(Akron, OH) – Summit Artspace challenged area artists to visually tickle gallery visitors’ funny bones for its annual juried exhibition Fresh Art, which traditionally features new work, new ideas and new media. Titled Fresh & Witty this year, the event opens Friday, August 14 with a meet-the-artists reception from 5 to 7 pm and runs through September 19. Guest judges Mitchell Kahan, director of the Akron Art Museum, and Christopher Hixson, local graphic designer, selected 49 artworks to be displayed out of the 81 submitted for consideration.
The judges also chose three top winners who will be presented $500, $300 and $200 prizes thanks to a sponsorship donation from the Summa Foundation. First place goes to Stow artists Dan Coffield and Kevin Smalley for their multimedia, animatronics sculpture titled The Pumpkin Patch Posse: Where Are We? The piece includes three friends lost and displaced in an odd world of fluorescent lighting and misunderstood human activity. Second place goes to Peninsula artist Gwen Waight for Family, four multi-media sculptural figures. Kent artist Frances Lehnert won third place for a pastel painting of precarious rock climbers titled CLOSE UP.
The exhibition includes all types of media – paint, ceramics, photography, metal, and mixed – creating two and three dimensional art. The diverse group of artists includes all ages and experience levels from established to emerging to students.
Summit Artspace Gallery, located at 140 E. Market St. in downtown Akron, is a project of the Akron Area Arts Alliance in cooperation with Summit County government. It presents seven exhibitions per year and is dedicated to displaying works by local artists. Admission and parking are free. Hours: August 15-September 19 are Thursday, Friday, Saturday noon to 5 pm. On Saturday, September 5, the gallery is open until 9 pm for the First Saturday Art Walk and on Sunday, September 6 from noon to 5 pm in conjunction with the Akron Art Museum, Akron Society of Artists and Summit County Public Library.
The Arts Alliance is a non-profit advocacy group. Its membership includes 46 arts and cultural organizations plus 70 artists and arts supporters. Summit Artspace is supported by the Akron Community Foundation, Welty Family Foundation and Ohio Arts Council.
