Saturday, July 30
11 am Noon Guided Exhibition Award Tour (Meet at north entrance)
Noon The Wexner Center for the Arts Presents 2011 Ohio Short Film and
Video Showcase, Youth Division
2 pm Blue Level (Gallery)
3 pm Guided Exhibition Award Tour (Meet at north entrance)
4 pm Brian Griffin (Patio)
6 pm The Wexner Center for the Arts Presents 2011 Ohio Short Film and
Video Showcase, Youth Division
Growing up in a small town in Northwest Ohio, I often helped my mother and grandmother pull weeds and plant seeds. This early exposure to gardening and nature has inspired and informed my work. I am moved by the ordinary forms and objects that surround us - weeds and plants that I observe everyday on the highways and roadsides throughout Ohio, as well as the fence forms and flowers I see on my morning walks in the alleys throughout my neighborhood.
Working with fluorescent paint on paper is a relatively new media for me as an artist. In the past, working with oil paint on canvas, my flower forms and pattern have adorned still lives and interior spaces. My current work is committed, simplified and modern. I have taken small sections from my previous works and explored the essence of one idea, one moment. The paintings of flowers become modern versions of the classic botanical print.
Fluorescent color is typically associated with the garish, sterile nature of neon signs, rather than the elegance and beauty of fine art. I am intrigued with the process of transforming something ordinary or mundane into something extraordinary. My intent is to give life, vibrancy and importance to these common forms. I am drawn to the visual impact and scintillation that is created through the use of fluorescent color. While this effect may be difficult to glean from a photographic image, when viewed in person, the impact is undeniable.
The use of the silhouette is a common theme throughout my work. It allows me to capture the essence of the forms; it is simple and understood collectively.
I purposely paint the silhouette in darker colors, never black, with the intent to give an updated perspective from the traditional paper cut outs of the early 1800's. At first, the paintings have a flat graphic quality, however quickly transcend into much greater dimension. The surface has a tactile feel that comes alive thru the use of punched holes, grommets and the juxtaposition of thin layers of color next to the liberally painted surface of the silhouetted forms.
...and got a bunch of locations all around the grounds where I could find the Italian Sausage sandwich I was craving! I figured out where I was at on the map, then headed to the stand closest to me. Seriously simple!
--Fair Food Frankie
corndogs and cotton candy; all the 
while wondering why it was taking so long to park the car!
have the entire fair to explore all for yourself, or Saturday afternoon when it seems everyone in Ohio has had the same idea all at once; you can count on the The Cox Fine Arts Center to be a haven from the elements of the fair. And this year's exhibition is better than ever.
Want to impress your friends with some Ohio State Fair trivia? Try out the fun facts below - they'll be more than impressed with what you know!
-There are 105 steps to the top of the Giant Slide. Approximately 1,500 fairgoers ride the slide every hour, at an average speed of 15 miles per hour. There are also 98 cars on the For SkyGlider, averaging 1,800 riders per hour. Both rides have been at the Fair since 1969.
-Every year, farmers in Ohio produce 7.1 billion eggs, 274 million pounds of chicken, 5.2 million turkeys, 500
million pounds of beef, 966 million pounds of pork, 1.2 million pounds of lamb and 600 million gallons of milk. They also exhibit enough livestock that if you formed an Olympic team out of all the animals, it would outnumber the United States 10-1.
-The Celeste Center and Ohio State Fair Grandstand have brought in some big name entertainers over the years. Bob Hope has given the most performances with 15 shows between 1966 and 1991. The Oak Ridge Boys performed for 13 years, and Johnny Cash performed for 10. Recently, Rascal Flatts has been climbing the list, this year being their sixth Ohio State Fair performance since 2002.
Congratulations, you are now an Ohio State Fair trivia pro. Get out there and show off!
