Canvas, Fall 2025

Periodical Supplement to Cleveland Jewish News, August 29, 2025

NORTHEAST OHIO | arts | music | performance

Fall 2025

SEPTEMBER 18 – FEBRUARY 16 | ONLY AT MALTZ MUSEUM IN BEACHWOOD, OH

A special exhibition focused on the migrant experience at the U.S./Mexico border, featuring the photography of Tom Kiefer and works from contemporary artist Elizabeth Z. Pineda.

2929 Richmond Road, Beachwood, OH 44122 | maltzmuseum.org

ARTWORK UNSEEN

IT TOOK 250 YEARS

VOICES UNHEARD

STORIES UNTOLD

TO SEE THIS CELEBRATION OF AMERICAN FEMALE VISUAL ARTISTS.

For the first time anywhere, never before assembled in one place, see over 100 examples of women shattering expectations, barriers, and conventions to make a lasting impact on the art world.

November 25, 2025 – March 1, 2026 CantonArt.org/shattered-glass

PRESENTED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PROGRAMS BY Clockwise left to right (in detail): Marilyn (Vanitas), 1977. Audrey Flack.

The University of Arizona Museum of Art. © 1977, Audrey Flack. Spring (from The Four Seasons Series), 2006. Wendy Red Star, Apsáalooke (Crow). Saint Louis Art Museum. © Wendy Red Star.

Coerora, 1904. Emily Sargent. Sargent House Museum.

SPONSORED BY

PRESENTING SPONSOR

© 2025 Canton Museum of Art

INSIDE

8 Made in Cleveland: Arts Edition

A “Small but Mighty” Grant Program Gives Local Artists a Lift

12 Art as Healing Feature Stories: 14 The Small Town Gallery Leading a Big Conversation A new gallery in Hudson is using creativity to change the conversation around art and mental health 18 Reimagining Reality Jason Toth on art, color and the journey to healing.

22 Out of His Head, Onto the Page Akron Art Museum Show Explores Alfred McMoore’s Art and Mental Health

28 A Sacred Space for Creativity

Artful Cleveland Finds a New Home in Historic Cleveland Heights Church

30 Glass in His Blood

How Ben Johnson Found His Life’s Work

34 On Deck

Don’t miss these upcoming openings and current events throughout Northeast Ohio

36 Listings

Local listings for museums, galleries, theaters and more

39 Curator Corner Otherworld by Sam Moyer

24 When Walls Speak Art as Solace in Hospitals

Cynthia Daignault, At Picture Lake (Just as you feel when you look on the river and sky), 2017, oil on linen.

Courtesy of the artist and The Sunday Painter.

Cleveland Clinic Art Collection

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The Canton Museum of Art

The Canton Museum of Art is presenting an original exhibition, Shattered Glass: The Women Who Elevated American Art, to both commemorate the Semiquincentennial of the United States of America and as a signature exhibition for the Museum’s 90th Anniversary. The exhibition will be on display from November 25, 2025-March 1, 2026. Filling all four of the Museum’s galleries, the exhibition showcases American women artists from the past 250 years who made a lasting impact on the art world.

Traditional art history has relegated many women into obscurity by rendering their contributions as “less than” those of their male counterparts. It wasn’t until the late 1800s that women were granted access to a state funded artistic education. Even then, it was another 90 years before they were permitted to study the nude in a classroom setting, providing their male contemporaries with a stark advantage in the study of the human form. Meanwhile, the American Civil War, abolition of slavery, and the beginning of the women’s suffrage movement were all taking place in the United States. Women were almost exclusively omitted from any scholarly art publications until the 1970s when the feminist movement began to gain traction in the United States.

The artists in Shattered Glass have all fought for their right to create art alongside male contemporaries and while doing so, revolutionized the field. These remarkable women faced adversity due to not only their gender, but also race, sexuality, economic status, family, and life challenges. The Canton Museum of Art has worked with museums and private collections nationwide, and drawn from its own Collection, to assemble more than 100 major works and inspiring stories from nearly 80 women artists, never before experienced in one exhibition. Among the artists represented are: • Margaret Bourke-White (1904-1971), a commercial photographer who later became the first American female war photojournalist. She was with Patton’s Third Army in 1945 and documented the liberation of the Buchenwald concentration camp; • Selma Burke (1900-1995), a sculptor and member of the Harlem Renaissance movement, her portrait of President Franklin D. Roosevelt created in 1944 inspired the design found on the dime; • Audrey Flack (1931 – 2024), a painter, sculptor, and a pioneer of photorealism who reshaped the rules of art creation in the

middle of the twentieth century; • Wanda Gág (1893 – 1946), an artist, illustrator, printmaker, and author best known for the children’s book, Millions of Cats, which is the oldest American picture book still in print; • Anne Goldthwaite (1869 – 1944), Painter and printmaker, advocate for women’s rights and equal rights, she was part of the painting event held during the 1932 Olympic Games; • Claude Hirst (1855 – 1942), Claudine, a Cincinnati-born painter of still life, used a male pseudonym to disguise her gender as an artist and now renowned for her trompe-l’oeil watercolor technique; and • Maria Martinez (1886-1980), a ceramicist who revitalized blackware pottery made by the Santa Clara Pueblo makers and instrumental in the perception of traditional ceramics as fine art rather than just functional table settings.

Top: Marilyn (Vanitas), 1977. Audrey Flack (1931 - 2024). Oil over acrylic on canvas, 96 x 96 in. The University of Arizona Museum of Art; Purchased with funds provided by the Edward J. Gallagher, Jr. Memorial Fund. © 2025 Audrey Flack. Left: An Interesting Book, 1890. Claude Hirst (18551942). Watercolor on paper, 10 ¼ x 14 ¼ in. Collection of the Canton Museum of Art; Purchased with funds from the Doran Foundation in memory of Edward A. and Rosa J. Langenbach Right: Portrait of the artist Wanda Gág, photographer unknown, c.1918, public domain VISIT CMA’S WEBSITE FOR MORE INFORMATION: CANTONART.ORG/SHATTERED-GLASS

Editor’s Note A

When Art Holds Us

rt has long been a vehicle for self-expression, social change, and storytelling. But in this issue of Canvas, we explore a deeper truth— art as a form of healing.

Our feature package examines the powerful intersection of mental health and the arts in Northeast Ohio, a topic that feels especially vital right now.

Across the region, artists, curators, and institutions are reimagining how creativity can serve not just as aesthetic expression, but as emotional refuge, community connection, and advocacy.

You’ll see this in Carlo Wolff’s feature on Peg’s Gallery, a bold new space in downtown Hudson doing more than showcasing art—it’s changing the conversation around mental illness. From the striking “Bipolar Butterfly” sculpture outside the gallery to the immersive Dali Beyond Time exhibition inside, Peg’s invites visitors to experience art as something personal and transformative. It’s not just a gallery—it’s a mission in motion.

This theme of healing through creativity continues in our look at Cleveland Clinic and University Hospitals’ growing art programs. As Casey Couch reports, hospitals across the region are using curated collections to bring moments of calm, hope, and humanity into clinical settings.

A painting becomes a lifeline. A photograph, a signpost. A sculpture, a source of solace. The data is compelling, but it’s the personal stories from patients and curators that leave the deepest impact.

At Canvas, we know that behind every piece of art is a person—often someone who has turned personal

Follow us on Facebook and Instagram, @CanvasCLE. Sign up for Canvas’ free e-newsletter at canvascle.com/signup.

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struggle into something outwardly beautiful. That’s why we’re also shining a light on artists from across the region who are pushing boundaries, telling untold stories, and showing us what’s next. Whether it’s in a gallery, a hospital hallway, or a makeshift studio, these creators remind us that the arts in Northeast Ohio are alive with purpose.

This issue isn’t about romanticizing struggle or suggesting that art alone can “fix” mental health. But it does ask: What if creativity can make the hard moments just a little more bearable? What if beauty, vulnerability, and imagination can open doors that traditional treatments can’t?

We believe they can.

As you move through these pages, we hope you find inspiration in the quiet confidence of artists like Jason Toth, who channels personal experience into deeply reflective works that invite conversation, connection, and care.

Their stories, like so many in this issue, reveal just how vital creative expression can be.

Art may not be medicine—but it certainly heals.

Editor

Rebecca Meiser editor@canvascle.com

Creative Director Stephen Valentine

Publisher & CEO Kevin S. Adelstein Vice President of Sales Adam Mandell Editor, Cleveland Jewish News Bob Jacob CFO Tracy Singer Digital Manager Courtney Byrnes Events Manager Gina Lloyd Events Coordinator Sam Spiegle Editorial Casey Couch, Ellie Evans, Lydia Kacala, Jimmy Oswald Columbus Bureau Chief Becky Raspe Operations Manager Abby Royer Custom Publishing Manager Paul Bram Sales & Marketing Manager Andy Isaacs Advertising Marilyn Evans, Adam Jacob, Nell V. Kirman, Sherry Tilson, Danielle Zwick Senior Designer Jessica Simon Designers Darlene Craven, Ricki Urban

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Rebecca (Becky) Meiser Editor

Becky is also the Director of Volunteers, Community and Program Development at National Council of Jewish Women/ Cleveland.

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Beck Center for Arts in Lakewood offers professional theater, youth theater, Education classes for all ages and abilities, and all skill levels in dance, music, theater, and visual arts. Beck Center also offers Creative Arts Therapies, and free visual arts exhibitions throughout the year.

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Made in Cleveland: Arts Edition Cleveland’s creative community continues to thrive thanks to local grants and prestigious awards that support artists at every stage of their careers. From emerging voices experimenting with new forms to established creators shaping the region’s cultural landscape, these programs provide both recognition and resources that make ambitious work possible. This year’s recipients, spanning visual art, music, poetry, and cultural leadership, demonstrate the extraordinary range of talent and impact across Northeast Ohio. Together, grants like the Boost Fund from the Assembly for the Arts and honors such as the Cleveland Arts Prize celebrate innovation, foster growth, and inspire the next generation of artists.

A “SMALL BUT MIGHTY” GRANT PROGRAM GIVES LOCAL ARTISTS A LIFT

BY Ellie Evans

M

eg Matko, director of artist funding programs at Assembly for the Arts, greater Cleveland’s nonprofit arts council, knows the art scene can feel a bit competitive — and that’s exactly why the organization created a program to give local artists a boost.

The Assembly for the Arts Boost Fund is a new program designed to randomly select individual artists to receive funding for supplies, projects, studio rentals and maintenance, travel and more. 140 artists of all backgrounds, mediums and experience levels will receive $1,500 through three program cycles this year to help advance their missions as artists, thanks to per-pack taxes on cigarettes sold in the county, which are funneled through Cuyahoga Arts and Culture. The program has funded 100 artists to date in cycles 1 and 2, with an additional 40 artists funded in cycle 3 by the end of 2025.

“We wanted to develop a new program this year that was more accessible to artists who are new to the grant process and have never applied for a grant before, artists who are still early in their careers and artists who are intimidated by applying to traditional, merit-based grants where their work is evaluated,” Matko says. “(The Boost Fund) is meant to reduce the competitiveness between artists and exist on the idea that all artists are worthy of receiving funding to make their work, regardless of where they are in their career.”

Matko tells Canvas that some of her favorite stories of how cycle-one Boost Fund recipients spent their money include one artist who was able to put on a show dedicated

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to performing their own original music after over a decade of producing for other musicians, and another who was able to start replenishing their art supplies after losing them in a house fire.

“The grant is small but mighty,” Matko says. “It’s wonderful to see artists get funding when they never thought they could, to watch how that validation really changes their perspective about their own work and to remind them what they do should be supported.”

Matko notes three goals Assembly for the Arts aims to achieve with its Boost Fund program.

“We really want to measure the impact of this program and see how it performs,” Matko says. “We also want to build relationships with new folks and get word about us out there, and then we’d like to see the program expand.”

Matko would love to see Cleveland embrace the idea of providing direct support for its arts, and the work being done

by Assembly for the Arts is a step in the right direction, as the Boost Fund program allows Assembly of the Arts to “get funding out faster and at a lower cost.”

“Over the years, I have been a really big advocate for guaranteed income for artists, and in some ways, I feel the Boost Fund is a baby step towards a model of guaranteed income for the arts,” Matko says.

Assembly for the Arts “endeavor[s] to strengthen and support the arts and culture ecosystem through direct service, advocacy and collaboration,” Matko says.

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THE ASSEMBLY FOR THE ARTS CELEBRATE THE CREATIVITY AND DEDICATION

Here’s how some of this year’s recipients are using the support—and the advice they have for fellow creatives: Responses have been edited for clarity and brevity.

RACHEL YURKOVICH Using video and collage to explore the intersections of human-made and natural worlds, Yurkovich highlights overlooked consequences of human behavior. Her work, including the Foreign Bodies series and Ransom Notes to Civilization, invites viewers to pause, reflect, and find humor and quiet truths in everyday fragments.

• How the Grant Helps: “The Boost Fund grant allows me to make supply and technology purchases I might otherwise have to put off or avoid altogether. Having the equipment on hand lets me apply for more exhibition opportunities.”

• Best Advice for Artists: “Go to the studio even if you have nothing to work on or just don’t feel like it. Dedicate that time to art and inspiration, like reading a book or sketching. Keep the routine of showing up because it could lead to something.”

TRACEY WILEY Wiley uses poetry to connect with others and explore life.

Her work, inspired by personal experiences and those of others, aims to inspire and uplift through themes of love and spirituality.

• How the Grant Helps: “This grant allows me to experience the publishing process with less financial concern.”

• Best Advice for Artists: “The best advice I’ve received is not to compare my work to others. There’s a niche for all of us.”

JURNEE TA’ZION Ta’Zion, an award-winning artist and curator, works in painting, printmaking, drawing, ceramics, and 3D art. Growing up in a family of Black artists, she creates art that explores personal

growth, tackles challenging subjects, and inspires her community.

• How the Grant Helps: “My favorite experience with this grant was getting to create a custom mixed-media painting for Smino, an artist that changed my lie and inspired my career.”

• Best Advice for Artists: “The motto of my friend Jae Capo—“create daily”—stays on my mind and keeps me going.”

ZACH ANGELONI Angeloni, a Cleveland-based musician, blends genres to explore human experiences through relationships, memories, and storytelling. His lyrics use imagery and wordplay, inviting listeners to find their own meaning in the music.

• How the Grant Helps: “With the Boost Fund, I’m recording my second full-length album, exploring the full potential of new songs and creating a fuller sound. This allowed me to work with other local musicians and studios and experiment beyond my usual folkforward, stripped-down style.”

• Best Advice for Artists: “Write what you know. It’s easy to feel like your story may be overshadowed by the vastness of the world, but your experiences and what you want to share are important, and someone will relate.”

MCKINLEY WILEY Wiley documents artistic journeys and intergenerational experiences through photography and film. His work celebrates self-discovery, community, and a passion for life and fine art.

• How the Grant Helps: “The Boost Fund has allowed me to expand beyond my artistic practice in photography into printmaking. Currently, I’m a member at Zygote Press, where I create monoprints from my photographs.”

• Best Advice for Artists: “When one door closes, another opens.”

Above photos, left to right: Rachel Yurkovich, Tracey Wiley, Jurnee Ta'Zion and Zach Angeloni, photo by McKinley Wiley

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HONORING THE PAST, INSPIRING THE FUTURE OF THE ARTS 2025 Cleveland Arts Prize winners span poetry, music, public art, and cultural leadership

For more than six decades, the Cleveland Arts Prize has played both historian and cheerleader—documenting the region’s artistic legacy while championing those who create it. Since 1960, CAP has honored more than 400 artists, cultural leaders, and organizations whose vision has enriched Northeast Ohio’s cultural life. This fall, it will welcome a new class of honorees—poets and guitarists, public artists and arts advocates—whose work continues to shape the region’s creative landscape.

HERE ARE THIS YEAR’S WINNERS: • Emerging Artist Award: Ali Black, a vital voice in Cleveland’s literary scene whose latest poetry collection, We Look Better Alive, explores the struggles and resilience of Black women.

• Mid-Career Artist Award: Jason Vieaux, a Grammy-winning guitarist and longtime Cleveland Institute of Music instructor. Known for his international performances and local community engagement, Vieaux is celebrated for offering free concerts, teaching in underserved areas, and inspiring audiences with his artistry.

• Lifetime Achievement Award: Mark E. Howard, a sculptor, painter, muralist, and textile artist whose works have graced some of the city’s most prominent public spaces, including the Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland Hopkins Airport, and the Cleveland Public Library.

HONORING CULTURAL LEADERSHIP In addition to its juried discipline awards, CAP recognizes individuals and organizations whose impact extends beyond the studio or stage: • Special Citation from the Board of Trustees: Jennie Jones, a 93-year-old renowned photographer, author, and visual historian whose 27,000 images have documented Cleveland’s architecture and urban life for more than five decades.

• Barbara S. Robinson Prize for the Advancement of the Arts: Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Foundation, for extraordinary philanthropic support of institutions like The Cleveland Orchestra, Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland

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Public Theatre, and Cleveland Institute of Art. The award honors leadership and advocacy in strengthening the region’s cultural infrastructure.

• Robert P. Bergman Prize: Greg Peckham, whose 20 years as executive director of LAND Studio transformed Cleveland’s public spaces through art and placemaking initiatives.

Peckham now brings his vision for equity and access to the Cuyahoga Valley Land Conservancy.

• Martha Joseph Prize for Distinguished Service to the Arts: Robin Pease, a playwright, actor, educator, and founding artistic director of Kulture Kids. Of Native American descent and a member of the Mohawk Nation, Pease’s interactive performances celebrate Indigenous heroes and history, fostering empathy and cultural pride in audiences of all ages.

A LEGACY OF IMPACT Founded by the Women’s City Club in 1960, the Cleveland Arts Prize—the nation’s oldest municipal arts award—has become a prestigious platform for celebrating creativity in all its forms. Its influence extends far beyond the awards themselves, building public appreciation for the arts, inspiring future generations, and elevating Northeast Ohio as a cultural destination.

“Our 2025 winners and honorees reflect the extraordinary range of creativity, innovation, and impact shaping the cultural life of our region,” says Effie Nunes, Executive Director of the Cleveland Arts Prize. “They are masters of their craft, but also vital voices in our community. We are proud to celebrate their achievements and the inspiration they bring to us all.”

The 65th Annual Cleveland Arts Prize Awards Ceremony will be held Wednesday, October 22, 2025, at the Simon and Rose Mandel Theatre at Cuyahoga Community College’s Eastern Campus. Doors open at 6 p.m., with the program beginning at 6:30. Guests can expect an evening of live performances, heartfelt tributes, and the presentation of the 2025 prizes, followed by a lively reception in the theatre lobby.

Tickets start at $20 for students and go up to $250 for VIP access. For more information, visit clevelandartsprize.org.

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August Frederick Biehle American, 1885-1979

View of Canal, Zoar, Ohio, c. 1920, oil on canvas, 32 x 39 inches

Pillar of the Cleveland School WOLFS proudly presents the first major exhibition and sale of this important American Modernist’s work.

Opening Friday, October 10 On view through December 30

wolfsgallery.com | 216.721.6945 | info@wolfsgallery.com | Cleveland, Ohio 44122

ART as healing Art can’t cure a diagnosis or erase grief—but it can offer something just as vital: connection, comfort, and a way through. For artists facing illness or pain, the creative process can be a lifeline— an anchor when the body feels unsteady or the mind overwhelmed. For viewers, a painting, a play, or a piece of music can speak the unspeakable, soothe the spirit, or offer a moment of escape. In this package, we explore the profound relationship between creativity and healing—for those who make art, and those who turn to it in search of meaning, hope, or peace.

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THE SMALL TOWN GALLERY LEADING

A BIG CONVERSATION A new gallery in Hudson is using creativity to change the conversation around art and mental health

By Carlo Wolff

A

s you approach Peg’s Gallery in downtown Hudson, the message becomes clear: This is a different kind of space.

On a meadow next to the entrance stands a massive aluminum and enamel sculpture called Bipolar Butterfly.

Created by Stow-based artist Kimmy Henderson, the work’s vibrant, mismatched wings symbolize the dualities of mental illness—its chaos and its beauty.

“I actually didn’t start painting until my second child was

born and the Butterfly Project didn’t start until after my first manic episode in 2016,” says Henderson, who was diagnosed with bipolar 1 disorder at age 35. She sees her work as a bridge between art and advocacy. “I think it shows how art has the power to bring about social change and activism.”

That connection—between creative expression and mental health—is at the heart of Peg’s Gallery and the foundation behind it. “Art is an avenue to create conversation, to create healing,” says Rick Kellar, president and chief executive of Peg’s Foundation since 2005.

Art is an avenue to create conversation to create healing, says Rick Kellar, president and CEO of Peg’s Foundation. He appears here beside the foundation’s second-floor offices, which features a children’s nook—complete with pegs—inviting even the youngest guests to join the conversation.

Courtesy Rami Daud, Kent State University.

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Mimentic character, Lady Godiva, Cybernetic gentleman: Sketches from Dali that were on view at Peg’s Foundation. Courtesy Peg’s Foundation.

A MISSION ROOTED IN LIVED EXPERIENCE More than just a gallery, Peg’s is also the foundation’s headquarters and a platform for experimentation—a think tank for reimagining how mental health can be addressed through culture and creativity. “A gallery could just be a gallery,” says Courtney Cable, Peg’s Foundation Lead of Arts & Communication. “But it’s really not just the gallery.” It’s a facilitator—a portal to start hard conversations.

That mission is reflected in the intimate, jewel-box 3,000-square-foot gallery designed by Peninsula Architects, which opened on Oct. 22, 2024. The gallery serves as the public-facing arm of Peg’s Foundation—a philanthropic organization with more than $106 million in assets, according to Guidestar, dedicated to improving the lives of people with serious mental illness.

The foundation is named for Margaret Clark “Peg” Morgan, an arts patron and mental health advocate whose son was diagnosed with schizophrenia. For Peg and her son, art was a shared refuge—a way to process, connect, and heal.

Her motto, “Think Bigger,” still guides the organization. “She always said, ‘Hey, don’t come up with reasons why you can’t do something,’” recalls Kellar. “‘Think of how you can.’”

Visitors feel that spirit the moment they walk in, greeted by a large photo-collage “welcome wall” spotlighting Peg Morgan and the foundation’s mission, approach, and vision. Tucked under the staircase to the foundation’s second-floor offices is a children’s nook—complete with pegs—inviting even the youngest guests to join the conversation.

@CanvasCLE

The butterflies here symbolize the dualities of mental illness -- its chaos and beauty, as interpreted by Stow-based artist Kimmy Henderson, seated.. Courtesy of Tracy Ganghi Photography.

THINKING BIGGER—WITH DALI That mindset is on full display in the gallery’s current exhibition: Dali Beyond Time: Fashioning the Future, an unexpected and ambitious show that pairs rarely seen Salvador Dali drawings and jewelry with futuristic garments designed by Kent State University fashion students. (The exhibition, which runs through September 27, opened June 12. Dali’s paintings were only on view through July 5th).

For a gallery in its first year of operation, mounting a show of this scale might seem improbable. But to Kellar, that’s the point.

“You might think of a traditional approach to how you would do mental health, arts, or education—our three main focus areas,” he says. “I have kind of the opposite approach.

We’re not a huge foundation; we’re not small, but we’re not huge. But to think that we could build a gallery of this size in this place and host Dali paintings within the first six or eight months—we did that.”

The seeds of the exhibition were planted decades ago, when Peg and Burt Morgan began supporting Kent State University, eventually endowing the fashion department’s directorship.

At a dinner in New York last year, Kellar met an executive from Scabal, a luxury European fabric company that owns a collection of 12 Dali illustrations commissioned in the early 1970s to imagine fashion in the year 2000.

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Dali Gallery opening: The opening of the Dali exhibit at Peg’s Foundation. The exhibit runs through Sept. 27, however, Dali’s paintings were only on view through July 5th.. Courtesy of Rami Daud, Kent State University.

That meeting sparked an idea: What if Peg’s Gallery paired those works with new creations by fashion students—young designers who could bring Dali’s vision into the present?

ART AS AN OUTLET But the show is more than a visual delight. True to the foundation’s mission, Dali Beyond Time is also an exercise in creative healing and education. It includes workshops and opportunities for student designers to reflect on how art can serve as an emotional outlet.

“So it wasn’t just about bringing the paintings here, and it wasn’t just about the suits,” says Cable. “They wanted to encourage emerging designers through this experience as well.

And that’s where the beautiful connection lies.”

Kent State student Ashleigh Stephenson, who led a croquis [figure drawing] workshop at the gallery and won a Dali Vision Award for a winged dress she created, says the experience affirmed her belief in the power of art to support mental health.

“Peg’s Gallery is an inspiration to me,” she says. “Mental illness is something that affects everyone, whether you yourself struggle with it, or it’s someone you know and love. Having a creative outlet like fashion and art is a crucial part of my mental health.”

To Stephenson, galleries like Peg’s aren’t just places to view art—they’re spaces for healing. “It’s so important to bring awareness to mental health and advocate for a better future for

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those with mental illness,” she says. “And that is exactly what Peg’s Gallery does.”

A DIFFERENT KIND OF GALLERY Kellar credits his own experience as a former Green Beret with shaping the foundation’s unconventional approach. “Part of being in the Army is to be disruptive and contrarian in how I think about how things should be,” he says.

That mindset has fueled Peg’s ambitious growth. Before opening the new space, the gallery operated from a modest 300-square-foot lobby in a different building across the street. Even then, artists were lining up—both professionals and amateurs—to show their work.

“Artists are coming out of the woodwork,” Kellar says.

“This is 10 times that capacity. It’s how you manage and do it right and protect your brand. And it’s all opportunity.”

One of the gallery’s most attractive features for emerging artists? It takes no commission on sales—unlike most galleries, which often take 40% to 50%.

And what comes after Dali Beyond Time?

The team is already thinking ahead. The next exhibition could feature local, national, or international artists—or some combination of all three. Peg’s Foundation will keep pushing boundaries, Kellar says, and continue proving that creative spaces can be catalysts for serious change.

There’s no reason a gallery in a small Ohio town can’t be a leader in mental health innovation. It just has to be willing to think big.

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MEMORY

Moshe Gershuni

Curated by Matthew Garson and Kayta Oicherman

EXHIBITION OPENING Sunday, September 21 @ 1-3 pm Roe Green Gallery Jewish Federation of Cleveland Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Building 25701 Science Park Drive, Beachwood

Sunday, September 28 @ 1-3 pm Hartzmark Gallery Congregation Mishkan Or Jack & Lilyan Mandel Building 26000 Shaker Boulevard, Beachwood

Open through February 2026 For a complete schedule of monthly open houses and innovative programming please visit www.jewishcleveland.org/arts View “Kaddish”, a magnificent portfolio by Moshe Gershuni, among the most significant contemporary Israeli artists, illustrating the poem written by the American Jewish beatnik poet Allen Ginsberg on the death of his mother. The portfolio includes 24 images screenprinted on goldleaf next to the original text with Hebrew translation by the eminent Israeli poet Natan Zach. Gershuni’s passionate and deeply personal work reflects the challenges of Israeli life, often addressing grief and memory with symbolic images of wreaths.

One part of the portfolio will be displayed at each location, alongside other artworks by Gershuni.

To schedule group tours or individual visits at the Roe Green Gallery, email israelarts@jewishcleveland.org or call 216-593-2900.

To schedule group tours or individual visits at Congregation Mishkan Or, email koicherman@mishkanor.org or call 216-455-1697 GENEROUSLY SPONSORED BY

Reimagining Reality Jason Toth on art, color and the journey to healing.

By Elizabeth Weinstein

W

hen Jason Toth first toured the empty 1,800-square-foot space at 78th Street Studios in January, he understood why owner Dan Bush had hesitated to show it to him.

The walls were red, shag carpet covered the floors, and it had the dated feel of its former life as a boudoir photography studio.

But to Toth, it was perfect.

Known for creating hyper-color photographic art using architecture and natural landscapes as raw material, he had been searching for a studio with character. “It’s like the universe is saying, ‘Here’s a gift,’” he told Bush.

Within two months, he had transformed it into an immersive, multi-sensory art oasis, opening to the public in March.

“I created this studio as a combination of all the things that helped me find myself,” he says. “I believe that it can resonate with other people. … There’s the artwork that I create on the walls, but truly, this whole space — this is my art.”

In this conversation, Toth shares the story of his creative process and the 2019 illness that upended his life — inspiring him to create art “as a means to reimagine reality, bringing color to life when it feels like it’s being sucked out.”

Your life changed in 2019, when you were diagnosed with Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS). What’s it like to live with?

I got sick in August 2019. I was outside gardening, it was really hot, and when I stood up, my legs gave out. I blacked out for a second. When I got up, I was hit with intense vertigo.

Every time I stood, the vertigo came back. After a couple of days, it still wasn’t going away. I saw a neurologist who recognized the symptoms and made the diagnosis.

He told me, “This is what you have. It’s a lifelong condition. It’s manageable, but it’s gonna suck. You’ll have to make a lot of lifestyle changes.” You have to relearn how your body functions, essentially.

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On the drive home from the neurologist’s office, before the news had even fully settled in, my first reaction was: I have to figure out how to have a fulfilling life with this.

How did you define success before your diagnosis?

I feel like success means something different when you have more control over your body and your circumstances. You gauge your success based on what you say you’re going to do and then whether or not you do it when you say you will.

At the time, I had my own marketing business. It was small but I had two full-time employees. I had a vision for what I wanted the company to be and how big I wanted it to grow. I was very driven by that. I wanted to be a successful entrepreneur and a creative marketer.

That ended in 2019.

How did your definition of success change?

I lost my income source, and I was self-employed. I ended up having to shut down my business, and that just shattered me completely.

I was depressed, and I felt like I was losing myself. I was losing my identity, everything that I had anchored myself to. Most people can have a good idea of what’s going to happen tomorrow.

I was in a position of, I have no idea what my life looks like.

Everything has just changed. And that’s scary, especially when you don’t know what you’re going to do about it.

That’s where my personal transformation started — therapy, reading, listening to podcasts and audiobooks on the nervous system. I started meditating. It was very intense.

I had let go of my creative self for a long time. One of the reasons I had started my marketing company was I thought that was the only way that I could pursue a creative life and make a good living.

I started thinking about photography. I’ve been doing photography my entire life. I was always the documentarian of the family. Taking photos always lit me up. For the first couple

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Photo by Melvin Sokolsky

Photo by Melvin Sokolsky

Photo

by Melvin Sokolsky Photo

by Melvin Sokolsky Photo by Melvin Sokolsky

ELEVATE YOUR FINE ART COLLECTION

Above: Surrender & Smile is a 1,800-square-foot space blending high-end sound, vibrant lighting, and immersive photography to create a calm, reflective atmosphere. A striking wall-sized image of a stainedglass dome comes alive with shifting light, making it appear as though real sunlight is streaming through. Photo courtesy of Jason Toth Opposite page: Jason Toth setting up a shot

“Spectral Splendor of The Schofield,” a 32-by-30-inch aluminum piece by Jason Toth, was commissioned as a surprise birthday gift to honor a couple’s time living in the historic downtown Cleveland builiding. Drawing from his own photography, Toth wove in architectural details from the Schofield, the Heinen’s rotunda, and the PNC Building to capture the spirit of their shared memories.

of years post-diagnosis, I spent most days in bed. It was my camera that got me out of my bed.

Now, my only goal is to make life worth it.

The color grabs people’s attention. Then they see something familiar — Terminal Tower, the Guardians, Severance Hall, the art museum, a willow tree at Edgewater Park, a steel mill — which activates their memories.

These places are iconic to Cleveland, and they’re ubiquitous to the point where they’re beautiful but mundane. With my art, it’s like people are seeing them for the first time again. They say, “I never noticed that level of detail in the Guardians,” or “I didn’t realize that the top of the Terminal Tower had all these columns.”

Have you noticed more awareness of POTS since the COVID-19 pandemic?

I am always surprised when someone has heard of it, or knows somebody who has it. Most people haven’t. It’s a very isolating thing to have a chronic illness. It’s very lonely.

Most of the time I see the silver lining in having the health challenges that I do, because as a result I’m more authentically me, and I’m pursuing something that genuinely fulfills me.

Walk me through your creative process.

When I take photos, most of the time I try to drop the narrative and the labels of what I’m looking at. Instead, I look for the shapes, colors and patterns. I’m more influenced by abstract painters than photographers.

Everything I do is self-taught. My early work was all done in Lightroom, a photo editing software. The colors you see in my pieces come from the actual photograph, but what I learned is that “yellow” is not yellow. There are so many different shades of yellow. And tweaking one shade of yellow one way, and another shade of yellow that same way, can produce vastly different colors.

I started using masks in Lightroom, and within those masks I could manipulate the colors all over again. My pieces are built on masks upon masks upon masks upon masks.

I also identify with and project a lot of myself onto Cleveland. There are so many places that I want to photograph.

I find I’m always discovering something in Cleveland that blows me away. I have a deep personal connection with this city.

You’ve said people often cry when they see your work.

Why do you think that happens?

I continue to be overwhelmed by how my artwork connects with people. I’ve been a full-time artist for less than three years, and on six different occasions, I’ve seen my work make a grown adult cry. I think it has something to do with the familiar presented in a surreal way.

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Tell me about your studio.

It’s not only where I spend most of my time and create my art — it’s where I display it, host gatherings, and built my immersive installation Surrender & Smile. Inspired by my health condition, it absolutely floors people.

In Surrender & Smile, produced by Audimute, my artwork, reactive lighting, high-fidelity sound, and color come together to facilitate awareness, relaxation, or gratitude. The entire space is treated with my artwork on acoustic panels made from recycled denim, so it’s also about the absence of sound. At its heart, it’s a place for mindfulness, and how someone experiences that depends on what they’re going through. It’s like a sound bath.

Early in my journey with POTS, I rediscovered my love of music through meditation. I turned my guest room into a listening sanctuary — a profound experience I wanted to share. Most people haven’t experienced music the way artists intended, in stillness and without distraction. That’s what inspired this space.

I want it to be more than an art studio — a place for creative conversations and small events. I’ve talked with musicians about doing my own version of NPR’s Tiny Desk Concerts, focusing on Cleveland artists. My neighbor has a recording studio with all the equipment.

In August, I hosted a conversation series with Teaching Cleveland on the city’s golden age of architecture and vision — surrounded by artwork that reimagines Cleveland in surreal ways.

My hope is that this space inspires conversation and new ways of seeing things.

To see more of Jason Toth’s work, visit jtoth.art.

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New Maltz Museum Special Exhibition Exploring The Migrant Experience At The Us/Mexico Border To Open On September 18, 2025 Photographer Tom Kiefer’s El Sueño Americano / The American Dream will be on view at the Maltz Museum from September 18, 2025, through February 16, 2026. Kiefer’s still-life photographs of the countless “non-essential” or “potentially lethal” items confiscated from migrants bring humanity to the viewer. The exhibition features nearly 300 works, along with a revealing selection of migrant belongings. For the first time, the exhibition will also feature works from contemporary Mexican American artist Elizabeth Z. Pineda.

Kiefer’s contemporary still-life photographs feature the personal possessions of migrants and asylum seekers that U.S. Border Patrol agents confiscated and discarded from 2003 to 2014. Although the names and stories of the migrants are unknown, each photograph evokes a unique story bound to the lost owners of the objects. Through his lens, Kiefer provides a forum for discussions on borders, humanity, and the lengths people will go to for a better life.

Elizabeth Z. Pineda is a multidisciplinary artist originally from Mexico City. Her work explores complex issues related to immigration, identity, displacement, and migrant deaths in the Arizona desert. Included in the exhibition is her film, Ceremonia from the Sin Nombre en Esta Tierra Sagrada series, honoring the thousands of migrant lives lost in the Arizona desert. The film is shown alongside artworks from her Maíz series of cyanotype prints on corn husks and Reverencia series of printed silk banners documenting migrant deaths in the desert.

“El Sueño Americano tells a part of the migration story that many people never see. This exhibition uniquely humanizes the experience that takes place when people leave their lives behind in pursuit of the American dream,” said Aaron

Petersal, Executive Director of the Maltz Museum. “Many immigrants must give up connections to the past on their journey, and those objects tell their stories—about who they are and what is important to them. Kiefer’s photography, alongside Pineda’s imagery and artwork, asks visitors to consider what it is to give up everything for a chance at a better life.”

The installation includes nearly 300 works of art distributed through 12 sections. Visitors will also encounter a reflection space, where they can process the exhibition and explore ways to take action.

About the Maltz Museum Opened in 2005 in a collaboration between The Maltz Family Foundation, the Jewish Federation of Cleveland’s Centennial Initiative, and The TempleTifereth Israel with research support from the Western Reserve Historical Society, the Maltz Museum is rooted in the Jewish value of respect for all humanity, building bridges of tolerance and understanding by sharing Jewish heritage through the lens of the American experience. The

Maltz Museum is dedicated to exploring diverse stories of courage from history and today, with a commitment to education and learning so there can be a more inclusive tomorrow. Learn more at www.

MaltzMuseum.org.

Location, Admission, & Hours The Maltz Museum is located at 2929 Richmond Road in Beachwood, OH. • Admission: $12 adults, $10 seniors (60+) and students, $5 youth (5-11), and FREE for Maltz Museum Members and children under 5.

• Hours: Tuesday – Sunday, 11 am -5 pm, Wednesday, 11 am – 9 pm. Closed on Mondays and most major holidays.

Out of His Head, Onto the Page Akron Art Museum Show Explores Alfred McMoore’s Art and Mental Health

By Lydia Kacala n interviews, when Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys recalls the name of his Grammy-winning band, he credits an unlikely source: Alfred McMoore, a self-taught artist and lifelong Akron resident who left his mark on the city’s cultural DNA in more ways than one.

McMoore, who lived with schizophrenia, would leave voicemails for friends and acquaintances—often when he needed a ride to the store or help with errands. One of his signature phrases? “Don’t be a black key.” Another: “How did I get all this luck in my head?” That second quote now serves as the title of McMoore’s first solo museum

exhibition, opening Sept. 20, 2025, at the Akron Art Museum.

“Alfred McMoore: All This Luck in My Head” runs through Feb. 8, 2026, and showcases the artist’s monumental pencil drawings—some stretching five feet high and up to fifty feet long—many of which have never been shown publicly.

Anchoring the show is a rarely seen scroll donated in 1995 by Chuck Auerbach, Dan’s father, an art collector and longtime supporter of McMoore’s work.

“Even though he had this, what some people would call a mental illness, he also had a lot of luck in his head,” says Wendy Earle, the museum’s curator. “We hope that maybe (this exhibition) helps destigmatize mental illness for folks.”

Pictures and a casket covered in flowers is part of a funeral scene drawn by Alfred McMoore.

In graphite and long scrolls, McMoore immortalizes the rituals and rhythms of everyday life. Photos courtesy of Akron Art Museum

I

22 | Canvas | Fall 2025

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This pencil drawing shows a neighborhood funeral procession, part of McMoore’s detailed chronicling of daily life. Photos Courtesy of Akron Art Museum Born in 1950, McMoore spent his entire life in Akron.

Diagnosed with schizophrenia, he developed a daily artmaking practice that became both an outlet and a lifeline. He often depicted people from his neighborhood and those he came across.

“He created this life for himself,” Earle says. “Once he got the support that he needed, he was really great. His art was one of the main things he most wanted to do.”

The exhibition will showcase how McMoore touched the lives of those around him. It will also include a short documentary about his life, along with context about the outsider art tradition—a genre defined by artists who are largely self-taught and work outside the commercial gallery system.

Earle says the idea for the show started with a simple question: could McMoore’s rarely seen, physically enormous drawings anchor a major museum exhibition? The answer, it turned out, was yes.

At first, Earle says she wasn’t sure there was “enough of a story” to fill the space. But as she began researching

“Even though he had this, what some people would call a mental illness, he also had a lot of luck in his head. We hope that maybe (this exhibition) helps destigmatize mental illness for folks.”

Wendy Earle, Akron Art Museum curator, on Alfred McMoore

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and developing the exhibition, she realized that wasn’t the case. McMoore’s story opened up conversations not only about the artist and his work, but also about Akron, community, and care—making it a natural fit for the city’s 2025 bicentennial celebration.

“We can’t ever forget that we are a community,” Earle says. “That comes with not just possibilities, but responsibilities. We need to take care of everyone in our community, no matter where they’re at in their heads. We have some great organizations that help us with unhoused populations, with people with mental health issues. We need to continue supporting that on an institutional level, but also on an individual level.”

Interested in more Northeast Ohio arts coverage?

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Fall 2025 | Canvas | 23

Jennifer Steinkamp, Mike Kelley 1, 2007, digital projection.

Courtesy of the artist and Lehmann Maupin. Cleveland Clinic Art Collection.

WhenWalls Speak

Art as Solace in Hospitals 24 | Canvas | Fall 2025

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Xylor Jane, Cat Hearts, 2023, series of six four-plate aquatint etchings with sugar lift on white Rives BFK paper.

Courtesy of the artist and Wingate Studio. Cleveland Clinic Art Collection.

By Casey Couch

A

rt heals, but it isn’t medicine. It can’t be prescribed by a doctor or bottled up over the counter. Art can’t cure a diagnosis or erase grief. It does, however, offer something just as vital — connection, comfort and a way through.

When patients, families and loved ones pass through University Hospitals and Cleveland Clinic facilities across Northeast Ohio, many stop to take in the art for a moment of calm and respite.

What they may not realize, though, is that the art they’re looking at has been carefully combed over, hand-picked and selected for that space by a team of curators who aim to turn the cold, sterile halls into a place of warmth and comfort for those who walk through them.

In 2024, Cleveland Clinic polled more than 1,000 patients and caregivers for the How Art Heals survey. Respondents shared that the artwork across Main Campus improved mood (81%), stress levels (72%), overall wellness (62%) and comfort and pain levels (47%).

The impact is no accident. Ellen Rudolph, senior director and curator at the Cleveland Clinic, says that the art is meant to activate the spaces within the clinic’s facilities to provide respite and to help aid in the healing process. The art, she said, gives patients and families something to connect to during times of anxiety and uncertainty.

“At the most basic level, we’ve heard people say that artwork makes people feel human. When you have high quality original artwork, it often has a story to tell in some way and people can sense that and they’re able to connect to it,” Rudolph tells Canvas. “People will see a specific image, and it

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"At the most basic level, we've heard people say that artwork makes people feel human."

Dana Oldfather, Lit Belt, 2023, oil on linen. Courtesy of the artist and Abattoir Gallery. Cleveland Clinic Art Collection.

Fall 2025 | Canvas | 25

People viewing a commissioned piece of art at Cleveland Clinic Mentor Hospital. Eva LeWitt, Untitled, 2023, mesh and aluminum. Courtesy of the artist and Luhring Augustine. Cleveland Clinic Art Collection. will make them think of a family member or a loved one, and people have told us that it makes them feel like they’re in the right place or that everything is going to be okay. That can be incredibly profound.”

Art work in the hospitals comes in all different mediums, from large-scale sculptural commissions to paintings, prints, photographs, drawings and mixed media works. Not only does the art offer relief, it also serves as a landmark for familiar locations when navigating through a hospital.

“Art is extremely important for wayfinding in large, complex hospital buildings,” Rudolph says. “It can sometimes be confusing and hard for people to find their way, and it’s very comforting for people to be able to see an image or a sculpture that’s familiar to them and that tells them they’re going in the right direction.”

The Cleveland Clinic’s world-renowned contemporary art collection features over 7,000 works across 225 locations globally, with art sourced from all over the world that has been curated by an in-house team. Over 90% of the collection is on view daily, with locations in northeast Ohio, Florida, Las Vegas, outpatient centers in London and facilities in Abu Dhabi.

At University Hospitals, the local program has grown over the years to include more than 3,300 pieces of art displayed across 30-plus medical facilities, from Avon to Conneaut and as far as Ashland. The collection is largely supplied by a pool of local donors throughout Northeast Ohio, with works in all mediums represented throughout the facilities.

Tom Huck, art curator of 14 years at University Hospitals and the Jackie and Fred C. Rothstein, MD, endowed director of art curation, says that the art collection at University Hospitals was established in 1988 under founding curator

26 | Canvas | Fall 2025

Trudy Wiesenberger, who retired in 2010, with the goal of creating welcoming spaces for patients.

“We’ve got a really wide demographic of patient population, so we really try to find pieces that speak to those different populations,” Huck tells Canvas. “For example, we’re going to look for something different for a sports medicine clinic than we would for women’s health. We look for things that are very patient specific, not necessarily in terms of subject matter, but in terms of feel.”

Art represents the different states of wellness throughout the hospital, Huck explains, and the physical usage factor of a space helps determine what form and feel of art will be placed there.

A busy thoroughfare, for example, would require art that is active or energizing to help encourage movement, whereas a waiting area would call for art that is calming and that a patient can get lost in.

“In the areas where the staff is going to be pretty prolific, like back and forth between areas of the hospital on their way to the cafeteria to get nourishment and caffeine, we had more colorful, energetic type of work so that there was something stimulating in terms of color,” Huck says. “But when you go back into the patient areas, it’s just a little bit softer imagery with softer color and more relaxing.”

Those relaxing images, Huck and Rudolph both say, have earned their respective hospital networks many thank yous and letters of gratitude, as patients and staff alike appreciate the fine art that is available.

While nurses race through the halls and patients quietly regain their strength, the carefully curated art collections offer a familiar warmth that always brings its viewers to the same conclusion — art isn’t medicine, but it does heal.

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Fall 2025 | Canvas | 27

A Sacred Space for Creativity Artful Cleveland Finds a New Home in Historic Cleveland Heights Church

By Alyssa Schmitt

A

fter sitting empty for five years, the former St. Alban’s Episcopal Church in Cleveland Heights will host a different kind of congregation: one of artists at work.

When ARTFUL Cleveland unlocked the church’s doors in May, it wasn’t just moving in – it was securing its spot in the community. The nonprofit, known for providing affordable and accessible studios, had been without a permanent home since being displaced from the Coventry PEACE Building in Cleveland Heights on January 31, 2025, after its landlord, Cleveland Heights-University Heights Public Library, asked tenants to vacate due to financial concerns and disagreements about the building’s future, multiple local news outlets reported.

Cleveland Heights artist Donna Marchetti, an ARTFUL resident since October 2023, was angry when she heard the news about losing the space “I had just gotten myself into this wonderful situation and then it looked like it might just disappear because we had no idea where we were going to go,” she says.

As relocation became inevitable, ARTFUL’s leadership knew they needed to stay in Cleveland Heights, where the community feels safe and family-friendly, yet close enough to Cleveland to attract a good mix of artists, explains Shannon Morris, ARTFUL’s co-founder and executive director. Discovering the church felt like the building’s natural next chapter. “(The diocese) have to let go of a beloved space and they want it used for a mission-based organization,” she says. “It

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makes them feel good about letting go to give it to someone that’s going to use it as a community builder.”

FROM IDEA TO ARTIST HUB When Morris, a University Heights resident, first envisioned ARTFUL, she was looking for a safe, affordable, collaborative studio close to home where she could work.

“I just recognized that there wasn’t any studio space available that (fit) what I was looking for,” she says. “So I decided that I was going to change that.”

In 2015, she invited every artist she knew to a meeting at her house. She pitched her idea for a studio space and asked, “who wants to help?” Brady Dindia, co-founder and board president, immediately signed on and the board was formed from that meeting.

In 2017, ARTFUL opened in the Coventry PEACE Building, growing to 27 studios and hosting events including PEACE Pops, the Lantern Festival and Juneteenth exhibitions.

SACRED SPACE TURNED CREATIVE SANCTUARY The church’s story began at the corner of Murray Hill Road and Fairview Avenue, according to the Episcopal Asset Map. Completed in 1892, the original building was moved by ox cart in 1897 up the hill to its current location and rebuilt after a 1989 fire. The church later served both Episcopal and Jewish congregations, including a satellite space designed with Rabbi Bruce Abrams of Temple Ner Tamid.

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When negotiating the purchase with the diocese, ARTFUL needed to quickly raise $500,000 through anonymous donations and bought the building for $300,000. The first 12 artists moved in on Aug. 1, with another eight expected around Sept. 1 once the next studios are finished. After that, Morris says, the focus will shift to creating an upstairs space for members.

Because the organization agreed to buy the building in its current state, the remainder of the funds it raised will be used for restorations, explains Morris, which are many.

“Changing it into studios is the easiest part,” says Morris, who is also serving as the building manager during this process.

The challenging parts include major investments in new siding, A/C and a sprinkler system, the latter of which was lacking from the building because places of worship are exempt from having fire suppression systems. ARTFUL can’t host events until it’s installed. Plans also include adding kilns, converting the commercial kitchen into a printmaking studio and using the sanctuary as an event space.

Despite the challenges, having a studio outside the home is essential for artists, says Wendy Weil, a resident artist at ARTFUL since 2024. It allows them to leave work in progress, experiment freely — even throw paint at a canvas, as Weil has — and work on multiple pieces at once.

“It helps you get to the next stage of creating art, and there is a benefit to (artists) being around each other, you just continue to grow,” says Weil.

LOOKING TO THE FUTURE Now that the organization has its own space, it plans to introduce tiered memberships, open studio hours and more opportunities for the public to engage with resident artists, Morris says. When looking to the future, she hopes to see the community using the building will help shape it.

Marchetti sees potential in the building’s green space. As a textile artist, she envisions using the raised flower beds for a collaborative dye garden with another textile artist, growing plants for their dyes on-site.

Both artists and leadership share excitement for what’s ahead, envisioning the space evolving through creativity, collaboration and community involvement.

“I’m really happy to see that Shannon and the people that work closely with her have this independence to really grow this into their vision,” Weil says. “It’s just a process, but I can’t wait until we can have one of those events like we had at ARTFUL where the community can come in and see everything.”

Opposite page: The new home of ARTFUL Cleveland at the former St. Alban’s Episcopal Church at 2555 Euclid Heights Blvd. in Cleveland Heights. | Submitted Photos / Brady Dindia; Above: An inside look at the former St. Alban’s Episcopal Church’s sanctuary, which is planned to be used for events. Photos courtesy of Shannon Morris.

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Fall 2025 | Canvas | 29

Glass in His Blood How Ben Johnson Found His Life’s Work

by Rebecca Meiser

W

hen Ben Johnson was a preteen in a small Indiana town, he told his parents he wanted to move to Italy to be a professional glassblower.

“Italy’s pretty far away,” his mom and dad said with a laugh. “Maybe start closer to home.” Like Seattle. “They were supportive but practical,” Johnson recalls.

That mix of big dreams and down-to-earth advice perfectly captures Ben’s journey — a balance between passion and pragmatism that has shaped his artistic work and career as an associate professor of Craft + Design at the Cleveland Institute of Art. Drawing on centuries-old Italian glassblowing techniques, Johnson creates contemporary vessels that emphasize color and optical effects. Inspired by everyday patterns and his fascination with color theory and texture, his layered designs are achieved by applying colored overlays during blowing and then engraving cooled surfaces to add intricate textures and patterns.

Johnson’s work has been widely exhibited and is held in several prominent collections, including the Indiana State Museum. He’s been recognized as a Rising Star in contemporary glass by the Museum of American Glass and is a recipient of the prestigious Windgate Fellowship.

But despite that early declaration, it wasn’t always clear that Johnson would make it as a glass artist. In this Canvas interview, he reflects on the pivotal moments that shaped his craft, the mentors who pushed him forward, and how he balances technical mastery with artistic vision.

30 | Canvas | Fall 2025

Canvas: What initially attracted you to glass over ceramics or other media?

Johnson: Honestly, I thought I’d be a potter. I didn’t go straight to college; I just wanted to make ceramics. I took a ceramics class in high school and was basically living in that studio by senior year. Later, at an art center in Indianapolis, there was a glass studio next door. I took a glass class on a whim, fell in love, and started taking fewer ceramics classes.

Canvas: What is it about glassblowing that holds your interest?

Johnson: It demands your full attention. From the very beginning, you have to be all in—fully focused, with no distractions. It just attracts me: the idea that you are forced to do this thing until it’s done. There aren’t many things like that today.

Canvas: How did your path evolve in college, especially given your initial business studies?

Johnson: I was kind of pushed to go to college. I went to business school because it seemed practical, but I kept taking art classes on the side. I sold ceramics and glass at fairs, and my art teachers wondered why I wasn’t going all in on art school and doing this more. My parents, being parents, were like, “He’s not going to art school.” But I kept making and selling more work. I was spending tons of time at the glass studio—helping teach, monitoring it, involved in everything except running or full teaching. Eventually, I found the courage to switch into the art program. Later, I did a summer course at Kent State (University) and and thought, “This is great. I can have more access here.” I was exposed to equipment and resources I hadn’t seen in the small community studio, so I transferred there. It felt right— close to home but with more opportunity.

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Coming Soon!

2025/2026 Season Part concert, part documentary and all fun, there’s nothing like The Song Is You!, which combines live performances with rare video and expert commentary. It’s all about exploring the cultural impact of musical theater as a uniquely American art form.

Getting to Know You – All-Request Cabaret

Join Bill Rudman, Nancy Maier and friends for a delightfully relaxed evening of cocktails, dinner and intimate cabaret filled with musical theater songs chosen by you.

October 3, 6 PM - Chagrin Valley Hunt Club

It’s Time for a Love Song

This performance will sample some of the best—from Irving Berlin’s “How Deep Is the Ocean” and Rodgers & Hammerstein’s “Some Enchanted Evening.”

November 9, 3 PM - First Baptist Church of Greater Cleveland

A Christmas Cabaret

Instead of carols, favorites like “White Christmas,” “Sleighride” and “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.”

December 12, 7 PM and 13, 2 PM at Stocker Center for the Arts December 14 and 15 at Edwins – Dinner Cabaret

Stardust: The Songs of Hoagy Carmichael

Our 10th annual collaboration with Cleveland Jazz Orchestra celebrates the songs of Hoagy Carmichael.

January 24, 7:30 PM - Maltz Performing Arts Center

Legendary Black Singers—Great Broadway Songs

A salute to singers such as Ella, Nat, Lena, Nancy Wilson, Bobby Short and many more. Hosted by Leon Bibb.

March 8, 3 PM - First Baptist Church of Greater Cleveland

Walk On: The Power of Carousel

This docu-concert will include scenes from the musical and all the songs including “If I Loved You” and “You’ll Never Walk Alone.” Featuring members of Cleveland Chamber Choir.

June 14, 3 PM - Gartner Auditorium, Cleveland Museum of Art

For more information call 216-860-1518 or visit www.MusicalTheaterProject.org

The Pop Up Art Gallery

The only gallery in the United States dedicated to naïve art.

Our gallery is devoted to celebrating the vibrant, expressive and deeply personal works that define the naïve art tradition.

Edivaldo Barbosa De Souza, Brazil

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Fall 2025 | Canvas | 31

Opposite page: CIA professor and glass artist Ben Johnson in the college’s Glass Studio, where he teaches and creates work using centuries-old Italian glassblowing techniques. Courtesy Cleveland Institute of Art; Above: Glass artist and CIA professor Ben Johnson demonstrates his craft to (from left) recent BFA graduate Annie O’Brien, emeritus faculty Brent Kee Young, and studio manager Zac Gorell in the CIA Glass program studio.

Courtesy Cleveland Institute of Art Canvas: When did you start thinking glass could be a career, not just a hobby?

Johnson: Near the end of undergrad, I honestly wasn’t sure. I thought I might get a “real” job. But one professor—an emeritus who founded the glass program—pushed me hard.

He asked, “What are you going to do after school?” I said, “I don’t think I’m pursuing this. It just seems hard.” He said, “You’re going to be a studio assistant.” I thought, “No way.”

But he was really pushy—a tough old Brooklyn guy who just said, “You’re gonna do what I say.” So I interviewed, moved to Rhode Island, and was a studio assistant for a couple years.

He also nominated me for the Windgate Fellowship—$15,000 for ten undergrads nationwide.

Canvas: You’ve received several other fellowships and awards. How have they impacted your work?

Johnson: I’ve been lucky. Beyond the Windgate, I’ve gotten teaching awards with cash prizes, and creative renewal fellowships worth $10,000 to $25,000. These awards are usually unrestricted money, which is a huge blessing to an artist. You don’t have to sell your work to get them—you submit, they recognize your work, and you keep both your work and the money.

Every time I’ve gotten an award, I’ve made something that I otherwise wouldn’t have been able to afford. It’s expensive to make monumental things, but if you’re not paying for it, it’s not expensive. Every one of those awards gives me the time and space to propel my career forward. It’s really hard, if you’re just a studio artist, to take those risks. So all of those awards and the cash prizes have really allowed me to not just repeat the same thing.

Canvas: Your work explores environment through patterns and textures. Has this focus been consistent?

Johnson: Higher education teaches you to overthink everything, which is good. I realized I’m drawn to symmetry,

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optical effects, and texture. Two themes keep coming up: time and texture. I’m not into glass for quick results—I like spending ridiculous amounts of time on engraving, sandblasting, grinding—the things that aren’t flashy but require patience.

Canvas: How do you merge technical skill with conceptual ideas in your work?

Johnson: They go hand in hand. I practice “process-based abstraction”—immersing in a material I know well and letting the process guide the work.

Canvas: How has teaching influenced your art?

Johnson: Teaching lets me be the mentor I once needed. It keeps me connected to community and experimentation. When I was living on a mountain in North Carolina and blowing glass, I was isolated. I would make work and leave to sell it in places like Florida, Washington, D.C., South Carolina, and Philadelphia. I realized I wanted to be around people and share my skills and abilities with others.

I have one graduate this year—who won the Windgate, which was kind of a cool full circle moment.

Canvas: Anything else interesting we might want to know?

Johnson: Yes. I found out that almost 100 years earlier, a family member set up a glass factory in my hometown making containers. When I say I have “glass in my blood,” that’s why.

Did that influence me subconsciously? I didn’t know until my 30s. The universe is weird like that.

CURRENT/UPCOMING EXHIBITIONS

• Ohio Designer Craftsmen’s Best of 2025 (Aug. 28 – Oct. 23 at Wayne Center for the Arts in Wooster) • 2025 Faculty Exhibition in CIA’s Reinberger Gallery (Aug. 28 – Oct. 5, 2025)

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Joanna McClelland Glass’ TWO ONE-ACT PLAYS

CANADIAN GOTHIC

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Alice, manager

Loganberry Books Annex Gallery

13015 Larchmere Blvd  Shaker Heights, OH 44120 www.loganberrybooks.com gallery@logan.com  216.795.9800

2025 Faculty Exhibition Cleveland Institute of Art Reinberger Gallery Aug 28–Oct 5

11610 Euclid Avenue Cleveland, OH 44106 reinbergergallery

cia.edu/reinberger 216.421.7407 reinbergergallery@cia.edu

Artwork: “Busco todos los caminos que me conduzcan de nuevo a ti” (“I look for all the paths that lead me back to you”) video still by Laura Camila Medina, Foundation faculty member and AICAD Post-Graduate Teaching Fellow.

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ON DECK

Upcoming openings and current events from around northeast Ohio.

Compiled by Elizabeth Weinstein

GREAT LAKES THEATER Sunday in the Park with George | Sept. 26 – Oct. 12, 2025 Step into a mesmerizing world where art and life collide in Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine’s Pulitzer Prize-winning musical. Inspired by Georges Seurat’s iconic painting, this beautifully layered story follows the painter’s obsessive quest to finish his masterpiece as his relationship with his muse, Dot, begins to unravel.

A century later, Seurat’s great-grandson confronts his own creative crossroads, discovering unexpected ties to the past. With a luminous score featuring classics like “Finishing the Hat,” “Sunday,” and “Move On,” this Tony and Olivier Award-winning production is a stirring meditation on creativity, connection, and the legacy we leave behind. A moving tribute to the sacrifices of artists and the beauty that endures through time. greatlakestheater.org Passion, art, and obsession collide in Sunday in the Park with George, inspired by Seurat’s iconic masterpiece. Photo courtesy of Great Lakes Theatre

SPACES GALLERY Everlasting Plastics | Sept 26, 2025 – Jan 17, 2026 This provocative group exhibition invites visitors to examine our complex and ever-growing entanglement with plastic. Featuring site-specific works by five artists and designers—Xavi Aguirre, Simon Anton, Ang Li, Norman Teague, and Lauren Yeager—Everlasting Plastics explores how this once-celebrated material now shapes, distorts, and threatens our environments and economies.

Curated by Tizziana Baldenebro and Lauren Leving, the exhibition reframes plastic not simply as waste, but as a symbol of cultural dependency and a call for urgent change. From Cleveland’s place in the global plastics industry to our proximity to Lake Erie’s fragile ecosystem, the show hits close to home. Through innovative installations and architectural perspectives, these artists reimagine how we think about, use, and move beyond plastics in daily life. Everlasting Plastics challenges us to confront a material legacy we can no longer ignore. spacescle.org Simon Anton, “This Will Kill _____ That,” Everlasting Plastics (Venice, IT 2023). ReportArch / Andrea Ferro Photography. Photos courtesy of Spaces Gallery Norman Teague, “Re+Prise” Everlasting Plastics (Venice, IT 2023). ReportArch/AndreaFerro Photography.

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Step into Hell’s Kitchen and experience a coming-of-age journey inspired by Alicia Keys’ own teenage years. Photo courtesy of Playhouse Square

Cleveland Ballet’s Dracula and Code of Silence combine Gothic drama and evocative movement in a compelling double feature. Courtesy of Cleveland Ballet

PLAYHOUSE SQUARE – KEYBANK STATE THEATRE Hell’s Kitchen | Oct. 10 – Nov. 1, 2025 Set to the unforgettable music of Alicia Keys, Hell’s Kitchen is a high-energy, heart-filled coming-of-age story pulsing with the beat of 1990s New York. Inspired by Keys’ own teenage years but told through the eyes of 17-yearold Ali, the show follows a young woman yearning for freedom, purpose, and identity in Manhattan’s Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood.

With a protective mother at home and a newfound mentor who introduces her to the power of music, Ali’s world begins to open up. The score blends Keys’ biggest hits with brand-new songs, adding emotional depth and electrifying rhythm to every scene. Named a New York Times Critic’s Pick, this acclaimed Broadway musical is a powerful exploration of love, self-discovery, and the city that shapes us. Don’t miss this vibrant tribute to growing up, letting go, and finding your voice. playhousesquare.org CLEVELAND BALLET Dracula & Code of Silence | Oct. 24 – 25, 2025 Just in time for Halloween, Cleveland Ballet revives its thrilling production of Dracula — a gothic tale of passion, fear, and the supernatural — alongside Code of Silence, a contemporary tribute to the late choreographer Lynne Taylor-Corbett.

Through sweeping choreography and evocative music, Dracula transforms Bram Stoker’s legendary vampire into a haunting presence on stage, following Mina Murray, her devoted fiancé, and a team of vampire hunters battling the dark pull of the Count.

The evening begins with Code of Silence, a modern, emotionally resonant work reflecting Taylor-Corbett’s signature style and artistic impact. Together, these two ballets offer a powerful contrast of old-world drama and modern movement.

Experience an unforgettable night where elegance meets eerie, and the past and present dance in perfect step. cleveballet.org

CANTON MUSEUM OF ART Shattered Glass: The Women Who Elevated American Art | Nov. 25, 2025 – Mar. 1, 2026 This groundbreaking exhibition is the first original show at the Canton Museum of Art to spotlight only female artists—and the barriers they broke to shape American art. Shattered Glass brings together nearly 100 powerful works across a range of mediums, from historic pieces to contemporary voices, highlighting artists who overcame gender, racial, economic, and societal obstacles—including those who created under male pseudonyms.

Featuring trailblazers like Judy Chicago, Selma Burke, Audrey Flack, and Maija Grotell, the exhibition explores both the enduring impact of these artists and the invisible ceilings they shattered. Through compelling visuals and untold stories, Shattered Glass honors the resilience and brilliance of women whose contributions were too often dismissed or ignored. With works on loan from across the country, this rich and revealing collection invites visitors to reconsider the history—and future—of American art. cantonart.org Marilyn (Vanitas), 1977. Audrey Flack (1931 - 2024). Oil over acrylic on canvas, 96 x 96 in. The University of Arizona Museum of Art; Purchased with funds provided by the Edward J. Gallagher, Jr. Memorial Fund. © 2025 Audrey Flack.

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LISTINGS GALLERIES

LEE HEINEN STUDIO

CLEVELAND INSTITUTE OF ART 11610 Euclid Ave., Cleveland P: 216-421-7000 : cia.edu : @cleinstituteart CIA’s Reinberger Gallery features emerging and established national artists and hosts popular exhibitions by faculty, students and alumni, and CIA’s Cinematheque is one of the country’s best repertory movie theaters, according to The New York Times. Learn more and view upcoming programming at cia.edu/exhibitions and cia.edu/cinematheque.

12402 Mayfield Road, Cleveland P: 216-469-3288 E: leeheinen@saatchionline.com : leeheinenstudio.com : facebook.com/leeheinen $1,800. “Martha,” 30 x 40 oil on canvas by artist Lee Heinen.

Is she dreaming or is there something threatening her peace? Perhaps it’s only seaweed. This piece is inspired from summers at the Jersey shore. Summer is always too short for me. Lee Heinen Studio: leeheinen@gmail.com.

LOGANBERRY 13015 Larchmere Blvd., Shaker Heights P: 216-795-9800 : loganberrybooks.com

CONTESSA GALLERY 28699 CHAGRIN BLVD. Woodmere, OHIO 44122 P: 216-382-7800 : contessagallery.com

Founded in 1999, Contessa Gallery is a Fine Art Dealers Association Member (FADA) featuring a variety of artists, including blue-chip, established, and emerging artists, and art acquisition counsel to collectors, museums, and institutions.

Contessa Gallery is built on three main principles: passion, integrity, and education. The gallery continues expanding its clientele and reputation through its exhibitions at its locations and participating in prestigious art fairs such as Art Basel-Art Miami, Palm Beach Modern + Contemporary, and Southampton Fine Art Fair. At the philanthropic level, Contessa Gallery seeks to make a difference in the community by contributing time, expertise, sponsorship, and educational programming for museums and arts organizations.

Loganberry Books Annex Gallery features a monthly rotation of local artist exhibitions, with an opening reception on the first Wednesday evening of the month.

M. GENTILE STUDIOS 1588 E. 40th St., 1A, Cleveland P: 216-881-2818 : mgentilestudios.com

A personalized art resource for individuals, collectors and businesses. We offer assistance in the selection and preservation of artwork in many media. Our archival custom framing services are complemented by our skill in the installation of 2D and 3D artwork in a variety of residential and corporate settings.

THE POP UP ART GALLERY Eton Mall 28601 Chagrin Boulevard, Woodmere, OH 44122 P: 216-410-5115 : ThePop.art

The only art gallery in the United States devoted to Naive Art from around the world! Step into a space where imagination leads and emotion shines through every brushstroke. We celebrate the vibrant, expressive, and deeply personal works that define the Naive Art tradition. With bold colors, playful perspectives, and a distinctive visual language, each piece invites you to reconnect with a sense of wonder.

WOLFS GALLERY

SEPT 14, 19-21, 27

23645 Mercantile Road, Beachwood P: 216-721-6945 : Wolfsgallery.com

: @wolfsgallery : @wolfsgallery Visit WOLFS’ 15 galleries exhibiting many hundreds of artworks representing myriad styles and periods. Tour our generous space Tuesday to Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. or by appointment. Buying and selling Fifteen fine artgalleries in Clevelandexhibiting since 1975. many

hundreds of artworks representing myriad styles and periods.

Mention this ad and get a free gift.

ClevelandSilentFilmFestival.org

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Clarence Holbrook Carter (American, 1904–2000) Night Garden, 1972 Acrylic on scintilla , 21.5 x 21.5 inches

wolfsgallery.com 23645 Mercantile Road, Beachwood, Ohio | 216-721-6945

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LISTINGS MUSEUMS THE ARTISTS ARCHIVES OF THE WESTERN RESERVE 1834 E. 123rd St., Cleveland P: 216-721-9020 : ArtistsArchives.org Facebook.com/ ArtistsArchivesoftheWesternReserve

:

The Artists Archives of the Western Reserve is a unique archival facility and regional museum which preserves bodies of work Barbara Eady, Black

by Ohio visual artists and promotes the Madonna & Child, textile region’s rich cultural heritage.

We feature an ever changing group of impactful exhibitions in our three gallery spaces, open to the public Wed – Fri, from 10am – 4pm, and Sat from 12 – 4pm. Please visit our website for updates and more information.

MALTZ MUSEUM 2929 Richmond Road, Beachwood P: 216-593-0575 : maltzmuseum.org

The Maltz Museum introduces visitors to the beauty and diversity of heritage in the context of the American experience. It promotes an understanding of Jewish history, religion and culture, and builds bridges of appreciation and understanding with those of other religions, races, cultures and ethnicities. It’s an educational resource for Northeast Ohio’s Jewish and general communities.

CESEAR’S FORUM 2796 Tinkers Lane Twinsburg, OH 44087 P: 330-405-3045 M E: cesearsforum@aol.com : cesearsforum.com

F O R U

2025 Season Cesear’s Forum presents experimental storytelling, social reflection, and regional theater with Canadian Gothic & American Modern by Joanna McClelland Glass. Two minimalist one-act plays exploring family, love, memory, and the intersection of American and Canadian perspectives.

Performance Dates: Canadian Gothic & American Modern – September 26 to October 25, 2025 Fridays & Saturdays at 8:00 PM Sunday Matinees at 3:00 PM: October 12 & 19 Kennedy’s Down Under, Playhouse Square, 1501 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH Tickets: $28 Adults | $15 Students Call 216-241-6000 or visit www.playhousesquare.org CHAGRIN VALLEY LITTLE THEATRE (CVLT) 40 River Street Chagrin Falls P: 440-247-8955 : CVLT.org : @chagrintheatre : @chagrintheatre bluesky: @cvlt.org

MASSILLON MUSEUM 121 Lincoln Way East Massillon, Ohio 44646 P: 330-833-4061 : massillonmuseum.org : facebook.com/massillonmuseum

Greg Martin: Memento Mori (through Greg Martin, and here I lay September 28); Juxtaposed: Honoring the Past, Inspiring the Future (through October 12); Lens on Nature: Photographing Stark Parks (through October 12); Saving Face: Salvaged Negatives of Henry Clay Fleming; nine additional art and history galleries. Unique shop, TWilite Café, and a sensory room. Free admission.

STAGES BECK CENTER FOR THE ARTS

2025- 2026 Season CVLT’s 96th Season brings magic, music, and heart to its Chagrin Falls stage with Puffs, Shrek, Beautiful, Big, and more. A lineup of laugh-outloud comedies, rousing musicals, powerful dramas, and special events to entertain all ages. Affordable and intimate, CVLT has been entertaining Northeast Ohio for nearly a century!

“Murder by the Falls,” Sept. 5 to Sept. 6, 2025 “Puffs,” Sept. 19 to Oct. 5, 2025 “Shrek The Musical,” Nov. 14 to Dec. 14, 2025 “Ken Ludwig’s Shakespeare in Hollywood,” Jan. 23 to Feb. 8, 2026 “The Bigfoot Letters,” Mar. 6 to Mar. 15, 2026 “Beautiful, The Carole King Musical,” Mar. 27 to Apr. 19, 2026 “Long After Crystal Night,” June 5 to June 21, 2026 “Big The Musical, “ July 24 to Aug. 16, 2026

17801 Detroit Ave. Lakewood P: 216-521-2540 : Beckcenter.org

Andy Warhol in Iran, Oct 3 to Nov 2, 2025 The SpongeBob Musical, Dec 5 to Jan 4, 2026 Spring Awakening, in collaboration with Oberlin College & Conservatory Music Theater Program, Feb 13 to March 1, 2026 August Wilson’s Two Trains Running, Feb 27 to March 29, 2026 Speech & Debate, May 29 to June 28, 2026 Mean Girls, July 10 to Aug 9, 2026

Chagrin Valley Little Theatre 40 River Street • Chagrin Falls, OH • CVLT.org • 440.247.8955

Sept 19 - Oct 5, 2025

Nov 14 - Dec 14, 2025

Jan 23 - Feb 8, 2026

by KEN LUDWIG

Book & Lyrics By DAVID LINDSAY-ABAIRE Music by JEANINE TESORI

by MATT COX

Words and Music by GERRY GOFFIN, CAROLE KING, BARRY MANN, CYNTHIA WEIL Book by DOUGLAS McGRATH

by JOHN HERMAN SHANER

Book by JOHN WEIDMAN Music by DAVID SHIRE Lyrics by RICHARD MALTBY, JR.

Mar 27 - Apr 19, 2026

Jun 5 - Jun 21, 2026

Jul 24 - Aug 16, 2026

Reserve Now! CVLT.org

Our 96th Season An Ohio 501(c)(3) non-profit arts organization.

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Fall 2025 | Canvas | 37

THE MUSICAL THEATER PROJECT P: 216-860-1518 : MusicalTheaterProject.org

Part concert, part documentary and all fun, there’s nothing like The Song Is You!, which combines live performances with rare video and expert commentary. It’s all about exploring the cultural impact of musical theater as a uniquely American art form.

2025- 2026 Season Getting to Know You – All-Request Cabaret, October 3, 6 PM - Chagrin Valley Hunt Club It’s Time for a Love Song, November 9, 3 PM - First Baptist Church of Greater Cleveland A Christmas Cabaret, December 12, 7 PM and 13, 2 PM at Stocker Center for the Arts/December 14 and 15 at Edwins – Dinner Cabaret Stardust: The Songs of Hoagy Carmichael, January 24, 7:30 PM - Maltz Performing Arts Center Legendary Black Singers—Great Broadway Song. Hosted by Leon Bibb, March 8, 3 PM - First Baptist Church of Greater Cleveland Walk On: The Power of Carousel, June 14, 3 PM - Gartner Auditorium, Cleveland Museum of Art

FRIENDS OF CANVAS CLEVELAND ISRAEL ARTS CONNECTION Jewish Federation of Cleveland E: israelarts@jewishcleveland.org : jewishcleveland.org/israelarts

Our weekly newsletter brings you family fun features to welcome Shabbat!

Sign up now at cjn.org/esignup

The Cleveland Israel Arts Connection features the finest in Israeli film, documentary, theater, dance, music, visual art and literature. For updates, visit jewishcleveland.org/israelarts. Please join the Cleveland Israel Arts Connection Facebook page for additional opportunities to experience Israeli arts.

CLEVELAND PRIDE BAND 1375 West Clifton Blvd, Lakewood, Ohio, 441077 : clevelandprideband.org

The Cleveland Pride Band, established in 2003, is celebrating its 22nd season as Cleveland’s LGBTQ+ community band. With 5 different bands; Concert, Wind, Jazz, Marching, and its newly forming Orchestra this January, the Cleveland Pride Band is always looking for new and exciting ways to interact with the community and is always looking for musicians of all skills levels. If you have an instrument that has been collecting dust, feel free to check out our website and join the Cleveland Pride Band!

CUYAHOGA COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY : cuyahogalibrary.org : Branch locations: cuyahogalibrary.org/branches

Cuyahoga County Public Library has 27 branches and serves 47 communities across the county.

Our Mission: To empower individuals and communities by providing opportunities for all to read, learn, create and connect. Our Vision: We envision a thriving and inclusive Cuyahoga County where all residents benefit from and are inspired by Cuyahoga County Public Library’s innovative resources, services and programs.

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CURATOR CORNER Otherworld by Sam Moyer

By Casey Couch

H

ospitals can be overwhelming places, filled with constant motion and emotional weight. Art can offer a momentary pause — a space to breathe, reflect, and feel grounded. At the Cleveland Clinic, Otherworld by Sam Moyer provides that kind of respite.

Measuring more than six feet tall and ten feet wide, the piece commands attention from across the room, yet rewards closer inspection. Moyer, recognized for her inventive approach to materials, inlays marble into canvas, arranging the stone into organic, Ellen Rudolph, Senior plant-like forms. The result is a striking Director and curator balance of contrasts: solid yet airy, at Cleveland Clinic precise yet fluid.

Part of Moyer’s “stone paintings,” Otherworld contemplates transitions and cycles found in nature and life. In a healthcare setting, these ideas resonate, offering comfort and connection to something enduring. The marble’s intricate veining suggests motion, while its weight conveys stability and presence.

Influenced by Monet’s exploration of shifting light and tone, Moyer transforms everyday stone into something monumental and poetic. Even its two-panel construction, a practical choice for transport, reflects the artist’s balance of vision and function.

Ellen Rudolph, senior director and curator at the Cleveland Clinic, tells Canvas about the importance and relevance of the engaging piece.

Can you tell us the background of the piece: Rudolph: This artwork is from a group of “stone paintings”

by Sam Moyer centering on the dualities of life including decay and growth, loss and perspective, and endings and beginnings.

The artist sought to capture a balance between the extremes This work blurs the lines between painting and sculpture. The artist’s technique of inlaying marble into canvas is fascinating.

She arranged pieces of marble to create a lyrical botanical composition that is tactile and weighty yet buoyant at the same time.

What response does the piece create for the viewer?

Rudolph: Individual responses to art are of course incredibly subjective, so I speak for myself when I say that it’s exciting to view the striking composition from a distance and then get up close and discover the intricate patterns and texture of the marble and how the artist sets them off with gestural brushstrokes. While there is movement within the veining of the marble and even the lilt of the leaf forms, there is also a quiet stillness that imparts a sense of tranquility for me. I think that comes from the painting’s heft as well—as in, it’s not going anywhere.

How do the materials used add to the overall feeling of the piece?

Rudolph: In the hospital environment, references to the

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Sam Moyer, Otherworld, 2025, marble and acrylic on plastercoated canvas mounted to MDF. Courtesy of the artist and Sean Kelly Gallery. natural world are so important, and the immediacy of the marble connects you to something universal and timeless.

What makes this a notable work from the artist?

Rudolph: It’s not unusual for Moyer to work in large scale, but this work is impressive at six feet tall by just over ten feet wide, and it’s stunning with the contrast of black and white marble pieces set against the mottled gray background.

Another unique feature is the artist’s breach of the painting’s border with a piece of marble that juts out beyond the frame.

What else should we know about this piece?

Rudolph: The body of work that Otherworld belongs to was inspired by the Impressionist painter Claude Monet’s play of light and color. It was created in two parts to make it more manageable for the artist [and now Cleveland Clinic!] to move.

To read more about Cleveland Clinic’s art collection for healing, turn to page 24.

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Coming Soon CLEVELANDORCHESTRA .COM