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New galleries add to downtown culture
By GUY D’ASTOLFO
YOUNGSTOWN
Two new art galleries will open in a one-week span in downtown Youngstown.
M Gallery, at 112 W. Commerce St., will open Saturday, followed by Soap Gallery, at 117 W. Champion St., on Oct. 2.
M Gallery will sprawl through two large rooms in the restored Erie Terminal Building, which was once a railroad station and now is the home of Rust Belt Brewing Tap House, with apartments on the upper floors.
The opening exhibition, titled “Synthetic Nature,” will showcase the watercolor paintings of Youngstown native John Guy Petruzzi. It will kick off with a reception at 5 p.m. Saturday.
Petruzzi creates highly detailed images of flora and birds by applying watercolor pigment on synthetic paper. The artist graduated from Youngstown State University in 2008, and earned a master’s degree from Tufts University in 2011.
Like the train station it once was, M Gallery — named for downtown developer Dominic Marchionda, who owns and operates the building — aims to be a connecting point for people and ideas.
“We’re hoping to make this historic terminal depot building a place of connection, a place to bring people together,” said Johanna George, director of the gallery.
The gallery will also be a cultural focal point and a musical performance space, said George. “It will be geared toward culture and public wants.” The Little Youngstown Cinema, a monthly film series, already screens films in the basement below the gallery.
The gallery rooms will be available to rent for parties and business gatherings.
A logo and signage are being developed to make M Gallery noticeable to passersby, said George.
The M Gallery space had been used intermittently in the past year as a gallery and performance space. But George said it will now be a full-time gallery with daily hours.
“They were letting things happen organically,” said George. “Now it will be curated. It’s a change in direction to more commercial.”
Both rising and established artists from the region can show and sell their work in the gallery.
George is a Youngstown native and an artist herself. She attended Mooney High School and Youngstown State University and worked at Cleveland Museum of Art and the Museum of Contemporary Art in Cleveland for several years before returning to her hometown.
“I feel honored to be part of the continuing efforts to make downtown Youngstown a cultural destination,” she said.
M Gallery will be open Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Thursday 1 p.m. to 7 p.m.| For appointments and information, email George at Johanna@nyopg.com
SOAP GALLERY
Soap Gallery will open exactly one week after M Gallery with an exhibition that will showcase some of the region’s top artists, including Chris Yambar, Eric Alleman, Tony Armeni, James Pernotto, Katelyn Gould, Maryssa Moczan, Lauren Lenio Miller, Sara Oliver, LeeAnn Lewis, Andy Thomas, Rob Knight, Jason Vaughn, Jeff Piper and Michael Green.
Daniel Rauschenbach and Stephen Poullas are the main owners of Soap Gallery.
The grand opening will be accompanied by an art walk — a small arts festival — outside the gallery. Rauschenbach said it will be the first in a monthly series.
“I’m not sure which I am more excited about, the opening of the gallery or the art walks,” said Rauschenbach. The art walk will include art and other types of vendors, as well as the bands the Bitter Alms and Third Class. It will run from 5 to 9 p.m.
Rauschenbach, who is finishing up his master’s degree at Youngstown State University, has experience as a gallery curator. He was in charge of the art spaces in the old Lemon Grove, downtown, and for a while at the McKelvey Gallery, inside The Federal bar and grill, also downtown.
Soap Gallery reflects Rauschenbach’s desire to be part of the downtown renaissance.
“Our generation has always been told to get out of Youngstown, but not all of us want to,” said Rauschenbach. “We love it here.”
The name Soap Gallery reflects the owners’ philosophy of getting a clean start. “We are tired of hearing about the Rust Belt,” he said. “Most young artists here today don’t remember the steel mills.”
In addition to rotating exhibitions and art walks, Soap Gallery also will offer classes in pottery, ceramics and other media.
The gallery will be open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday.
Soap Gallery will have a live painting event on Thursday evening at Suzie’s Dogs and Drafts on North Phelps Street, downtown.
Local artists will start to paint at 7 p.m., with live music at 9 p.m. The artwork will be up for bidding when it is complete the same evening. Chalk boards will be placed next to each artist so the bids will be visible to everyone in attendance. Bidding will end at 11 p.m.