By DAVID DUPONT
BG Independent News
Art lovers filled the art space in downtown Bowling Green Friday night for the opening of the second Community Art Show 2024.
The show featured more than 30 members of the Bowling Green Arts Council displayed in the Community Art Space in the rear of Coyote Beads, 178 S. Main St. The show remains on display through Nov. 30. It is open when the shop is open, Tuesday through Friday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The reception the crowd mingled, sipped, munched, looked at the art, and then voted on what they liked best.
Ellabeth Sayer, an eighth grader at St. Aloysius, won the People’s Choice Award for her self-portrait “Day Dreamer.”
She shared honors with two artists selected by the show’s judge Stephen Owczarzak, manager of Art Supply Depo in Bowling Green.
Award winners were:
TR Steiner’s “Rift,” made from shards of pottery, for Best 3-D.
Jennifer Sowders’ portrait of a young woman “Fabric of Dreams,” for Best 2-D.
Neither attended the reception.
“I wanted to make a self portrait of myself,” Ellabeth said of how her piece developed.
She took a blank canvas and looked in a mirror and started drawing. Then she wondered how she would fill the space around the figure. Then as she looked at the sketch she realized “there’s a lot going on in my mind that could full that canvas.”
Those thoughts about family, soccer, acne, autism emerged as did her concern about where she would attend school for eighth grade — St.Aloysius, where she was, Maumee Country Day School where she had a scholarship, or Toledo School for the Arts where she had been accepted?
She decided to stay at St. Al’s. “There was so much I was looking forward to,” she said.
Now in eighth grade, the 13-year-old has another decision of where to attend high school with Maumee Valley, TSA, or BG high all in the mix.
“I’ve been doing art since I was a toddler,” she said. “Since I could think I’d always drawn things. It’s always been my passion, my focus.”
Her school papers were covered with art. “I drew on my closet doors.” She would complete a painting every month. Ellabeth has worked with colored pencils and in clay. She’s filled 10 sketch books with her art.
“My entire room is covered with art,” Ellabeth said. “My old desk is covered with paint or markers or paper.”
Looking beyond high school said she knows she will continuing making art.
She uncertain, though, about whether it will be her career.
Ellabeth said she likes the freedom that creating art allows. She doesn’t like school art projects as much.
“When Im told what to do I don’t really enjoy it,” she said. “Art has no rules. I don’t want it to have rules. I just want to come up with art on my own. I want it to come naturally,” she said. “Art helps me focus. It brings a lot of joy into my life.”
Ellabeth’s participation in the exhibit shows the kind of range the Arts Council has achieved, said Robin Gerrow, the group’s president.
“We love having a variety,” she said. “People who have been doing it a long time and people like Ellabeth who are just spreading their wings, and everyone in between, who may be new or experienced.”
The art show also displayed a range of media — painting, drawing, wood carving, photography, a metal and glass sculpture, fabrics, and more.
The council is also attracting members from surrounding communities.
Rex Russell, from Perrysburg, had a painting of a monarch butterfly on display. He said he loves what the council is doing. More such efforts are needed in the region, he said.
The Community Art Space provides a venue not just for visual artists, Gerrow said. Last week a spoken word event was held. The space has been used for classes. Artists can rent the space for exhibits.
In early December, glass and metal sculptor Ian Dawson and his mother Mary Dawson, a painter, will return for another New Generation show. Catherine Clemens, Mary Dawson’s niece will also display a few pieces.
They represent the newest generation of artists in the Dapogny family.
Gerrow said in mid-December the space will host a show of student artists in grades 7 through 12. She expects more than 70 students o participate. “We’re trying to reach out to artists across the spectrum.”
