The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
See them roar
Area venues celebrate Women’s History Month with shows
Women’s History Month became official in 1987, providing us with an annual platform to acknowledge the countless contributions women have and continue to make. But what led us here?
In 1769, the American colonies were based on English common law, interpreted this way in English politician Sir William Blackstone’s “Commentaries on the Laws of England”: “By marriage, the husband and wife are one person in the law. The very being and legal existence of the woman is suspended during the marriage, or at least is incorporated into that of her husband under whose wing and protection she performs everything.”
Yikes! Hard to wrap my head around that one.
It wasn’t until 1890 that Wyoming became the first state to grant women the right to vote in state elections. Then, finally, 1920 brought the adoption of the 19th Amendment, declaring “The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.”
Seriously, we’ve come a long way, and it was not so freely given as it was hardearned.
Do your part and check out the March Women’s shows and programs, encourage your daughters, thank your mothers and do your part to maintain a balance between the genders. After all, we are all just brother and sister earthlings.
Gallery at Lakeland
The Gallery at Lakeland Community College, 7700 Clocktower Drive, Kirtland, is celebrating Women’s History Month with “from WOMAN XVI… Created by women, of women and about women,” which runs through March 31.
Lakeland first presented “from Woman” in 2008 to commemorate women’s achievements and contributions to the visual world of the arts. It began as a small presentation by local and regional artists but has grown to a sizable exhibition.
This incarnation includes 35 local and regional artists from Ohio and Indiana and showcases a wide variety of media, including oil and acrylic paintings, drawings, ceramics, textiles, sculpture, assemblage, jewelry and mixed media.
The show is curated by Gallery Coordinator Mary Urbus, who chose Betty Skufca as this year’s featured artist.
“Betty Skufca, who passed away at 93 years young, was my shero and inspiration, as she painted daily until she died,” Urbas said. “I wanted to pay homage to her talent and sensitivities as a visual artist and poet. Betty and her work impacted artists in Northeast Ohio and beyond on so many levels. She called her technique ‘Dot-alism.’”
The first inner gallery space is dedicated to Skufca’s art. Urbas selected artwork to create a mini-retrospective of Skufca’s oil paintings on canvas and plexiglass. The exhibit includes her final painting, “She Watches You as You Go By.”
An artist reception will be held from 3:30 to 5 p.m. on March 26, followed by the 30th annual Women of Achievement Awards ceremony at 2 p.m. in the Dr. Wayne L. Rodehorst Performing Arts Center.
For more information, call 440-525-7029, email murbas@lakelandcc.edu or visit lakelandcc.edu/ web/about/art-gallery, where you also will find a virtual tour of the exhibit and a comprehensive list of Women’s History Month shows and programs.
Stella’s Art Gallery
Stella’s Art Gallery, 38033 Euclid Ave., Willoughby, is seeking artists to enter its March show, “In Honor of Women.” Artwork must honor a woman who influenced your life and include the female you are honoring in the title. Artist entry is gender-neutral, meaning you need not be a female artist to participate.
All mediums are welcome and may be dropped off from 11:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on March 2 or 3 or 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. March 4. Yours truly will jury the show.
Visit stellasartgallery. com for entry forms or call 440-266-9111 for more information.
Rabbit Run
It is time to enter the 31st annual Juried Art Show sponsored by Rabbit Run Community Arts Association and the Madison Public Library, 6111 Middle Ridge Road, which will host the show.
Entry is open to all high school and adult artists in Northeast Ohio. Applications and fees — $25 for adults and $7 for students, which covers three entries in any media — may be submitted now. Ready-tohang artwork must be delivered to the library during regular hours between March 27 and April 3.
Cash prizes for Best of Show ($100 for adult, $75 for student) and first place in painting, drawing, photography, and small threedimensional art ($25) will be awarded.
There will be an awards ceremony at 6:30 p.m. April 12. The show will be up for viewing April 5 through May 3.
Applications are available at the library; RRCAA, 49 Park St., Madison; and at rabbitrun.org. For information, call 440-428-2189.
Euclid Art Association
The next Euclid Art Association meeting will be a Zoom meeting at 7 p.m. March 6. The meeting will feature a presentation by local acrylic painter Aja Dandridge. Her program, “Art in the Eye of the Beholder,” will focus on eyes.
Check out her work on Instagram: @aja_artist. Her work features Black culture, fantasy and a hint of mythology.
If you are not a member of EAA and are interested in the presentation, email info@EuclidArt.com and a link to the Zoom meeting will be sent to you.
Ashtabula Arts Center
The “Women’s Show” at Ashtabula Arts Center, 2829 W. 13th St., will be up for viewing from March 3 through 30. The show was juried by Dani Klein, an artist and art therapist, and the founder of Stella’s Art Gallery in Willoughby.
There will be an artists’ reception from 6 to 8 p.m. March 10.
For more information, visit ashtabulaartscenter. org or call 440-964-3396.
Valley Art Center
Valley Art Center, 155 Bell St., Chagrin Falls, is looking for artists to create full-color poster designs for the Chagrin Falls’ 2023 Blossom Time event. The image may reflect the general theme of “Blossom Time” or the 2023 theme “Game Night,” but no wording should appear in the design. It will be added when the work is prepared for print, so keep that in mind.
The entry fee is $10, and artwork must be delivered by 4 p.m. April 1. Only one entry per artist is allowed.
Keep in mind this will be an 11-by-14-foot vertical poster.
The work will be juried, and three prizes will be awarded: $20 to the winner, $100 for second place and $50 for third. The winning image will belong to The Chagrin Valley Jaycees and will be reproduced on posters and other products that will be printed and sold as limited editions in pre-sales and at Blossom Time.