RED DOOR PROJECT: HOME GROWN

Artists from all over Cincinnati are coming together to launch the city’s newest art gallery, The Red Door Project. Inspired by the idea that art is in the eye of the beholder, the gallery features artwork by dozens of Cincinnatians from all backgrounds and walks of life. Enjoy a night of bidding on your favorite local artwork along with complimentary appetizers and drinks. 

 

This month's theme is Market Days: Home Grown. The idea is to create a piece of art in any mixed media (found objects, drawing, painting, photography). It can be 2D or 3D but must be based on the theme of the month. In its first three shows, the Red Door Project has featured work from more than 50 local artists – with over 85% of what’s submitted being sold.

Market Days: Home Grown show will take place on May 30^th from 6-10PM on the west side of Findlay Market at the Crown Building, 1739 Elm Street. The former Crown Furniture Store has recently been renovated to its 1865 appearance and within weeks of being finished was fully rented leaving only the retail space on the first floor available. 

The gallery event will be part of Findlay Market’s new Findlay After Five, with businesses open after hours to gallery patrons. Those who come will not only get to enjoy art, but the OTR biergarten, Eli’s Barbeque, Market Wines, Dojo Gelato and Pho Lang Thang.

CALLING ALL ARTISTS: CRAFTY SUPERMARKET

Entering its fifth year, Crafty Supermarket has put out a call for artists for their semi-annual craft fair which will be taking place at Clifton Cultural Arts Center on Saturday, April 26. If you're knitting, welding, beading, baking, ceramic-ing, or any other kind of hobby that results in a handmade product, definitely throw your name in the hat to be one of 45 vendors for the spring show!

With over 4,000 people attending their previous show in December, you're basically guaranteed to make bank at your booth. Each vendor space costs $85 and comes complete with a table and two chairs. Think you might have a ware someone would purchase to wear? Check out the easy application page. All applications must be submitted by 11:59pm on Saturday, March 1.

THE RED DOOR PROJECT

Where one door closes, another one opens. Such is the case with The Red Door Project, a community art gallery with its first exhibit on Final Friday. Taking place in the former location of the Joseph Williams Home, Over-the-Rhine's newest tenant features a gallery for the artist in all of us.

Regardless if you have formal training or are a creative hobbyist, everyone is welcome to participate in The Red Door Project. Art can be made as 2D or 3D using any type of medium, with all submissions following one rule: modeling their art after the specific monthly theme. The word for February is "Cycle" - a series of events that are regularly repeated in the same order.

All works must be turned in the Saturday before Final Friday to allow for the pieces to be set up for the show. A team of curators will also assign an auction price for each piece, and if sold, the artist will receive a portion of the proceeds. The deadline for February submissions is February 22 from 11:00am-3:00pm.

Not sure how to "cycle?" Instead, take part in The Red Door Project's photo contest by submitting a picture of a red door from your neighborhood. Ten doors will be selected to decorate the space. If you'd like to participate in March's assignment, check out the gallery on Final Friday where they will announce the theme for next month.


The Red Door Project is open at 1232 Vine Street on February 28 from 6-10 p.m.

BROADHOPE ART COLLECTIVE ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION

You've seen them at City Flea. You've seen them at Crafty Supermarket. Now you can see them in their brand new space along Harrison Avenue, directly across from Westwood Town Hall. Broadhope Art Collective, the West Side's creative empire, is hosting their one year anniversary celebration this Saturday, November 9, from 11:00AM-6:00PM.

A home for a variety of artists and their mediums, Broadhope features visual arts, crafts, wearables, home decor and more. Made up of a group of passionate West Siders looking for more creative exposure in their hometown, Broadhope brings an exciting burst of energy to the evolution of Westwood.

Be sure to look for Emily Lyn Design and pick up one of my favorite Broadhope items: the Westwood Is The Best Hood tote!

INSIDE OUT CINCINNATI

Over 1,100 people stepped in front of the lens to be part of Inside Out, the latest exhibit to open at Contemporary Arts Center.

Showcased are the works of French artist JR, who creates art for a variety of public spaces. His themes focus on people standing up for what they care about by postering black & white portraits of the community upon city surfaces. Cincinnatians were encouraged to become part of this international art project by visiting the Inside Out photography van, which operates like a mobile photobooth. Hundreds lined up each day to take part in the free project, with faces both young and old, and varying economic and lifestyle backgrounds.

Some pictures needed a redo.

Inspired by JR’s street pastings, Inside Out provides a global platform for people to transform their personal passion into public art. Participants in Cincinnati had their portraits displayed at the Contemporary Arts Center and at Fountain Square. In addition to being pasted on the street, images are also added to the online album, consisting of over 120,000 people from more than 108 countries.

Inside Out runs through February at the Contemporary Arts Center. The public display on Fountain Square will be up through the end of October. 

LEGO MY MUSIC HALL

Brick by brick, a new version of Music Hall was constructed over the past eight months. Made entirely out of LEGO pieces, model builder Mark Clark erected a built-to-scale model out of over 100,000 plastic building blocks. Encompassing every detail of the Cincinnati landmark, the mini Music Hall is 1/50 of the actual size and measures 42 inches high, 100 inches wide, and 106 inches deep.

Clark gathered most of his materials from standard LEGO sets, and only had to special order 10% unique parts for the build. Some of the details included 310 windows and 960 seats in Springer Auditorium. As the model is built to reflect Music Hall's heyday in the late 1800s, Clark included the Miami-Erie Canal in the rear of the building, which consisted of over 10,000 transparent blue dots.

Like every LEGO creation, there are hidden details in the project that will make you smile. Look for a skeleton under the stage in the auditorium. One may also spot a ghost riding the infamous haunted freight elevator.

Visitors can view the model in the foyer of Music Hall for free from 10:00am to 6:30pm. The display will be on exhibit through Friday, August 9.

ONE NIGHT ONE CRAFT

Learn something new in two hours. Every Monday night during the summer, Contemporary Arts Center hosts One Night One Craft, a low-cost art class for adults. For $5.00 a session,  guests have an opportunity to learn a new skill each week. Instructors from around the community volunteer to teach their medium, which varies from screen printing, to embroidery and gardening. Materials are included in the price of the class; all you have to do is show up. Bring a friend or mingle with fellow crafters. In addition to fostering your artistic side, the class serves as a social hour and includes a bar with wine and beer.

Four classes remain this summer: each Monday in August from 6:00PM-8:00PM.

August 5 -  Vintage Painting with Wine
August 12 - DIY Silkscreen Tee Shirt Printing
August 19 - Tiny Terrariums
August 26 - Beer Crafting


Here are a few things I created in past classes:

Gadget Monster (A pocket for your iPhone or iPod)

Painting With Wine

 

 

 

 Upcycling Old Books

 

 Hair Fascinators

 

Letterpress

 

Tiny Terrariums 

 

LPK CAPES

Downtown design agency, LPK, is known for their creative window displays overlooking Piatt Park. Their most recent one caught my eye, which features a series of super hero capes designed by children. I began telling my friends to check out the "LPKape" display, and later learned this was much more than a creative spread for their offices.

LPK partnered with Hero Design Company, a project of Artworks, which paired the agency with Ronald McDonald House. Five children worked with design teams who helped them find their Superman within. Each group created a heroic concept and outfit based around each child's personal strengths and challenges faced with their medical hardships.

FINAL FRIDAY IN OTR

Beginning in the early 1990s, art galleries in the Pendleton Arts Center have been hosting open houses on the last Friday of each month. Known as the "Final Friday Art Walk," the revitalization of retail, restaurants, and variety shows in Over The Rhine have shortened it to an all-encompassing "Final Friday."

Drunk Music Reviews sketches each of the bands they feature in on their blog.

The flurry of activity takes place primarily along Main Street and Vine Street, creating a walkable urban experience from 6:00pm - 11:00pm. This month's highlights featured a visit to Smartfish Studio & Sustainable Supply, caricatures by John Sebastian, and taking a large group picture at Frameshop OTR with a 100-year-old camera.

Sebasitan sketching 5chw4r7z

Who says Cincinnati isn't high-tech? Even the traffic signals have iPads.

Maureen and Erin Marie pet a parade of puppies.

Tim lines us up for the photograph with the 100-year-old camera (mounted)

Post-picture hoorah. Mayor Mallory even showed up!
Stay tuned for an upcoming post on how the photo turned out.

BEFORE I DIE...

A rogue mural appeared Sunday morning at the corner of 12th and Main. The simple, interactive installment featured a black wall with fill-in-the-blank responses following the words "Before I die I want to ________________"

 

 


Within two hours of the first images hitting social media, the wall was completely filled as locals flocked to add their ambitions. The concept originated from New Orleans by artist Candy Chang, who started the project after she lost someone she loved. The idea has since spread worldwide with Cincinnati becoming one of the newest cities to participate.

Adding two of my goals to the wall.
Photo by Maureen Jacob

"Work on a community project that will outlast myself."

"Commute by rail in Cincinnati."

Two hours later, the wall was completely filled.

People keep adding! A look at the comments after two days.
Photo by David Heyburn