Akron artist Brian Shellito will conduct a critique session for MCAL members on Monday, March 23 at 7 pm at Root Community Room. Not only is he an instructor of Visual Communication and Design at Kent State University, he brings a wealth of experience and a wide history of exhibitions and awards.  A freelance illustrator since graduating from the University of Nebraska with degrees in painting, biology, and art history, he is a plein air painter as well as editorial cartoonist, staff artist, copy and news editor for the Akron Beacon Journal,  among numerous other interests. He conducts the Friday morning life drawing sessions for Akron Society of Artists and brings a finely practiced critical eye with helpful suggestions. Members are invited to bring one piece of art to present for critique.

At the February MCAL meeting president Linda Long presented a check to Main Street Medina’s George Sam and Manfred Keck in support of the new Bee Park Project being constructed just south of Medina Square. They issued a special invitation to our Art League members to participate in this mural competition, which will be a highlight of the new city park. For more information, contact manfred@mainstreetmedina.com .

ART OPPORTUNITY! Main Street Medina will be sharing details of this competition during the first 10 minutes of our February 23rd monthly meeting. The contest was introduced in yesterday's Newsday Tuesday, goes on social media today, and has been sent to the Ohio Arts Council website, etc. The selected artwork will receive $5,000 award for their artwork design created in a 20” x 30” format for the 20’ x 30’ mural. To enter the contest click here .

What's That? The Kaleidoscope Juried Exhibition is the annual holiday show presented by the Alliance for the Visual Arts (AVA). This Akron art exhibition is open to all members of AVA organizations: Akron Society of Artists (ASA), Artists of Rubber City (AoRC), Cuyahoga Valley Art Center (CVAC), Medina County Art League, the Ohio Collage Society and Women’s Art League of Akron (WAL). This year’s exhibition juror is Jeffrey Katzin, Senior Curator of The Akron Art Museum . Winner of the People’s Choice Award will receive a hand-made kaleidoscope and their artwork will be featured on next year’s exhibition promotions. Dates Still subject to change as the construction contract is through January 6, 2026 provided no delays! Exhibition Dates March 6 – April 26, 12–5:00pm Fridays and Saturdays only Call for Art Opens Mid–Late September, 2025 Submission Deadline November 24, 2025, 11:59pm Notifications Sent December 5, 2025 Drop Off Accepted Art/Installation February 9, 12–6:00pm Reception and Awards March 12, 5–8pm Awards Presented at 6:00pm Pickup of Unsold Artwork April 27, 12–6:00pm *Yes, we will have 2 Kaleidoscope shows in 2026 due to the extensive construction! Entry Fee $30 for up to 2 artwork submissions. Fees support the Alliance for the Visual Arts which pays for awards and expenses. Artwork cannot have been previously displayed in a Summit Artspace gallery. Awards First Place $200 Second Place $150 Third Place $100 There will also be four honorable mentions. Jurying Information Jurying will be done via digital image. Artists may submit up to two high quality digital images (.jpg, .pdf, .tiff, .png) of each 2D submission. Three images for 3D work. The images must accurately represent the finished work and accepted work must be professionally presented for exhibition (see notes below). All jurying is blind. Artist's names cannot be in the file name of digital images. Submissions that include the artist’s name will be disqualified. If artists contact the juror in regard to their piece(s) from the time of submission to the announcement of winners, artists shall be subject to disqualification from this and future exhibitions. Signatures on artwork will be covered for final jurying to ensure blindness of juror. This is a juried exhibition , meaning that a juried selection shall take place, dictating which images will hang in the limited space. Refunds are not issued for works not accepted into this exhibition. We use Submittable to accept and review our submissions. When submitting your work, if you don’t already have an account with Submittable , you can create one. You might write a sentence or two about the work entered before beginning the process of entering so you are ready when the question is asked. Do You Have Limited Computer Access and Need Help Submitting Your Application? We offer personal help also with photographing your work! Call/email 330-376-8480 ext 1 or natalie@summitartspace.org . for an appointment. Size and Weight Limits Final installation size of 2-D work cannot exceed 4' (48") wide or 7' (84") high. 3-D work must not exceed 39" in diameter or 7' (84") high, nor may any single component of the work exceed 50 pounds Display All wall-hung artwork must be wired with appropriate hardware for its weight; no saw tooth hangers. If wall mounted work absolutely cannot be wired, please indicate in the “Special Installation Requirements” section of the submission form. If there are special installation requirements, the artist must provide necessary hanging devices (i.e. magnets). All work must be labeled with the artist's name and contact information when delivered (in any format). Summit Artspace has a limited number of pedestals available. The artist may be required to provide a special display fixture appropriate for the installation (if necessary). Please note all displays are subject to Summit Artspace approval. Submitting diptychs are permitted as a single entry so long as the pieces are clearly defined as a single artwork. Please clearly label the entry as a diptych in the “Special Installation Requirements” and include desired measurements/layout between components. Combined artwork must meet the other specified restrictions. Suitability of works which must be suspended, require a power source, are between 35-50 pounds, are close to the size limitations or have other special installation requirements will be determined on an individual basis. Professional installation will be provided by Summit Artspace. Care will be taken when handling and displaying all artwork; however Summit Artspace waives responsibility for either damage or loss of artwork. Expectations 30% gallery commission will be collected on all artwork sold during the show. Summit Artspace will process all artwork sales and compensation to artists. All artists will be required to sign a gallery contract. Upon entering you will be added to the Summit Artspace contact list. We cannot accept artwork that is shipped, nor can we ship artwork. Questions? Please email Deanna Clucas at deannaclucas@gmail.com with any questions.

Saturday January 17, 2026, 10:00am–3:30pm A. I. Root Co. Community Room 623 West Liberty St., Medina, OH “Evening Lineup” 11” x 15” Watercolor on 300 lb. rough Arches watercolor paper Negative Painting? In January? Yes! With negative painting, the subject is not painted first but revealed by concentrating on the surrounding negative spaces. This January we will do an imaginary watercolor floral utilizing Negative Painting techniques. Topics covered in this workshop will include: Wet-in-wet technique Underpainting Glazes/Transparency/Staining/Dispersion Values & Contrast Shapes - Positive and Negative Applications for this workshop are currently closed. About the Artist Rick Williams is a long-term resident of Medina. His first exposure to art was during a class with Miss Oswald at Medina High School. While he was a student in Miss Oswald’s class, he received his first art award at a regional competition in Akron. Rick attended Ohio University for three years, majoring in Architecture. He served in the United States Marine Corps for a year and traveled the world, returning to attend Kent State University where he majored in Graphic Design & Illustration and worked in the student-run Glyphix Studio. After college, Rick had a career in advertising with a focus on B2B, or Business-to-Business, advertising.  In retirement, Rick primarily works with watercolor paints. He also enjoys drawing and has recently begun exploring pastels and water-based oils. Rick is a member of the Ohio Watercolor Society, Whiskey Painters of America, Medina County Art League, Cuyahoga Valley Art Center, and an associate member of the National Watercolor Society, American Watercolor Society, and Transparent Watercolor Society.

The Medina County Art League will be hosting a 3-day overnight art tour this June. Join us Tuesday – Thursday, June 9 – 11, 2026! Package Features Great Day! Tours pre-departure package   with itineraries, baggage tags, & name tags Roundtrip transportation  aboard a fully equipped deluxe motorcoach 2 nights of hotel accommodations  in the Chadds Ford, PA area (Hilton, Marriott, or similar property) with breakfast each morning 3 additional meals Admissions to Longwood Gardens  – One of the world’s premier horticultural display gardens, showcasing more than 10,000 species and varieties of plants spread out across more than 1,100 acres. Brandywine Museum of Art  – Discover an outstanding collection of American art housed in a 19th-century mill with a dramatic steel and glass addition overlooking the banks of the Brandywine River. Your group’s visit will include: Guided Museum Tour:  Your group can choose a tour of the museum’s general highlights and collection, a tour focused on the Wyeth family of artists, or a tour of the museum’s special exhibitions. N.C. Wyeth House & Studio Tour:  In 1911, with the proceeds from his illustrations for Treasure Island , N.C. Wyeth purchased 18 acres of land in the village of Chadds Ford where he built his house and studio. Here he set down roots, which have nourished a family of extraordinary creativity for more than a century. Through this experience, your group will get to know the Wyeth family more intimately, discovering how it all began. Andrew Wyeth Studio Tour:  Andrew Wyeth painted many of his most important works of art in his Chadds Ford studio between 1940 and 2008, inspired by the people, architecture, and landscapes of Chadds Ford. Extremely private during his lifetime, this tour will give your group a truly unique opportunity to see where he once lived and worked. Self-Guided Exploration of the Galleries, Gardens, and Gift Shop:  Enjoy free time to wander through the rest of the museum at your group’s leisure. Overnight Tour Pricing Pricing is based on the number of travelers: Price Per Person Number of Paying Passengers Group Leaders (No Charge) $610 43–50 2 $654 36–42 2 $695 30–35 1 Important Details Add $170 for each passenger in a single / Deduct $56 for each passenger in a triple. A $75 deposit (returnable if trip is cancelled) insures your spot. The balance is to be paid by 3/1/2026 Direct any questions to Cheryl Sturgeon. csturgeo@neo.rr.com All payments will be made to the Medina County Art League

Mayor Dennis Hanwell and MCAL Co-President Linda Long presented awards at Art in the Park. Best of Show Michele Cimprich Photography $1000 – Geo. Brown & Assoc 1 st  Place Nancy Finesilver Ceramics $800 - Mayor’s Award (member anonymous gift) 2 nd  Place Bob Pozarski Stained glass $600 – Brown, Amodio, and Chandler Law Office 3 rd  Place Olivia Blubaugh Jewelry $400 – Medina Gem Awards of Distinction $100 each donated by  Elements of Medina, The Hope Collection of Oberlin, One Lucky Dog Bakery of Medina, Salon Morche of Medina Velvet’s Framing of Seville, and Waite Funeral Home of Medina   Darrell Kent Fine art Jessica Richter Fine art Joy & Zach Ingram Fine craft, pottery/ceramics Judy Rohrbaugh Fine craft, pottery/ceramics Patricia Bolgar Jewelry Michele Cimprich Photography Art in the Park 2025 Gallery

Brunswick Rec Center is displaying art from a group of MCAL members known as "Vintage Artists". Smaller pieces and 3D are in the display case. Larger pieces are on the walls throughout the building. Stop by to see the beautiful work on display. The pieces will be changed out periodically and most are for sale. Members of the Vintage Artists include Karen Briggs Ng, Judy Hohl, Steve Vadini, Bonnie Khavaran, Michele Cozza, Donna Crane, Chris Kelly, Mike Rozack, Dave Cesear, Jane Greinke. We have new member Karen Ng to thank for getting this show on the road - or in the rec center. Congratulations to members Janet Baran, Carol Klingel, Therese Kramer, Brad Rice, Carol Stevens, Kathy Stokes-Shafer and Patricia Tilk for being accepted into the Cuyahoga Valley Art Center Figurative Exhibition. It is a lovely show, you have until April 17 to go see it!

Artist-quilter Carole Pollard says, “Ideas excite me. Beauty inspires me. I wanted to be an artist from childhood, but made my living teaching English. I retired to get serious about making art, and I chose designing and making art quilts to express that intention. Several quilts have been inspired by literature. Many have deeply personal meaning, a psychological self-portrait. Archetypes* are all contained and interlinked within me and work together in dynamic and sometimes startling or even disturbing ways.” Join us on Monday evening, September 25th at the AI Root Community Room , as Carole shows the process of how--and why--she puts together these magnificent pieces of cloth and thought. *Archetypes are universal, inborn models of people, behaviors, and personalities that play a role in influencing human behavior. Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung's theory suggested that these archetypes were archaic forms of innate human knowledge passed down from our ancestors. In Jungian psychology, these archetypes represent universal patterns and images that are part of the collective unconscious. Jung believed that we inherit these archetypes much in the way we inherit instinctive patterns of behavior.

Looking for some arty odds and ends? Come to the Medina County Art League’s STUDIO CLEAROUT SALE! Sat. October 14, noon – 4 p.m. and Sunday October 15, noon - 3 p.m. @ A. I. Root Community Room, 623 W. Liberty St., Medina 44256 Our members are cleaning house to benefit our annual scholarships awarded to select high school seniors who are furthering their education in the visual arts. All leftovers from the sale will be donated to the Juvenile Detention Center’s art therapy program and to Planet Joy. If you are an artist wanting to donate, a decorator looking for some unique art pieces, someone who loves finding special gems to enhance your work, or a student looking for some inexpensive tools &materials, please come and bring a box or big shopping bag to load up on treasures! Contact Carol Klingel at paintskyblue@msn.com for more information. ******CASH OR CHECKS ONLY******

The main library in Medina is booked with art shows until 2025. However, three other libraries will be happy to exhibit your art if you are interested. · Lodi Library at 630 Wooster St., 330-948-1885 · Brunswick Library at 3649 Center Road, 330-273-4150 · Highland Library at 4160 Ridge Road, 330-239-2674 They will be happy to provide space for your art. They are smaller spaces than the main library but provide cozy settings for your art. Either phone or e-mail at art@mcdl.info for more information.

It is time to rejoin MCAL! You can either print out the application from our website or sign up online using our secure site. If you sign up online, you will know within seconds that your application has been accepted. You will be eligible to enter two pieces in the Aquarius Show at the Medina Library in February. There are cash prizes if you win. You also get discounted pricing at our workshops and may exhibit at our shows at the Echelon. You can enter two pieces for sale at Art in the Park in July in exchange for only two hours of your time volunteering at the event - you would be there, anyway! You will also hear about places to exhibit your work and other shows in the area. You will be informed of opportunities to practice your art as well as learn new techniques or brush up on what you already know. Of course, we are expecting a new group of exciting and interesting speakers at our monthly meeting - on the third Monday of the month. We hope you will join us again for another wonderful and exciting year! Chris Kelly, Membership Chair