33110 by Adams Street Publishing Co.

for her guidance from the grave for that introduction.

ARTIST’S PALETTE DAVID ALLEN WISNIEWSKI, BUT PEOPLE CALL ME DAVE OR DW.

Website www.davewisniewski.com or www.dwpaintings. com. I have a Facebook page as well. Works exhibited at American Gallery (Sylvania), Serafino Gallery (Cleveland, Ohio) and Space 237 (starting Friday, April 16 in Toledo). In the last year I have displayed my work at these galleries: Agora Gallery (Chelsea, NY), Sur St. Clair (Toledo), Adrian College (Adrian, MI) and Encore by JD Wesley (Toledo). Career beginning: My mother was an artist and equipped me with painting supplies at an early age. When I was in the 3rd grade I took my first oil painting to school for “Show and Tell” and it was placed on an easel in the hall for all the students to see. My teacher told me I was very talented. I had no idea what talent was until that very moment. My professional art experience started when a record store hired me as the store artist in 1977. I created art for all the displays and promotions throughout the store. At that time I discovered the airbrush and began painting airbrushed portraits of the recording artists and movie stars. I was a fairly successful street artist. I have been diabetic all my life and in 1987 it caught up with me. I was diagnosed with Diabetic Retinopathy, and found my eyesight was failing. Treatments and surgeries helped but by the end of the year I was legally blind, and the redesign of my future was at hand. After low vision evaluations, intensive rehabilitation and aptitude testing by the Bureau of Services for the Visually Impaired, I was then asked, “Mr. Wisniewski, what is it you would like to do?” I replied, “Well... I am still an artist.” The BSVI assisted me in obtaining a formal education in art at the University of Toledo where I majored in painting. The professors and instructors were essential in helping me find a way to use my remaining sight to create art and I graduated Suma Cum Laude. My mother died suddenly in 1999. A week after her death my father was notified that a sofa mom had purchased was ready for pick-up. Still dazed by her untimely death, we dragged ourselves to the furniture store. During the transaction the sales clerk painfully reflected on how my mother boasted that I was a “wonderful artist.” The clerk referred me to a local art gallery. I took a painting to the gallery and was invited to display my work. That first painting, a cowboy, sold before it was even hung. I believe I have my mother to thank

Favorite place in house: No question; the garage is my favorite place in the house. I hear some people park cars in them; that’s funny. I can spend hours on end out there. It is a 2 1⁄2 car garage and one end is my painting station and at the other end, all my woodworking tools. In the years following high school I worked as a carpenter and though now I can’t read a ruler, I have found other ways to measure, mark and cut. I build my own frames and unique furniture. Biggest indulgence: Good Tequila and fine cigars or fine Tequila and good cigars; either way. Inspiration: I had to really think about this question. I feel like a swimmer; head down and thrusting forward, trying to stay on top of my objective. So it is interesting to look up and back at the wake behind you and study the course you took. I find my mom at the heart of it all and regret that she is not alive to see how far I have come. She was behind me every step of the way. She would drive me to my classes and even sit in on the Art History lectures with me. Her love for me and what I was doing as an artist was so strong her inspirational ember glows in my heart to this day. Another source of inspiration comes from the vision Hollywood has created around the cowboy hat and the six gun. Those close-up shots of lawmen and outlaws with that Hollywood lighting “ jingles my spurs, partner!” Famous people you have shaken hands with: I have shook hands with a few celebrities including BB King, Henry Winkler, Rodney Dangerfield, and even Tiny Tim, but the one that really stands alone is Buddy Rich. I was the store artist for Peaches Records back in ‘77 and the store would invite artists to the record store to sign autographs and put their handprints in wet cement. I was a huge fan of the “World’s Greatest Drummer” because I was a drummer, and he was the man every drummer looked up to. I had created a large in store display using drums from my own set. Buddy walked up to the display and asked, “Who did this?” Somebody said, “He did” and pointed to me. Buddy looked at me and cracked that huge toothy smile and said, “Good Job, man!” Then reached out and shook my hand. That was very cool. I had him autograph my snare drum and I still use it. Song that reminds you of your significant other or first love: Back in high school when my wife and I began dating, Elton John just released “Goodbye Yellow brick Road”. It has always been “our song” and it is kind of nice that is not one of those over played songs from the ‘70s. We seem to hear it when it is most fitting.

Shiny, gloomy ceramics

Shine Ceramics (the name used by local potter Jules Webster to market her line of contemporary kitchen and home accessories) and Wesley’s Bar team up once again for the Raising the Bar series on Saturday, April 10. The evening offers a first-look at Shine Ceramics new series. Gloom Ceramics, the antithesis of Shine, marks a departure from the signature style of her cheerful pottery depicting floral themes in bright colors, slow moving pond turtles and happy native song birds. Initially unassuming and innocent, Gloom Ceramics depicts a range of humorous and suggestive motives. Creating mugs, serving plates, bowls and storage jars, Shine’s designs are hand drawn and painted on each piece, and include scenes of birds “flipping the bird,” black widow and assassin bugs stalking their prey, matadors bull-fighting and a symbolic use of “the birds and the bees” on several pieces. But Shine still hopes to shed a positive light through her artwork, more pleasant scenes of birds with head-phones spinning records and dancing are also included in the new line. More than 100 new works exhibited. Live entertainment by The Reese Dailey Band. 7 p.m. Free. Wesley’s Bar, 1201 Adams. St. Shine Ceramics are produced at Space 237’s ClaySpace Studio. For more info, www.shineceramics.com.

Anthony McCarty’s vibrantly colored works focus on what it means to be a living, breathing person.

Anthony McCarty’s: A Series of Random Events

After eight years living, working and attending art school in New York, multidisciplinary artist Anthony McCarty finds himself back in the Toledo area, and has been making a name for himself on the local arts scene since his return last year. The Monroe, Michigan native decided to come to Ohio for a little self-reflection. “I moved back from New York to find free time and good people to collaborate with,” McCarty said. “And it’s been more than I had ever hoped.” Following an installation at Artomatic in 2009 and a collaborative exhibition at Bozarts earlier this year, McCarty is currently part of the Quest for Fire Exhibition at the Toledo Museum of Art’s Community Gallery (through Sunday, May 2). On Friday, April 2, McCarty opens his first solo exhibition at Bozarts. “A Series of Random Events” features works focused on Monica Edgerton-Sperry opens a new art school in life—what it means to be alive Perrysburg, offering courses for all skill levels. and the many ways one can interpret that meaning. McCarty describes his artwork—which consists mostly Edgerton’s easel Take artistic direction from a life-long of paintings, as well as a sculptures and graphic expert. In the traditional studio-style teaching, design pieces—as “a process that begins award-winning artist Monica Edgerton- from nowhere and ends up somewhere.” His Sperry recently opened Edgerton Art month-long exhibition is available for viewing in Perrysburg, where students can receive by appointment, 419-464-5785. Opening instruction in beginning through advanced reception runs Friday, 6 p.m. -12:30 a.m. drawing and painting classes. The studio/ Bozarts, 151 S. St. Clair. For more info, visit school is a welcomed community resource Anthony McCarty and Bozarts on Facebook. for adults and high school students who seek personalized art instruction in smaller classes without the pressure of working for grades. Edgerton-Sperry, a seasoned professional artist, holds a BFA in Drawing and Painting from California State University-Fullerton, an MFA in Painting from Bowling Green State University and has participated in additional concentrated studies at The New York Academy of Art Graduate School of Figurative Art. Combined, Edgerton-Sperry has more than 12 years of experience teaching in local venues including the Toledo Museum of Art, the University of Toledo, BGSU and Lourdes College. Ten and twelve-week courses begin Tuesday, April 6. For schedules and registration, 419-290-6457/ Edgerton.Art@att.net. Edgerton Art Studio and School, 26963 Eckel Rd.

March 31 • April 13

Eat your art out

You don’t need to deplete your wallet or pocketbook to fill somebody’s empty bowl. Toledo Botanical Garden hosts a springtime lunch, along with an art exhibition and sale on Monday, April 12. The Art of Soup, an Empty Bowls event, benefits the Toledo Northwestern Ohio Food Bank. For $5 admission, guests receive a bowl of homemade soup and bread (produced by Toledo-area businesses), and the chance to check out and purchase artistic bowls created by local artisans. Additionally, artists at TBG will present their works throughout the afternoon. 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. Toledo Botanical Garden, Terrace Room, 5403 Elmer Dr. 419-536-5566/www.toledogarden.org. —ER