Aroundkent magazine Vol 10 2016 by aroundKent Magazine

Don Drumm Studios Celebrates 45 Years

Creative Teaching

and the Core Curriculum

Two Years of Beer

Ohioâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Craft Beers Journey

Re co w

www.aroundkent.net

publisher/photographer Matt Keffer 330.221.1274 info@aroundkent.net

art director Susan Mackle

illustrator

Chuck Slonaker

contributing writers Theresa Bembnister Trina Cutter Kathy Frazier Paul L. Gaston Abby Greer Elliot Ingersoll, Ph.D. Mark Keffer Heather Malarcik Dr. Patrick Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Connor Jessie Raynor Deborah Walker .

content volume 10 2016 6 Creative Teaching Strategies 12 Two Years of Beer

14 The Road Less Traveled 18 Mark Mothersbaugh: Myopia 20 The Village Inside The City of Kent 24 And Now You Know Too!

26 Visual Art Showcase

38 On Screens Copyright 2016. All rights reserved. Reproduction or use of editorial or pictorial content of any manner is prohibited without written permission. aroundkent accepts no responsibility for solicited materials.

42 Television for the Public Interest 46 Local Music 54 Hanging the Laundry 56 Don Drumm Studios & Gallery Celebrates 45th Anniversary

58 Kent Art & Wine Festival

Cover: Last Ship Off the Island by Michael Loderstedt

c r e a t i v e

t e a c h i n g

s t r a t e g i e s

IMAGINE walking down the hallway of an elementary school and seeing students experiencing Kathy Frazier and Deborah Walker

a simulated journey within a space bubble. As they listen to the theme of 2001: A Space Odyssey, they are told to boldly go where no man has gone before, and their mission is to identify and make observations about the celestial objects in the universe that they have been studying.

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ENVISION a middle school classroom where students are dressed as archaeologists in the year 2040. Their task is to prepare a persuasive presentation supporting the primary artifacts that they have been studying from the Colonial Period. The goal is for their team artifact to be chosen for the Space Station Museum so that the children living there will learn about this historical period. Using primary source analysis resources, the students collaborate to create a proposal based on historical facts that will convince the “No History Left Behind Board,” led by the teacher that this artifact needs to be remembered.

LISTEN as a high school teacher plays a selection of music by Jimi Hendrix to signal the students that it is time to begin the lesson. The teacher weaves the composer’s works into the social studies content to help the students understand the 60s as a historical period of Cultural Revolution and world conflict. A piece of literature that compares cultures from around the world during Hendrix’s era is read by the students and additionally, artwork from Andy Warhol and other artists is shared and discussed. Every morning, students from kindergarten through high school enter their classrooms waiting to be inspired, challenged, educated, and yes … entertained. These 21st Century students depend on their teachers’ expertise to prepare them for a successful future. As teachers, we thrive to use our creativity to develop lessons that engage and motivate the learner, however; standardized testing has become the focus of curriculum and instruction. Unfortunately, the need for exemplary results on the state report card has greatly influenced the way that teachers practice. They feel there is not enough time to develop and present creative

lessons. Due to the rigor of test preparation, this is both frustrating and stressful, discouraging the innovative talents of educators.

Creativity does not have to be sacrificed to meet the content standards. — Frazier/Walker — Re-energizing Teachers It is our strong belief that, “Creativity does not have to be sacrificed to meet the content standards.” We have found that through professional development, teachers can be re-energized by learning how to integrate creative strategies into the core curriculum, utilizing problem solving, creativity, communication and collaboration, and integration of the arts. These differentiated learning experiences challenge students to think at higher levels, enabling them to analyze, evaluate, and create. Simply, disseminating knowledge to students without providing opportunities for authentic engagement will not motivate the 21st Century Learners. Teachers need to be empowered to develop the skills to teach creatively and acquire a sense of efficacy; demonstrating the ability to reflect on their effectiveness in helping all students learn and develop to their fullest potential. As stated by a teacher participant during our professional development: “The idea of using creative teaching strategies to teach core standards has been an eyeopening experience for me. I have come to understand that integrating the arts and using problem solving and creative thinking does not have to add extra time to my curriculum if I use more creative ways of presentation in place of more traditional teaching strategies.”

Our practice is based on research and theory…

Why We Do What We Do As professionals, we continually pursue education to keep our practice current and based on research and theory. Our achievements reflect the passion and love we have for teaching and learning. Educational research and theory guides our teaching philosophy. Research studies conclude that there is a strong positive relationship between integrating the creative arts into the curriculum and student’s academic success. Over the past twenty-five years, the results of research studies have shown compelling evidence that the arts play an important role in the development of the human mind. In his book, Arts with the Brain in Mind, Eric Jensen of the Society of Neuroscience states, “The arts enhance the process of learning.” (Jensen, 2001) Documented studies reveal that students often learn better when provided with challenging learning experiences, and the arts are integrated into the core of the school day and connected with academic subjects. Another study, completed by Columbia University showed that academic subjects require the complex cognitive and creative capacities typical of learning through the arts. A study of more than 2,000 children found that those in an arts curriculum were far superior in creative thinking, self-concept, problem solving, self-expressions, risk-taking, and cooperation than those who were not. (Burton, 1999) Claudia Cornett, author of Creating Meaning Through Literature and the Arts (2007), believes, “The arts teach us that all thought and feelings cannot be reduced to words. They provide special opportunities for us to look outward Continued on page 8

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Continued from page 7

DEBORAH WALKER I am a Kent City School

to understand others and to look inward to understand ourselves. The intellect, mind, and body are engaged as the arts offer a unique means of knowing, thinking, and feeling, based in imagination and cognition.”

veteran teacher. I have taught grades 3rd through 8th at Franklin Elementary, Davey, and Stanton Middle School. I have been an adjunct professor at Kent State University, a professor at Mount Union University teaching early and middle school literacy and middle school best practice courses. As a professor at The University of Akron in the Curricular and Instructional Studies, I co-wrote the middle school program that became exemplar for NCATE, the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education. I received my BA in Elementary Education from Miami University of Ohio and a MA from Kent State University in Curriculum and Instruction, concentrating on middle school practice. I was honored to be named the University of Akron’s Outstanding Teacher of the Year for the Department of Education along with Outstanding and Distinguished Member of the University of Akron Faculty and Staff.

These are just a few of the studies with compelling evidence that the arts play an important role in the development of the human mind, promoting higher level thinking, an awareness of the process of learning (metacognition), and providing different avenues of human communication. This research has been the foundation for our educational journey.

We perceive teaching as an art… All About Us

WE first met serving as members on the Kent City School’s reading curriculum development team. We instantly became co-workers and friends. Our educational philosophy was a perfect match as we both perceive teaching as an ‘art’ and continually reflect on our instruction by analyzing details that contribute to successful lessons and student engagement. Although we were not teaching at the same schools in Kent, we looked for opportunities to collaborate on developing lessons and projects that would encourage authentic participation and motivate our 3rd grade students. Our favorite project was writing and producing a play based on the literature our students were reading. From the Wump World to James and the Giant Peach, students today still share with us their fond memories of the characters they played.

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KATHY FRAZIER I am currently the gifted education specialist at Orange City Schools. My career began in Kent City Schools teaching 1st through 3rd grade at Brady Lake School and Longcoy Elementary until becoming the K—12 gifted education coordinator and teacher in Kent City Schools. A graduate of Kent State University, I have a BA and MA in Early Childhood Education and an EDS in K—12 Gifted Education. I am a National Board Certified Teacher in the area of Early Adolescent Generalist and a Jennings Scholar. I have been an adjunct professor in Gifted Education at Kent State University. I was honored to be named Teacher of the Year by the Ohio Association of Gifted Children, Environmental Educator of the Year, and International Future Problem Solving Coach of the Year. I am co-author of the Future Problem Solving Teacher Activity Units, Cre-EGGtivity Plus, and Power Up Your Creative Mind.

We each received the Outstanding Educator of the Year Award from the Kevin Coleman Foundation. Together we have made numerous presentations on creative instructional strategies and service learning at state, national, and world conferences such as The State and National Middle School Conferences and the National Association for Gifted Children Conference. We have provided professional development for teachers at public, STEM, and creative art schools throughout Ohio as well as recently presenting as national speakers at the 4 Teacher/Student Conference in Fairbanks, Alaska. We are both currently adjunct professors at Walsh University. We have written and received numerous grants to implement innovative projects with our students and have been published in national educational journals.

It has always been our vision… Touching the Future Today It has always been our vision to create a consulting company that presents innovative professional development for educators who want to learn creative strategies that can be integrated into the core curriculum. We developed this company based on our message, “Creativity Does Not Have to be Sacrificed to Meet the Content Standards,” which rings true throughout every lesson, strategy, and activity that we model and present. The lights flicker and a voice announces that the program is about to begin. Sounds of an orchestra warming up fill the room … “Curtain up! Light the Lights! You’ve got nothing to hit but the heights!” sung by Ethel Merman, theatrically begins our production. A Playbill, featuring “Nine Acts” is distributed, each depicting the educational topics and activities that will be addressed throughout our presentation. The teachers attending suddenly realize that this is not your

curriculum by challenging their students to identify geometric shapes. Learning the meaning of surrealism becomes much more clear after studying and making inferences about Salvador Dali’s dream-like pieces before reading Shakespeare’s A Midsummer’s Night Dream.

normal workshop or class and they have just become “cast members” in our professional development performance. Throughout each “act” of our “play,” participants experience the key elements of how to create stimulating, responsive, classroom environments and lessons that will inspire, motivate, and enhance student performance. Our “Hands On, Minds On” learning experiences can be integrated into the K—12 classroom curriculum, providing 21st Century learning tools for teachers to develop and implement meaningful instruction. We provide educators with skills to meet the individual needs of various populations and learning styles, such as Left/Right Brain Thinking and Multiple Intelligences. Class participants learn how to energize their curriculum, utilizing creative arts strategies, lyric learning, visual arts connections, movement, drama, integration of technology, and diverse models of instruction. These approaches to teaching provide opportunities for the students to construct meaning using life experiences, establish a safe, risk free, learning environment, and develop creative thinking

skills to solve problems so that they become independent learners. Our participants learn to apply these creative thinking techniques to their activities, projects, and lessons, all within the standard based curriculum. Our class members may learn how to address various thinking styles through our monologue. Dressed as the Left and Right Brain, we model how the attributes of each can be dramatized, enhancing their significance. Listening to the Beatles’ song “Rocky Raccoon”, teachers experience an alternative technique to identify the elements of a narrative, dialog, and personification. When teaching the names and locations of the Great Lakes and the valuable resources which were carried on them, participants realize that this content can be taught through the song “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” by Gordon Lightfoot. Fractions and equivalent fractions can be kinesthetically taught by playing the song “Everybody Dance Now” while clapping and moving to whole, half, quarter, and eighth notes, which in turn can be translated into mathematical terms. Viewing paintings by the Cubist artist, Pablo Picasso, teachers learn to integrate art into their

STEM Education (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) is not only an important component of 21st Century learning, but drives our education today. We provide opportunities for teachers to experience activities that have these components. One collaborative activity we model and our students experience, is “It’s a Balancing Act.” Given three bottles of water and three knives as construction materials, they are challenged to build an elevated tower that will balance a fourth bottle of water on only the tips of three knives suspended by three bottles. Learning opportunities such as this one promote deeper thinking, problem-based learning and develop the skills of innovation and entrepreneurship. Teachers are also introduced to the current strategies of MakerSpace and Genius Hour that provide personalized learning opportunities for students to pursue their individual passions. Lastly, we present the components of Service Learning, a teaching and learning strategy that integrates meaningful community service with academic instruction and reflection. Examples of the Kent City School students’ projects demonstrate the learning that takes place in all subject areas and their efforts to make a difference in the community. From Project Park, where the Conqueror Team 8th grade students from Stanton Middle School pursued fundraising to build and donate benches in Kent, (one in front of Sue Nelson’s Design) to GNN, the Good News Network, where 6th grade gifted Continued on page 10

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Continued from page 9 students were given a grant from the city to establish a monthly TV Program in conjunction with KSU and Time Warner Cable to televise the “good things” students were accomplishing in Kent Schools to help others. Through service learning, teachers recognize that they are able to empower their students by providing opportunities for them to problem solve and make real life connections, which promotes an inspiring vehicle to teaching and learning. Our teacher participants support and encourage our professional development curriculum with such comments as: “It was a privilege to attend this class. These master educators modeled lessons showing teachers how the integration of the arts can lead to whole brain thinking. All lessons were standard based, addressing various levels of child development. As a result of educating me, my students will not only excel, but also enjoy learning. The wealth of materials given to teachers in this class is immeasurable.” “I have never left another professional development class with as much inspiration, or with as many useable ideas as I did with this class. It has reminded me of what I knew and believed all along—that creativity and fun do not interfere with real learning. In fact the opposite is true. I had a lot of fun in this class, we did many creative things, and I learned a lot! No one can argue with that!” PEN (2004) confirms that teachers are the single most important factor in raising student achievement. A record on the subject of education by one of our most renowned teachers, Confucius, supports much of our teaching philosophy, and “enlightens” many of the goals presented in this article.

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When a superior man knows the causes which make instruction successful, and those which make it of no effect, he can become a teacher of others. Thus, in his teaching, he leads and does not drag; he strengthens and does not discourage, he opens the way but does not conduct to the end without the learner’s own efforts. Leading and not dragging produces harmony. Strengthening and not discouraging makes attainment easy. Opening the way and not conducting to the end makes the learner thoughtful. He who produces such harmony, easy attainment, and thoughtfulness may be pronounced a skillful teacher Confucius, c. 550-478 B.C. Book XVI-HSIO KI (Record on the Subject of Education)

We are confident that our presentations will inspire, challenge, and rejuvenate teacher performance, which in turn will lead to higher student achievement. Our professional development opportunities are tailored to meet the needs and goals of each school system. Visit our website, touchingthefuturetoday.com to view our programs.

Paul L. Gaston

Two Years of Beer Journey Ended, Lessons Learned

With the publication on St. Patrick’s Day 2016 of Ohio’s Craft Beers, one interesting journey came to an end. volume 10 | 2016 • www.aroundkent.net

For nearly two years, I visited craft breweries from Portsmouth to Toledo, Cleveland to Cincinnati. I enjoyed impressive operations such as Moerlein Lager House on the Ohio River and Market Garden Brewing in Ohio City. And appreciated no less the modest, congenial breweries in Yellow Springs, Zanesville, Garrettsville, and Wooster.

common purpose. Its business meetings turn into collegial gatherings of brewers eager to share observations and advice while drinking one another’s beer. In fact, many of Ohio’s professional brewers were once novice brewers who sought advice from their more experienced peers. A spirit of cooperation appears also in Ohio’s many collaborative beers crafted through partnerships of two or more craft brewers. Indeed, several central Ohio breweries collaborated on a beer poured to celebrate Columbus Craft Beer Week 2016.

Another journey begins now, as I plan to return to many of the breweries featured to meet fans of Ohio’s craft beers and to sign their copies of my book.

John Najeway displays a 19th century print of Burkhardt Brewery.

But the end of one journey and the beginning of another offers an opportunity to reflect on an impression that has become ever clearer. The world of craft brewing is distinctive. This industry— and it is indeed an industry — pursues distinct values, expresses a discernable personality, and honors priorities that set it apart.

in metropolitan downtowns, in distant suburbs, and in a former buggy factory. Jackie O’s stands adjacent to Ohio University. Thirsty Dog continues to expand in what was once—and is again—an Akron brewery.

I’m not suggesting that the breweries of Ohio are stamped from the same mold. The more you learn about craft brewing in Ohio, the more you will appreciate its diversity. There are enormous contrasts in size. As I note in the book, the entire brewing plant of Kelleys Island Brewery could fit into the bottom of one of the bright (clarifying) tanks at Great Lakes. Some breweries support ambitious restaurants. Others focus closely on the beer. You visit them for a pint or two, not for a meal. There are also major differences in ambience. Warped Wing in Dayton impresses by its industrial chic. At Mt. Carmel in Cincinnati, you sit on the front porch or by the pond in the back and contemplate what happens when malt, hops, yeast, and water come together. Main Street Grille and Brewing occupies a Garrettsville mill beside the river. Lock 27 graces a strip mall in a Dayton suburb. There are breweries in decommissioned churches, in industrial parks,

Then there are the beers. Some beer lists, such as those at Fat Head’s or Moerlein’s Lager House, are impressive in their length and complexity. You can learn a lot as you progress from relatively straightforward “entry-level” beers to those meant to challenge and expand the experienced palette. Other breweries, especially those that choose to offer only their own brews, pursue a more limited focus. Though not always, less can sometimes be more. And yet. If you visit several breweries and brewpubs, you may begin to sense that within this remarkable diversity, there are important values that appear with remarkable consistency. First, there’s collaboration within competition. Like any business, a craft brewery must turn a profit by competing successfully, and there is no lack of competition. But there is also a strong collaborative spirit among the brewers. The Ohio Craft Brewers Association, which might have become just another trade association, is animated by a strong sense of

Then there’s architectural restoration and preservation. From one corner of Ohio to the other—literally, from Bryan to Portsmouth and from Willoughby to Cincinnati, brewers have invested in the architectural distinction and commercial potential of structurally sound older buildings. Beer drinkers benefit, but so do neighborhoods and cities. In Toledo, for instance, Maumee Bay manages four distinct attractions in the massive Oliver House, said to be the city’s oldest commercial building. In Northeast Ohio, there are Great Lakes Brewing and Market Garden Brewery, whose continuing restoration and repurposing of venerable buildings has triggered the rebound of the dynamic Ohio City neighborhood, and Willoughby Brewing, whose restored interurban repair facility recalls the days of proud regional transit systems. In the Southeast, you can visit Portsmouth Brewing—again. The charming riverside building that once housed a local brewery now does so again. In Cincinnati, there’s an embarrassment of architectural riches, from the terrific brewery projects in Over-the-Rhine (Moerlein, Rhinegeist) to the revival by 50 West of a noble Continued on page 34

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The Path of Gwen Rosenberg Gwen the Entrepreneur Dr. Patrick O’Connor

Most creative, successful people have traveled very interesting paths to get to where they are … usually zig-zagging a lot, shifting gears, retracing steps, exploring new passions, revisiting previous experiences, maybe reinventing themselves and generally bouncing

Who decides one day to open a popcorn store? Where do you get that idea? The Road Less Traveled of Gwen Rosenberg, owner of Popped!, will answer those questions. The oldest popcorn specimen was discovered about 5,600 years ago in what is now New Mexico. Also, kernels were found in an Arizona cave that were said to be 3,000 years old and actually popped when cooked! Popcorn was also reported to be at the first American Thanksgiving on Plymouth colony in 1621. Popcorn is a pretty basic snack item. Most people can cook up as much as they want at home. But what if you

back often. All these experiences are part of their creative profile and serve to motivate and inspire them. This feature, The Road Less Traveled, tells that story. It answers the question; how did they get to where they are now? This version of the “Road” follows the path of Gwen Rosenberg, owner of Popped! in Kent, Ohio.

Author note: If a reader would like to suggest someone to be considered the subject of a future “Road”, e-mail the publisher at info@aroundkent.net.

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wanted to actually sell popcorn in a store? Most likely, you would have to come up with quite a few variations to attract customers. And you’d probably have to come up with some interesting and unique options. It seems like it would be a pretty risky proposition, too. Just starting it would be a big risk, let alone making it successful. About 60% of retail small businesses survive in the first five years. Sounds like it would take someone who is very creative, focused and loves a challenge. Gwen and her husband Aaron, with support f rom their sons Harrison, Leo, Milo, and Bernard, opened Popped! in the new Acorn Alley

“

I took the road less traveled by, and that has made all the difference. development in the freshly renovated downtown Kent in 2012. Her idea came from many years of experience and experimenting with cooking various items, especially candy, ice cream and popcorn. Her idea must be working because she has already expanded Popped!. She doubled the square footage in 2015 by acquiring the space next to Popped! when another retailer relocated. She also added new product lines, including gourmet candies in 2014 and ice cream in 2015. All products feature natural ingredients and original recipes. She has also grown the number of employees to eight since opening. She welcomes the challenge of taking a risk, which is an essential quality in a successful entrepreneur. To learn more about Popped!, visit their website http://shoppopped.com

– Robert Frost The Paw Paws and honey in her Paw Paw and Honey Vanilla ice creams come from trees and bees in her own back yard … that’s about as authentic as you can get! All products are from original recipes and are only available at Popped!.

bad idea can be draining. Starting a business or going against the tide means you have to power through things that may look unfruitful to other people. It also helps to have a good sense of humor and a thick skin. And you have to always be moving and experimenting. She testifies, “There are endless little failures that propelled me in one direction or another”. Popped! is a high energy, lively work environment that reflects Gwen’s personality. The décor, the atmosphere and the employee attitudes mirror her dynamic approach to business. You get the definite vibe that Gwen really loves what she does.

Her approach to success An essential element in Gwen’s success has been the creativity she brings to life and her work. Her love of gardening as a youngster led to an interest in planting fruit trees and native plantings years before she started Popped!. It also ignited affection for beekeeping that continues today. Her creative talent has pioneered popcorn products such as Caramel Sea Salt (biggest seller) and Firehouse Caramel (a close second). Original candy offerings include Filled Acorns and Black Squirrel Crunch. Heading the list of ice cream flavors are Black Squirrel Swirl, A Little Coconutty and the Normal School Vanilla malt. The name of the malt refers to the name “Normal” given to the original teachers colleges in the United States that began in the early 1900s.

”

Gwens’ Road

Gwen believes a business is constantly growing and changing or it is failing. This belief also seems to apply to her personal life. She concedes that starting a business included many long hours and unremarkable time doing boring and thankless things. And spending all your money on something people think is a

What kind of path do you take to get to this place in life? Gwen has had a wide assortment of experiences at home and in the workplace. Her formal education includes a bachelor degree in criminal justice from Loyola University of Chicago. She began her career as a federal probation officer. Though she found the work important, she also felt there was too much routine with rarely a positive outcome. After 18 months in that role, she moved on to a host of unrelated jobs including used car salesperson, freelance writer, wedding cake baker, dog trainer, stay at home mom, beekeeper, soap and candle maker and marketer. Continued on page 16

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Continued from page 15 Though the jobs in Gwen’s path may seem unrelated, most have independent and creative themes connecting them. Gwen likes autonomy so she can do what she wants, when she wants. Each of the jobs enabled her to explore and seek out different ideas and ways to express her creativity, which is important to her. Gwen believes work should fit into our lives, rather than the other way around! Gwen has taken all this experience and weaved it into her current blend of personal and business interests. She’s way more than the owner of Popped!. She has created a lifestyle of trying new things and enjoying the excitement that comes with always exploring.

Gwen the Person Gwen learns a lot from everything she has done and everyone she has met, including business associates, family members and friends. All this has helped her work with many different types of personalities. She likes being around people

who are passionate about what they do, as she finds it energizing. Gwen says she really has no mentor. But, it sounds like maybe life has been her mentor? She’s always trying something different in both the personal and business dimensions of her life. She observes it amazes her that the things we all do just out of curiosity or personal interest are precisely what we should be doing for a livelihood. If she has any regrets, it’s that she wishes she would have known this earlier in life. Gwen never talks herself out of trying things that interest her at the moment. For example, she still plays the accordion

“Failure only has power over you, if you let it.” that she learned early as a child and recently learned to play guitar. She also just enrolled in a trapping/hunting course. She wants to learn how to hunt wild turkey. Really! By the way, most hunters claim hunting wild turkey is one of the most challenging types of hunting.

Enjoy the Journey and the Destination Like Ralph Waldo Emerson, Gwen knows that life is as much a journey as it is a destination. She has learned firsthand the value of false starts and trying new things. She sees failure as a natural part of growth as there has been

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plenty of failure all along the way. She’s had a number of false starts such as unfinished graduate school applications, abandoned law school seat deposits, untrainable dogs, pitched recipes and dead fruit trees. Gwen almost welcomes failure. She truly believes there are no failures; only opportunities to learn. She comments, “Failure only has power over you, if you let it.” On the surface it seems like Gwen is all over the place like a bee, buzzing from flower to flower. But like the bee, she knows exactly where she is, what she is doing and where she is headed … at all times. She loves every stage of life. Her personal and business lives include a healthy blend of risk taking and confidence that she can do, or at least learn, from everything that comes her way. This, and her comfort level with failure, gives Gwen a “full steam ahead” outlook on life. Much of her approach to life and owning Popped! can be summarized in the following mantra she follows: Nobody is keeping track so who cares if I stumble?

Mark Mothersbaugh

Courtesy of the Artist

Mark Mothersbaugh may be best known as the frontman for the band DEVO, but he’s also a prolific visual artist who began his career as a student at the Kent State University School of Art. His creative output, which spans multiple disciplines and media, is celebrated in Mark Mothersbaugh: Myopia, a retrospective jointly presented by the Akron Art Museum and the Museum of Contemporary Art Cleveland, May 29 through August 28. Mothersbaugh worked with the Akron Art Museum to create unique items for sale exclusively through the museum as a fundraising effort. Michael Loderstedt, professor of printmaking at KSU, and two senior printmaking students, Casey Engelhart and Katie Metcalf, offered their time and skills to produce a limited edition screenprint by Mothersbaugh: School Days 1958-59 Newberry (My First Pair of Glasses). Inspired by the artist’s elementary school photograph, School Days 1958-59 Newberry was printed on Stonehenge paper in an edition of 100 and features four background color variations per the artist’s instructions: mustard yellow, orange, blue and lime green. Loderstedt selected Engelhart and Metcalf for the printing project based on their skills, reliability and work ethic. The trio each volunteered 50 hours apiece to complete the complex and time-consuming print run.

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School Days 1958-59 Newberry reflects many themes that run throughout the exhibition such as mirrored images, eyesight and the artist’s continued connection to his hometown. Mothersbaugh, who grew up in Akron, Ohio, had severe myopia that went undiagnosed until the second grade. This condition affected the artist’s choice of career path. “I showed up at school with glasses, and I started drawing pictures. And my teacher said, ‘Hey, you draw better than me,’” Mothersbaugh explains in an interview with exhibition curator Adam Lerner. “It was the first time a teacher hadn’t either spanked me or put me in a corner, and I knew then that I wanted to be an artist.”

Mark Mothersbaugh School Days 1958-59 Newberry (My First Pair of Glasses)

Theresa Bembnister Associate Curator

Mutation, mirroring and change are continuous themes that run throughout Myopia, as well as the print School Days 1958-59 Newberry, a mirrored image of the artist as an elementary student. “So much of my work is a dichotomy between repetition … and mutation, where something new emerges,” Mothersbaugh explains. “There’s this tension always between order and irregularity, things that just break through from that order.” Examining that interest, the Akron presentation of Myopia includes installations of mirrorimage photographs from the series “Beautiful Mutants,” which the artist began in the early 1990s.

Mark Mothersbaugh: Myopia is organized by the Museum of Contemporary Art Denver. Kent State University School of Art senior printmaking student Casey Engelhart working on a limited-edition screenprint designed by Mark Mothersbaugh.

Kent State University School of Art senior printmaking student Katie Metcalf presents multicolored proofs of Mark Mothersbaugh’s print, School Days 1958-59 Newberry (My First Pair of Glasses).

Its presentation in Akron has been generously supported by The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, Audio-Technica, the John P. Murphy Foundation, EarthQuaker Devices, the Department of Print Media & Photography, Kent State University and TKM. Media sponsorship is provided by Western Reserve PBS and 91.3 The Summit.

Photo Courtesy of Michael Loderstedt

Mothersbaugh collects portrait images from daguerreotypes and ambrotypes he discovers in archives, on internet auction sites or in antique stores, and uses Photoshop to digitally alter the photographs, making perfectly symmetrical images. The more than 300 works in this series demonstrate that human beings are not as symmetrical as we think and that real strangeness lies in perfect symmetry. Other original merchandise created for the exhibition includes the vinyl record Myopia – Akron, Ohio; guitar pedals manufactured by Akron’s own EarthQuaker Devices and a t-shirt featuring Mothersbaugh’s 1977 print Tire 1, inspired by the artist’s experience growing up in Akron. Please visit akronartmuseum.org/store or contact the museum shop at 330-376-9186 x280 for more information.

L—R: Katie Metcalf, Kent State University School of Art professor of printmaking, Michael Loderstedt and Casey Engelhart

Photo Courtesy of Michael Loderstedt

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Abby Greer

THE VILLAGE INSIDE

THE CITY OF KENT

Timebankers unite to host a fundraiser at the Kent Historical Society, also a member of the timebank. (L—R: Judy Conway, Abby Greer, Mary Ann Kasper, Kasha Legeza)

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y friend’s back car window shattered last spring when a tree limb fell on it. A billion pieces of glass were mixed into the rocks of her driveway. How could she ever get out of that driveway without driving over broken glass? Walking my dogs on School Street, I saw a young couple looking at the house they had just bought. We got to talking. They were wondering—how would they ever afford any landscaping for that bare foundation? My mom heard about an elderly vet who couldn’t get to Cleveland to the Veterans Hospital for his knee surgery. To all of these, I had one answer: Timebank. What’s a timebank? It’s a question I hear every time I tell someone, “You need to join the Timebank!” No, it isn’t a chip in a card that gets you a discount; it’s not bartering babysitting for apple pies; it’s not a volunteer program for people who are already way too busy. It’s a community: it’s a complete village inside a city. The Kent Community TImebank (KCTB) is a village inside the City of Kent. And I believe in the Kent Community TImebank, and I believe in Kent. When I was little, I used to jump on my BMX canary yellow trick bike and ride around my rural neighborhood looking for horses. Eventually I came across a small barn with a beautiful copper colored quarter horse peacefully grazing in the corner pasture. Inside the barn was an older gentleman wearing blue jean overalls and smiling at me as if he already

Timebankers Maurice Drake and Hal Walker entertaining for time credits in front of a display made by timebank youth.

knew me. I asked him if maybe, just maybe, he might like some help cleaning the stall or moving hay bales. He said yes, for sure. The next time I visited, I asked him if maybe I could pick up some sticks in the yard, help brush his horse, maybe give that horse a bath? Yes, please do. By the third visit, it was clear that I knew my way around horses and my new friend, Andy Kerr, trusted me enough to allow me to take a ride. That was the beginning. Our lives intertwined and overflowed with joyful dinners, trail rides, walks in the woods, fox hunting, vacations, and endless laughing and togetherness. We believed in each other. He and his wife came to our house on my birthdays, helped me when I moved, listened to my troubles. Twelve years later, Andy gave me away at my wedding. I

stayed with them as he succumbed to an aneurism, and later, stayed by his wife as she met her last battle with cancer. We relied on one another. We each offered skills, passions, and talents that were needed by both of us. Twenty years later, I came to realize that it was Andy Kerr and that horse in the pasture that cemented my belief in timebanking. A little girl on a bike met a man with a horse. Each of us had something that helped the other. In the end, we had the most important thing of all: the core of community. When I first read Edgar Cahn’s book, Time Dollars, in 2008, I realized that my own personal journey in life was about to change. This book solidified every inch of my belonging and purpose, and I knew that I had found a mission. Continued on page 22

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I magine getting paid (in time credits) for doing something you really enjoy. It surely won’t feel like work. Believe it or not, someone in the timebank is willing to clean your refrigerator! Timebanking is designed to give you more time to do the things you enjoy doing.

S ometimes, members are already doing something that could benefit another member. For example, if you are already packing lunches, perhaps you could easily pack an extra. Maybe you commute to Cleveland and wouldn’t mind giving someone a ride. We match resources with needs and wants. It’s that simple.

T imebanking is made even more convenient with our online softMary Greer earns time credits teaching a parenting class on active listening. (L—R: Mary Greer, Rob Waltz, Heather Waltz and Abby Greer) ware program. Once activated in the timebank, you will have an account with a secure log in, much like any other online bank account, where you great to be a giver, but giving has a shelf life. Continued from page 21 can manage your time credits, find and mesGivers eventually wear out. If I meet you today, I know that you have sage other members, post offers and requests Timebanking is a huge circle of giving and something special to offer this community. and record exchanges with other members. receiving. If I make a pie for you for one time I will see it in your eyes. I will know by talking Our software is brand new, intuitive and fast. credit, I can then use my time credit to get a to you and hearing your story. And I will tell When I moved back to Kent in 2003, it already massage. The massage therapist might need you the timebank will work for you. seemed like the perfect place to give—and a ride to the airport. The driver to the airport Timebanking is about believing that each to receive. We started the Kent Community might need computer help. The computer and every one of us has something to offer. Timebank in 2010 and grew exponentially. technician might want a lesson in fine wines. When you do something for someone in the By the end of the first year, we had over And so it goes. No one owes anyone: we all community for one hour, you earn one time 100 members exchanging time and talents. owe the community. credit. You may then spend that time credit Eighty-five percent of us joined the timebank So many of us wonder, “What would I offer in on any of the hundreds of offers that our because someone told us about their the timebank”? My answer: Offer something timebank currently offers. Clearly, it’s not barter, experience in the timebank: Someone saved you love doing! Maybe you have a hobby or which is a one-on-one contractual transaction. a LOT of money, someone else received help a skill that gives you great satisfaction. And timebanking is not volunteering—it’s

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incubating a small business, a timebank member met a new life-long friend, a long time Kent resident felt as though she finally found her “community.” Timebanking benefits more than just its members, however. KCTB has partnered up with the Haymaker’s Farmers Market, Freedom House Veterans Shelter, Main Street Kent and Kent Social Services to match resources with needs. We also support our local small businesses with community assets. Tires & More, Scribbles, Centerpeace Yoga and The Red Twig are all active members in the timebank and offer great discounts to timebankers. How did the Kent Community Timebank grow so fast? Part of our success has been social media. We piggy back on a system of convenience. We have several group pages where members can instantly reach out for needs and, of course, wants. We have an item exchange page where we rehome/recycle/reuse products and goods, and members can make a time credit donation to acquire those goods. Maybe you want to recycle that picnic table, or maybe you are looking for a birdcage. Items on the “hOur Stuff —Item Exchange” page usually last less than ten minutes. We have become a national champion in the timebanking world. In fact, we have now created an umbrella timebank called the Crooked River Alliance of Timebanks (CRAT). We are one of the largest timebanks in the country and have a 501©3 non-profit status. Nine-hundred-seventy-three people have joined our timebank and, to date, we have exchanged over 50,000 hours to each other and the greater community.

CRAT is shaping the future of timebanks with “hubs” in our wider timebank circle: Kent, Ravenna, Twinsburg, Cuyahoga Falls and Stark County. These hubs now all share the same software, enriching the whole community. Whether the mechanic is in Massillon or the tax accountant is in Twinsburg, you can utilize their services. But our hub, the Kent Community TimeBank, is there for you if you think you left the coffee pot on, or you need someone to check on your mail when you are out of town. It’s there with hundreds of other offers, as well, from A to Z—astronomy lessons to zoology tutoring. Every member has something to offer—and the more we know each other, the more we find in ourselves to exchange. The hubs in CRAT each have their own local identity. You can go to a food swap in Canton or a pizza party in Cuyahoga Falls. Most hubs host a monthly potluck (you are welcome to attend) and several run monthly orientations. In order to join the timebank, you must attend an orientation. It’s the only meeting we require you to attend and, get this, we will pay you time credits to attend! We challenge you to start spending your time credits right away. Membership is free. We often say a timebank is a system of exchanges. It’s so much more. It’s the village inside the city, where people begin to know each other as people; maybe they provide a skill—like computer help, or maybe they need help, like the broken glass in their driveway picked up piece by piece.

missing from our neighborhoods where many people aren’t home all day, where kids go to different schools. For some, it’s missing because families live far away. In the last six years, our timebank has built a community. It has given some people hope, helped others find jobs, and even helped some out of poverty. In the timebank, we know that people have value and they soon know it, too. They build friendships, find a place to network, and rediscover a sense of belonging. My dear old friend, Andy Kerr, the man who let me ride his horse all those years ago, was a lover of trillium, the beautiful and rare white spring flower you might find in the woods, if you are lucky. I remembered Andy last spring as I walked with a new, equally dear new friend, whom I met through the timebank. We spotted not just one trillium, but a whole field of them. A gift from past exchanges between two people has grown into hundreds of current exchanges and friendships among hundreds of people—right here in our village inside the City of Kent. How evident the endless seam of our community connecting— every day. To join the timebank, visit https://crookedriver.timebanks.org and click on Create an Account. And/or join our active group page at https://www.facebook.com/groups/ kentcommunitytimebank/

The “more” lies in the interactions, the friendships, the community, that human connection

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And Now You Know Too! The Story of How the Black Squirrel Came to Kent Our love for teaching and learning has

always guided our drive to create authentic and meaningful experiences for the

learners. And Know You Know Too! The Story of How the Black Squirrel Came to Kent originated from our passion.

The idea to create the book has been a long

time in the making. Kathy lived next door to Larry Wooddell and made reference to his influence on bringing the black squirrel to Kent. Students K—12 from Kent City Schools were surveyed regarding their knowledge of the black squirrel heritage, which confirmed the need for the true story to be told.

It took Kathy and Deborah a while to find an illustrator that possessed the style of art that they envisioned for Bucky and Fletcher’s characteristics and the scenery of Kent.

“When we found Ariel VanNatter and saw her work, we knew she would be the one who could create the exact quality and charm of our characters through her creative and original technique. Ariel was a graduating senior from Kent State University and is presently working for American Greetings. We were very lucky!” The book introduces Bucky the black squirrel, and his new friend Fletcher, as they search for the answer to how the black squirrel came to Kent. Along the way, they find one person who knows the true story. As the reader follows their

“Most of our ideas for the story and the characters’ development were brainstormed while we were jogging through Kent. Our goal is to teach the real story of how the black squirrels came to Kent in hopes that the readers will gain an appreciation of the black squirrels’ heritage and the impact they have had on the community of Kent.” Researching historical facts at the KSU Library, and gaining knowledge about the behaviors and habits of black squirrels from Internet sites helped with the authenticity of the story. The greatest resource was Dr. Lowell Orr, the Kent State University biology professor who had a profound impact helping the first group of black squirrels acclimate to Kent State University’s front campus.

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Kathy Frazier and Deborah Walker

bold adventure, they too will learn how the black squirrel came to Kent! Interesting facts and vocabulary about black squirrels have been carefully integrated into the story. A page of additional information about black squirrels has been added to the end of the book. And Now You Know Too! The Story of How the Black Squirrel Came to Kent can be purchased at Off the Wagon in Acorn Alley in Kent or ordered online at touchingthefuturetoday.com where you can also learn more information about our professional development. All of this would not have been possible without the support and encouragement from The Burbick Companies. We are very grateful.

Visual Art

S H O W C A S E

Printmaking is a creative mode with a remarkably wide range of applications. From commercial materials that we’re exposed to daily, to the many forms of traditional fine art prints, to contemporary explorations and experiments, printmaking is a realm of vast possibilities. Here, three artists show how traditional starting

Mark Keffer KSU Class of ‘88

points can lead to highly distinct and expressive artistic territory.

J E N The recent work of artist Jen Craun is achieved through a distinct conglomeration of materials and processes. Entitled the “Mine Series”,

C R A U N

this work makes open-ended references to the excavation of gems and precious metals and through her working methods, echoes the

mining process itself as it relates to image making. A number of her well-explored previous series have led to this work, but the more colorful, whimsical imagery of the past has moved into a more austere and deeply beautiful array of blacks, whites, grays and golds. She is exploring an area of fundamental essence and focus, and despite using several distinct processes to create these mixed-media prints, the results are unified and function under an engaging and unique inner logic. In this work, I explore patterns and textures of the landscape and processes of mining gems and precious metals. I’m interested in notions of value, and how we examine and measure this ideal. Through the lens of the earth as the giver of these inherent gifts or treasures to be searched and found, I ponder these natural occurrences and how they are created under specific circumstances. The printed imagery explores the molecular and chemical make up of these elements invisible to the eye, revealing similarities to the final state of refinement.

Elemental Pattern wood intaglio with stenciled relief, flocked screen print and gold leaf, 13 x 17”

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In addition to printmaking, Craun is a maker of artist books. This format allows for a special

kind of freedom and creativity in incorporating serial imagery into a singular form. She teaches artist book courses at the Cleveland Institute of Art. Jen Craun attended Kent State University, where she earned a Bachelor’s degree in Art Education in 2000 and an MFA in printmaking in 2003. Between degrees, she spent a semester in Italy and traveled to London, Paris, Berlin and Rome. She attended printmaking courses in Florence at the Il Bisonte print shop. In 2004, she was awarded an Artist in Residency to the Grafikwerkstatt Printshop in Dresden, Germany through the Ohio Arts Council. Recently, after ten years as Associate Director of Zygote Press, Craun has begun making art full time. Her work has been exhibited locally at BayArts, Beck Center for the Arts, Heights Arts, Massillon Museum of Art, Morgan Conservatory, and SPACES, among others. She has exhibited both her print and artist book work nationally and internationally, and is included in the collections of: The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, The Vern Riffe Center for Government + Arts of The Ohio Arts Council, The Grafikwerkstatt Printshop, Cleveland Institute of Art Gund Library Artist Book Collection, MetroHealth Hospitals, the Westin Hotel Cleveland, Intercontinental Hotel Cleveland, Southern Graphic Council, Kent State University Printmaking Archives, University of Akron, Mary Schiller Myers School of Art, and Zygote Press, Inc.

Inherent Structure wood intaglio with stenciled relief, screen print and gold leaf, 26 x 40”

Mine, Refined wood intaglio with screen print, gold leaf, 26 x 40”

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Visual Art M I C H A E L

S H O W C A S E

L O D E R S T E D T Michael Loderstedt has been an important figure in the fine arts in Kent and Northeast Ohio for many years. From his time as a grad student at Kent State University, to his role as artist and KSU professor, to his recent appointment as Interim Director of the KSU School of Art, his commitment has been undeniable and his contributions highly regarded. He has explored many projects through the years in printmaking, photography and artist books. A particularly compelling direction is his creation of three dimensional forms from materials he has printed for this purpose. Several of his series employ this approach. His series Die Elsters (the Magpies) places such forms in engaging installation scenarios. Certain open-ended socio-political narratives are played out by his aviary characters and can subtly shift based on the exhibition venue. They were shown in Florence, Italy; Dresden, Germany; NYC; and in Cleveland at the William Busta gallery, with which he was long affiliated. A recent two-dimensional series of prints, entitled CLEVEisland, combines several different printmaking techniques to create imaginative images

Last Ship Off the Island relief, monoprint, collage and chine colle’ on handmade abaca paper, 32 x 32”

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Night Swim intaglio, relief, chine colle’ and monoprint on handmade abaca paper, 32 x 32”

in 2015, he was commissioned to create a new suite of similar unique prints for the Cuyahoga County Administrative Building. Michael Loderstedt studied printmaking at East Carolina University (BFA, 1981) and received his MFA from Kent State in 1985. His work has been exhibited extensively in the U.S. and Europe. His work is contained in various public collections including the Cleveland Museum of Art, Progressive Insurance, the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, the Akron Art Museum, and the Kupferstich-Kabinett in Dresden, Germany. He has completed international residencies at the Frans Masereel Centrum in Kasterlee, Belgium and the Grafikwerkstatt in Dresden. He was selected to design the awards for the 2016 Cleveland International Film Festival. He has received fellowships from the Ohio Arts Council and was awarded the Creative Workforce Fellowship from the Cuyahoga Partnership for Arts and Culture in 2011. www.michaelloderstedt.net that are both esthetically rich and environmentally conscious. He states:

The Conspiracy screenprinted, cut and folded paper, 2012

My interest in creating these works was to develop a visually rich printed language using surfaces evocative of natural phenomena inset with articulated, observed details of my immediate surroundings; my urban farming practices, the lakeside environment near my home all reconfigured in a synthetic, fictionalized pictorial space. While the subject matter is born of genuine concern as a citizen environmentalist, there is implied humor within these visual narratives. These works have been included in exhibitions at the University of Dayton (Between Nature, 2015), Artist Image Resource in Pittsburgh (Printworks, 2014), Dresden Rathaus, Germany (Across the Pond, 2015) and the International Print Center in NY (New Selections: Fall 15). Also

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Visual Art Y A N A

S H O W C A S E

M I K H O - M I S H O

The Forest Calligraphy digital drawing, inkjet luster print, 15 x 19”, 2014

The phrase “lifestyle: curiosity” is a simple and effective way that Yana Mikho-Misho describes her approach to living and art making. Her phone camera is in steady use in her efforts to capture “stealing beauty, color, light, reflections, and the metaphysical moments of life” and these photos serve as the starting point for much of her work. In addition to various photo-based directions, her work encompasses video, printmaking

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and collage. A recent series entitled The Forest Calligraphy, combines multiple processes. This series is being developed in part at Cleveland’s Zygote Press fine art printmaking shop, where she is a gallery assistant and intern. The source of this series comes from nature shots taken in nearby Twinsburg. As I live in an area surrounded by woods, I’ve been exploring natural curiosities for years now

with my ultimate interest being the unraveling of twisted vines into symbols in an art language. My love of typography design gives me a kind of vision to see/find the calligraphy strokes everywhere and the most spellbinding are those of the Virginia Creeper plants, where some vines are very delicate, graphical as ballet, then others just frighteningly powerful trunks—and all of them ‘written’. The Forest Calligraphy project is my translation of that ‘written’ story.

She describes her general approach as a combination of methods. “My basic media is digital photography, but since I’ve discovered the printmaking process, it’s given me a whole new meaning and happiness (that unforgettable moment when you’ve seen your print come alive, oh) in expressing my art. Then, I bravely study and combine different print processes, collages with paper and photography.” The results of this approach reflect her philosophical impulses and embody her spirit of spontaneity and experimentation. Another ongoing project—365daysofcollage— further displays her art/life relationship and her unending desire to create.

The Forest Calligraphy #02 3D collage, two color silk screen print, 17 x 19”, 2016

Yana Mikho-Misho was born in Tashkent, Uzbekistan in 1971 and moved to Cleveland in 2003. She studied industrial engineering at the Polytechnical Institute in Tashkent and Economics and Business at GTZ Germany/ Uzbekistan. In Cleveland, she studied visual communications and design at Cuyahoga Community College and photography at the Cleveland Institute of Art. Her work was recently included in exhibitions at the Erarta Contemporary Art Museum in St. Petersburg, Russia; TATE Modern in London; and The Columbus Museum of Art, Columbus, Ohio, among other venues. Her photos have been included in publications in the U.S., France and Russia. www.mikhomisho.com

The Forest Calligraphy #03 collage on silk screen print on BFK paper, 15 x 22”, 2016

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Continued from page 13 inn that was once a destination restaurant. And don’t miss Toxic Brewing and Warped Wing in Dayton or Wolf’s Ridge and Elevator in Columbus. There is among Ohio’s craft brewers a widely shared emphasis on creative product development. I did not meet one craft brewer in Ohio whose job consists of producing just two or three standard styles. While most breweries develop a portfolio of year-round beers, almost all devote at least some of their taps to seasonal specials and experiments. The result is an unusually dynamic industry and an interested and committed clientele. But creative product development in craft brewing often reveals a counterintuitive dimension in a return to traditional techniques, a revival of nearly forgotten styles, and a respect for classic ingredients. The values? Integrity and a respect for history. Cincinnati brewer (and beer baron) Greg Hardman adopted Christian Moerlein as the symbol of his city’s brewing renaissance, in part because the pioneer craft brewer had chosen to observe the German purity law: no ingredients other than water, malt, hops, and yeast. Hoppin’ Frog in Akron brews a unique style, Gose, inspired by a beer that owes its hint of salinity to the taste of one German town’s water supply. And there are the lambics, Belgianinspired beers based on the capture of (or the addition of ) wild yeasts. From Jackie O’s in Athens to Rivertown in Cincinnati to Thirsty Dog in Akron, brewers are experimenting, and the results, while unpredictable, can be memorable. Implicit in a commitment to exploration within the context of integrity is the assumption that

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customers will follow where brewers lead. Hence, craft brewers tend to share both a commitment to consumer education and a related confidence in their customers. Observe how many breweries offer tours of their breweries. Great Lakes periodically registers “students” for Beer School, a thorough introduction to the brewing and packaging processes. On the other end of the pedagogical spectrum, most craft brewers brew at least one “entry-level” beer, a light lager or ale that invites, then intrigues the beer drinker who has been lulled by the saturation advertising of mass market lagers. Jackie O’s founder, Art Oestrike, describes a familiar phenomenon. Having attained his 21st birthday, a hypothetical Ohio University junior wanders in and orders a (brand name) “light.” The bartender says, “How about a taste of Ja Bitte Kölsch. It’s more interesting.” Sold! A few semesters later, the graduating senior approaches to ask whether the Bourbon Barrel Skipping Stone is available. Once you start, you never stop learning about beer. Breweries and brewpubs alike tend to seek engagements with their communities in one of two ways. They bring the community into the brewery or they take the brewery to the community. For instance, Weasel Boy Brewing in Zanesville sponsors “Beer for Boobs” with proceeds directed to the prevention and treatment of breast cancer. Market Garden and Great Lakes in Cleveland helped to found the Ohio City Farm, one of the largest urban farms in the U.S. On a very different plane, breweries as different as Warped Wing in Dayton and Temperance Row in Westerville use cleverly named beers to teach their customers local history. Without the beer named Corbin’s Revenge, who would remember the twice-bombed Westerville saloon owner? Without the brewery named

Warped Wing, how many would recall the Wright Brothers’ aeronautical innovation that enabled them to pilot their planes? A closely related value is that of local sourcing. Although brewers must usually depend on distant suppliers for the essential ingredients of their beers, they often turn to local suppliers when they can. Actual Brewing buys Cascade hops from Ohio growers, for instance, and Maumee Bay brews its Total Eclipse Breakfast Stout through collaboration with a local espresso roaster. Local sourcing becomes even more conspicuous as brewpubs turn to local farms for their greens, spices, pork, beef, etc. Or to local bakers. For instance, Jackie O’s cites its own farm as well as “Laurel Valley Creamery, Starline Organics, Dexter Run Farm, Gillogly Orchard,” and many more. Wolf’s Ridge goes one step further by listing the manufacturers of their furniture, soap, and aprons! And Great Lakes and Market Garden serve vegetables grown on the nearby urban farm. You might expect breweries as principled as these to demonstrate a high degree of ecological responsibility. You will not be disappointed. Brewers invite local farmers to use spent grains as fodder. They collect kitchen grease to fuel a van. They build and remodel in ways that are energy efficient. Craft brewing is an exemplary industry! Great Lakes has taken an especially prominent leadership role, not only within craft brewing, but within Ohio industry more broadly. The brewery’s annual Burning River Fest on the banks of the nearby Cuyahoga reaches out to those who share its commitment to “improving, maintaining and celebrating the vitality of our regional freshwater resources.” “Sustainably

crafted with purpose” is a good motto for Jackie O’s and, in fact, for craft brewing in general. Make no mistake. The cultures of craft brewing would fall into disarray if its highest priority, brewing consistently good, consistently interesting beer, were to be poorly served. But these additional elements of the craft brewing culture do not distract from a priority on beer. They are synergistic with it. That is one of the reasons why the experience of drinking a craft beer can be so rewarding. As you enjoy the good taste of the beer, you are also demonstrating your good taste —in more ways than one. Perhaps, over time craft brewing will suffer a hardening of its still supple arteries. It may begin to focus more directly on the bottom line as competition prompts acquisitions and mergers and closures. Craft brewing may become less of a calling, more of a pure enterprise. Maybe. But that possibility means that we must not take for granted how fortunate we are in this second decade of the 21st century to have access to breweries and brewpubs that really do represent a different standard of doing business. While there are so many reasons to celebrate the values that help to define a golden age in craft brewing, let’s do so. Some elements of this story have been adapted by the author from his book, Ohio’s Craft Beers, published in March 2016 by Kent State University Press and widely available.

Paul L. Gaston, III, is Trustees Professor at Kent State University, where he teaches English literature and higher education administration. An author and frequent speaker on higher education and curricular reform, he is the author of two recent influential books not on beer: Higher Education Accreditation: How It’s Changing, Why It Must (2013) and The Challenge of Bologna (2010) about European higher education reform. Illustration by Paul Gaston

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IN SCIENCE FICTION, cyborgs were humans whose abilities were extended beyond normal limitations by mechanical elements built into their bodies. Is it possible that we are in a transitional “screen-phase” between “human” and “cyborg?” While our screens are not (yet) built into our bodies, for many, they may as well be. Our increasingly screen filled lives are changing our brains, habits and relationships. Our brains adapt to whatever environment we put them in. Those of us in so-called “developed” nations, with adequate economic means are spending more money on devices that create an environment of screens connected to the Internet. In this environment, we believe we are getting entertainment, social connections and information but we are getting far more than that. All of us are unwittingly subjects in an unsupervised psychology experiment. Unlike supervised experiments though, we did not give informed consent, do not know the duration of the study and do not know the risks. Consider what we are learning about the risks: • Over 20% of American Internet users spend more money online than they intended to when they logged on. It seems that when money is “virtual” we are far less frightened of debt. This comes at a time when savings for the average American are non-existent and the cost-of-living rises while wages are stagnating. • Couples who connect on social media and only know each other from Facebook posts, texts and emails, are more likely to engage in sex the first time they actually meet than

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couples who initially connect in “real time.” More surprising, 77% of couples who meet on the Web have unprotected sex in their first encounter compared to 40% of couples who meet face-to-face. • About 72% of Americans “gamble” including buying a lottery ticket once a year. Of that 72%, only 1% go on to develop problematic gambling habits. Of those who gamble primarily online, 56% develop problematic gambling habits.

ON SCREENS Elliott Ingersoll, Ph.D. The primary cause of Internet-related overspending, risky sexual behavior and gambling appears to be impulsivity. In psychology, we describe impulsivity as the failure to resist a temptation that could be harmful to ourselves or others. The payoff of Internet impulsivity is instant gratification. In a society where everything is faster, we are mistaking what technology can deliver with what our brains

can keep up with. In some cases, technology is driving new types of psychological distress. Consider Jasmine, a 17-year-old high school senior who came for therapy because she suffered from anxiety. Certainly she had all the stressors of seniors aspiring to college, but Jasmine’s anxiety was rooted in her screen life. One of Jasmine’s problems was what we call “cyber-bullying.” After winning an award at her school, she became the target of a sort of “smear campaign” on Facebook. While she communicated the problem to her parents, was able to block those responsible and reported the incident, it left her anxious that it may happen again. Jasmine was shocked when another girl she knew apologized for taking part in the smear. While not friends, she got on well with this girl and did not understand why she would do this. We know that the Internet and sites like Facebook can provide people a sense of anonymity and invisibility. Depending on how you create your Facebook account (and whether you post pictures) you can create a true alter-ego online who may then go on to be the Mr. (or Ms.) Hyde to your Dr. Jekyll. Jasmine’s acquaintance admitted some jealousy over the attention Jasmine had been getting and initially thought her comments were “just blowing off steam.” When she saw in real life how distressing all this was to Jasmine, she decided to apologize. As we’ve learned from many psychology studies, anonymity decreases the inner censors we use to refrain from aggressive behavior. When we feel we are not being seen, many of

us (like Jasmine’s acquaintance) do things we normally would not do. A related problem with social media is the lack of a hierarchy and authority. The Internet and social media give illusions of equality that free some people to aggressively share rants and insults they might normally suppress. Just as Freud asserted we need a “super-ego” (“one who is above me”) to guide our moral compass, online we need at least a consensus on what is acceptable to guide posts and dialogue. Jasmine also had anxiety around text messages. Like many Americans, when Jasmine sent a text, she had come to expect an immediate response. When she did not get one, she would begin negative self-talk (“why doesn’t she text me? What is wrong with me? Did I do something to make her mad?”). Jasmine’s negative self-talk triggered high anxiety that distracted her from other things. This anxiety was far more than the usual insecurities that go with being 17. In Jasmine’s case, a short series of cognitive therapy sessions helped her challenge irrational beliefs about what the time to return a text means. She also learned she was the one who assigned the meaning. For the majority of us, our online or “E” personality is very different from our face-to-face personality. Most of us Continued on page 40

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Continued from page 39 know that a person’s Facebook page does not represent all of who they are, but some people lose sight of the line between “cyberspace” and the real world that gamers sometimes call “meatspace.” Some platforms are designed to encourage the blurring of this line. Avatars on games like “Sims” and “Second Life,” while harmless pastimes for most people, can become all consuming “E-selves” for others. Such people can spend increasingly problematic amounts of time in their “E-lives” and spend money enhancing their “E-lives” that they cannot afford. Their minds have become entranced and game-makers (of course) design games to tap into such minds.

But Don’t Screens Help Us Multitask? For those who believe screen life has enhanced their multitasking abilities, I have bad news. Digital technologies offer many temptations for multitasking, from students reviewing three research findings at a time to me ordering two Pink Floyd albums from Amazon while writing this section of the article. It has been said that the Internet seizes our attention and then scatters it. How many of you may have logged on a computer to check email and ended up shopping or on Facebook? For that matter, how many of you stopped reading to check your text messages before getting to this point

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in the article? In a study of 2000 children, the time they spent multitasking between multiple technologies (e.g. phones and a computer) jumped from 16% in 1999 to almost 30% in 2009.

ALMOST HALF OF AMERICAN COLLEGE STUDENTS ADMIT THEY CANNOT STUDY FOR MORE THAN TEN MINUTES WITHOUT CHECKING THEIR SMARTPHONE, LAPTOP OR E-READER. Perhaps more problematically, research shows college students multitask for about 42% of class time. Studies on multitasking show that low multitaskers consistently outperform high multitaskers. It seems that high multitaskers are not able to filter out what is relevant when experiencing multiple sources of information. This is one reason that the reading time for an “e-book” is much longer than for a paper book. These findings hold true across generations for baby-boomers and digital natives alike. Even for those students who do not multitask in class and focus on lectures, the presence of another student multitasking can significantly decrease

their comprehension. Not surprisingly, several researchers have found that the more time students of any age spend on Facebook and similar platforms, the lower their grade point average.

Going Off-Screen As I noted in the beginning of this article, we are participants in an unsupervised study of the effects of rapidly multiplying screen technologies on human minds and brains. Knowing we are in the study, we can opt out—at least for a breather to reconnect to “meatspace.” Here are some suggestions psychologists have found to help. First, plan “unplugged” time for you and/or your family. Ideally, you can build this in every day, but at least try to do it 4 times a week for 1—3 hours at a time. Read books, exercise, play music or games; anything that keeps you “screenless” for a little while. If you have children, have your home screen policies reflect school screen policies so they are getting consistent messages. Second, for children, keep screens in a public space in your home and know the passwords to any accounts your child has. Since we don’t know the effects of all the screens in our life, a conservative approach is warranted. Finally, consider “virtual vacations” from things like Facebook and Instagram. Let your peers know you are going offline and try a week or two “off the Web.” It may open up new ways for you to connect to others and a respite for your brain.

youknowamerica.com

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I don’t know if it says something about me or it’s a commentary on

Trina Cutter President & CEO Western Reserve Public Media

the current state of being in the world, but in my entire life I’ve only met one person who I would call my hero: Newton N. Minow. You probably never heard of him but you might be familiar with the fictional charter boat named after him. If you ever watched the 1960s situational comedy Gilligan’s Island, then you might remember the shipwrecked S.S. Minnow.

TELEVISION FOR THE

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Naming the boat after Minow was not meant to be flattering; in fact, the opposite—it was a dig. In 1961, President Kennedy appointed Minow the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Shortly after his appointment, Minow told an audience of commercial television broadcasters that they had turned television into a “vast wasteland” and criticized them for falling short of their public service obligations. Naming the shipwrecked boat on Gilligan’s Island after Minow was executive producer Sherwood Schwartz’s way of saying that Minow—not television—was the one who was all washed up! Dig or not, I think it is pretty cool that Newton Minow has a sitcom boat named after him, but that is not why he is my hero. Rather, it is because throughout his entire career, he has been a champion of using the public airwaves for a higher purpose. He inspires me as president and CEO of Western Reserve Public Media to make this organization the best that it can be. I imagine that the average person probably doesn’t give much thought to the FCC and yet I can’t think of any other federal agency that impacts our daily lives more. The FCC’s main purpose is to be “keepers of the public airwaves.” Anything that uses the electromagnetic spectrum—garage door openers, baby monitors, microwave ovens and over-the-airbroadcast television, just to name a few—is licensed by the FCC. In the 1930s when the FCC was issuing licenses first for over-the-air broadcast radio and then for television, Congress mandated that some of the spectrum be set aside for noncommercial, educational use. The two public television

stations owned and operated by Western Reserve Public Media—WNEO and WEAO— are both what are termed “educational setaside frequencies.” This means that WNEO and WEAO are legally obligated to transmit noncommercial educational television programs. That is why our programs are not interrupted by commercials and don’t mention anything about cost (as in, “this car is on sale now for $20,000”), use what the FCC terms “comparative language” (“our car is better than any other car”) or offer a call to action (“so come on down to the dealership and buy this car today”).

I love that Western Reserve Public Media serves a higher purpose. It is a nonprofit corporation—a charity. Although we do not feed the hungry, house the poor or put clothes on anyone, we do feed the brain, house the soul and clothe the character of the individual by broadcasting programs that inform, educate and enlighten. The first time I became aware of public broadcasting was when I was a sophomore in high school. One evening I happened to land on the public broadcasting channel while the station Continued on page 44

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Continued from page 43 was conducting a membership drive and inviting people to call with a donation. We don’t do this anymore but back then, the station would announce the name of the person and how much he or she donated. I sat in my living room chair stunned as I heard the name of one of my classmates who had just donated $10. I knew that this particular classmate’s family struggled to make ends meet. I wondered why she would give $10 to public broadcasting when from my point of view she could have used the money for a lot of other necessities. Fast-forward 11 years later to when I landed my first job in public television. It didn’t take me long to realize why public television is also a necessity: We are souls dwelling in human bodies. Our souls need to be replenished, lifted up and inspired. Public television does that and more. Watch any program on Western Reserve PBS, Fusion, MHz Worldview or V-me and I guarantee that your imagination will be enriched, your knowledge will be enhanced or your soul will soar to new heights. I marvel at the fact that back in the 1960s, Newton N. Minow knew and understood the potential of broadcast television. I had the opportunity to meet Mr. Minow in 1996, not long after he coauthored a book with Craig L. LaMay titled, “Abandoned in the Wasteland:

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Children, Television, and the First Amendment.” Of course, since Minow is the only person in the world I’m willing to call my hero, when I knew that I was going to get to meet him, I took the book with me and asked if he would sign it. This is what he wrote: “For Trina: With admiration and thanks for what you do to make public television—and this world—a better place.” Heavy sigh … Newton L. Minow … my hero. Trina Cutter is president and CEO of Western Reserve Public Media, which owns and operates public television channels WNEO in the Youngstown area and WEAO in the Akron-Canton-Cleveland area.

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Mo’ Mojo

The TwistOffs

Mo’ Mojo is a hard driving, high energy, Zydeco-based “Party-Gras” Band. The female fronted group features three-part harmonies, accordion, fiddle, guitar, rubboard, sax, trumpet, harp, bass, percussion, and drums. The band visited 8 countries in 2014 — 15 (from Central America to Central Asia), spreading the Zydeco gospel as “Cultural Ambassadors” for the U.S. State Department. The new album has a dozen songs: nine originals; two Zydeco standards meant to pay homage to the musical tradition; and one part cover/part original medley based off of Bob Marley’s, “Stir It Up.” It features a Zydecobase that blends in reggae, Cajun, blues, instrumental, and indie sounds.

Formed by ringleader Erik Walter (guitar/vocals) in a dank, suburban basement in Kent, Ohio in 1986, The TwistOffs have since performed more than 2,000 shows, tracked more than 150,000 miles and covered over 40 states and three countries.

momojomusic.com

Shivering Timbers shiveringtimbersmusic.com Sarah is a captivating singer — part P.J. Harvey, part Patsy Cline — add the nuanced howl of Jayson’s guitar work for the perfect mate to her sultry vocals. Their performance can entrance and haunt the audience, while in the next breath, invite them into a whimsical, foot-stomping play land with the percussive mastery of Daniel Kshywonis on drums. More importantly, Shivering Timbers has been honing their considerable craft on relentless tour stops with Shovels & Rope, Jessica Lea Mayfield, Kenny Loggins, Alejandro Escovedo, Field Report, Carolyn Wonderland, Kopecky, and so many more; resulting in a live presence that combines Indie Rock energy, Blues/Punk passion, and Country/Gospel reflection, all evidenced in their second album “Sing Sing”.

twistoffs.com

15 60 75 The Numbers Band numbersband.com

The Numbers Band has been praised by almost every national music publication and several international publications since the beginning of their 30 years of live performances and recordings. Many fans are under the impression that the band remains obscure by choice. In fact, they have never been offered a contract from any recording company in the industry, ever.

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Hey Mavis heymavis.com

Americana-Roots band, Hey Mavis was born along the winding path of the Cuyahoga River. With their fine musicianship, strong songwriting and engaging stage presence, they weave together a musical tapestry that speaks the truth of our human condition — with all of it’s beauty, heartache, humor, disappointment and joy. Over the past five years, Hey Mavis has methodically ramped-up touring efforts, moving from humble porch concerts in the Cuyahoga Valley to successful shows at NPR’s Mountain Stage and the Xerox Rochester International Jazz Festival. Their new music video, “Love We Give”, was filmed in our beautiful Kent, Ohio!

David Mayfield If you’ve seen David Mayfield perform with The Avett Brothers, Mumford & Sons, Jessica Lea Mayfield, or at Bonnaroo, you’ve caught the charisma, the heart, and the comedy and it’s likely you’ll come back for more. STRANGERS, Mayfield’s first album with Compass is a tour de force, stretching from the avant-garde to Mayfield’s musical roots which are buried deep in the bluegrass tradition from a childhood of touring with his family’s band. Tracks range from the Celtic-inspired opener “Caution,” which features Mayfield’s deft ability in orchestrating complex instrumentation, to “The Man I’m Trying to Be,” a sharply honest song that is as dark and it is tender.

The Speedbumps

Austin Walkin’ Cane

The Speedbumps are an award-winning American band with a warm, authentic sound, built on a passion for hollow-bodied instruments, indie-folk influences, and singer-songwriter Erik Urycki’s breathy, commanding vocals and canny phrasing.

Austin Walkin’ Cane is a blues singer, songwriter and slide guitar impressario who performs across acoustic, solo, duo and electric band mediums. He has toured Australia, Colombia, Nepal, France, Germany, England and Wales. He has also crossed the United States, perhaps most notably from New Orleans, Louisiana to Juneau, Alaska with only a guitar and suitcase in hand.

thespeedbumps.com

The band’s roots lie deep in the Rustbelt, where quiet strength and limited embellishment define the culture. The working class towns around Akron, the former rubber capital, from which artists like The Black Keys, Jessica Lea Mayfield, and Joseph Arthur have emerged, have provided the band with an aesthetic that seeks to tease out beauty from the gritty details of everyday life.

walkincane.com

Jessica Lea Mayfield jessicaleamayfield.com

Rachel & The Beatnik Playboys

rachelandthebeatnikplayboys.com Rachel & The Beatnik Playboys embrace and explore many Americana styles — and combine them into a soulful, powerful sound. With original compositions and their own unique channeling of Americana classics, Rachel & The Beatnik Playboys are blazing new trails into the world of Americana.

Mick Rogers

Mick Rogers plays original music, songs rooted in the Ohio experience. He is a 3 chord musical identity crisis, two fish swimming in opposite directions. A glass half empty, a missing button that has a problem with authority. Doesn’t own shoe polish and prefers cheap guitars, and writes the most interesting lyrics you’ll hear this year.

Jessica Lea Mayfield is a 24 year old guitarist, singer and songwriter who was born in Kent, Ohio. She grew up touring with her family’s Newgrass/Bluegrass band “One Way Rider” and at the age of 8 years old, they relocated to Nashville Tennessee, where when they weren’t touring regionally, they played 4 shows a day, 7 days a week. They lived and traveled on a 1956 tour bus that had once been owned by Bill Monroe that he had christened as the “Bluegrass Breakdown.”

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Johnny and The Apple Stompers applestompers.com

Like a tasty sandwich of old time music, Johnny and the Apple Stompers put meaty honky tonk and country between bluegrass songs with old time blues and jazz thrown in for flavor! Led by Northeast Ohio locals, Johnny Miller and Cory Grinder, this band is a dedication to classic country like Hank Williams, Roger Miller and Willie Nelson through original material written by Johnny. Formed in 2010 as a skiffle band playing on the streets in Akron, Kent and Cuyahoga Falls, The Apple Stompers have evolved their sound through years of playing at bars, weddings, retirement homes and flea markets. Johnny’s bright acoustic picking and lonesome voice is paired with Cory’s high harmonies and fiddle playing along with the addition of members from brother-bands, “Rodney and the Regulars” (Rodney Dewalt, Stephen Karney and Richard DeWalt) and “Fast Molasses”(Jason Willis, Shawn Wee and Steve Gill). Pedal Steel, Upright Bass, Banjos and more are often in the mix.

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Copali

Bobby Selvaggio

Copalimusic.bandcamp.com

bobbyselvaggio.com

Copali is an original instrumental funk fusion band based in Northeast Ohio. Their shows consist of a unique and exciting blend of musical styles. The band members include Blaine Klein on steel drums, Willow DiGiacomo on clarinet and alto saxophone, Lucas Rich on saxophone, Mike Langman on guitar, Charles Klein on bass and Cameron Weichman on drumset. Copali, formed in the summer of 2014 is on the rise and maintains an active presence in the Northeast Ohio music scene. Copali’s self-titled debut album was released in December of 2015 and is available at Copalimusic.bandcamp.com. Follow them on Facebook.com/Copalimusic.

Bobby Selvaggio is one of the leading alto saxophone voices on today’s jazz scene. In the words of pianist Kenny Werner, “Bobby is among the best of players out there,” and legendary saxophonist Joe Lovano praises Bobby by calling him “one of the few young saxophonists on the scene today that captures you with his strong presence, focus and sound.” In addition to playing alto saxophone, Bobby also plays soprano saxophone, alto clarinet, flute and is a composer, arranger and jazz clinician.

SvobodaBand Xtra Crispy Xtra Crispy is a perfect blend of blues rock and Americana, blending foot-stomping rock and roll with pure and golden melodies.

SvobodaBand is a trio from Kent, Ohio that is reinventing the roots of music and live performances. Their unique sound mixes blues, jazz, soul and folk to create a musical experience that is both familiar and original. Singer Bethany Svoboda transitions between auxiliary percussion and guitar while singing passionate lead and back up harmonies. Dan Desantis gracefully commands lead guitar, fusing blues and jazz standards and Elliott Ingersoll adds depth and atmosphere on upright and acoustic basses. Three part harmonies layer smoothly and powerfully making this trio a rare act that you don’t want to miss!

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Hanging the

Laundry H

iram College environmental arts students created “Hanging the Laundry,” a sculpture made of debris pulled from a 12-mile stretch of the Cuyahoga River (in Geauga and Portage counties) and from Eagle Creek in Portage County on April 24 as an Earth Day tribute. Metal gutters, shoes, lawn mower blades, horseshoes, tires, toys, electronic boards and chair seats were among the trash students and faculty and community members pulled from the waterways during the cleanup led by Sarah Mabey, Ph.D., associate director of environmental studies. Students of Linda Bourassa, professor of art, created the sculpture, which is anchored on two tree trunks.

Waterwa Photo by Cara Constance

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Photo by Linda Bourassa

A headless rubber Civil War soldier was among the horde of trash found by Hiram College students and faculty and community members in local waterways. The abandoned soldier found new life as a component of the sculpture, “Hanging the Laundry,” by Hiram College environmental arts students.

Julia Franquesa sits amid the rubble she and her Hiram College environmental arts classmates turned into the sculpture, “Hanging the Laundry.” Hiram College students, faculty and staff members and community members pulled trash from the Cuyahoga River and Eagle Creek on April 24 as they paid homage to the earth for Earth Day.

Waterway trash turned into treasure: a sculpture titled “Hanging the Laundry” by Hiram College environmental arts students.

Photo by Linda Bourassa

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Kent State BFA and MFA graduate Don Drumm still recalls sitting at the student union back in the late 1950s drinking coffee with friends, when one asked what he wanted to do in life. “I told them I wanted to make my living as a fulltime sculptor and own a gallery,” he said. “They didn’t take me seriously, since in those days to survive, most artists had to teach or work another job. I knew way back then that was my dream, but it took marrying my wife Lisa to make it possible.” This year, Don and Lisa Drumm celebrate the 45th anniversary of the opening of their acclaimed American craft gallery. Don Drumm Studios & Gallery, located at 437 Crouse Street near downtown Akron, was established by the couple in 1971. It has grown from one-room to a multi-building complex connected by art-filled patios and gardens.

History Don met artist-educator Lisa Plavcan, originally from Erie, Pennsylvania, soon after she accepted a teaching job with Akron Public Schools. Then in 1960, everything took off for him.

Over the next few years, Don perfected his technique of sandcasting aluminum and became a nationally recognized pioneer in using the metal as an artistic medium. Teacher Lisa was the regular breadwinner. She also created and sewed a line of whimsical sculptural dolls.

In the summers, both Don and Lisa taught at North Carolina’s famous Penland School of Crafts. There they made friends with dozens of talented craftspeople. These potters, jewe lers, glassblowers, woodcrafters and leatherworkers would later Written by Jessie Raynor help them fill the shelves of their gallery.

Don Drumm Studios & Gallery

Celebrates

45th

Anniversary

“I was fired from my industrial design job, married Lisa, and opened a studio

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and foundry in a dilapidated auto repair shop,” he said. “It was a risk, but Lisa bought into the dream.”

In 1970, the couple decided to fulfill the dream of being gallery owners. Don began renovating the front room they had purposely kept empty for 10 years. Once again, he primarily did the work on his own—often on his hands and knees. He put up paneling, made shelves and carved abstract designs and sunfaces on cement walkways and brick walls. The mosaic tile floor, which can still be seen in the sales desk room, is made of broken tile pieces that were given to him free

by the contractor building downtown Akron’s Cascade Plaza.

Today Now, 45 years later, Don Drumm Studios & Gallery encompasses seven buildings serving different purposes, including the studio of daughter and Kent State graduate Leandra Drumm. She creates fanciful artworks in glass and pewter. Many Kent State grads and Kent artists have been mentored by the Drumms, sold work at the gallery, and worked their way through college as staff members.

Gallery owners Don & Lisa Drumm circa 1971

In 1971, Don and Lisa opened the gallery door. Since Lisa was still teaching, the couple offered two local jewelers free studio space if they would take care of customers. On the weekends, the Drumm daughters—Elisa, Tamula and Leandra —played in the new gallery, running back to the foundry to get daddy if someone came in. Lisa handled the bookkeeping after the kids went to bed, working into the wee hours of the morning.

L isa calls Don, now 81 years old, a relentless creating machine. He concentrates on his new product designs and commission work. Lisa keeps the gallery running and filled with unique, hand-crafted items, perfect as gifts or home accessories. Although they both attend trade shows, Lisa makes the final decisions on what goes on the gallery shelves.

The 1970s saw a growing appreciation for hand-crafted, usable art. The demand quickly spread to the general public. The first craft trade shows were established, allowing gallery owners to buy wholesale from craftspeople from across the country. Being an independent craftsperson became a legitimate profession, gaining the respect it deserved.

“I look for quality designed, beautifully made items that we can offer at reasonable prices,” Lisa said. “If a product’s design has reached the commercial market, it’s time for us to move on.” Today, Don Drumm Studios & Gallery represents well over 500 top professional artist/craftspeople living in the U.S. and Canada. It is consistently recognized as one of the finest contemporary craft galleries in North America by artists and patrons. Hours are weekdays from 10—6 and Saturday from 10—5. www.dondrummstudios.com

Soon the Drumms’ one room gallery was not big enough. By 1978, they had expanded the building into three floors, displaying the works of approximately 300 crafts-people. Lisa quit teaching and became fulltime manager. In 1980, they purchased and renovated a century house next door, which was once a tiny neighborhood grocery. It became The Different Drummer, a charming five-room shop featuring handcrafted toys, wood, jewelry, leather, plus uniquely designed cards and manufactured items.

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Plaza and the surrounding sections of North Water and West Main Streets. Heather Malarcik

CREATING AND NURTURING A VIBRANT, FESTIVE DOWNTOWN is a 365-day-a-year job, and it takes droves of volunteers, entertainers, talents, partners, ideas, and resources to make good things happen in Kent. Main Street Kent is a non-profit organization committed to the revitalization, promotion, and beautification of downtown Kent. We take pride in our contribution to the betterment of our city, all year long. We create events that feature arts, culture and local goodness all around. One of our signature events is the Main Street Kent Art & Wine Festival, and our tenth annual is approaching quickly—with an amazing lineup of artists, Ohio wineries, local musicians, and festive food options.

Entry to the event is free; all are welcome to come down and enjoy the entertainment, shop the artists’ booths, and to explore our galleries and public art in the downtown district. At the event, for just $20, attendees can purchase a commemorative wine tasting glass and ten taste tickets to be redeemed at these featured Ohio wineries: Barrel Run

This year’s featured artists will showcase some of the best in categories across the board— from painting, stained glass and ceramics to jewelry, sculpture and fabric, there will be something for everyone at this year’s show. Artists come from all over Ohio, including our own Kent State University. It’s a family-friendly event (but please keep pets at home), for our community and visitors alike. A tasty selection of food options will be available for purchase, with great offerings by our local artisan cheese shop, Kent Cheesemonger, and some tasty treats from our friends at local sweets, ice cream and popcorn shop, Popped! Also joining the festivities this year are Brimfield Bread Oven, Premier Crepes, and Scratch – Free Range Food. Whether you’re hungry for a full meal, a snack to pair with wine, or a sweet treat, we’ll have lots of choices inside the event. Plus, folks love to take a break from the

The Art & Wine Festival has grown into a hugely popular event for the downtown district. People from Kent and all across Ohio have come to anticipate this event, which brings thousands of people in each year. This year’s event will take place Saturday, June 4th from 12pm to 10pm at the Hometown Bank

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Crossing of Rootstown, Gervasi Vineyard of Canton, Grape & Granary of Akron, Troutman Vineyards of Wooster, and The Winery at Wolf Creek of Norton … with more to come! The wineries will feature their most popular selections, from the simple and fruity to the more complex varieties.

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Continued from page 58 festivities and grab a bite to eat at a local spot, then come back for more fun—it’s a comeand-go-as-you-please kind of day.

The 10-hour entertainment lineup includes: Randy Horvath Randy is a local singer-songwriter with a passionate, powerful voice and amazing guitar skills. Diana and the Boys Known for her lively solo show, Diana Chittester finds a new upbeat, folkrock sound, blending cello and percussion into her groove —a mixture of originals and classic folk covers with a twist! Ian Penter Ian has spent the last twenty years pursuing a passion for the Delta Blues. His

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performances have been described as raw and soulful, seething with power and emotion. Opus 216 A trio ensemble of independent, classically trained Cleveland musicians that play a mix of classical and fun, popular covers. Hey Mavis From Kent, Ohio, this group performs Appalachian Americana music. Their lyrics focus heavily on the beautiful imagery of life, the joy and labor of raising children, and the timeless themes of love and heartbreak. Brent Kirby Brent performs songs with catchy hooks, incredible instrumentation, and lyrics with soul. His lyrics dictate life in the moment, not as nightly grinds, but as places where dreams really come to life in gritty color, delivering a charismatic performance with a heartfelt sincerity.

This event is proudly sponsored by: KSU College of the Arts, College Town Kent, Downtown Gallery, KSU Ashtabula Wine Degree Program, Klaben Auto Stores, AMETEK, Hometown Bank and McKay Bricker Framing & Black Squirrel Gifts. We hope this year’s event will be our best yet, and we invite everyone to join us on Saturday, June 4th, from 12pm to 10pm in downtown Kent! Proceeds from this event will benefit Main Street Kent, the non-profit organization dedicated to the revitalization of downtown Kent. Visit www.mainstreetkent.org or call 330-677-8000 with any questions.

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