At Zygote Press:
The Medium Is the Message
The majority of Dana Oldfather's work is oil paintings: abstract pieces in which free-flowing, organic forms float across slightly crinkled organic grids inside vast but oddly inviting white space. So her shift toward more representational art in Give Us a Fence and Some Room to Run, her first exhibition of print work, is a striking change of pace. A self-taught painter, Oldfather has embraced the opportunity to explore printmaking and silkscreening as part of her artist-in-residence role at Zygote Press. While she initially thought she would simply translate her familiar style to the new medium, she quickly found her compositions were completely changed by the new techniques. Perhaps inspired by the mechanical processes of printmaking, Oldfather's new work has centered on the reproduction of photographs of mass-produced items from her own home: light switches, dress shoes, tennis shoes, and so on. Stark black-and-white images are streaked with rainbow colors, communicating the spark of individuality in items we grow genuinely affectionate toward. "Zygote is an interesting incubator for creativity, and I'm wrapping myself up in that," says Oldfather. An opening reception will be held September 9 from 6 to 9 p.m., and the exhibition will run through October 23 at 1410 East 30th St. For more information, call 216-621-2900 or go to zygotepress.com.— Joseph Clark
1point618 Gallery: An Odd Itinerary of Scenes. The unabashedly surrealist painter Joe Stavec immerses us in landscapes of the unconscious, where physics, logic, and expectations become punch lines. Through Sept. 25 at 6421 Detroit Avenue. Call 216-281-1618 or go to 1point618gallery.com.
Akron Art Museum: Kaleidoscope Quilts. Fiber artist Paula Nadelstern's quilts capture the symmetry, luminosity, and intricacy of kaleidoscopes, and inspire makers of these instruments in return. Through Oct. 2. Also: The Vogel Collection: 50 Works for Ohio. Featuring works by 26 artists, the paintings, drawings, prints, and sculptures in this exhibition are part of a far-sighted private collection amassed over a 40-year period. Through Oct. 16 at 1 South High St.; call 330-376-9185 or go to akronartmuseum.org.
Bonfoey Gallery: Consumer Landscapes. Nationally acclaimed Cleveland painter Michelle Muldrow uses casein on panel and oil on canvas to render both the attractiveness and repugnance of American economic life. An opening reception will be held September 9 from 5 to 7 p.m.; the show continues through October 7 at 1710 Euclid Ave. Call 216-621-0178 or go to www.bonfoey.com.
Brandt Gallery: Brandt 21. To celebrate its 21st anniversary, Brandt Gallery showcases the 50-plus artists who have decorated its walls since its founding, including Matt Keffer, Jerry Mann, Anastasia Pantsios, and Kathy Smith. The show overflows into two buildings: the Brandt Gallery proper at 1028 Kenilworth, and Mastroianni Arts at 2688 West 14th. Through September 30. Call 216-621-1610 or go to brandtgallery.org.
Cleveland Artists Foundation: The Way of All Flesh. Painter Shirley Aley Campbell captures momentary emotions and abiding personalities in her examinations of the human form. Through October 29 at 17801 Detroit Ave. in Lakewood. Call 216-227-9507 or go to clevelandartists.org.
Cleveland Museum of Art: Copia: Retail, Thrift, and Dark Stores, 2001-11. Photographer Brian Ulrich hauntingly explores the psyche of the American consumer in a three-part exhibition that attempts to diagnose our national malaise. Through January 16. Also: Indian Kalighat Paintings. Highly stylized and brightly colored, these works were originally created as souvenirs for 19th-century tourists. Today, they are highly regarded as marking the beginning of modernism in Indian art. Through September 18 at 11150 East Blvd. in University Circle; call 216-421-7350 or visit clevelandart.org.
Cleveland Institute of Art: Annual Faculty Show. The instructors at Northeast Ohio's foremost institution of higher artistic learning exhibit their personal works in every medium in the Reinberger Gallery. Through October 8 at 11141 East Blvd., University Circle. Call 216-421-7000 or go to cia.edu/facultyshow.
Cleveland State University Art Gallery: Meili's Acquisitions. Drawn from a large private collection, this exhibition of 20th-century Chinese prints documents the experiences of an American exchange student in China. Through September 17. Also: Material and Metaphor. This exhibition showcases contemporary, often experimental sculpture from nationally and internationally acclaimed artists such as Joseph Leroux, Kyoung Ae Cho, and Allison Lacher. Through October 15. A gallery talk is set for September 9 at 4 p.m., with a reception from 5 to 7 p.m. at 2307 Chester Ave. Call 216-687-2103 or go to csuohio.edu/artgallery.
Harris-Stanton Gallery: Compression. At a distance, Matthew Kolodziej's paintings look like a collage of Paul Klee works. Up close, they are so much more, featuring engaging textures in both the gel and acrylics with which he paints, and the paper and canvas palette itself. An opening reception will be held September 9 from 5:30 to 8 p.m.; the exhibit will run through October 8 at 2301 West Market St. in Akron. Call 330-867-7600 or go to harrisstantongallery.com.
Heights Arts: Found Contacts. This photography exhibit displays the fruits of tireless eBay searches for old-fashioned contact sheets, those disappearing relics of analog photography. An opening reception will be held September 9 from 6 to 9 p.m.; a gallery talk will be given September 10 at 2 p.m. Through Oct. 22 at 2175 Lee Road, Cleveland Heights. Call 216-371-3457 or go to heightsarts.org.
Legation: Artwork From Spaces Board/Staff. This group exhibition features artwork by board members and staffers of Spaces, Cleveland's arts resource and public arts forum, as well as works drawn from board members' private collections. Among the participating artists: Dana Depew, Dott Schneider, Qian Li, Jeffery Chiplis, Hilary Aurand, and more. Through September 23 at 1300 D West 78th St. Call 216-650-4201 or visit legationagallery.com for more info.
O Gallery: From the Earth Up. Lisa Eastman paints landscapes in vivid, glassy-smooth oils. Sculptor Hy Snell transforms bits of scrap bronze and copper into intricate vegetable shapes. Through October 9 at 2101 Richmond Rd., Beachwood. Call 330-921-1234 or see the gallery's page on Facebook.
Peninsula Art Academy: The Figure as Sculpture. This group exhibition features figural sculpture in various media. Through September 30 at 1600 West Mill St. in Peninsula. Call 330-657-2248 or visit peninsulaartacademy.com.
Proximity: So — Recent Works by Royden Watson. CIA instructor Royden Watson uses traditional painting methods on unconventional plywood canvases to force the viewer to look twice at his images and hopefully reconsider the objects depicted therein. Through September 23 at 1667 East 40th St. For more information, call 216-262-8903 or go to proximitycleveland.com.
River Gallery Arts: Cleveland Craft Masters. The living legends of Cleveland's artisan communities display jewelry, glasswork, ceramics, and more. Through September 10 at 19046 Old Detroit Road, Rocky River. Call 440-331-8406 or go to rivergalleryarts.com.
Shaker Historic Society: Viktor Schreckengost. The legacy of the prolific artist, industrial designer, engineer, and C.I.A. professor is honored with a sampling of his work. Craig Bara, historian and archivist for the Viktor Schreckengost Memorial Foundation, speaks September 18 at 4 p.m. Through October 2 at 16740 South Park Blvd., Shaker Heights. Call 216-921-1201 or go to shakerhistory.org.
SPACES: Portability & Network. An international array of artists exhibit works dealing with the concept of formal reduction. Also: Steve Lambert's interactive installation "Capitalism Works for Me!" allows visitors to vote on whether or not the titular statement applies to them. Also: Royden Watson's "Usnews" is a map of the United States whose colors will evolve over the course of the exhibition, representing the country's shifting racial, religious, sexual, and economic demographics. Through October 21 at 2220 Superior Viaduct. Call 216-621-2314 or go to spacesgallery.org.
William Busta Gallery: Interruptions. In her first solo exhibition at WBg, Amy Krusinski Sinbondit's geometrically informed ceramics translate line compositions into three dimensions of striking colors. An opening reception will be held September 9 from 5 to 9 p.m.; the show will run through October 8 at 2731 Prospect Ave. Call 216-298-9071 or go to williambustagallery.com.
Willoughby Hills Community Center Art Gallery: Second Annual Quilt Guild Exhibition. Opening reception September 16 from 7 to 9 p.m. The show and sale run through November 11 at 35400 Chardon Rd., Willoughby Hills. Call 440-918-8730 or go to willoughbyhillsgallery.org.
Zaller Gallery: CLEVELAND: The Exhibition. Organized and presented by Ctownartparty, this exhibit focuses on all things local. Through September 16 at 16008 Waterloo Rd. Call 330-671-6123.
Solon Center for the Arts: La Bella Vita, the Beautiful Life. Painter Diane Arthurs exhibits works inspired by the Mediterranean. Through July 29 at 6315 SOM Center Rd. in Solon. Call 440-337-1400.
