Akron Society of Artists News

2009 Call to Artists

For artists interested in submitting original work only, for review and public display: Work by regional artists, is being reviewed on an ongoing basis for display at a cafe gallery in Aurora. NO commission charged, and no entry fee. 2-dimensional art only. If interested, contact ASA member Melissa Harris via email at mel@cycleportraits.com. Pleases do not include jpegs or digital reproductions of any kind, in initial contact with Melissa.
Thank you!

Links of Note:

AAAA, the Akron Area Arts Alliance:
http://akronareaarts.org

Artists of Rubber City:
http://www.artistsofrubbercity.org

Women's Art League of Akron:
http://www.womensartleague.org

Cuyahoga Valley Art Center:
http://www.cvartcenter.org

Ohio Plein Air Society:
http://www.ohiopleinairsociety.com

Ohio Watercolor Society:
http://www.ohiowatercolorsociety.com

Portrait Society of America:
http://www.portraitsociety.org

Curated by Dino Massaroni, an award-winning artist, past president of the Akron Society of Artists and charter member of the Ohio Plein Air Society. Massaroni was able to enlist the participation of fellow plein air painters from Summit, Portage and Medina counties, all who are members of Akron Society of Artists: Judith B. Carducci, Lawrence Churski, Judy Gaiser, Ann Ferguson Kah, Carolyn E. Lewis, Jack Liberman, and Patricia Rohrbacher. Click on this link to see some of the work in the gallery

On Wednesday August 12, 2009 at 7:30 pm, local artist and entrepeneur Todd Volkmer (toddv) will share how he has established a business selling his paintings online, and how he has marketed his many art and video venues via his websites, a blog, social networks and Twitter.

Todd is responsible for the growth of many local artists' exposure through his CityART Project galleries, formerly in the Akron Northside District, and now on the Riverfront in Cuyahoga Falls. He also promotes local artists via The Artists Reality video series via the todd v channel on YouTube. For links to all of Todd V's venues, go to www.toddv.com.

Todd is also a creative force behind Xiango, a live art and dance troupe.

ASA is requesting a modest $5 donation for this event. Non-members are heartily invited to attend. Members will provide drinks and snacks for a festive evening. Please RSVP to Debra Thompson at debrathompsonart@yahoo.com so she can plan for the event.

Akron Society of Artists has agreed to host the opening of Summit ArtSpace, an artist's demonstration, and an artists' Meet & Greet show and reception in their 3rd floor studio, while the Akron Art Museum is open on the first Sunday of each month, beginning in September, 2009 Both the Akron Art Museum and Summit ArtSpace offer FREE ADMISSION from 11:00am to 5:00pm

ASA will host the Summit ArtSpace gallery, and direct participants to view their own show, "What's Up" consisting of the most recent works of ASA members. New artwork will be hung each month. A drawing or painting demonstration will also be offered by a different ASA member each of the Sundays. Light refreshments will be served.

The first Sundays are September 6th, October 4th, November 1st and December 6th.

ASA member volunteers are needed to host these events: For more information please download the Artist Participation .doc and fill out and email the volunteer form. All your questions are answered in this document! :-)

ASA live drawing and painting sessions resume in September
during AKRON ART WALKS on First Saturday evenings, September through December 4, 2009

On the first Saturday of every month from 5-9:30 pm the city of Akron sponsors Art Walks throughout the spring, summer, and fall in Akron's Northside and Historic Districts. AAAA will have the Summit ArtSpace gallery open, and we will welcome visitors to our third floor studio.There will be a model present to draw or paint and possibly a still life set up. All members are invited to participate during the evening "Open Studio." Tell you friends to stop by and visit!

In the North Side District, Millworks Gallery will be open, as well as the studio of nationally know potters Zeber-Martell (perhaps with jazz quartet) along with many other studios in their building. Mocha Maiden and Musica will also be open just down Market Street from Summit Artspace. The city provides free trolley transportation to all the open galleries and studios participating. Park at Summit Art Space and take the trolley!

ASA Student Artist News: Rebecca Williams wins 2009 ASA scholarship —by Frank Dale

Akron Society of Artists awarded a six hundred dollar scholarship to Rebecca Williams of Aurora High School, Aurora, Ohio. The scholarship presentation took place January 24th, 2009 at the Kent State Stark County campus as part of the 55th annual Northeast Central Ohio Divison Scholastic Achievement Award ceremony. In addition to the six hundred dollar scholarship, three Honorable Mention awards were given to David Shonk of Stow-Munroe Falls High School; Adele Waite of Crestwood High School and Leah Fulton of Firestone High School for their artistic excellence. In addition to the monetary award each student was given a golden ASA lapel pin and a one year $55.00 membership to the Society. This grants them the opportunity to attend and participate in all the programs of the Society and use of the art studio located on the third floor of Summit Artspace, 140. East Market Street, Akron.

This ongoing scholarship award program is an integral part of ASA's purpose and is mandated by its bylaws. ASA, which began 76 years ago in Akron, believes that its future is in the young and our own self interest lies in encouraging them to carry on what we have started.

Every Friday morning from 9:00 - 12:00 ASA members have the excellent opportunity to draw and paint a live model. Cost is $5 per session, and models work the same pose for three sessions.

Be sure to arrive BEFORE 9:00 to take the elevator up the the third floor and set up in time. Late arrivers will have to wait until the first model break around 9:30.

Contact ASA Friday Session Coordinator Judy Gaiser ggaiser@nls.net to receive e-mail alerts about who will be posing, cancellations, etc. or model opportunities.

Many thanks Judy, for all your hard work!

Every Wednesday evening ASA members meet to expand their artistic horizons. On the first Wednesday of any month, artists draw and paint a live model for only $3. On the second and third Wednesdays, we may bring paintings or drawings that address a common challenge, or watch an artist's video. On the last Wednesday, we usually have a critique, hosted by one of our Signature or Emeritus Members.

Go to our ASA schedule page to see what's happening this summer.

In January and February of 2009, ASA hosted a show of portrait and figurative works commenced during its Open Model Fridays and Wednesdays, when the model featured was another member. The show offered the unique perspective of each artist's perspective and interpretation, as these portraits were lined up to reflect the semi-circle of positions the artists took around the model. Classic portraiture in oils, modern and impressionistic portraiture in pastels and portraiture in watercolor were featured. Judith Carducci's "Tom holding Cue" won Best of Show out of votes cast during the artists' reception. Many thanks to Dino Massaroni and Carrie Lewis for organizing the show, and all members who participated.

Thanks in part to a grant from the
Akron Community Foundation