ART SUMMER LIGHT Northeast Ohio gets up close with still-life mastery of George Mauersberger By Josh Usmani WITH TWO SOLO EXHIBITIONS opening this weekend, evidence of the greatness of Cleveland-based artist George Mauersberger has never been more obvious. One of the region’s most talented still-life artists, Mauersberger’s depictions of everyday objects transcend realism. Mauersberger has a way of utilizing his materials to add personality and a life-like quality to his subjects. Mauersberger’s Modern Botanicals opens at the Bonfoey
5, with a reception from 1 to 3 p.m which includes a gallery talk by Mauersberger at 2 p.m. This retrospective remains on view through May 14. “We are thrilled to have this opportunity to exhibit George Mauersberger’s majestic watercolors,” says Marcia Hall, gallery director at the Bonfoey Gallery. “We have represented him for over 20 years and he continues to impress us with his mastery of both watercolor and
MODERN BOTANICALS Bonfoey Gallery, 1710 Euclid Ave., 216-621-0178, bonfoey.com GEORGE MAUERSBERGER: PASTEL DRAWINGS 1991-2016 Butler Institute of American Art , 524 Wick Ave., Youngstown, 330-743-1107, butlerart.com
Gallery in downtown Cleveland with a free, public reception from 5 to 8 p.m. on Friday, March 3, and remains on view through April 1. George Mauersberger: Pastel Drawings 1991-2016 opens at the Butler Institute for American Art in Youngstown on Sunday, March
pastel. This will be George’s third solo exhibition here at the Bonfoey Gallery.” After his last solo show at Bonfoey featured black-and-white imagery exclusively, Mauersberger felt inspired to return to color. Modern Botanicals features the
LAST YEAR’S KIDS COMIC CON AT LAKE ERIE INK brought nearly 100 talented young artists and writers to Cleveland Heights, from as far away as Toledo and western Pennsylvania. Following up on previous success, this year’s fifth annual Kids Comic Con is back and bigger than ever, with giveaways, door prizes, workshops led by comics artists and writers, and more. Sorry adults, Kids Comic Con is open to kids ages 8 to 18 only. However, adults are welcome if accompanied by a child, and teachers are welcome with a staff ID. “Our Kids Comic Con is a perfect example of how Lake Erie Ink combines art and text to encourage creative expression and support literacy,” says Lake Erie Ink executive director Amy Rosenbluth. “There are many different ways to tell a story, and we are here to help kids in Cleveland find the one that works best for them.” This year’s event includes a keynote address by Terri KIDS COMIC CON Lake Erie Ink, 2843 Washington Blvd., Cleveland Hts., 216-320-4757, lakeerieink.org
Libenson, cartoonist for the internationally syndicated comic strip The Pajama Diaries, as well as a visit from Gary Kaplan, cousin of Superman co-creator Jerry Siegel, who will share stories of Superman’s creation in Cleveland. Guests artists and writers include Kate Atherton,
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| clevescene.com | March 1 - 7, 2017
artist’s new Flowerama series. Slightly surreal, Mauersberger’s compositions enhance the natural beauty of his vibrant subjects, accomplishing something beyond the possibilities of even the most expensive camera. With bold colors and compositions arranged almost like bouquets, these new works have a presence on the gallery walls that draws viewers in for a closer look. “The Flowerama series of paintings was inspired by summer light, as seen in Ohio and Florida, and by a desire to work with color again, since my last show at Bonfoey consisted mainly of drawings of a black leather motorcycle jacket,” Mauersberger says. “Many of the other paintings were inspired by botanical prints and illustrations, in particular the ones I was able to view from the Hunt Collection in Pittsburgh as a student at CarnegieMellon University.” In Youngstown, George Mauersberger: Pastel Drawings 19912016 is Mauersberger’s first major
Sequoia Bostick, Juan Jose Fernandez, Miguel and Michelle Hernandez, Terri Libenson, Angela Oster, Maryanne Rose Papke, Lee Smith, Marc Sumerak and more. Merchandise created by the participating artists, including comics, graphic novels and T-shirts, will also be for sale. Kids Comic Con takes place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. this Saturday, March 4. Admission is $10 per child, but scholarship opportunities are available. Costumes are encouraged. Students can bring their own lunch or purchase one on-site. For more information or to register, contact Lake Erie Ink at 216-320-4757 or visit lakeerieink.org/register. — Usmani
career retrospective. The exhibition includes drawings from throughout his career, featuring an eclectic array of subject matter captured in a diverse variety of media, including charcoal, pastel, graphite and watercolor. Mauersberger has been the professor of drawing at Cleveland State University since 1987, including serving as art department chair for eight years. His own education began at the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York, before earning his BFA in drawing from Carnegie Melon University in Pittsburgh and his MFA in painting from Ohio University. His career in Cleveland began in 1986, when he won the top award for works on paper in the prestigious May Show at the Cleveland Museum of Art.
jusmani@clevescene.com t@clevelandscene