Exhibitions will get people talking
The goal of an exhibition opening tonight in downtown Youngstown is to get a discussion going about art.
And they mean that quite literally.
Six artists with regional ties will display their work in the new McKelvey Gallery, which is located on the first floor of the Knox Building, 110 W. Federal St. The gallery is in the rear of the room occupied by Martini Bros. Burger Bar.
Titled “Art Now,” the exhibition will feature works by painters Jason Van Hoose, Michael Green and Katelynn Gould; sculptor Lauren Lenio-Miller; Eric Rauschenbach, who creates pieces from wood; and painter-photographer Steve Poullas.
It’s the first in a series of exhibitions in the new McKelvey Gallery. What will make it unique is that at tonight’s reception, Daniel Rausenbach, curator of the gallery, will host a discussion with each of the artists.
All six artists will answer questions about their works at the reception, which will begin at 6:30 p.m. The discussion segment will begin at 7:45 p.m.
All of the artists were either born, educated or work in the Youngstown area. Their works, which will be available for purchase, will remain on display until April 18.
PROJECT PUTS FRESH EYES ON MARCELLUS SHALE PLAY
Tonight also will bring the reception for the Marcellus Shale Documentary Project at the Bliss Hall Gallery, which is inside Bliss Hall on the Youngstown State University campus.
Brian Cohen, a photographer and director of the project, will give a gallery talk at the event, which will be from 5 to 9 p.m.
The project features the work of seven photographers, who tell the story of gas drilling in Pennsylvania in the tradition of a social documentary.
For the better part of a year, they traveled across the state, meeting people and recording their stories: farmers, homeowners, medical practitioners, engineers and activists on both sides of the debate.
The result is a narrative that represents an honest appraisal of how Marcellus Shale drilling has affected the people of Pennsylvania.
The photographers are professor Tony Ingraffea of Cornell University; Noah Addis, a Philadelphia-based photographer; Nina Berman, a professor at Columbia University; Brian Cohen, a Pittsburgh-based photographer; Scott Goldsmith, a magazine photographer; Lynn Johnson, a frequent contributor to National Geographic; and Martha Rial, a Pittsburgh-based photojournalist.
PARANORMAL WEEKEND FEATURES RENOWNED GUEST
On April 5 and 6, Kent Stage will welcome the Kent Paranormal Festival, which will include presentations, workshops and special guest James Van Praagh, a spiritual medium and best-selling author.
The weekend event also will feature ghost hunts and ghost walks.
For information on hours, tickets and the schedule of guests, go to thekentstage.com.
Van Praagh’s appearance will be at 7 p.m. April 6.
WORLD PREMIERE OF OPERA BY HIRAM COLLEGE PROFESSOR
The world premiere of the opera “Verlorene Heimat” (“Lost Homeland”) by Hiram College music professor Dawn Sonntag will be April 10 and 12 at 7:30 p.m. in the Renner Performing Arts Theater, 11762 Dean St., Hiram.
Diana M. Thimmig, Cleveland’s German honorary consul, will give opening remarks before the April 12 performance. Admission is free. For information, call the Hiram music department at 330-569-5294.
Sonntag was on the Youngstown State University campus this week to perform an original composition as part of the New Music Society’s spring concerts.
“Verlorene Heimat” chronicles the final months of World War II as experienced by a German family and a Jewish-Ukrainian girl. It illustrates the devastating losses of war.