Two-Artist Exhibit Opens at North Water Street Gallery

The newest exhibit to open at , entitled “Nature Made,” features the work of not one area artist, but two.

The gallery is showcasing a sculptural installation by Laine Keener of Kent and acrylic paintings and prints by Gary Phile of Rootstown, said Jeff Ingram, executive director of .

“The exhibit uses nature as inspiration. For Gary, the landscapes describe his appreciation of sunsets and trees. For Laine, there is a dream-like quality to her work. One must experience her woven wall sculptures in person to feel the full effect of the peace and tranquility they provide to the viewer,” Ingram said.

The exhibit debuted during an opening reception held Saturday at the gallery and runs through Feb. 25. Gallery hours are 1 to 5 p.m. Thursday through Saturday or by appointment.

Following are profiles of the artists:

Gary Phile

Gary Phile was born and raised in Rootstown, where he still lives with his wife and daughter. He has loved art and has drawn and painted since he was young.

Phile just recently began painting again after taking a long break to go to school and to pursue other ventures. After painting a picture for a family member for Christmas, he was encouraged to keep going.

This is Phile’s third time showing his paintings in an art exhibition. His work is often inspired by his natural surroundings and so “Nature Made” became the theme for this exhibit.

Laine Keener

Laine Keener is a locally raised artist currently living in Kent. Born in Akron, she always showed interest in art and completed her bachelor of fine arts in sculpture at in 2011. For this exhibit, Keener expands on her recent study titled “Ethereal Tension.”

“Ethereal Tension” is a body of work that consists of seven sculptures mounted on the wall. Each piece is made of one or multiple fabric-wrapped steel frames measuring between one and five feet in width. Within the frame is an open and airy weave that creates a web-like structure.

“I began working with fabric to create woven and braided sculptures this past summer and I was drawn to the delicateness of such material and the interconnections that a weave or braid provides,” Keener said.

“This work is an embodiment of my exploration inward. I have been on the path of discovering my own spirituality and place in this world. My investigation into the metaphysical is the driving force of my art’s formal and conceptual underpinnings,” she added.

The pieces in this body of work symbolize a metaphorical “Web of Life.” They are held together with tension and connections that rely on one another. Despite that some parts are far from others, each connection within each sculpture can be traced through a single line.

The weave of thread and yarn comprising each web is dependent on the tension of every other connection within it. Without one thing, the other could not exist. Only through each connection working together are these pieces able to take form.

Keener said there is also a less-physical aspect of this “Web of Life” —the metaphysical aspect. This is represented with the strong shadows cast from the objects themselves. The shadows are not manifested in any material way and they cannot be reached out and touched. Still, they are as much a part of the work as the physical webs. They are a continuation of the physical work; part of a whole.

For more information about the exhibit or to make an appointment, visit Standing Rock Cultural Arts’ website or call 330-673-4970. www.standingrock.net