On a pleasant autumn night, some curious onlookers walked in and out of the newest form of entertainment to hit town: an art show, the first of its unique kind to open in Ravenna. Dozens of attendees meandered through the long white room as the scent of chocolate wafted in the air. They took notice and discussed the brilliant colors hanging from the walls, waiting for their stories to be discovered.
Popped! Art Space hosted its opening reception, featuring local artists, on Friday, Oct. 6th, at 232 W. Main Street. It is connected to the Popped! Caramel Corn and Handmade Chocolate shop. “We had no idea what kind of turnout we would get, with it being a brand-new place,” Gwen Rosenberg expressed. “But there has been a constant rotation of people.”
So, what do art and popped corn have in common, you might be asking? Well, it all happened with a chance meeting, as Gwen and Aaron Rosenberg, owners of Popped!, will tell you. They met Daniel Kearsey, an artist and adjunct Professor of VCD for Kent State University, at Ravenna’s Art on Main.
Kearsey explained Gwen liked his artwork and ended up reaching out to see if he wanted to exhibit some pieces. “It evolved into me curating this art show.”
The inspiration for Kearsey’s art comes from his love of pop culture, movies like ‘Back to the Future,’ and sports. His artwork is created digitally and then printed from an iPad, a technique he developed during the Covid isolation.
“We want to make art accessible,” said Kearsey. “Ravenna doesn’t have anything like this!” The media on display at the art show were made of found objects, painted, mixed media, digital, and electronic. Shala Kearsey, Daniel’s wife, confirmed that many different Ravenna businesses had expressed their excitement for a new attraction in the downtown area.
Rae Rauluk, a visitor, said she just couldn’t decide and so has a favorite creation from each artist in the gallery. She looks forward to future events.
Ryan Staley, a digital and mixed media artist, said excitedly this was his first art show displaying his abstract compilations. Staley uses a program called Procreate on an iPad, then utilizes different screenshots and digital brush strokes (which emulate any kind of brush you want).
Eric Kittelberger has always loved baseball and art. As an illustrator, he uses his graphic design background to mimic minted baseball cards. He uses a combination of digital methods to create giant eye-catching artwork of baseball greats like Babe Ruth and Josh Gibson.
“There is value in art for stress relief and enlightenment,” stated Gwen with a look of pure joy on her face. “We knew we were on the right track!” The art space has the potential to be so many things: poetry readings, music, art shows; it really has no limits. “Our goal is to create a space where we can be surrounded by art and bring the community into it.”
Popped! Art Space hours are 11 am-5 pm, Tuesday-Friday, or you can call (330) 235-9174 for an appointment. The closing reception will be on December 1st from 5 pm-9 pm. Artwork is available for purchase.
