Cleveland Art

Yesterday the weather forecast called for rain, so I took a break from gardening and drove to the Cleveland Museum of Art.  You may remember that during the pandemic, when I was unable to travel, I made frequent trips to the museum and wrote about the different galleries here on the blog.

One gallery which I did not discuss is the room devoted to artists who lived, studied or worked in the Cleveland area.  Here are a few items in that gallery...

"Still Life Plaque" 

by Victor Schreckengost

1931

Schreckengost created ceramics for Cowan Pottery in the Cleveland suburb of Rocky River.  His work was inspired by the angular and fragmented forms of cubism.

"St. George and the Dragon"

by Russel Barnett Aitken

1936

Aitken studied enameling at the Cleveland Institute of Art.  This plaque is enamel on copper.

"The Pool"

by William Sommer

1918

Sommer moved in 1914 to the village of Brandywine between Cleveland and Akron.  He bought an abandoned schoolhouse and converted it into his studio.  His artwork, influenced by French artistic movements, reflects the rural setting in which he lived.

"Rooftop View"

by Hughie Lee-Smith

1957

The African American painter studied in Cleveland before moving on to Detroit and New York.  His isolated and desolate cityscapes reflect his experiences as a black man.

"Console table and mirror"

by Paul Fehér

1930

The Hungarian-born artist trained in decorative metalwork moved to Cleveland where he was employed by the Rose Iron Works.  His work reflects the art deco style which was popular at the time.

"Gold necklace"

by John Paul Miller

1991

Miller studied painting at the Cleveland Institute of Art but switched to making jewelry.  This piece was commissioned by Cleveland politician Seth Taft as a 50th anniversary gift for his wife Franny, a long-time Cleveland Institute of Art professor.

"My Home Town"

by Michelangelo Lovelace

1998

Lovelace, an African American painter and life-long Cleveland resident, painted vibrant commentaries on politics and society.  This large canvas is filled with Cleveland landmarks.  The black people are all on the East Side, the white people are on the West Side, and they mingle in the center, Downtown.  Lovelace passed away in 2021 from pancreatic cancer at the age of 60.