ArtWorks Reception

There Were Three: works by Molly Donnermeyer, Matthew Morris, Eric Ruschman

ArtWorks Gallery, 811 Race St.

Friday, May 30. 6-9 pm. (show runs through June 13)

For this exhibition, three local artists and Art Academy graduates create aesthetic masterpieces using found objects, fabric, soap, paper and other simple materials. The exhibit consists of drawing, sculptures, and installations that create personal narratives. The overall show is designed to "address the poetics of space" and express "the three's personal mythologies."

Oakley After Hours

Oakley After Hours

Friday, May 30. 6-10 pm. (final Friday each month)

Participating Sponsors: Aglamesis, blue manatee, BOCA, Casa Delorenzo, Dewey's Pizza, 20th Century Production, Habit's Cafe, Kathy Jones Skincare, King Arthur's Court Toys, Kona Bistro, Oakley Pub & Grill, Queen City Nutrition, The Spotted Goose, Voltage Inspired Living Spaces, City Beat, Astute Furnishings, denium, The Fresh Market, House of France.

Similar to Final Fridays in downtown Cincinnati, the last Friday of each month bars, stores, and galleries in Oakley stay open late the last friday of each month. This event also features sales at local stores, live music by local bands, and happy hour specials and participating restaurants and bars

Dianne McElwain at Weston-Bolling

Also this Friday, the Phyllis Weston- Annie Bolling gallery is opening a show by local artist Dianne McElwain. She is known nationally as an artist who expertly depicts botanical art with great scientific accuracy. This exhibit includes plants from native to Ohio, wildflowers, orchids, and some from the Krohn Conservatory.

New Botanical Paintings by Dianne McElwain: Opening Reception and Meet the Artist

Phyllis Weston- Annie Bolling Gallery

Friday, May 28. 5-8 pm. (show runs through June 28)

2008 Cincinnati Fringe Festival

The Fringe Festival gets its roots from Edinburgh, Scotland, where artists who were not included in the local arts festival decided to create a way to showcase and celebrate "fringe" art. In Cincinnati, local, regional, and national artists showcase their work downtown in both traditional and nontraditional spaces. The festival not only showcases alternative visual art, but also performance and film pieces. The goal is to have a forum and opportunity for artists who are not normally acknowledged by traditional art and to show the world how fabulous progressive art is.

I recommend checking out the website as well as the link to the official Fringe Festival blog for details about daily events. There's a lot going on so this would be the best way to pick and chose the events you want to go to. This weekend Fringe joins up with traditional Final Friday celebration.

Cincinnati Fringe Festival- Final Friday

Friday, May 30. 5-9 pm.

Pendleton/ Mainstreet area galleries (check out website for official map)

Kennedy Heights Art Center Opening

Shattered Myths- Twenty-One Visions Contemplaring the Actual Cost of War

Saturday, May 24, 6-9 pm. Artist Talk 7 pm.
(show runs through June 14)

Kennedy Heights Art Center (6546 Montgomery Road)

For those of you who have never been to the Kennedy Heights Art Center, you should know it is something definitely worth checking out. This Saturday would be the perfect opportunity. They do not release a great deal of information about their exhibits beforehand, however, the artist talk mentioned above promises to answer any questions you may have about the show.

3 Tomorrow at the CAC

Images above: Matt Coors, Here Be Dragons? 2005. Mark Harris, Mao Songs, 2006. An-My Le, Small Wars 1999-2002.

Uncoordinated: Mapping Cartography in Contemporary Art, American Idyll: Contemporary Art and Karaoke, An-My Le: Small Wars

Contemporary Arts Center

Friday, May 23. 7-11 pm (shows run through August 17, 24, and 10 respectively)

$10 guests, free for members

This Friday the CAC is opening 3 amazing shows. Since it lasts until 11 pm, you could easily hit up Miller Gallery and then stop by CAC. Uncoordinated: Mapping Cartography in Contemporary Art is highly conceptual in nature but also consists of a body of aesthetically pleasing artwork. It addresses the way in which we rely on maps as subjective and complete sources of information when, in actuality, there can be intentional or unintentional omissions. Thus, the cartography (map maker) has a great deal over power and influence over a society which relies upon maps.

American Idyll: Contemporary Art and Karaoke looks at the way in which this pop culture fascination has affected our society. This show examines the way in which artists have been inspired by karaoke. It also looks at the concept of karaoke itself (i.e. does it unite people or is it a "mass produced catharsis for alienated cultural spectators?") At the very least, the show references American Idol and The Real World and promises to be very entertaining.

An-My Le: Small Wars is a more serious show but is nonetheless terribly important and poignant. It consists of 50 gelatin silver prints from the two series, both of which address and examine military and war. For her series An-My Le went to a Marine base in the Mojave Desert where she photographed soldiers in various stages of training. This included situations in which soldiers roll-played and dressed up as their enemies. For her second series, Small Wars, An-My Le joins a Vietnam re-enactor group. She examines the way in which we recreate and glorify warfare after the fact.

Amy Giust & Ron Romano

left: Thinking Happy Thoughts, Amy Giust
right: Sola #2, Ronald Romano


Amy Giust & Ron Romano

The Miller Gallery

Opening Friday, March 16, 2008, 5-8 pm

Showing May 16-30

This Friday two amazing artists are opening at The Miller Gallery. Amy Giust and Ron Romano both make use of abstraction and playful color in what promises to be an exciting and interesting show. Amy Giust, a Cincinnati-born artist, is inspired by the artwork of her children and the sounds of jazz, classical and rock music. She uses the techniques of Matisse and Picasso to create everyday images that could be classified as geometrically abstract.

Ron Ramano uses a palette similar to Giust's but takes abstraction to a much higher level. Unlike Giust, there is no figurative subject matter and the goal of his work is to create depth on a 2-D surface. Both artists are extremely talented and this show is certainly worth checking out.