Eight local artists will put their spins on functional pieces made with reclaimed materials in the upcoming show, ‘Art Reclaims Function’, that opens Saturday, November 7, 2015 at Hazel Tree Interiors.

Jason Horinger, Micah Kraus, Jessica Lofthus, Doug Meyer, Kevin Richards, Karen Starr, John Weaver and John Wilkie will come together to create art with (and on) functional pieces for the home.
A few guiding principles of this show are:
1. All pieces being made/revised/arted on are being done with reclaimed/not new/no longer needed/forgotten about materials.
2. All artists are working on their own works, but are also collaborating together on pieces (and a piece to be auctioned off to benefit Project Rebuild! More on that below.)
3. Most everyone is out of their comfort zone a bit here and creating things they don’t typically create because everything must have a needed-in-the-home-or-office function, in addition to being our expressions of art and design.

This show concept started when we were catching up with Shannon Ensign, who is the widow of Hazel Tree artist Russ Ensign who passed away in 2012. She wanted to honor Russ by having a celebration and last showing of Russ’s work. Russ, as you may remember, is the artist who worked with the organization Project Rebuild in Canton and made items for the home, like clocks and mirrors, out of reclaimed Akron tire company tire patterns.
We were honored to be the space where she wanted to host this show and started thinking about complementary artists and a theme to go along with it for the final show of the year.

Although we sell the work of artists that make functional items for the home out of reclaimed materials all the time, we’ve never had a show specifically dedicated to that.
This show is also unique in that it is more of a constant sale…and if you buy a piece that day, you take it home with you (and not have to wait until the run of the show is over.)

Please join us for the opening night party for ‘Art Reclaims Function’ on Akron ArtWalk Saturday, November 7, from 5-9pm.
Food, drink, live music by Johnny G, and functional art for sale!