Otterbein Tells the Story of Cuba through Opening Doors to the World Initiative

Visual arts, music performances and critical dialog about Cuba’s history included in celebration of complex nation

As tensions ease between the U.S. and Cuba, Otterbein University is stepping up to tell the story of the complex neighboring nation. Through an initiative called Opening Doors to the World, Otterbein will share the artistic achievements of the Cuban people and encourage critical dialogue about Cuba’s history from Jan. 11-May 1.

According to Provost Miguel Martinez-Saenz, “Otterbein University hopes to tell a story that shows our students and our surrounding community that they must always resist telling and believing ‘a single story.’ Adopting a visual arts exhibition titled An Island Apart, combining it with panels on Cuban social and political history, with panels on doing business in Cuba today and culminating with a celebration and performance by one of Cuba’s premiere composers and jazz pianists, José María Vitier, we hope those who are fortunate enough to experience all our programming will come away resisting ‘a single story.’” 

Otterbein is able to bring Opening Doors to the World to life through partnerships, including a federal Art Works grant from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). Otterbein was announced as a recipient of the NEA grant on Dec. 8.

The $20,000 grant supports one component of the initiative, the exhibition An Island Apart: Cuban Artists in Exile, which includes artwork, performance art and art documentaries by 12 Cuban or Cuban-American artists. Highlights of the exhibition will be an artist-led community installation by resident artist Juan Si González, two art documentaries by artist and educator Coco Fusco, and a performance art piece at the opening reception by Carlos Martiel. 

NEA Chairman Jane Chu said, “The arts are part of our everyday lives – no matter who you are or where you live – they have the power to transform individuals, spark economic vibrancy in communities, and transcend the boundaries across diverse sectors of society. Supporting projects like the one from Otterbein University offers more opportunities to engage in the arts every day.”

Art Works is the NEA’s largest funding category, supporting the creation of art that meets the highest standards of excellence, and promoting public engagement with diverse and excellent art, lifelong learning in the arts, and the strengthening of communities through the arts.

Additional funding to support artist-in-residence Juan Si González is provided by the Ohio Arts Council. Funding for accompanying events is provided by the Greater Columbus Arts Council, Kegler Brown Hill + Ritter, Dr. Anahi Ortiz and Mr. William T. Conard, the Law Office of José Pertierra, and the Johnstone Fund for New Music.

Other key partnerships are bringing musical performances to stages at Otterbein and in the community. Maestro José María Vitier, pianist and film score composer, will be an artist-in-residence at Otterbein and will collaborate with musicians from Otterbein and the Westerville Symphony during his residency.

The schedule of events is as follows:

CUBANART

AnIsland Apart:Cuban ArtistsIn Exile

An exhibition featuringworks by12 internationally recognized exiled Cuban artists,performance art, art documentaries and collaboratively created community art. The exhibition spans three galleries:

Departure Gate A

Jan.11-May 1

Fisher Gallery

Roush Hall, 27 S. Grove St., Westerville

Gallery hours are 9 a.m.-9 p.m. daily. Closed on holidays. 

Departure Gate B

Jan.11-Feb 14

Miller Gallery

Art and Communication Building, 33 Collegeview Rd., Westerville
Gallery hours are 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday through Friday and 1-4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Closed on holidays and University breaks. 

Departure Gate C

Jan.11-May 1

Frank Museum of Art

39 S. Vine Street, Westerville

Museum hours are 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday during the University’s academic year. Closed on holidays and University breaks.

Additional visual arts receptions and events:

Opening Reception with Performance Art

Jan.22 from 5-7:30 p.m.

MillerGallery, Art and Communication Building

Carlos Martiel, aHavana-born performance artist who studied with activist-artist Tania Bruguera from 2008-2010, presents El Tanque (2015),an experiential commentary on politics and prisoners of conscience in Cuba. Performance begins at 6 p.m.

Progressive Reception

Feb.4 from 4-7 p.m.

Guided tours of all exhibition spaces offered throughout the reception time.

La Confesión and La Botellaal Marde María Elena by Coco Fusco

Jan.11-May 1

See website for times and locations.

Two  powerful art videos by performance artist and writer Coco Fusco give visualvoice tolegendary stories  in Cuban history — the public confession of poet Heberto Padilla in1971 and the poet María Elena Cruz Varela’s letter to Fidel Castro in1990 requesting democratic forms, which resulted in the poet’s arrest.

Artist-Community Co-created Installation

Feb.15-April 24

FisherGallery, Roush Hall

Artist-in-Residence Juan SiGonzález willwork collaborativelywith students, faculty, staff and the community to explore themes of exile, migration, identity and place-making.The project will culminate in an exhibition.To join the project, contact Janice Glowski at jglowski@otterbein.edu.

CUBANMUSIC

Artist-in-Residence José María Vitier

April1-May 1

Maestro José María Vitier, pianist and film score composer, engages greater Columbus through performance, master classes and an orchestral and choral presentation of his acclaimed Misa Cubana(1996), a mass that blends Afro-Cuban and Latin rhythms with Marian elements.

Latin Jazz and Cuban Music

Featuring José María Vitier; Richard Lopez, Director

April 3 from 3-5 p.m.

Columbus Museum of Art, 480 E Broad St, Columbus

Master Classes with José María Vitier

April 6 andApril 13 from 5-6 p.m.

Battelle Fine ArtsCenter, 170 W. Park St., Westerville

Celebration of Cuban Music (Recital)

Featuringmezzo-soprano Olga Perez-Flora Professor of Voice, Muskingum University

April16 at 8 p.m.

BattelleFine ArtsCenter  

Westerville Symphony performs Misa Cubana byJosé María Vitier

Peter Stafford Wilson, Conductor; Otterbein University Chorus,Gayle Walker,Conductor

April24 at 5 p.m.

The Fritsche Theatre at Cowan Hall, 30 S. Grove St., Westerville

Celebration of Cuba: Community Gathering with Art, Music and Refreshments

Featuring art by JuanSi González and music by the Redbird Faculty JazzCombo

April 29 from 5:30-8:30 p.m.

Columbus Museum of Art

ABOUT OPENING DOORS TO THE WORLD

Otterbein University deepens its commitment to global education with Otterbein and the Arts: Opening Doors to the World, a multi-year focus on the arts in three non-Western regions: Latin America (2015-16), Asia (2016-17) and Africa (2017-18). The initiative kicked off in fall 2015 with Chile as the gateway country. All events in the series are free and open to the public. For more information, visit www.otterbein.edu/openingdoors or call (614) 823-1792. You also can find it on Facebook athttps://www.facebook.com/Otterbein-Opening-Doors-to-the-World-201943140142077.

Lourdes University Art Department allows art enthusiasts to “Learn the Art of Ceramics” in 2016

Sessions offered for budding artists ages 16+ and can be a Christmas gift

Erin Palmer Szavuly, MFA, Chair and Associate Professor of the Lourdes University Department of Art, is pleased to announce the establishment of Ceramics/ Pottery Sessions in 2016 for art enthusiasts. Titled “Learn the Art of Ceramics,” the sessions are $110 each and are offered in the new Ceramics Studio at the Canticle Center, 5335 Silica Drive, in Sylvania.

Taught by Lourdes University Ceramics Instructor Lindsay Scypta, MFA, the sessions are designed for adults ages 16+ who are interested in learning the art of ceramics/pottery. Individuals will have the opportunity to create functional and well-crafted pieces and learn the few basic techniques of hand crafting and wheel throwing. “These ceramics/ pottery sessions can be the perfect Christmas gift for your friend or loved one,” adds Professor Szavuly.

The Ceramics and Pottery Sessions include:

Hand Building

First session: Tuesdays, January 19 through February 23, from 1 to 3 p.m., OR

Second session: Tuesdays, April 12 through May 17 from 1 to 3 p.m.

Pottery Wheel Throwing

First session: Tuesdays, January 19 through February 23 from 6 to 9 p.m., OR

Second session: Tuesdays, April 12 through May 17 from 6 to 9 p.m.

For more information or to register for one or more of these sessions, call Erin Palmer Szavuly at 419-824-3685 or email eszavuly@lourdes.edu. 

About the Lourdes University Department of Art

Offering Associate and Bachelor of Arts degrees in Art, the Lourdes University Department of Art offers an inviting studio environment that encourages students to be visually expressive and to hone their craft in a variety of mediums. A wealth of artistic opportunities exist outside the classroom as well including working with visiting artists; networking in the local arts community; assisting non-profit organizations; studying in Florence, Italy; and hosting and submitting work for exhibits. Students can also choose to pursue a Pre-Art Therapy concentration.

About Lourdes University

Rooted in the Catholic and Franciscan tradition, Lourdes University is sponsored by the Sisters of St. Francis, and offers baccalaureate degrees in more than 30 academic majors as well as graduate degrees in business, education, nursing, organizational leadership, social work, and theology. Community outreach programs include the Appold Planetarium, the Center for Science Education & the Environment, and Lifelong Learning. A member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, Lourdes students can also compete in a variety of men’s and women’s sports. Named a “Best in the Midwest” college by the Princeton Review, Lourdes University is a nationally accredited, veteran and transfer-friendly institution offering a variety of student scholarships. Explore the possibilities online at www.lourdes.edu or by phone at 419-885-3211. 

OHIO WESLEYAN’S FINE ARTS FACULTY EXHIBIT LATEST CREATIONS

Works from Seven Accomplished OWU Artists at Ross Art Museum through Jan. 31

DELAWARE, Ohio – The artistic muse is always “In Close Proximity” for Ohio Wesleyan University’s fine arts faculty, who are exhibiting their latest works from Dec. 1 through Jan. 31 at OWU’s Richard M. Ross Art Museum, 60 S. Sandusky St., Delaware. 

Seven studio arts professors have created works for the “In Close Proximity” exhibition, showcasing their skills in media including clay, metal, photography, printmaking, sculpture, painting and drawing, and computer design. Ohio Wesleyan faculty members participating in the free exhibit, which represents their biennial art showcase, are:

‘Reaction Interaction,’ a cast iron, wood, and steel sculpture by Ohio Wesleyan University’s Jonathan Quick is on display through Jan. 31 at OWU’s Richard M. Ross Art Museum. The show includes works from seven OWU fine arts faculty. (Photo by Mark Schmitter)

Kristina Bogdanov, M.F.A., who teaches ceramics, drawing, figure drawing and 3-D design. She is represented in the show with pottery, sculpture, and wall hangings. “I was very much drawn by the myth, legend and folklore of my native country,” said Bogdanov, who joined Ohio Wesleyan in 2007. “Lately, I am particularly interested in finding examples of powerful women in history and literature of Serbia. One of the most archaic ones illustrate a female spirit, a nymph, that has a mind of her own. … My hope is to inspire and honor the powerful women around me, of any age and culture to nurture their inner nymph spirit, to make choices of their own.”

Cynthia Cetlin, M.F.A., who teaches metals, 3-D design, art education, and art history. Cetlin’s current work involves working with wool, including stitched resist textile techniques and natural dyeing. “With most of the work here, I did not know until after the piece was out of the dye pot, dried for days, the knots cut and the threads pulled away, whether I would have something worth looking at,” said Cetlin, a member of the OWU faculty since 1987. “It has been a risky process when preparing work for public view, but inescapable and thrilling. I am an ardent learner, always drawn to new techniques and to materials that are new to me. A constant in my life has been the desire to create body adornment and to develop knowledge and technical mastery.”

Frank Hobbs, M.F.A., who teaches painting, drawing, figure drawing, and 2-D design. Hobbs often paints Ohio landscapes, seeking to distill the scenes to their essence. “The foundation of my practice as a painter has always been a simple empiricism, a kind of natural philosophy based on observation and informed by the means of painting, which are color, gesture, shape, and texture,” said Hobbs, who joined the university in 2007. “The goal, ultimately, is to construct a living metaphor in color, shape, and mark for my experience of the concrete world. The thrill when the first crude likeness appears is still as fresh and exciting as it was when I first started painting, nearly four decades ago.”

James Krehbiel, M.F.A., who teaches in the 2-D media of printmaking, computer imaging, and drawing. Krehbiel’s work represents his current research into kiva sites in the American Southwest. “Often kivas are isolated on remote ledges high in the canyons, but sometimes they are positioned in interesting ways in villages with alignments to unusual features in the landscape,” said Krehbiel, a member of the OWU faculty since 1986. “As I have become more interested in these contextual relationships, it has occurred to me that the intriguing alignments may have been set up to utilize astronomy. … All of the pieces in this exhibition are direct responses to my past three years of archaeoastronomical and archaeological experiences in the field. Each piece is created to become a narrative about what was discovered at a particular place.”

Justin Kronewetter, M.F.A., director of the Ross Art Museum, who teaches art gallery management. Kronewetter’s digital photographs often showcase common subjects in uncommon ways. “I take particular satisfaction in finding my subject matter among those things that are normally overlooked due to their presumed insignificance, things that are ‘hidden in plain sight,’” said Kronewetter, a retired OWU professor who joined the university in 1972. “Rather than wanting to show every conceivable aspect of a particular subject, I’m more interested in eliminating everything but that which I consider absolutely essential to the making of an effective image. In that respect I embrace the German-born American architect Mies van der Rohe’s dictum that ‘less is more.’”

Jeff Nilan, M.F.A., who teaches photography, computer imaging, bookmaking, and 2-D design. Much of his current work was created while working as an artist-in-residence at the Ucross Foundation in Wyoming, an artist residency situated on a 20,000-acre cattle ranch. “Although the landscape is not an entirely new subject for me, having a month to slowly move through the wide-open high plains, both familiar and intriguing to me, challenged me to reconcile with the landscape as subject – developing my awareness of subtleties in the seemingly endless expanse of treeless hills,” said Nilan, who joined the OWU faculty in 2008. Additional work in the show was created during travel-learning trips with students and during the renovation of historic Merrick Hall.

Jonathon Quick, M.F.A., who teaches sculpture and 3-D design. He works primarily in steel and iron, creating large-scale sculptures. “Steel offers me the freedom and range of expression that no other three dimensional medium can match,” said Quick, who joined the university in 1988. “Working with steel gives me a more spontaneous approach to art making, allowing me to quickly render form and arrive at compositional solutions. Iron is one of the most plentiful earth elements. … I am drawn to the process of iron casting using a cupola furnace to smelt scrap iron. Pouring molten iron into wooden molds produces a violent interaction of materials. … [T]he process allows me to create new forms that remind me of their volcanic origin.”

Ohio Wesleyan offers a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree with majors in studio art, art education, and art history. Learn more about the OWU Department of Fine Arts and its faculty at www.owu.edu/finearts.

During the academic year, the Ross Art Museum is open Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Thursday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. The museum will close Dec. 17 for winter break and reopen Jan. 12. The museum is handicap-accessible and admission is always free. Call (740) 368-3606 or visit www.owu.edu/ross for more information.

Founded in 1842, Ohio Wesleyan University is one of the nation’s premier liberal arts universities. Located in Delaware, Ohio, the private university offers 86 undergraduate majors and competes in 23 NCAA Division III varsity sports. Ohio Wesleyan combines a challenging, internationally focused curriculum with off-campus learning and leadership opportunities to connect classroom theory with real-world experience. OWU’s 1,750 students represent 46 U.S. states and territories and 43 countries. Ohio Wesleyan is featured in the book “Colleges That Change Lives,” listed on the latest President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll with Distinction, and included in the U.S. News & World Report and Princeton Review “best colleges” lists. Learn more at www.owu.edu.

University of Dayton annual Nativity exhibit features new model train

'AT THE MANGER: CHRISTMAS AND BEYOND' GRAND OPENING CELEBRATION NOV. 28

DAYTON, Ohio — The University of Dayton will celebrate “Christmas and Beyond” with its annual exhibit of Nativities from around the world and the installation of a new model train display built to tell the story of Jesus’ young life.

“At the Manger: Christmas and Beyond” runs from Saturday, Nov. 28, to Sunday, Jan. 24, inside Roesch Library. It is free and open to the public. A grand opening celebration from 1 to 5 p.m. Nov. 28 will feature children’s activities, light refreshment, entertainment by the Dayton Celebration Chorus and a college football viewing area.

“We want to make sure people understand that when we talk about the Nativity, it’s not only a representation of the Holy Family surrounded by shepherds, kings and oxen. We want to put the Nativity as we traditionally know it into a broader context — historically speaking, but also from the point of view of meaning and significance,” said the Rev. Johann Roten, S.M., Marian Library director of research and special projects.

New this year, the model train travels through an 18-by-12 foot display. Ten stations depict the events surrounding Jesus’ birth and childhood. Each features lights and music or a story. It begins with the Annunciation, where the angel Gabriel speaks to Mary, said volunteer Phil Powers, who designed the electrical functions of the exhibit along with students from the School of Engineering. The train will be housed on the seventh floor of the library.

Also on the seventh floor, “From Heaven to Earth and Back” includes figures portraying the 20 Mysteries of the Rosary, which are events in the life of Mary and Jesus. Additionally, A Provencal Welcome shows an extensive French Provençal village of 150 clay figures called santons.

“Between Rain and Corn” on the first floor of the library exhibits clay Nativities from New Mexico, which show how Native Americans incorporated Christianity into their cultures.

“From Hammock to Jar” on the second floor illustrates several cultures’ interpretation of the Nativity, including those who represent it only in two-dimensional ways. Also featured are Nativities from Spain, Portugal and Italy, where the focus is not on the manger but on the three kings.

“The Marian Library has more than 3,000 Nativities in its collection. Every year, we draw from those to create a special theme and a unique experience,” said Kathleen Webb, dean of University Libraries. “The exhibit has become a tradition with many families and it is our gift to the community.”

A new book, God Still Comes, written by Roten offers extensive information on the Marian Library’s collection of Nativities, also called crèches, along with more than 250 large, colorful photos.

World Nativity lesson plans prepared by education majors from the University's School of Education and Health Sciences are also available for download on the exhibit’s website. The lessons are free and suitable for pre-K through 8th grades.

At the Manger will be open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday to Friday, and 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. It will be closed for holidays on Dec. 8, 24, 25 and 31; and Jan. 1 and 18.

For more information on exhibits, hours, directions and parking, visit http://udayton.edu/libraries/manger or call 937-229-4265. Guided group tours for six or more are available on request by calling 937-229-4214.

The University of Dayton's Marian Library/International Marian Research Institute (IMRI) is the world's largest repository of books, artwork and artifacts devoted to Mary, the mother of Christ, and a pontifical center of research and scholarship with a vast presence in cyberspace. Its redesigned All About Mary website, at udayton.edu/imri/mary, makes knowledge on Virgin Mary available worldwide.

Save the Date!

You are invited...
to our reception and student exhibition at Otterbein University's Miller Gallery from 5-8pm, located at 33 Collegeview Road, Westerville, Ohio 43081, on Tuesday, April 26th, 2016.

We would like to thank our sponsors: 
Koskinen Creative
Fireball Press

RSVP by email at audrey@aicuo.edu by April 18th, 2016.

The McFadden Art Gallery Exhibit

Untitled by Barbara Drennan

Wren (looking right) by Rosemary Hayne

Seashell by Heather Bryson

Autumn Leaves by Heather Bullach

Salt Marsh 2 by Lynn Digby

Canton, OH. The McFadden Gallery will feature Squared: 5 Artists Working 6 x 6 Inches, from November 9 through January 22. The exhibit features the work of artists Rosemary Hayne, Barbara Drennan, Lynn Digby, Heather Bullach, and Heather Bryson. 

The McFadden Gallery is located on the Malone University campus in the Johnson Center for Worship and the Arts. The gallery is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. through 6 p.m.

This exhibit showcases five area artists who are part of a group that has been meeting regularly for the past two years to discuss art and techniques. Their inspiration for the show came from Oregon artist Carol Marine’s book, Daily Painting, which suggests that artists nurture their creativity by painting small and often. The five artists featured in this show all regularly created works in the same 6x6 inch format over the past year. Yet, a pleasing diversity can be seen in the techniques, including painting in oil and watercolor, drawing in graphite and colored pencil, and styles ranging between realism, expressionism, and abstract. The works are for sale and are affordably priced under $100.

See this online at: http://www.malone.edu/news-and-events/press/7201.squared.php

College hosting High School Invitational Art & Design Show

Top student qualifies for $3,500 Fine Art and Talent Scholarship

MARIETTA, Ohio — Marietta College’s Art Department is excited to welcome about a dozen students who will be participating in the High School Invitational Art & Design Scholarship Exhibition.

An opening reception is scheduled for noon-2 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 8, at the Third Floor Gallery of the Hermann Fine Arts Center. The exhibition will run until Monday, Nov. 30.

All participants are currently in their final year of high school and were limited to three entries. The College’s Art Department will review all work selected for the exhibition, and will award the top Marietta College Fine Art and Talent Scholarship — an annual award of $3,500 toward the College’s tuition — to the winner. Once accepted to Marietta College, the student continues to receive the award money each year as long as he or she majors or minors in Art or Design and remains active in the department.

Admission is free and it is open to the public.

Located in Marietta, Ohio, at the confluence of the Muskingum and Ohio rivers, Marietta College is a four-year liberal arts college. Tracing its roots to the Muskingum Academy begun in 1797, the College was officially chartered in 1835. Today Marietta College serves a body of 1,300 full-time students. The College offers 45 majors and has been listed among Barron’s Best Buys in College Education and Peterson’s Competitive Colleges, and has been recognized as one of the top regional comprehensive colleges by U.S. News & World Report and The Princeton Review, as well as one of the nation’s best by Forbes.com.

Confluence Art Show to be Featured at Mount Union

Alliance, Ohio - Confluence, a mixed media art show, in which artists Keith McMahon and Priscilla Roggenkamp will be featured, will be on display Monday, November 2 through Wednesday, December 18 in the University of Mount Union’s Sally Otto Art Gallery. The Artist Reception will be Thursday, November 5 from 4 to 6 p.m. in the same location. Normal hours for the gallery are Monday through Sunday 7 a.m.- midnight.

A collaboration by Keith and Priscilla

McMahon and Roggenkamp began as individual artists before discovering their compatibility for collaboration. Since then, they have worked together on several projects, including a sculpture for Central Wyoming College.

“Our work explores our place in space and time and our relationship with the primal elements of nature to bring meaning and message out of the materials with which we work,” their website reads.

For more information on the event, contact Carol Opatken at (330) 823-4968 or email opatkec@mountunion.edu<mailto:opatkec@mountunion.edu>. To learn more about the artists, visit their website. For Mount Union's upcoming Fine Arts Events, visit their website.

Ohio Northern University to present exhibition featuring maps created, utilized during Hurricane Katrina

ADA — The Ohio Northern University Department of Art and Design presents Mapping Katrina, dynamic visual documentation of New Orleans before, during and after Hurricane Katrina, in the Elzay Gallery of Art from Oct. 16 to Dec. 13.

This exhibit features numerous maps created and utilized during the natural disaster in 2005. It features a stunning visual display of topographical, statistical, and geographical information that was gathered during the storm. The exhibit was curated by Harry “Jimmy” Wilson, ONU assistant professor of management and geographical information systems.

Wilson has diverse work experience in private, government and education sectors that includes specializations in geographic information systems (GIS), disaster science, cultural resource management and archaeology. He worked at the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development during Katrina as a cartographer and GIS specialist while pursuing his Ph.D. in geography from Louisiana State University, which he earned in 2007.  He has taught at ONU since 2007 and recently transferred to the Dicke College of Business Administration to teach information systems and GIS for business courses.

A reception and talk with Wilson will take place in room 115 of the Wilson Art Center on Friday, Oct. 16, at 6:30 p.m. Refreshments will be served in the lobby of the Elzay Gallery.

This event is free and open to the public.

Link: https://www.onu.edu/node/68513

Ohio Northern University’s quality, student-centered education distinctively combines nationally ranked sciences, arts and professional programs for more than 3,600 students in its five colleges: Arts & Sciences, Business Administration, Engineering, Pharmacy and Law.

Malone University Department of Visual Arts presents – The Fountain Gallery Exhibit

Canton, OH.  October 13, 2015.   Department of Visual Arts - The Fountain Gallery will feature  A Journey in Photographs  by Brad Bielawski from October 15 through December 14. The Fountain Gallery is located on the Malone University campus in the Johnson Center for Worship and the Arts. The gallery is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. through 6 p.m.

Bielawski’s striking photographs featured in the exhibit were taken during his travels throughout the United States, Europe, and Asia. Bielawski lives in Warren, Pennsylvania where he designs consumer products at Whirley DrinkWorks, using a variety of techniques from traditional hand sketching to digital sculpting. More information about Bielawski and his work can be found at  www.facebook.com/bielawskiphoto.

Artist Statement: “My technique is something like that of a photojournalist, capturing every moment from the obligatory landmarks to the more ‘ordinary’ bits. Though, in many parts of the world, the ‘commonplace’ things are novel and noteworthy; a white-knuckled rickshaw ride through insane traffic or the ‘I-can’t-believe-people-eat-that’ offerings at the butcher shop. You never know where a great image may arise from, so I always keep my camera at the ready. More often than not, the image finds me.”

Located on 96 rolling acres in Canton, Ohio, Malone University is comprised of the College of Theology, Arts, and Sciences; the School of Education and Human Development; the School of Business and Leadership; and the School of Nursing and Health Sciences.  Malone is a Christian university for the arts, sciences, and professions in the liberal arts tradition, affiliated with the Evangelical Friends Church, offering 41 majors, 42 minors, and 11 graduate programs.  Nationally, Malone University is ranked in the top four percent of colleges and universities in career outcomes, top 10 (#9) best online financial aid packages, and top 50 (#30) most affordable Christian colleges as well as top 100 (#80) in the Best Online Christian Graduate Schools Guide. Regionally, U.S. News & World Report’s America’s Best Colleges 2015 ranks Malone University among the top colleges and universities in the Midwest in the category Regional Universities, and to its list of best online bachelor’s programs.  Statewide, Malone appears on the list of colleges offering the best lifetime return on investment in Ohio.  Malone University has been recognized by the prestigious Templeton Foundation as a leader in character development, as a military-friendly  school by Victory Media, and as one of Northeast Ohio’s top workplaces by the Cleveland Plain Dealer.