Enjoy art in the great outdoors — while you still can

Nature-themed art is abundant because it is as beautiful to look at as it is to create. I am happy to report the great trifecta of summer — art, nature and creativity — is alive and well in Northeast Ohio, and August offers plenty of proof.

Heighten the experience by visiting natural settings — like our Emerald Necklace of parks and woodlands — to view and collect your nature inspired artworks. Opportunities to do so are abundant this month. Some examples are the Geauga Park District’s 26th annual Nature Arts Festival at Big Creek Park and the Chardon Art Festival on Chardon Square on Aug. 6, Painesville’s Art in the Park on Aug. 19 and the current show at Lake Metroparks Farmpark, “Nature & Nurture: TriGenerational Art Exhibit.”

Stella’s Art Gallery

If you haven’t visited Stella’s Gallery in the Match Works Building, 8500 Station St., Mentor, it’s time you did. This eclectic gallery has something for everyone.

Stella’s opens a new show, “Northeast Ohio Inspired Art,” with a reception from 6 to 9 p.m. Aug. 4. Come to the event and show your support for local artists. You will be pleased to see what a beautiful and creative community in which we live. The show will be up until Aug. 31.

Can’t make the reception? Try to attend the Match Works Summer Art Fest from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Aug. 12.

In talking with potter, painter and co-owner Dani Klein, I learned there is much more on the horizon for Stella’s.

“We have classes, as well, and have partnered up with Fourk,” she said of a new restaurant in the building. “Starting in September, every second Wednesday of the month we will be holding classes there.”

Klein is also an art therapist and is coordinating a health-and-wellness fair for Sept. 9. “We are looking for vendors that support health and wellness as a way of life,” she said, “They can visit our website, stellasartgallery.com, and apply there or in person.”

Stella’s also is accepting applications for the Match Works Holiday Boutique being held Nov. 10 and 11.

Gallery at Lakeland

The Euclid Art Association is showcasing works by its members through Sept. 8 in the Gallery at Lakeland Community College, 7700 Clocktower Drive, Kirtland.

There are 90 works done by 37 members of the EAA in watercolor, acrylic and oil painting, wood sculpture, mixed media, photography, graphic art, pastel and computer graphics.

Cash and ribbons were awarded in various categories as chosen by the prize judge, Mary Urbas, gallery coordinator and exhibition curator at Lakeland Community College.

Congratulations to Best in Show winner Eddie Mitchell. He won three awards at the show and also teaches (adjunct faculty) at both the main Lakeland campus and in Madison.

Awards in Watercolor went to Char D’Errico, both first place and second place; Mary Page Williams, third place; and honorable mention to Diane Rogazione. The winners in Oil and Acrylic Painting are Dorothy Geisert, first place; Eddie Mitchell, second place; and an honorable mention to Tom Evert.

In Graphic Art and Pastel, Eddie Mitchell took first place and Jennifer Theil took second place.

The Mixed Media winners are Barb Everett, first place, and Harry Pierson, second. The Photography/ Computer Graphics winners are Lee Peters, first place, and Mary Alice Valvoda, second. Tom Evert received an honorable mention in Sculpture.

The Euclid Art Association has more than 80 members but began with just a handful in 1958. The club’s gallery and offices are located on the second floor of the former North Street School, 2119 North St., Euclid. At each monthly meeting, member artists, or guest artists, demonstrate one of the many varied techniques. For more information, visit euclidart.com or the group’s Facebook page.

For more information about the gallery, contact Mary Urbas at 440525-7029 or murbas@lakelandcc.edu.

Farmpark

An exhibit with the artwork of three generations, “Nature & Nurture: TriGenerational Art Exhibit,” is on display through Sept. 1 at Lake Metroparks Farmpark, 8800 Chardon Road, Kirtland.

Our DNA is passed down from generation to generation, and with it comes many special talents. Being creative and artistic is a welcome trait and is often shared among family members. I can think of several examples, but this show focuses on Toni Rash; her daughter, Annemarie (Rash) Comes; and granddaughter Arianna Maria Comes.

Details: lakemetroparks. com/news-updates/naturenurture-a-tri-generationalart-exhibit.

The park is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday, and Farmpark admission fees apply.

Chardon Arts Festival

The Chardon Square Association’s annual Arts Festival will be Aug. 6 on the historic Chardon Square, at the intersection of Routes 44 and 6.

This juried, outdoor show is free and will host more than 100 artists both local and out of state, providing a wonderful opportunity for a day of shopping and dining in this beautiful setting.

The artworks will include painting, stained glass, leather, fabric art, wood carving, pottery, photography, weaving, copper, jewelry, stone cutting and more.

Visitors love the large copper frog sculptures for your patio or pond, the stone houses for your garden by Adam New of Mentor, hand-woven outfits of local artist Nancy Hart, and brooms made by Chuck Fath of Burton. Plus, banks handcrafted from original post office doors will be available.

Many restaurants and shops around the Square also will be open. There will be free Lolly the Trolley rides between the Square and Big Creek’s Nature Arts Festival.

Big Creek Park

The Geauga Park District’s 26th annual Nature Art Festival at Big Creek Park, 9160 Robinson Road, will feature regional artists who were juried for primarily Wildlife/Natureinspired artwork. It will be 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Aug. 6.

The festival has it all — food, music, activities for all ages and, of course, beautiful artwork. Bring the kids and enjoy the chalk art, make-n-take projects, live blacksmithing demos and readings by all ages of nature-inspired poetry and prose.

The Hunger Squad Food Truck will be there, and a complete schedule of live music, entertainment and family activities will be posted at bit.ly/gpdspecial.

“The Nature Arts Festival is one of the area’s finest shows for Nature-inspired work,” said Teresa Runion, special events coordinator at the park district. “Now that our festival has returned to the county seat, we all get very excited for the day when these two great Geauga festivals make Chardon a regional hub for great artwork, food and family fun.”