PULP art exhibit opens on Broadway

LORAIN — A new show opened Friday at 633 Broadway to highlight its transition from a photography studio to art gallery. "PULP: Fold, Rip, Draw, Print," co-curated by Ryan Craycraft and Jason Shaffer, invited Northeast Ohio artists to showcase paper in traditional and nontraditional ways. The weeklong show includes printmaking, origami, collage, installation, drawing and everything in between, Craycraft said. "We kind of had this idea as this space was being converted from a photography student to more of a traditional gallery, that we wanted to have a paper exhibition because we both have ties to either paper making or printmaking and we know a lot of artists that work with paper as a traditional medium," he said. The group includes artists from Lorain, and those who have never been to the International City, Craycraft said. "That was a big part of our goal here is to bring a show that shows diversity through the arts, not only diversity of practice but also perspective — where the artist comes from, where they are in their career," he said. The breadth of experience stretches from Shaffer's 10-year-old daughter, Charlie, to retirees, Craycraft said, with a mix of media including papermaking, sculpture, charcoal and others. The studio is in a transition, Shaffer said, while he figures out what works best for the space. Originally set up for his commercial photography, he's found the space could be more lucrative for showcasing his and other artists' works. "With the studio changing into a gallery we were hoping to have this kind of intense week of like, drawing attention and then Jason's going to get the gallery ready for full-time use and then there'll be more shows," Craycraft said. Friday night was a successful one for young Charlie, whose relief prints on handmade paper made from a mix of newsprint and Ash Wednesday pamphlets from Church of the Redeemer sold quickly. "She does a lot of art, this is her first time making paper," Shaffer said, adding: "My dad was a union papermaker, so I learned how to make paper when I was a kid." Charlie was excited to see her work showcased alongside other area artists, and plans to continue printmaking and other papercraft. Other artists included in "PULP" are Gregory Little, Nancy Halbrooks, Stevie Tanner, Jan Zorman, Sarah Nolan and James Ward Peak. The exhibit is part of FireFish Arts new programming format, expanding its arts offerings beyond the annual FireFish festival. "PULP" runs through March 24. Gallery hours are 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. March 19-22, 24 and 25, and 4 to 8 p.m. March 23 or private viewing by request. For more information visit FireFishFestival.com. Contact Carissa Woytach at (440) 329-7245 or cwoytach@chroniclet.com.