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| "Steam" mixed medium - 43"x 42" |
Van Over Fine Arts is honored to bring you the unique works of Geoffery Schenkel
"A Strange Sense of Place- This Ain't Grandpa's Appalachia"
Opening Reception: May 3rd 6 -10pm
and
Downtown Springville's Annual Spring Art Crawl!
(more info below)
Who Is Geoff
Schenkel?
Geoffrey
Schenkel was born November 14th, 1971 in Marietta, Ohio, growing up in the
working class household of Susan
Hall Schenkel and Gilbert (Bud) Delton Schenkel Jr.
Sent to school with a near spiritual
reverence for the uplifting qualities of education, Schenkel attended K through
2nd grades across the street from his boyhood home under the watchful eyes of
his parents. Opportunities were
not guaranteed and not to be wasted and in 1990 Schenkel graduated from
Marietta Senior High in the top 5% of his class. Education was ticket to a better future, a penance to be
paid from the soul, it was to be
our redemption, and a responsibility that if not met, was intolerable.
Schenkel
then graduated with honors in 1994 earning a double major with degrees in fine
arts and commercial arts degree from Marietta College and a supplemental
certificate in Leadership Studies from the Bernard P. McDonough Center for
Leadership and Business.
A life
changing apprenticeship with Precita Eyes Community Muralist, Susan Cervantes,
lead him to the means by which he has been able to successfully intertwine his
passion for creation and his deep love for sharing the creative process with
individuals who may not be inclined to visit a gallery or an art museum, but
who are, nonetheless, curious about art and/or creative efforts. This requires
a unique sensitivity and flexibility, in which Schenkel takes great pride.
Consider
that he has often designed and painted a community’s story working with
children as young as five years old (Through the keen eye, by which other
artists might create a masterful landscape or still life painting, Schenkel
brings an unexpected visual richness to their imagery). He has worked with
developmentally disabled adults to assist them in finding methods and
techniques that help them reach a level of self-expression
previously unattained. While working to unify thematic concepts and to bring
disparate brain storms into a greater sense of cohesion, even including
sometimes hostile populations of homeless individuals and criminals has not
proven too daunting for Schenkel’s love for the inclusion of others in the
creation of art. Once, as a means for gathering input for a community mural
project, Schenkel drove to a neighboring county an hour away once a week for
six months. Meeting with a group of ladies at a senior center, Schenkel
provided painting instruction while at the same time the group shared stories
and gathered historical photographs that became the foundational materials
employed to create an 18’ x 42’ mural depiction of the important gathering
places that over the years served to hold their community together.
For these
efforts to create in collaboration with others, Schenkel has been recognized
for inclusion in the National Society of Arts and Letters, and as an ARTSBRIDGE
Visionary Artist, he has received the Liquitex National Excellence in Art
Award, WTAP TV One Who Makes A Difference honors, the Ohio School Volunteer of
the Year Award, the Marietta City Schools Volunteer of the Year Award, and the
Marietta College Distinguished Young Alumnus of the Year Award.
Schenkel has
worked primarily in rural Southeastern Ohio creating seven community murals
(generally, historically based and rooted in a sense of place) between 1994 and
1997, because of a profound conviction that this part of the world is where he
belongs and needs to give his best efforts. Following those years and preceding
2000, he worked on two large scale historical murals totaling over 9000 sq. ft.
of wall space in West Virginia and Ohio (the WV mural is rumored to be the
largest in the history of the state) bringing his total production of large scale
work to over 30 paintings since his time in college. Schenkel’s work has also
found homes in the People’s Bank Corp. permanent art collection; in Cleveland,
OH; Augusta, GA; and Pittsburgh, PA and has drawn interest from publications in
multiple cities in southern and northern Ohio and from as far south as
Tennessee’s Now and Then magazine.
In 2005
Schenkel’s Found Object Construction and painting work won awards, including
Best of Show for Mixed Media in the Southern Hills Art Show. In 2010 Schenkel
was honored with the Artsbridge “Reflections” People’s Choice Award and a 2nd
place award for Mixed Media in the Parkersburg Art Center’s regional
competition. Most recently, Schenkel was one of 59 artists from the state of
Ohio whose work was included in the Ohio Annual exhibition at the Zanesville
Museum of Art.
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| "Measured Growth" 14"x 18" mixed medium |
DOWNTOWN SPRINGVILLE SPRING ART CRAWL MAY 3rd
Artwork is displayed inside businesses as Main Street becomes an art gallery for one night. Opening of Lukia Costello's "Newcomer's" Show at Arts Underground. VanOver Fine Arts opening of Geoffrey Schenkel's "A Strange Sense of Place, This Ain’t Grandpa’s Appalachia." SGi HS Chair Auction. After party at Arts Underground at 9pm. Comedy Improv by "Just Go With It" at SCA 6:45pm. Music all around. Free.
Come to the corner of Main & Mechanic Streets to get your map and schedule.
https://www.facebook.com/SpringvilleArtsCenter
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