Transitions at Summit Artspace Gallery

A New Exhibit: Transitions at Summit Artspace Gallery
from the press release by Rob Lehr, Gallery Director at Summit Artspace

TRANSITIONS, an exciting new exhibit at Summit Artspace Gallery, examines transformation and change from two captivating points of view. This exhibit features artwork by young contemporary artists, Allison Elia and Eli Donahue.  TRANSITIONS will have an opening reception on October 17, 2014 from 5pm-8pm.

Allison Elia describes her large figurative ceramic installations as “sculptural snapshots” that capture a single climactic moment before it naturally transitions and fades into memory.  She sculpts her figures large-scale in clay, building them solid on armatures, then cutting and hollowing them for firing. Allison received her MFA in ceramics from the University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth in 2013 and her BFA in painting and ceramics from the Myers School of Art at the University of Akron in 2008.

Taking an abstract approach to transformation, Eli Donahue creates delicate backlit paintings, which examine the shifts between light/dark, structural/ethereal and flatness/dimension. His inspiration began with the concept of baptism and its influence on an individual’s changing of identity. Eli looks at light as a subject, which can illuminate or manipulate how we see structure in the world around us. Eli earned a BFA in painting and drawing from the Myers School of Art at the University of Akron in 2013.

In conjunction with the TRANSITIONS exhibit, Summit Artspace is honored to host two Art Talks by professionals who facilitate change in the Akron community:

The Evolution of the Akron Art Museum
Carol Murphy, Chief of External Affairs of the Akron Art Museum, will present the history and evolution of Akron's contemporary museum. Learn about the origins of the institution and the planning required to build the John S. and James L. Knight Building in 2007. The lecture is Thursday, October 23, 2014 at 7pm and free to the public.

Coping with Change: Art as Therapy
Join Zara Geiger, a registered art therapist, to explore the world of art as therapy. Zara works with clients everyday who are coping with recovery in their lives. Learn about this fascinating profession as she explains the history of art therapy and its importance in recovery today. The lecture is Thursday, November 6, 2014 at 7pm and free to the public.

The TRANSITIONS exhibit is on display October 17 – November 15, 2014.  The show has been curated by Summit Artspace Gallery Director, Rob Lehr. Summit Artspace is located in the historic Akron Beacon building at 140 E. Market St., one block east of the Akron Art Museum.  

For more information about art happenings around Akron, visit Rob's website: www.curatorialcollective.com