WARREN, Ohio – Tony Armeni’s sculptures are easy to spot.
The abstract metal artworks have become fixtures at some prominent locations.
They can be found at both ends of West Federal Street in downtown Youngstown – one on Central Square and another in a parklet at Fifth Avenue.
Another one of Armeni’s outsized pieces sits in front of Westside Bowl on Mahoning Avenue in Youngstown. Others can be found in Warren’s Quinby Park.
The artist estimates he’s made about a hundred of his modernistic works over the decades, during which time he has also been an educator and a musician.
To salute his extensive contributions, Armeni will be honored with a unique exhibition that will open May 3 at Trumbull Art Gallery, 158 N. Park Ave., and run through June 27. TAG is open from noon to 4 p.m. Thursdays and Friday and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays.
An opening day reception will take place from 6-8 p.m. Admission is free.
The title of the exhibition – “Arcs/Angles/Sound” – reflects the nature of Armeni’s art. The show is being produced and curated by LOOP Youngstown, an arts advocacy group.
“Karen Schubert [president of LOOP] and Bill Mullane [board chairman of TAG] decided that there should be a show honoring my years of commitment to the art scene, with former students and colleagues and peers, and a cross section of the arts community,” Armeni said.
Armeni was an adjunct sculpture and design instructor at Youngstown State University for 30 years, retiring a couple of years ago. He is also a trombone player in the local band Sacksville Rhythm and Blues and hosts monthly jazz jam sessions at bars and venues.
For the upcoming exhibition, he selected several of his more recent works. “It’s all relatively new, mostly from the last six months,” he said.
Armeni’s sculptures are included in national and local collections, including The Butler Institute of American Art. One can be seen at the Ward Beecher Planetarium at YSU.
The upcoming exhibition will also include work by Armeni’s contemporaries. “We put a call out to my former students, professors and peers,” he said.
Approximately three dozen regional artists were asked to create works that incorporate sound – either within their work or as part of installations. Their art will cross multiple genres, including video, painting, ceramics, sculpture, mixed media, installations and photography.
Participating artists are Tony Amrich, Steph Blair, Nea Bristol, Shaye Cahill, Carole Conatser, Jim Conti, Dragana Crnjak, Shawn Crum, Thomas Cvetkovich, Michelle Davis, Lindsay DeLullo, Sharon Dundee, Joseph D’Uva, Terence Fetchet, Michael Green, Edward Hallahan, Kathryn Infante, Connie Kolarik, Carl Leet, Adrien Lucas, Missy McCormick, Elise McKeown Skolnick, Mia Mondora, William Mullane, Tony Nicholas, John Guy Petruzzi, Max Scabilloni, Tracy Segreti, Dana Sperry, Gary Taneri, Abbey Wendle, Dovey Wuvey, Summer Zickefoose, Bryn Zellers and Joseph Zordich.
Robyn E. Maas is the curator of the show.
Armeni’s medium is metal, and he is a skilled welder.
He learned that skill early in his career, and it shaped his creative output for decades.
“I learned welding as a young man working in body shops,” he said. “When I got back into art school, the first few pieces I made were [for assignments in which the list of materials was open], so I welded them. I have been welding ever since.”
Armeni has lived in Youngstown his entire life and has no regrets.
“Youngstown has been good for me,” he said. “I’ve had the good fortune of having good professors and a number of close artist friends.”
The city’s arts community helped shape him as a sculptor and educator.
“It’s a tight-knit community, and it’s important that we have that grounding,” Armeni said. “That’s how and why I do what I do. It’s my environment and my upbringing.”
Armeni’s studio was in the Ward Bakery Building near downtown Youngstown for many years.
After the building was sold last year, Armeni and about a dozen other artists were forced to find new digs.
Armeni relocated to a spacious studio at 2246 Glenwood Ave. on Youngstown’s south side. He said he was fortunate to find such an ideal place to make his art.
Pictured at top: Tony Armeni in his studio.