If you ask most Cleveland Municipal School District students if they have ever been to the Cleveland Museum of Art, chances are the answer would be no. Regrettably, a visit to this jewel in the University Circle cultural crown has become unattainable because field trips are so costly. However, guided tours for groups of fifteen or more are available on a first come, first serve basis and teachers can apply at the CMA Education Department section at www.clevelandart.com. Fortunately, before Christmas break I was able to take five Collinwood High School students on a tour of the newly renovated galleries of CMA, which is ranked as one of America’s top five art museums. Their enthusiasm was a delight to witness. Here are some of their comments:

Arts Collinwood is proud to be sponsoring The Portfolio Project, a collaboration between teenagers and senior citizens, and is now accepting student nominations from teachers and others familiar with student work.

This project is a unique intergenerational experience in which a small group of high school students work with senior citizens to create poetry, oral history, video, still photography and portraiture. The sessions will be led by artists pre-eminent in their fields, who will also teach the young artists how to develop a portfolio, curate an exhibit and participate in the jurying process -- by helping to select a finalist for a mural installation at the Arts Collinwood center. 

A CALL TO ARTISTS

The All-City Art Show, sponsored by the National Arts Program, will be held at the Arts Collinwood gallery March 26 to April 9, with an official opening reception on April 1. Submissions are due by March 22. The exhibit is judged by professional artists and art educators in Amateur, Intermediate, Professional and Youth classifications. Entry is free. Participants must live in or work for the city of Cleveland, or belong to a city employee’s family. All entries must be the artist’s own original work (no kits!). There’s $1800 of prize money for the nine adult classes; $600 for the eight under-eighteen classes; and the possibility of an Honorable Mention, besides a Certificate of Participation for all entrants. For information and registration forms call: 216-664-2562, or visit www.nationalartsprogram.org.

Just before receiving my Bachelor of Fine Art degree from the Cleveland Institute of Art in 1989 as a drawing major, I was introduced to enameling. In my 4th year, a friend showed me pieces of copper she had covered with some sort of colorful, durable coating. She explained that it was enamel, and briefly told me about the class and the process. I’d never heard of this, but was very intrigued and so enrolled in the class at the start of my 5th and final year at CIA, to learn some of the basics of the medium.

Visual artist Terry Durst, who taught at the Cleveland Institute of Art and Cuyahoga Community College, moved to South Collinwood from Tremont four years ago. The move got him closer to the Waterloo Arts District and to the Beachland Ballroom and Tavern, where he loves to see music, mostly country music or anyone that sounds like Neil Young. When he lived in Tremont, his friends knew to look up his home phone number by searching for Neil Young in the phone book, that's how much Durst believes and associates with the power of music.

Arts Collinwood ended 2009 on a high note. For the first time ever, we faced an incredibly generous $5,000 challenge grant -- and thanks to tremendous response from members, neighbors and supporters, successfully raised the funds to make the match. The Weekends on Waterloo Holiday Sale at Arts Collinwood Gallery was up 20% from 2008 -- thanks for shopping locally! We received significant funding from the Cleveland Foundation. And, in spite of a really tough economy, we made it through the year, and didn't cut any of our core programs, including operating our new arts center.The year ahead looks promising: we've reopened the Cafe at Arts Collinwood, with a new look, new art, new menu, new music and more. Check out the jazz nights, movie nights, and much more -- another great way to showcase local artistic talent, while supporting the arts. 

Breathtaking...stunning...unbelievable! No words can describe the beauty of "Avatar" because this movie is in a league of its own, with its wondrous special effects and sensitive script.