Local artists Diane Fleisch-Hughes, Suzan Kraus, Perris Mackey, Delinda Mariani, Dennis Mastrangelo, and Kate Oulton have created works of art, both traditional and experimental, using paper as the primary medium.
THE ARTISTS:
Diane Fleisch Hughes
Diane Fleisch Hughes is a nationally board certified Art Therapist and contemporary working artist based in the Cleveland, Ohio area. Her work is primarily mixed media figurative painting but she likes to experiment with all media. She is the Art Therapist at Julie Billiart School in Lyndhurst, Ohio, Adjunct Faculty in the graduate program at Ursuline College, and Publications Chair for the Buckeye Art Therapy Association. “During COVID-19, I have found myself navigating challenging changes to my therapy work. Like everyone else out there dealing with change, fear, and isolation, I have had to change how I meet my clients, whom I now see remotely, using telehealth. I am creating ‘response art’ which is artwork created by art therapists in response to material that arises in their therapy work. I have found that mixed media collage is immediate and intuitive which for me, best describes how I am going forward with 2020.”
Suzan Kraus
“Just like life, creating art is a journey of discovery. Each piece of work that I get involved in is a metaphorical symbol of where I am mentally, physically and metaphysically in my process of coming to awareness. By mixing the media and creating various layers I am able to convey subtle sensitivities that would not be evident in a flat painting. The layers and combinations of various materials give emotional depth, texture and higher interest. Working intuitively, always thinking in the potential, I find that even small accidents can impart a special unique life & breath to a concept which enables a connection to a larger consciousness. Continuous experimentation with these materials and mark making fosters not only better visual expression but also better understanding of the human condition.”
Perris Mackey
“I’m 33 years old and I was born and raised in the city of Cleveland. I started my artistic career back in 2011. I watched a documentary on Netflix called ‘Exit Through the gift shop.’ It was a story about a handful of well -known artists. They displayed their works in the streets and developed a huge following in the process. I was so infatuated with this that I had to get involved somehow and some way. I started collaging in 2014. I created a large Batman portrait out of comic book scraps from my personal collection. I posted it on Facebook and within the hour I had hundreds of likes and comments. More interactions than any of my previous artistic endeavors. I took this as a sign to continue and have been ever since. I’ve had write-ups in The Plain Dealer, The Scene, The Euclid Observer, and The News Herald. I’ve also had TV appearances on Kickin it with Kenny, Good Day Cleveland, Fox 8 News, and Action 19 News. I’ve been working nonstop in hopes that I can boost the awareness of myself and my art. I strive to change the perception of the starving artist and show my kids and anyone else that it is possible to live a successful life as a full-time artist.”
Dennis Mastrangelo
Dennis Mastrangelo attended Cooper School of Art and graduated in 1972 with a major in painting and printmaking. Dennis worked as a full time gardener and found inspiration for his art in the natural world around him. “I’ve been working with colored construction paper for several years creating 2D surreal landscapes. I worked as a gardener for thirty-five years so I really relate to the beauty of landscapes. I love working with high quality colored paper because of its rich dense colors and its fine textures. I’m able to achieve a fine hard edge that I strive for in my work by using paper as my medium.
Kate Oulton
Kate Oulton is an artist living and working in Northeast Ohio and a graduate of Kent State University. Her work is primarily focused on documenting and exploring the ephemera- the fleeting, transient qualities- of specific times and places as they contribute to our experiences. Her process is meditative and rhythmic, capturing, tracing, manipulating, and cutting found patterns, each one evidence of the complex and interdependent systems that underlie our environment. The way the dappled sunlight filters through an ancient tree’s canopy and onto the sidewalk is a result of how that tree has grown with and around manmade structures. Fragile new snow barely covering an evergreen bough evidences unseen wind patterns. The ungainly collapse of orange plastic construction fencing, proof of heaving ground. These elements surround us in our daily lives. They are in our memories, but only subconsciously as components that contribute to the feel of a place. By building her works around these patterns, Kate seeks to honor how the places we’ve been make us who we are. Her pieces are sculptural drawings and paintings, exploring paper simultaneously as a medium and a substrate. By cutting and manipulating the material by hand, she creates objects that are as much a part of their environment as the patterns that inspired them.
Our gallery is open to the public Monday-Thursday from noon-8 p.m., and Saturday from 9 a.m.-noon. To schedule a visit to our gallery outside of these hours, call (440) 964-3396. Admission to the gallery is free. To purchase artwork from an exhibit, see our front desk.
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