“Poppy Dance,” by Nicki Lanzi, will be among the artwork featured in the Women’s Art League of Akron’s 85th anniversary show, which opens May 25 at Summit Artspace.
The historic Women’s Art League of Akron celebrates 85 years of creativity with an anniversary show, which opens Friday, May 25 at Summit Artspace on East Market.
League members will be on hand for the opening reception, Friday, May 25, 5 to 8 p.m., in the main gallery at Summit Artspace, located at 140 E. Market St., in downtown Akron. The event is free and open to the public, and awards will be announced at 6:30 p.m.
In the early 20th century, Akron’s skilled women artists were struggling for recognition and at a disadvantage because of their gender, said Deanna Clucas, a league member and local artist. Twenty women gathered in 1933 and agreed it was time to form an Akron society of women who liked to paint.
Gertrude Seiberling, the matriarch of the prominent Seiberling family and the mistress of Akron’s Stan Hywet mansion, was one of those founders, Clucas added.
More than eight decades later, the prize-winning league is still a prominent presence in the local art scene. Members create works with oils, acrylics, watercolor, pastels, colored pencils, graphite and mixed media, as well as fibers, cameras, mixed media for collage and printing media. The art varies from realistic to abstract genres.
An original mission of the group continues with the funding and awarding of art scholarships to female high school seniors continuing their art education.
League members will participate in a panel discussion in the main gallery on Thursday, June 28 at 7 p.m. (Reserve a seat at https://bit.ly/2L5Qs3p.) Summit Artspace’s panel discussions have been gaining in popularity as community members come to appreciate the forum as a place to learn more about the skill and talent of local artists.
Summit Artspace’s main gallery is open Thursdays and Fridays, noon to 7 p.m.; and Saturdays, noon to 5 p.m. Additional hours are 5 to 9 p.m. June 2 for Artwalk and for 3rd Thursday on June 21, which runs 4 to 7 p.m. at Summit Artspace.
Parking is available behind the Summit Artspace building when visiting the gallery. Summit Artspace is handicap accessible and has an elevator.
Summit Artspace is a nonprofit community art center organization that provides studio, exhibit and programming spaces in Summit County and the surrounding area for local artists and arts organizations; and is a center for art education open to all residents. For info, call (330) 376-8480 or visit www.summitartspace.org.
