What does art created in a pandemic look like: Valley Views – cleveland.com

CHAGRIN FALLS, Ohio -- With so many artists working from home and putting their creative energies to good use, upcoming art exhibitions and audiences are bound to be enlivened with fresh perspectives and a greater emphasis on the shared pathos of living through a pandemic.

On the cusp of its 50th anniversary, Valley Art Center (VAC) is preparing for its 49th annual juried art exhibition, opening Nov. 6 and showcasing the art and artists of the region. The exhibit will be on display through Dec. 16 in the Margaret Bowen Gallery at 155 Bell St.

Artists living in a 250-mile radius of VAC are invited to submit up to three pieces for consideration. A panel of three independent jurors will select works to display from those submitted.

The jurors for this years show include artist and art educator David King, artist and owner of Deep Dive Art Projects & Editions Bellamy Printz; and Michael Weil, photographer and owner of Foothill Galleries.

Categories include textiles, glass and enamel, photography and prints, wood, metal and sculpture, jewelry, painting and drawings, ceramics, and mixed media and other modalities.

Cash prizes totaling $1,000 will be awarded for first, second and third place and best of show. Several community-sponsored awards will be presented, including the Hardy Watercolor Award and the Phyllis Lloyd Memorial Award.

Jurors typically choose about 75 pieces for the exhibit from about 300 to 400 pieces submitted. The venerable exhibit attracts a broad spectrum of artists and styles and is considered to be one of the regions oldest and most prestigious juried shows.

The cost to enter is $15 per piece, and artists may submit up to three pieces. All entries must be for sale. Work shown previously at VAC is not eligible.

From now until Oct. 19, artists may apply digitally using a link on the valleyartcenter.org website and following the instructions there. At least one digital image of each piece is required. Additional images of sculpture and three-dimensional work is advised.

View art now: The Fairmount Center for the Arts invites you to view its 44th annual visual arts exposition through Aug. 27 at the centers facility, located at 8700 Fairmount Blvd. in Russell Township. Or you can see it virtually. Contact fairmountcenter.org.

Safe travels this season: Russell Township police join other area departments in a national campaign to Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over Aug. 21 through Sept. 7.

Partnering with the Geauga County Sheriffs Office, Ohio State Highway Patrol and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Russell police will step up efforts to get drunk and impaired drivers off the road, as well as educate the public about the dangers of impaired driving.

Watch for increased patrols and roadblock safety checks in some communities. If you imbibe too much, you can use an app to catch a ride home through NHTDAs SaferRide mobile app, available on Google Play and Apples iTunes, according to a press release issued by Russell police.

The app allows you to call a taxi or a predetermined friend to pick you up. If you see a suspected drunk driver on the road, call 911. If you have a drunken friend about to drive, take the keys away and make arrangements to drive that friend home, advises Sgt. Randy Bialosky.

Contact trafficsafetymarketing.gov.

Alzheimers caregiver programs: The Cleveland chapter of the Alzheimers Association is offering several one-hour free education programs online to help caregivers and family members with patients who have the fatal brain disease.

Effective communication strategies will be discussed from 11 a.m. to noon Thursday (Aug. 20). Participants can learn 10 warning signs of Alzheimers disease from 11 a.m. to noon Tuesday, Aug. 25. Understanding and responding to dementia-related behaviors is the topic from 4 to 5 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 27.

These programs are available by telephone or video conference. Pre-registration is required. Register by calling 800-272-3900. The Cleveland chapter provides support to 50,000 people with the disease regionally in five counties.

To post your news and events contact Rusek at jcooperrusek@gmail.com.

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What does art created in a pandemic look like: Valley Views - cleveland.com