Since its founding in 2005, the Cleveland-based Red Dot Project has connected artists with clients who appreciate more than unique design. In selling the work of Northeast Ohio artists, the non-profit directly fosters a growing creative community, supporting their endeavors and providing them the exposure they need to thrive. Of the more than $500,000 in sales for visual artists and arts businesses led by Red Dot Project, all the proceeds have been delivered directly to artists and reinvested in the advocacy work of the organization.
Finished in June, the PNC SmartHome represents another art movement. Built on the grounds of the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, it's a working exhibit demonstrating the state of the art in energy-efficient, sustainable living. It was a natural home for a singular collection of art curated by Red Dot Project. "We were approached by CMNH to curate the artwork for the SmartHome," says Red Dot Project's Christy Gray. "They recognized RED DOT Project as having the ability to pull a variety of artists from the region whose artwork fit within the story that is being told about sustainability and climate change. There was also a sense to strengthen community relationships through a project like this.
"All of the artwork in the SmartHome is through the lens of materials, process or theme. It gives us the ability to talk about sustainability in different ways, each a valid part of the conversation," says Gray. "Each of the 15 artists has a story unique to their art." To wit, the furniture and home decor, paintings, photographs and sculptures reflect the SmartHome's guiding principles, incorporating illuminating nature motifs and organic materials that give the home's spaces a complementary and stimulating presence.
"I am very much influenced by my environment as evident in my work"
More than 15 Northeast Ohio artists provided art and furnishings from the PNC SmartHome. The varied collection includes artist Charlotte Lees' "Falling Leaves," a mixed media work of wood, paint and photo transfers that captures the essence its title suggests; Fred Gearhart's "Struttin'," a fluid limestone sculpture he collaborated on with painter Molly Zimmerman to polychrome the carved surface with acrylic paints.
Artist Gina DeSantis provided her signature ceramic stoneware to help set the table for an artists dining scene. "I think sustainability is an important practice, and one that I employ in my own studio," says DeSantis. "I am very much influenced by my environment as evident in my work; for example, the cherry blossom pieces currently on display.
"I am excited to have my work be part of such an ambitious project, and I am proud that Cleveland has embraced this important step towards spreading the word about sustainable practices."
Liz Maugans' playful mixed-media piece "Take Me Home" (pictured on wall in lead image) comes from a series she calls "Scrap Crap," a cheeky moniker for works that are born of items found on the roadside or remnants of previous efforts. Cleveland found-object artist Susie Frazier works with a profoundly earthy palette – grass, gingko wood, river rocks, oak, Lake Erie driftwood, palm paddles, tree roots –as the foundation for a variety of functional and decorative elements. "Susie Frazier's work is calm and beautiful," says Gray. "Her aesthetic organizes the chaos of nature and our lives. The work at the same time feels appropriate in the home environment that it is in, and has sophisticated feel at the same time."
On Wednesday, July 20, Frazier and Maugans will join Gray to lead an hour-long art tour of the SmartHome, beginning at 7 pm. Visitors will learn how the artists mesh their work with concerns about the environment, and get a look at work they can buy for their own home.
The hour-long art tours will start at 7 p.m. July 20 and Aug. 17. Tickets are $11 and include general admission to the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. The PNC SmartHome is on view through September. Art from the home can be sold now or at the SmartSale, scheduled from noon to 4 pm on October 9. Partial proceeds benefit the Cleveland Museum of Natural History and Red Dot Project.
[pictured, l-r: "Reveal, Aspire, Initiate" by Susie Frazier; "Struttin'" by Fred Gearhart; "Root Swag Light" by Susie Frazier and "Falling Leaves" by Charlotte Lees (on wall) / all photos courtesy of Cleveland Museum of Natural History]
