The Art Gallery
My name is Barbara Lyras… my talent as an artist developed from the culmination of life experiences and a deepened sense of appreciation for nature. As loss that is more personal began to enter into my life, I found myself comfortable in the process of creating a place of peace on the canvas. My work displays the ever-changing phases of expressionism I experience now when I become I “lost” in the creative process. Each painting is a personal extension of an ever-changing imaginary landscape in which I continually find comfort no matter how many times I revisit each scene.
Silk is like no other medium. The fabric and dyes have a unique feel and rhythm. I thoroughly enjoy the process of this medium. First the artist draws a resist line with a thickener, so that the dyes stay in their intended area. Then dyes are painted on, the fabric absorbs the dye and the artist spreads the color out to the edges of the resist. Finally the silk is steamed to set the dyes. This labor- intensive process becomes a part of the art piece. I have been painting on silk since 1990. The art works in this exhibit are from 2003-2009. They represent four themes that I have been working with, nature, family, Venice Italy and healing.
My explorations in silk painting began with the study of portraits; our daughter’s now young women and my student’s became my models. Other themes I enjoy are nature and still lives. I have a constant collection of plants in my home and studio. I am an avid walker and with my husband and dog Sammy visit many of the areas woods and parks. I also get inspiration from my upbringing. I am a second generation Venetian Italian. Venice is of great interest to me. Its sights, and sounds are a part of my memories as I have visited it on several occasions.
Healing and the seasons are ever present in my current artwork, as an ovarian cancer survivor, art, nature and The Book of Ecclesiastes have been an everyday presence since 2006, the year I was diagnosed. These experiences as well as Henry Matisse’s sense of color and playfulness influence my work. Included in this collection are silk- paintings, printmaking and collages.
Hi, my name is Deborah Abbott and I’m a full-time artist in Marietta, Ohio. My work is abstract expressionism and it contains an emotional quality that you do not find in other styles of painting. While I do still appreciate the descriptive, it does not allow me the freedom I receive from doing this style. I love having the inspiration coming from the wellspring within rather than having to look outside of myself. If you’d like to view more of my work go to www.djagallery.com
While not having any formal art training, Karin Bergman has always been prone to creative outbursts. Whether it be painting, writing, sewing or playing music, this Columbus-based artist participates in a plethora of artistic endeavors while maintaining a more than full-time job as a Legal Secretary with a criminal defense firm. Her inspiration comes from her extensive travels, her vivid imagination and especially her time spent living in the Redwoods of Northern California.
Self-taught digital photographer who loves the landscapes and nature of Ohio. Amish Country, the Hocking Hills, and Kelleys Island draw me to visit again and again. I also love creating fine art effects in Photoshop with an abstract or surreal flair. My style tends toward vivid colors and wide open country spaces with a wistful peacefulness.
In August and September 2008 and 2009, I had a lot of fun participating in the Kelleys Island Art Show and Butterfly Festival.
My photographs have been featured in numerous exhibitions at the Market Street Art Center in Lockport, New York. In February of 2009, I won first place at the “Observations” exhibit there for a photo called “Intergalactic Scenic Overlook.” This photo was also on display at the Zanesville Art Center in Zanesville, Ohio as part of their annual show for July 2009.
Published photographs have appeared in the 3rd Edition of Trail Guide Cuyahoga Valley National Park by Cuyahoga Valley Trails Council, Inc. as well as in Lakeland BOATING magazine.
Sharon Doyle
Sharon is a talented photographer who has provided the gallery with many prints and canvases. Her work features various familiar landmarks in the Cleveland area as well as many intriguing abstract pieces.
Shaun Sweet divides his time between capturing amazing photographs and beautiful graphic design. He has an eye for capturing details that might go unnoticed. He and his wife collaborate on many projects. View their “about” page and be inspired.
Jen makes bags and all manner of bag-related accessories in her Wooster, Ohio home. When she’s not sewing, she is teaching composition at Ashland Universityor being a mom. She completed her MFA in Creative Writing from Ashland this summer, and her poems can be found at www.Perigee-art.com andhttp://www.34thparallel.net/
I am a handbuilder that makes functional forms with an emphasis on surface treatment. I’ve been teaching pottery classes in Akron for 25 years since graduating from the University of Akron with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in ceramics. I also make handmade relief tiles to be used for kitchens, bathrooms and fireplace facades.
Chris is an artist, educator, and arts advocate in Cleveland, Ohio.
She began working in metal after researching non-toxic printmaking techniques for a class she was teaching. She fell in love with the process, and has been creating, exhibiting, and selling her metal designs ever since. Her work is in local collections at COSE (Tower City, Cleveland OH), NextHome Realty (Westlake, OH), Arrowhead Industries (Independence, OH), and has been exhibited and sold internationally.
I started my journey with sea beach glass several years ago while walking the local beaches with my family. We have collected many unique items such as shells, beach rocks, melted aluminum, and shipwrecked items including sea beach glass. We have in a sense, recycled these items into wearable pieces of art and more! Sea Beach Glass is glass that was once a beautiful piece of tableware, a medicine bottle, an ink well, a lost liqour bottle from the prohibition era, or simply a dish that once served a purpose for man. For one reason or another it was discarded and found it’s way into the water where nature refined it into a beautiful, smooth, gems. Nature has given it back to us by laying it on the shores for us to find.
My jewelry making journey began in 2004 as a creative outlet. I started by playing with wire and a cheap pair of pliers from a local craft store. My first formal jewelry making workshop was in the summer of 2005 where I was introduced to basic soldering techniques. From that point on, I was smitten! I have attended a few jewelry making workshops to help strengthen certain skill sets. Most recently I have attended several semesters in the metalsmithing program offered at the University of Akron in Ohio, where my skills continue to grow by leaps and bounds.
As I continued to play and work with wire and fire, it became apparent to me and those around that I have quite a natural talent in the jewelry arts. I am still amazed when a simple sheet of metal and length of wire become a piece of wearable art. It isn’t uncommon to find me in stunned silence after finishing a complex piece, wondering how in the world it came from my head and hands.
After moving to the Akron area in Ohio with my husband and two young daughters, I decided it was a good time to get serious about jewelry making and see where I could take it. I have not been disappointed. And based on the comments of my customers, they haven’t been disappointed either.
I have been called a “creative genius”, and indeed it is my passion to awaken people’s hidden and dormant creativity. Everyone is creative, but for some it is locked deep inside. Imagination Arts exercises are one of the keys to unlock your innate ability to innovate and create. I love to share the wonders of nature through my paintings, to help people learn how to draw and paint, and to show others how inner peace can be attained through intense observation of an object transferred to drawn lines on paper. For Imagination Arts workshops, I am “Director of Out-of-the-Box Thinking.” I began painting instruction at age 13 with a Purdue University professor of art. Creativity is my passion. The psychological blocks preventing you from expressing your true self can be released!
Lynnie has created a line of novelty maternity tees that are sure to make you smile. Her designs are tasteful and humorous. Some of the best sellers include:
“Buckeye Under Mommy’s Protection”
“OMGIMPRGNT”
“Expecting Change”
“Just for Kicks”
“Love Makes the Belly Grow Round”
Gina DeSantis is a Cleveland based ceramic artist. She holds a B.A. from Cleveland State and a M.F.A. in ceramics from Kent State University. She works in stoneware and porcelain clay creating functional, handmade pottery for the home and daily life. She teaches adult pottery courses at Art House located in Cleveland, Ohio. In addition she teaches children’s courses in clay, painting, and mixed media.
Her work continues to revolve around the parallel of making objects and the ritual of their use. It is clear that the interaction between objects and their environment plays a central theme in her body of work. Her work seeks to balance beauty and function. It is fluid in texture and pattern yet maintains its simplicity and elegance with often monochromatic glazes.