It's The Little Things...(Small Wonders Opening, 6/8 @ ODAS!)

It's time we all acknowledged the truth: Things that are awesome, are made awesom-er when they are small.
To convince you of this Scientific Fact*, I present to you exhibits A through E:

Exhibit A: Candy

Good.**

BETTER. (Look- fun is in it's name)

Exhibit B: Octopi

Beautiful, and slightly terrifying 

Beautiful and SO WEE.
BETTER.

Exhibit C: Antipasto plates

Normal size: A delicious and savory way to begin a meal

Tiny Size: inedible, but completely adorable.
BETTER.

Exhibit C: Even things that are already small are better when they're smaller

You can hold it in your hands!

YOU CAN HOLD 30 OF THEM IN YOUR IN YOUR HANDS
WAY BETTER.

Exhibit D: Art

What a big and impressive piece of art!

Smaller, but SO MUCH BETTER!

The really great news is that if you are a fan of small art (and with all the above evidence you'd be foolish not to be) you'll have a chance to check out over 100 miniature (no larger than 12"x 12"x 12")  paintings, drawings, sculptures, even fiber art at Open Door's Small Wonders, opening this Saturday, June 8th, from 5p to 7p.

But wait! There's more!

Small Wonders is a collaborative exhibition featuring artists from Open Door Art Studio and Cincinnati’s Visionaries and Voices. The show will be up through July, but with Father's Day, Graduation gifts and Happy 'It's No Longer Ohio Winter!' celebrations coming up, these wonderful and affordable works of are will be flying off the walls. Plus our openings have great snacks. 

Please join us for this big night of small works!  

*disclaimer: not real science
**All pictures, except for the last one, belong to someone else and have been linked to where I found them.
They are used purely for fun and hilarity, not for profit.

Wallace Peck- Opening Tomorrow @ the Lindsay Gallery

It's not a secret that Wallace is an amazing artist, and a total rock star. The past year has been a big one for Wallace- he was chosen as an emerging artist for the 2012 Columbus Arts Fest, he was part of a three person show at Open Door, and he made lots of new friends.

because who wouldn't want to be friends with this smile?

2013 is also proving to be a big year for Wallace- He was featured in our second annual This Inspired That exhibition AND this week he opens his first ever solo show at a major Columbus Gallery. (!!!) We are all so proud of Wallace and can't wait to celebrate with him at the opening, this Friday, May 31 from 6pm to 9pm at the Lindsay Gallery.  

Come on out and meet the man, the myth, the legend, Mr. Wallace Peck himself.

Back in Time for Daffodils- It's the Open Door Exhibition Season!!

Greetings and Salutations! Happy Springtime! 

I love cocoa and holidays and big fuzzy sweaters as much as the next person, but around mid-February I hit my limit and start seriously considering hibernation as an alternative to Ohio winter.

This is a koala yawning. Your argument is invalid. 

Another late-winter bummer is the absence of exhibitions and openings in our gallery space. True, it's nice to give ourselves time to catch our breath and stock up on new art and ideas. True, it's usually too gross out for anyone to come out to a chilly, evening opening. Still- I missed seeing you guys!

Though things have been quiet around the ol' blog, we at Open Door have been busy as Christmas elves- plotting plots and scheming schemes- all in preparation for our SHINY! SPARKLY!
2013 EXHIBITION SEASON
here just in time for sunshine and violets and baby animals!

"But Cat! I can't wait! I've waited all winter and I need Visionary Art and I need it NOWZA!"

Well then, you're in luck because our first show of the season, This Inspired That, opens this Saturday, April 6th from 5pm to 7pm. 

"OMG YES!"

This Inspired That is a collaborative exhibit featuring Open Door Art Studio and artists from Creative Arts of Women (CAW). For this exhibit each CAW artist selected a piece of art made by an artist from Open Door that inspired them and then used that spark to create a companion piece. Both works are displayed side-by-side in this engaging and exciting exhibit.


Click here for more information about the show and to RSVP!
(If over 100 people RSVP by this Saturday I will attempt a cartwheel. In public. You know you want to see that)

Are You Afraid of the Art - Opening This Weekend!

That's right Boos and Ghouls, you have less than seven days (seven days!) until the Halloween event that will put the 'Art' back in "Heart-stopping,' the 'Ooo' in 'Spooky,' and the 'Wee!' back in 'Halloween'! Are You Afraid of the Art, opens this Saturday, Oct. 13th (eek!) from 5pm to 7pm, giving you plenty of time for tricks and/or treats after.

Are you Afraid of the Art will feature art work from Open Door artists, as well as artists from the Columbus arts community. The work ranges from scary to adorable and, in some cases, a most puzzling combination of the two. The opening will feature enough treats to make a dentist weep and costumes are highly encouraged. (For real. We will all be in costume and may deem you less than fun should you come in your regular clothes. Unless your regular clothes are some form of costume, in which case, rock on).

Of corpse, I don't want you to come ill prepared, so I thought I'd share a few of my frightful favorite pieces of art that feature the strange and spooky.

1. Caravaggio's Medusa

Yikes! Here's a lady I would not want to mess with (although I feel she and I could exchange hair-care tips) Carravaggio, the Italian Baroque painter, painted this image of the Gorgon queen in 1596 while living in Rome. Carravaggio, who is famous for being a bit of a hot head himself, had recently left Milan due to "certain quarrels". (Definitely more Tricks than Treats with this guy) Snakes to his awesome use of dark and light, Carravaggio had a large influence on the painters of his time, as well as today.

2. The Nightmare by Henry Fuseli

Don't you just hate it when you're trying to get to sleep and that big demon won't stop sitting on your chest? I know I do. Henry Fuseli, on the other hand, found it so inspiring he painted this image not once, but three different times. For a complete and truly bizarre interpretation, check out the image's wikipedia page. What can we learn from this piece- don't look a creepy-gift-horse in it's blank and bottomless eyes? Don't mess with Swiss Artists?  

 3. The Sleep of Reason Produces Monsters  by Francisco Goya

This print is arguably the most famous of Goya's Los Caprichos series. Los Caprichos was a set of 80 prints in which Goya, a hard-core Enlightenment Fan, critiqued everything about the society in which he lived (sort of like an 18th century Steven Colbert). Goya's monsters are some of my favorites, as some of the scariest monsters to me exist in real life (example: clowns) 

 4. from The Garden of Earthly Delights by Hieronymus Bosch

Hieronymus Bosch's paintings are like a 'where's Waldo' of creepy little buggers. I don't even know where to start- the owls? The little gremlins? Awesome! I could look at this painting all day. Little is known about Bosch's life because he left no diaries or letters. Probably because he was too busy coming up with amazing beasties.

5. James Ensor's skeletons

Aw, look at these two guys- so happy! And that one has a hat! Everything's better with a hat (Don't believe me? Ask the internet). Although a 19th century painter, Ensor's bizarre paintings of skulls, carnival masks and puppets had a large influence on many of the 20th century surrealists.


Do you have a favorite piece of monster art? Perhaps you'll have a new one after this Saturday!

Are You Afraid of the Art
Saturday, October 10th

5pm to 7pm

See you there!

sources
wikipedia.com
my brain

my smart coworkers

Thanks Columbus!

A huge, huge thank you to everyone who stopped by the Wallace's booth this past Friday, Saturday or Sunday! Wallace sold a ton of work, but even more importantly had a great time. More than once he was heard to say things like "I really like this place!" and "I don't ever wanna leave".

If you missed him, or if you just want to say hi again, don't forget- this Saturday, June 9th from 5 to 7 is the opening reception for Figurative Language, featuring Wallace, John Emanuele and Charles Porter.

Figurative Language!

Figurative Language is an exhibition of works created by three exemplary artists. Porter, Emanuele, and Peck each approach depicting the figure with a fresh perspective. Peck's concentric lines, Emanuele's bold colors and Porter's ethereal washes distinguish their work from one another. When displayed together the figures truly come to life.  

What:

Exhibition of figurative works made by Charles Porter, John Emanuele and Wallace Peck 

Where:

Open Door Art Studio

1050 Goodale Boulevard

Grandview, OH 43212

When:

Exhibit runs from June 9th until August 4th 

OPENING RECEPTION

Saturday, June 9th from 5pm until 7pm

Light hors d'oeuvres and beverages will be served in this unique and inspiring art setting.  

Why:

To celebrate and showcase an exciting show of three of Open Door's most prolific and accomplished artists working in a figurative style.  

Want to see a sneak peek?

Charles Porter, Birds and the Bees

John Emanuele, A New Breed

Wallace Peck, My Little Boy Green

2012 Exhibition Calendar!

This Inspired That

A collaborative exhibit featuring artists from Open Door Art Studio and Mother Artists at Work (MAW).
For this exhibit each MAW artist selected work made by artists from Open Door ArtStudio that inspired them, then used that spark to create a companion piece. Both works are displayed side-by-side in this unique exhibition.

Exhibition Dates: 4/14 – 5/25
Opening Reception: 4/14, 5 pm to 7 pm

_____________________________

Figurative Language: The Visual Vocabulary of Charles Porter, Wallace Peck,
and John Emanuele

This exhibit features the work of three Open Door Artists, working in a figurative style:Charles Porter, Wallace Peck, and John Emanuele. These artists were selected due to their artistic dedication and cohesive bodies of work.

Exhibition Dates: 6/9 – 7/28
Opening Reception: 6/9, 5 pm to 7 pm

_____________________________

Outside/In: An Exploration of Accessible Art Studios in Ohio

This exhibit will feature 5 to 7 pieces from Accessible Art studios around Ohio. Our goal with this show is to build partnerships, educate the community and most of all, to celebrate all the awesome things happening with Outsider Art around Ohio.

Exhibition Dates: 8/11 – 9/21
Opening Reception: 8/11, 5pm to 7pm

_____________________________

Are You Afraid of the Art?

A collection of creepy, crawly artwork created by the artists of Open Door. The opening for this show, will coincide with SUGAR HIGH, an annual Halloween masquerade event that has hocus pocus, make-believe, and , of course, candy.

Exhibition Dates: 9/29 – 10/26
Opening Reception: 10/13, 5pm to 7pm (SUGAR HIGH)

_____________________________

2nd Annual Open House: Pieces of Me

Open Door’s annual open house featuring work from over 50 Open Door artists, centered around the theme of ‘Self Portraits.’

Exhibition Dates: 10/2 through the end of the year

Opening Reception: 11/10, 5pm to 7pm