SHARON — From a black-and-white photograph to a three-dimensional mobile, artwork of all forms of media is on display for the inaugural Random Acts of Artists Juried Exhibition in the Hope Center for Arts and Technology in Sharon.
Held in the Loft Gallery of the center, also known as the HopeCAT, a special reception Friday evening kicked off the exhibition, as artists and visitors gathered to talk and examine the pieces on display.
HopeCAT Executive Director Lori Hines said all the artwork was created by members of the local group Random Acts of Artists, and that this exhibition will become an annual event.
Francesca Baldarelli, who coordinates the Loft Gallery, said HopeCAT and Random Acts of Artists have partnered on different initiatives in the past, and that the discussions for this particular exhibition began during a “Paint the Park” event last October in Buhl Park.
Those discussions with RAA officials, particularly the organization’s president, Terry Polonsky, ultimately led to the art exhibition at HopeCAT.
“We’re hoping that we can get the word out and grow this event in the future,” Baldarelli said.
Polonsky said RAA was established as a nonprofit organization in 2016 and has about 125 members from both Ohio and Pennsylvania.
Over the years, RAA’s members have participated in about 25 shows, with a few upcoming events in 2024 — including a display at the Trumbull Art Gallery in mid-to-late February and a show focusing on birdhouses at the North Sharon Volunteer Fire Hall on May 4 and 5.
“This is a great space to be able to have an exhibition here,” Polonsky said of the Loft Gallery.
Claudia Berlinski, an artist, educator and museum director at the John J. McDonough Museum of Art, served as juror for the event. Baldarelli said she also learned from Berlinski at Youngstown State University as a student years ago.
As juror for the exhibition, Berlinski was tasked with choosing about half of the 30 or so submitted pieces to be displayed.
Five of the participating artists were also recognized with merit awards and $100 each: Beth Carson, Diane Beatty, Julie Martin, Lindsay DeLullo and Hazel Bobosky.
While she enjoyed participating in this year’s event, Berlinski said it was difficult choosing which pieces should be displayed, and then choosing five artists to receive merit awards.
“Usually with art exhibitions you tend to have a different juror each year, and art is subjective, too,” Berlinski said.
The exhibition will be displayed through Jan. 22. The Loft Gallery is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday. HopeCAT is at 115 Anson Way, Sharon.
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