Jim Zalewski was put on this Earth to be an artist.
After a career spent doing everything from graphic design to building websites, Zalewski now paints full time from his studio and gallery inside the Erie Street Market. One of several signs on his door reads, “Help me escape poverty. The struggle is real. Support local artists.” Another sign reads, “Support local independent everything!”
Then there’s the artwork, dozens of canvases of varying size, all filled with bold, bright bursts of color.
Feeling in a certain mood? Zalewski has a painting for you.
“I’ve been painting all my life, but there was a 30-year gap during my career days,” Zalewski said. “It was a long and stable career.”
But pursuing a standard career path left him burned out and unsatisfied. Art became his salvation.
“Absolutely everything inspires me,” said Zalewski, who has concentrated on abstract expressionism for the last few years.
Zalewski’s studio and shop is located at the Art on Market Shoppes at the Erie Street Market, 201 S. Erie St.
For more information, visit jimzalewski.com.
■ Some whimsical creativity is going on at the Sandusky Cultural Center through May 22.
Nearly Normal Encounters with Whimsy is an eclectic multimedia exhibit of northwest Ohio artists. Whether it’s David Sapp’s shoe creations, Diane Chevalier’s jewelry, or the surreal cartoon imagery of George Kocar, there’s something for everyone at this show.
The Sandusky Cultural Center is open from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday through Friday at 2130 Hayes Ave., Sandusky.
For more information, visit sanduskyculturalcenter.org.
■ Congratulations to Arts Commission CEO and president Marc D. Folk for being named to the board of directors of the national nonprofit organization Americans for the Arts. Based in Washington, D.C, this more than 60-year-old arts advocacy group works with local communities to help create opportunities for everyone to enjoy the arts.
Folk began his career with the Arts Commission in 1996 as an instructor in the Young Artists At Work program. In 2018, he was awarded the Ray Hanley Innovation Award by Americans for the Arts in recognition of his outstanding contributions to Toledo’s arts and culture.
For more information, visit AmericansForTheArts.org.
■ The students of Achieve Career Preparatory Academy exhibit their works of art at the Toledo Museum of Art’s University of Toledo Center of Visual Arts, located at 5001 Monroe St., through July 31.
Sculpture artist John Sauve, known for his ongoing Man In the City project, worked with the students, inspiring them to come up with their own three-dimensional creations. Sauve’s Man in the City sculptures can be seen in Perrysburg at Rosaria’s on Third Street restaurant, located at 135. W. Third St., and Milestone Park, located at 727 Sandusky St.
■ The Maumee Senior Center has announced its first-ever art show, which will take place between 2 and 4 p.m. May 3.
Since September, art instructor Mary Jane Erard has been teaching twice-weekly art classes at the center, and now the results will be displayed. Art students at the Maumee Senior Center range in age from 50 to 80, and about 15 artists will be featured in the show.
The Maumee Senior Center is located at 2430 Detroit Ave. in Maumee. For more information, visit maumeeseniorcenter.com.
■ Just in time for bird migration season comes artist Justin Kellner’s exhibit Passing Through, on display at the Hudson Gallery beginning Saturday through May 28. Kellner’s work invokes the stillness of forest branches and the tiny, colorful bursts of warblers, nuthatches, and other songbirds.
“The paintings give an impression of the natural areas I've explored, while informing the viewer about their environmental fragility,” Kellner said in an artist’s statement. “Very sensitive to their environments, birds are often a good indicator of the health of a particular ecosystem. In my paintings, I combine aggressive, abstract brushstrokes and textures with realistically rendered birds to create spaces that give the impression of erosion, change, and isolation.”
Kellner says he hopes his work inspires others to explore the natural world. A free artist reception will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. May 6. Hudson Gallery is located at 5645 N. Main St. in Sylvania.
For more information, visit hudsongallery.net.
Send news of art items at least two weeks in advance to Jason Webber at jwebber@theblade.com.
First Published April 28, 2022, 1:00 p.m.
