The Update | Makonde Sculptures at YSU; Five Squared Art Sale; St. Pat’s Parade; Ice Fest at Eastwood

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – Youngstown State University’s annual Black History Month art show begins today in the Judith Rae Solomon Gallery, inside Bliss Hall, with an exhibition of Makonde sculptures from the collection of Tazim and Dr. Nazim Jaffer.

An opening reception will take place at 5 p.m. today in the gallery, followed by an artist presentation and discussion at 6 p.m. in the McDonough Museum of Art, lecture hall 3000. 

Tazim Jaffer is a Youngstown-based artist and visual anthropologist of Indian heritage, born in Tanzania. As a visual anthropologist, she has received numerous grants to research life-cycle rituals and women’s economic empowerment from African, East Indian, South Asian and Pacific Island cultures.

A significant aspect of her studies has focused primarily on Makonde wood carvings that have been marginalized in the United States and the Western world. She states that the characterization of Makonde wood sculpture as “tourist art” is inaccurate because the “traditional” aspect of Makonde sculpture is an authentic art form embedded with unique aesthetic qualities and socio-religious content.

Tazim has shown her work in solo, invitational, group and juried exhibitions nationally and internationally for the past 40 years.  

YMCA’s Five Squared Art Show is Sunday

BOARDMAN, Ohio – The Davis Family YMCA, 5 McClurg Road, will present its ninth annual Five Squared benefit art show and sale Feb. 5-26.

An opening reception will take place from 1:30 to 3 p.m. Sunday, with sales beginning at 2:30 p.m.

More than 300 pieces of 5-inch-by-5-inch art will be for sale for $25 each or five for $100. Youth art will be $10 or six for $50. Raffle tickets will be sold from 1:30 to 2:10 p.m., with 10 winners receiving a place in line to choose a piece for purchase before the general sale begins at 2:30. Tickets are $1 apiece or six for $5.

A silent auction featuring larger pieces by Diane Beatty, John Fire, Angela Garner, Nancy Hawkins, Rebecca Hawkins, Christi Kacvinsky, Paulette Policy, Loretta Tipton, Cy Svagerko and Noreen Yasvac will accept bids from Feb. 5-14.

Proceeds from Five Squared fund the YMCA’s ARTreach program, which provides free art classes to underserved areas of the community. 

Sharon Will Have a St. Patrick’s Day Parade

SHARON, Pa. – Artisan markets, seed giveaways, fireworks and the inaugural St. Patrick’s Day parade are just some of the events taking place in Sharon this year.

“New this year is our Slainte Sharon St. Patrick’s Day Parade,” said Courtney Cilli, Sharon’s downtown events coordinator, in announcing the schedule. “This parade will be the first of its kind in Mercer County, and we’ll be inviting organizations, schools and businesses throughout the region to participate.”

The parade will start at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, March 16, at the Penn State Shenango campus. It will end at Quaker Steak & Lube.

Supporting animal charities, organizations such as Tails of Hope of Hermitage and Strayhaven of Greenville will judge the floats. Parade viewers will be invited to bring pet food, kitty litter and gently used towels and sheets to donate to the animal charities. 

“We’ll also be inviting parade guests to dress up their pets and walk in the parade,” Cilli said.

But the first event to kick off 2023 will be the #LoveSharonPA Artisan Market & Shop Sweet Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Feb. 4. The event includes live music, kids’ activities and more than 30 artisans and entrepreneurial vendors, plus a $100 gift card to a Sharon business for market visitors that make a purchase. Shops in the city will also have specials, events and giveaways. After the market, a special Songs of Love concert will be performed at ACTS Performing Arts Center at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets are available online or at the door.

Other events this year include The Shenango Riverfront Fireworks Celebration, July 1; the Frightfully Fun Fest on the Shenango, Oct. 27; and a seed giveaway promotion in partnership with Sharon businesses on Earth Day, April 22;  Waterfire Sharon, July 22 and Sept. 16; and Father’s Day Car Show.

Eastwood Ice Festival Returns Sunday

NILES, Ohio – A wintry event for the whole family is returning to the Eastwood Event Centre at Eastwood Mall. The second annual Eastwood Ice Fest will take place Sunday, Feb. 5, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Admission is free.

Students in the Hospitality and Event Management program at Kent State University will demonstrate their ice-carving skills as part of a class project. They are partnering with the Eastwood Event Centre to plan family-friendly activities that include ice-carving demos, story time from Books-a-Million, costume character meet-and-greets, a performance by Youngstown State University’s Dana Chorale and more. 

The Eastwood Event Centre will also provide a free hot cocoa bar, and area chefs will compete in a Soup-er Bowl Cookoff. Guests will be able to sample the different soups. Donations to the Soup-er Bowl will benefit the Animal Welfare League of Trumbull Country.

The ice carving will take place just outside the entrance to the Eastwood Event Centre. The other activities will take place inside the center. 

Dino Ranch Live Coming to Robins Theatre

WARREN, Ohio – Dino Ranch Live will come to Robins Theatre on May 24. The live show is based on the hit animated series on Disney Junior and follows the adventures of the Cassidy family and junior Ranchers Jon, Min, Miguel, their loveable dinos Blitz, Clover and Tango and the mischievous Tin Horn Trio.

Tickets are available at robinstheatre.com and the theater box office, 160 E. Market St., downtown.

Art and Related Items for Sale at TAG

WARREN, Ohio – Hundreds of items ranging from paintings, prints, photographs, posters, drawings, frames, ceramics, sculpture, pottery, decorative items, jewelry, yarn and art books and supplies are on display and available for purchase through Feb. 18 at Trumbull Art Gallery, 158 N. Park Ave. Prices range from $1 to $25.

The gently used items have been donated by friends and supporters of TAG and are then sold through the organization’s Treasures for TAG program. Proceeds support the gallery’s daily operation and educational programming.

For information, call 330 395 4876 or go to trumbullartgallery.com.

Pictured at top: Sculptures from the Black History Month exhibition at YSU’s Solomon Gallery.

Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.