Seen in Asterisk Gallery during the Taste of Tremont -- these assemblages made of multiple light fixtures, chairs legs and other recycled things are the most interesting sculptures I have seen in a long time. This is a big year for Dana Depew, besides running a great gallery on Professor (for some years now), he has been very prolific with his own art lately. He is also one of the five artists in "New American Art", what may be Doubting Thomas Gallery's best show yet. Doubting Thomas is about a block away from Asterisk on Jefferson.

Better late than never! Millennium Park opened in 2004, long after the 2000 festivities. Not a problem, this green space/public art extravaganza has lasting appeal.

Ann Hayes is a talented local artist who recently organized a silent art auction at Becky's, a popular bar and artists' hangout near Cleveland State. Her mixed media painting, 100 YEAR TREE was my favorite work in the auction, but there were so many great pieces -- all by local artists from the Hyacinth Lofts. There were paintings, glass plates and bowls, light boxes and feminist embroideries -- all with very low starting bids. If you were not there you missed a great opportunity to buy great art too cheap! Watch the Realneo calendar, Ann plans to schedule another auction soon.

Live music, Morrison dancers, hula hooping roller skaters, art, dogs, ice cream, ethnic and gourmet food -- The Taste of Tremont had it all.

Joseph Filak's work is in a  must-see show called "New American Art" going on now at Doubting Thomas Gallery (this work is in a private collection). I consider Doubting Thomas to be the most avant-garde  gallery here in Cleveland -- they would be avant-garde anywhere, we are just lucky to have them in Cleveland. I have been watching Filak's work for about two years now. He uses iconic stenciled images and words like the grenade and "kill" -- words that arouse fear and aggression. I like his artist's statement in the show. His pieces are made of painted boards and metal plates with metal fasteners like nuts and screws. They are priced very low, but the craftmanship is actually quite beautiful.

This is no ordinary silent auction.

Becky's bar and grille has long been a favorite hang out for artists in downtown Cleveland. The flavor of the crowd, as well as the food, is always exceptional. Drinks are stiff, however the clientel is anything but. Saturday, July 22nd at seven o'clock characters of all types are welcome to join Cleveland artists as they spice up the joint with a show that includes paintings, glass, multi-media, prints and more. Things should get livley as all of the artwork is up for auction. Artists will include: Anne K. Hayes, Liz Maugans, P.J. Doran, William Greenburg, and Streets of Manhatten. Becky's is practically a Cleveland landmark. It is located at 1762 East 18th street, between Chester and Payne. The silent auction begins at seven p.m. and ends promptly at nine p.m.

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In honor of my favorite TV show, Project Runway, I'm choosing some of my favorite locally made  wearable art for "art of the day". Carol Nesper has had a studio in Cleveland's Little Italy at the Murray Hill School for many years. She is a fiber artist,certified elementary teacher and teaches tie-dye work shops. Unlike many designers she does not forget that kids need cool clothes too. Most of her creations feature her own unique  style of  tie-dye. The model is wearing a one-piece outfit in blue-gray 100% cotton with a subtly goth style black, gray and off-white textured tie-dye panel in the center.

Friday, July 21 | 8pm The Great ARTdoors: MUSIC + FILM In collaboration with the Miller-Weitzel Gallery $5 MOCA Members and Students with valid ID $7 Non-Members

In this annual event, MOCA Cleveland partners with theMiller-Weitzel Gallery and Warp Films (literally) an “off the wall” evening of visual and sonic entertainment. At 8PM, DJ r.a. washington gets the party started with a summery set of jazz, avant rock, and soul before the films start at sunset.

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Friday, July 21 @ 7pm The Artist's Perspective: SARAH KABOT FREE and open to the public Join Sarah Kabot as she shares insights into the influences and work featured in her exhibition, On the Flip Side currently on view at MOCA Cleveland. The eighth artist in the Wendy L. Moore Emerging Artist Series, Kabot is an Assistant Professor of Drawing at the Cleveland Institute of Art

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Points of View: DAN TRANBERG FREE and open to the public

Join Dan Tranberg for a captivating gallery talk on the art and ideas presented in The Persistence of Geometry Using this all-encompassing exhibition, which spans various media, ages, artistic movements and cultures, Tranberg will discuss the enduring impact of geometry on the visual arts from his viewpoint as an artist, critic and educator. 

Tranberg is a freelance critic for numerous national and international publications including Art in America, BOMB, NY Arts, and Art on Paper. He is a co-founder and frequent contributor to Angle and is the Arts Columnist and Critic for The Plain Dealer.

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Perusing racks of designer clothes while eating ice cream? Sounds dangerous to me, but if Anne van H. insists ...
This ice cream social is to celebrate the expansion of the Anne van H. Boutique.

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Did you know that the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo is a good place to see art as well as exotic animals? This duct tape giraffe was made by Nicholas Hiltner of the Cleveland Institute of Art. How real does it look? I'm not sure, the live giraffes were being shy that day so I could n't compare. There are other great sculptures at the zoo -- many are by Cleveland's own Viktor Schreckengost.

The best part of Ingenuity was that it lacked the packaged look and feel of the festivals that come to Burke, the IX Center, the Convocation Center, etc. There was sincere NEO pride generated by Ingenuity. True, not all the "ingenious" people involved were local, but it showed the collaborative potential we have here and the appeal we have for outsiders.  To anyone that thinks we need big box developers here and chain restaurants, Ingenuity is evidence that we don't. We have great people and great ideas right here, we just need to utilize them.

The city of East Cleveland, "Home of the World's First Billionaire", John D. Rockefeller, is the first and historically the finest residential neighborhood of Cleveland. Still having remarkable historic landmark building stock, the city was a victim of "white flight", in the 1960's-1990's, that is just now seeing an enlightened, progressive correction, driven by good government, largely intact historic assests, like the Star complex, and optimal proximity to the best Northeast Ohio has to offer. It has always been desirable for close, convenient access to the core economy of Cleveland, the cultural and enlightenment "garden" of University Circle, rail and public transit everywhere, and nearness to and fresh breezes from Lake Erie. As the economy shifts to a new economy, focused on livable urban neighborhoods with great public transil and walkable assets, East Cleveland is at the Heart of it all, and the Star Complex is at the heart of that enlightened new urban movement.

Now that I must waste much of my time and energy preparing to sue Robert "Okihawk"/:NEOhawk" Hawkins I must conduct discovery determining the many ways to diverted business from his employer, REALinks, LLC, and acted against all stakeholders. One place where his record is told is on REALNEO, and so I am preserving his strings of inputs here.

There was a show of Yoshitomo Nara's work at MOCA Cleveland a few years ago, it was one of the most memorable shows I have seen there. This Japanese artist's imagery haunts you like a bad experience from your childhood. I felt compelled to buy this ash tray from the gift shop even though I have not smoked since high school. This Wikipedia page on Yoshitomo Nara provides some nice background. Not all his images are so biting. I think what I like about his work is that he captures the essence of modern childhood in both a personal and general way.

One of my initial reactions to CLOUD GATE was "I have got to photograph this!". I am definitely not a professional photographer, but I do like to record interesting things I see with my digital camera so that I can show them to friends later. CLOUD GATE was definitely the most interesting thing I encountered in Chicago. CLOUD GATE is really fun to photograph, too; with all the interesting reflections created in its curvy mirrored surface. That is why I was totally shocked when I read this blog article about how the city of Chicago had tried to restrict and charge for photographing it. A similar policy to the one Jones Day has about not allowing their building and the sculpture in front to be photographed. Chicago has now put an end to all that silliness though.

Don't miss the premiere of the third season of "Project Runway" tonight at 10 pm on Bravo. For those of you who are already fans of the show, now there is more reason to watch than ever; NEO residents can root for fellow Ohioan Angela Keslar. Joanna Connors from the PD wrote about her today : "Ohioan on 'Runway' and Ready for Takeoff" (Arts & Life, Page E6).

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No recognition of the arts as important to the world, much less Cleveland, may overlook Derek Hess, who first was widely known for powerful, angst-filled figurative music posters promoting shows he was then booking at the old Euclid Tavern, which became a fine art business for Derek, which allowed him to grow his global impact to a level few artists in Cleveland have ever achieved, all while staying in and investing in Cleveland, organizing the Strhess Tour, and Strhess Clothing, and making Gallery 1300 happen and happening (opening there this Friday, July 14th). Read more about Derek below, visit the links, and if you are smart buy some of his work while you still may.

I spent the past weekend in Chicago -- a city that is in many ways a more fun place to be than Cleveland. One of the reasons why: public art like this! Most people who know it just call it "THE BEAN" but this sculpture is actually titled CLOUD GATE (a much more elegant name). CLOUD GATE is located in Millennium Park, a beautiful formal garden along Michigan Avenue completed a few years late for the celebrations of 2000. On a July Sunday around noon the park was filled with 100s of people out enjoying the warm sunny weather and at least 100 or more of them were constantly gathered around "THE BEAN"staring with wonder . Not surprising at all because this sculpture is absolutely amazing! One of the best things about  CLOUD GATE is how people interact with it. Just walk too close and suddenly you become part of the sculpture. Once you see your reflection you are hooked! Go inside, stand under the arch and look up -- wow! Meer words can't describe the experience! More photos and insight here...

Opening Ceremonies

Ingenuity 06 will launch with a spectacular Symphony for 1000 Drums on Public Square at 5:00 pm. This Symphony, composed and conducted by internationally acclaimed Halim El-Dabh will feature drums from a rainbow of cultures and ethnicities, as well as individual drummers known in the rock and jazz communities. The goal? As Halim, puts it: “The world is filled with conflict and stress. We need to create a vibration that will change the balance to health and joy." The Symphony will be followed by the all county marching band's parade to the Mainstage. You can’t miss this! Please click here for more details.

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Arabella Proffer-Vendetta paints amazing modern gothic mannerist portraits -- some base on actual people others from her imagination. She also designs some very cool art for bands. To see more, visit Arabella's website. Her website is great! She is one of the few artists I know who use technology well to promote their work. Be sure to check out her work at Ingenuity Fest, too. Here is some infomation she sent out in an email:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Title of the Exhibit: Four + Art + Design

Opening Reception: Friday, July 14th 7:00 – 10:00pm

Address: 1300 West 78th, Cleveland OH, 44102

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Paul Dacey is a CIA grad originally from Toledo Ohio. He is now living in New York City and exhibiting all over the world. His works defy the boundaries of traditional painting and sculpture and re-present familar and iconic images. Check out Paul Dacey's website.