Pennello Gallery co-directors Jacquie Meyerson, left, and Sue Cahn in front of artwork inside their gallery. Submitted photo.

Pennello Gallery adds new Israeli artists

By Alyssa Schmitt

The Pennello Gallery in Little Italy in Cleveland will welcome new Israeli artists to its hall starting in May.

Among the artists is Israeli-born Naava Naslavsky, an assistant biochemistry and molecular biology professor at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln, who creates papier-mache figurines.

“She has two passions that she meshes together,” said Pennello co-director Sue Cahn. “The two things that make her whole and happy is science and art.”

To create her “whimsical” pieces Naslavsky recycles material she uses in a lab, transforming the objects into new shapes that are completely different than the original.

Also joining the gallery is Irit Goldberg, an Old Jaffa-based artist, who injects patterns, linen and gold accents to her functional pieces of ceramic.

“What inspires her is the sea (in Jaffa) and her love for fabric and textures,” Cahn said. “While she emphasizes the delicacy of the creation, her items are both elegant and functional.”

Alongside the new artists is fresh work from Matelace-artist Ayala Barr and Anna Carmi, who mixes the atmosphere of Jerusalem into her ceramics.

“We really support the state of Israel and we support the artists,” co-director Jacquie Meyerson said. “We feel like we bring (the art) to not just the Jewish people, but the other people that come to this area.” CV


Originally published in the Cleveland Jewish News on May 5, 2017.

Lead image: Pennello Gallery co-directors Jacquie Meyerson, left, and Sue Cahn in front of artwork inside their gallery. Submitted photo

 

Art work by Kari Russell-Pool on display at the Shaker Community Gallery. Submitted photo

Shaker Community Gallery focuses on mother artists in first exhibition

By Alyssa Schmitt

After two years in the making, the Shaker Community Gallery officially opened its doors April 22 with “Balancing Work, Family and Creativity: Mother Artists.”

President and co-founder Leslye Arian, a member of The Temple-Tifereth Israel in Beachwood, wanted to recognize the revitalization of the Van Aken District and, with the help of the Rev. Peter Faass, she put her gallery in the Christ Episcopal Church.

“It started with a vision when the Van Aken District was under construction,” Arian said. “I thought the city of Shaker and residents could benefit from an art and culture place.”

Arian said each new exhibit will showcase a specific theme with the inaugural exhibition saluting the difficulty creative mothers have juggling motherhood and their creative work. It features the art of Nicole Condon-Shih, Lori Kella, Kari Russel-Pool and Nicole Schneider.

“We want to explore thoughtful and relevant themes in this gallery,” Arian said. “We don’t want to put up a show just of landscapes.”

Arian said she hopes to highlight the relationship between the arts and economic development and to support local artists.

The “Mother Artists” exhibit runs through June 3 and is open to the public on Wednesdays from 6 to 9 p.m. and Saturdays from noon to 4 p.m. Private tours can be arranged by contacting Arian at 216-926-8842 or leslye.arian@gmail.com. CV


Originally published in the Cleveland Jewish News on May 3, 2017.

Lead image: Art work by Kari Russell-Pool on display at the Shaker Community Gallery. Submitted photo