5.26-28

5.26

 Artists Archives of the Western Reserve, 1834 E. 123^rd St. Cleveland, 216.721.9020 “Ceramics Invitational Exhibition.”  Opening 5:30-8pm. The Cleveland arts community has been known as a stronghold for what some might refer to as the “crafts” branch of visual arts — things like ceramics. But what Cleveland artists have done with these “crafts” has often been stunningly creative, taking them way out of the realm of everyday useful pieces into true artistic statements.  You will undoubtedly see some of these at the Ceramics Invititational at the Artists Archives of the Western Reserve, curated by Mary Urbas, the director of the gallery at Lakeland Community College. She’s pulled together clay pieces by 17 regional artists including NOC’s Own Diana Bjel, Susan Gallagher, Yumiko Goto, Lynne Norwood Lofton, Jenny Mendes, Sandy Miller, J. Derek O’Brien, Theresa Yondo  along with work by Jeffrey Allen, Tracy Ameen, Michael W. High, Eva Kwong, James Leslie, George Roby, Jack Rotar, Mindy Sand, and Brinsley Tyrrell.  “Urbas’ careful selections both exalt the alchemic quality of ceramics as the invocation of art from raw elements, as well as pay homage to the artist’s mastery of texture, painterly color and transmission of idea through form,” the gallery’s press release asserts.  (Image Above)

5.27+28

Akron Museum of Art, 1 S. High Street. Akron, 330.376.9185, www.akronartmuseum.org AND  Museum of Contemporary Art, 11400 Euclid Ave., Cleveland 216.421.8671, www.mocacleveland.org “Myopia.”  Opening 7PM. “Myopia” opens at MOCA Fri 6/27 with a free party, a concert on the plaza and a DJ set by Mark Mothersbaugh. The Akron Art Museum opens its piece of Myopia Sat 5/28.  The MOCA section of the show is dedicated to experimentation, performance and sound, including the evolution of DEVO. Visitors will see Mothersbaugh’s early sketchbooks and ephemera, documentation of DEVO’s first performances, material relating to the band’s conceptual and career development and Mothersbaugh’s ongoing experimentation with manipulated musical instruments.  The Akron Art Museum will focus on Mothersbaugh’s visual art, including the 30,000 postcard-sized drawings that he has used throughout his career as the basis for his art. It will also feature recent sculpture, prints and rugs.