‘Art Reclaims Function’ opens this weekend
— While making art from recycled materials has become common among local artists, a new show at Hazel Tree Interiors offers a unique spin on this activity. For “Art Reclaims Function,” eight artists have come together to stretch their comfort zones and work on pieces as a collaboration in addition to featuring their own work.
The show opens this Saturday, Nov. 7, at Hazel Tree Interiors, which itself has long incorporated function and art.
Jason Horinger, Micah Kraus, Jessica Lofthus, Doug Meyer, Kevin Richards, Karen Starr, John Weaver and John Wilkie will come together to create art with (and on) functional pieces for the home or office.
A few guiding principles of this show are:
- All pieces being made/revised/arted/crafted on are being done with reclaimed/not new/no longer needed/forgotten about materials.
- All artists are working on their own creations, but are also collaborating together on pieces.
- The show also is stretching the artists’ comfort zones because everything must have a needed-in-the-home-or-office function, in addition to being expressions of art and design.
This show concept started when Hazel Tree owners Karen Starr and Jon Haidet were catching up with Shannon Ensign, who is the widow of Hazel Tree artist Russ Ensign who passed away in 2012.
She wanted to honor Ensign by hosting a celebration and last showing of the work of Ensign, who is the artist who worked with the organization Project Rebuild in Canton and made functional art, like clocks and mirrors, out of reclaimed Akron tire company tire patterns. A piece will be auctioned off to benefit Project Rebuild.
Another unique element to this show is that it is more of a constant sale: if a visitor buys a piece that day, they may take it home with them instead of waiting until the show finished its run.
The opening night party for “Art Reclaims Function” takes place during the Akron ArtWalk, Saturday, Nov. 7, from 5 to 9 p.m. The party will include food, drinks, live music by Johnny G and functional art for sale. Hazel Tree is located at 143 W. Market St.
