Bradley Hart and Anderson Turner will be exhibiting in The North Water Street Gallery.

Portage Slant: A Future In-Sight” is an Exhibit intended to inspire creative thinking in all aspects of society, including science, business, technology, art and service.
-The School of Art’s Downtown Gallery and Standing Rock Cultural Arts are working with
TransPORTAGE, a grassroots initiative aiming to promote, collaborate and coordinate the improvement of the economy in Portage County.

Friday, October 14, 5-8pm.
-Simultaneous Receptions at The North Water Street Gallery and KSU’s Downtown Gallery

WHERE: North Water Street Gallery, 257 N. Water St., Kent OH
Kent State University’s Downtown Gallery, 141 E. Main Street.

Images from the Opening



ABOUT THE EXHIBITION:

TransPORTAGE envisions a future built on using clean, renewable energy,
where public transportation is first choice, which is not threatened by climate change and where people come together to protect and contribute to a meaningful community. TransPORTAGE believes in seven principles of transitioning into a better society, including positive envisioning, trusting community members to make good decisions, openness, networking, resilience, fostering inner and outer transition and working on a local level. All of these principles will be reflected in Portage Slant: a future in-sight.

TWO SIMULTANEOUS EXHIBITIONS AND RECEPTIONS.

The Exhibit will be presented in part at the School of Art’s Downtown Gallery located at 141 East Main Street, September 29 - October 22, with a 5 p.m. Reception on Friday, October 14.

The Exhibit will also be presented in part at Standing Rock Cultural Arts located at 257 N. Water St. October 6 – 22, with a 5 p.m. reception on Friday, October 14.

For additional information regarding the Kent State University School of
Art’s Downtown Gallery please visit http://galleries.kent.edu or call
330-672-7853.

Portage Slant: a future in-sight has been co-sponsored by: Family & Community Services, Hattie Larhlam , Kent State University’s School of Art Galleries, Standing Rock Cultural Arts , TANK (The Artists Network of Kent) and TransPORTAGE.

TransPORTAGE is a grassroots citizens sector and non-partisan initiative to envision, promote, coordinate and collaborate on the re-localization of the economy of Portage County area of Ohio.