Cousins (Family-Related)

Art by Brook Blackman, Alisa Workman, Jeff & Theresa Heaton, Jeanette & Delores Oleksa

It’s all about family at The Arts Garage (TAG) in March as cousins Jeff Heaton, Theresa Heaton, Delores Oleksa, Jeanette Oleksa and Alisa Workman share their unique sense of art. 

Delores Oleksa, a Port Clinton graduate, lives in Sandusky. Her art career started at age 12 with weekly lessons in oil painting. She moved on to watercolor and acrylic becoming a multi-talented artist. In recent years Delores began making assemblages from everyday items, creating sculptures that become fascinating conversation pieces. Jeanette Oleksa was born and raised in the first house in the first subdivision of Port Clinton, Ohio, and now resides in Sandusky. Oleksa graduated from the University of Toledo with a BA in Costume and Scenery Design, and from Carnegie Mellon with an MFA in Costume Design. She established a career in theatre, film, and television before opening the largest costume rental house, ODDS Costume Rental in New York City, which she owned and operated for 22 years.

Cheeky Chic-y Studio is owned by Jeff and Theresa Heaton of Lawrence, Michigan. Together they create fiber-based upcycled art. Their mission is to create beautifully crafted and sometimes functional objects. Materials from our everyday environment are processed, sewn and woven, and include an assortment of curiosities such as bicycle innertubes, vinyl tape, vintage fabric and unique found treasures. Each Cheeky Chic-y piece is accompanied by a narrative involving the material acquisition and process.

Alisa H. Workman, of Dayton, has always had a love for nature. Her paintings have been exhibited in Dayton, Cincinnati, and Columbus, and her work can be found in collections throughout the United States, Canada, and Europe. She is represented by Dayton Art Solutions and Edward A. Dixon Gallery in Dayton, Ohio, and Karen Anderer Fine Art in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Her love of nature, art, and science is translated into acrylic paintings of bold flowers and vibrant splashes of color.

 

The reception will also honor the art of Seth Bordner from March 5-15. Bordner died in 2017 and left a vast amount of art focusing on fused satire, social critique, and raw emotional expression. Influenced by artists like Basquiat and Banksy, his bold, provocative style confronted themes of politics, identity, and mortality. It is not to be missed.