On Friday, January 26th Art House Inc. will be holding our first Community Culture Night of the new year, as well as my first Community Culture Night as an Art House Inc. Intern. We are excited to welcome esteemed artist and performer Robin VanLear to our studio during this event. Our Artist Lecture Series that is offered on a quarterly basis strives to bring in prominent members of the art community to talk about their journey, how art affects their lives, and many other interesting topics.
Robin VanLear, although not a Cleveland native, has taken Northeast Ohio by storm since she arrived here in 1989. Born in Cambridge, MA, VanLear received her MFA in Sculpture and Performance Art from UC Santa Barbara. Her love of Sculpture and Performance Art are married by a number of the public community programs she has pioneered throughout her career.
During her first year in the education department at the Cleveland Museum of Art, VanLear began Parade the Circle. This summer parade is one of Cleveland’s most recognized outdoor artistic displays, and was created to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Cleveland Museum of Art back in 1989. In 1990, VanLear began her second community arts program and the Museum’s first chalk festival - “I Madonnari.” Four years later, VanLear also established the “Winter Lights” Lantern Festival which is apart of University Circle’s Winter Fest.
Each of these events captures Robin VanLear’s passion for integrating artists and artworks with their community. VanLear insists that artists and their community operate on a two-way street, they cannot be in accordance without an open line of interaction and communication. Aside from her impressive portfolio of projects, events, and partnerships, VanLear has opened the door for a more mutual respect between artists and the community in Cleveland.
One of the main questions that has stayed with me throughout my years is how can the community be more integrated into the robust arts and culture scene we have here in Cleveland? During this upcoming Community Culture Night, I am looking forward to hearing what VanLear plans to do to further bridge this gap in the future.
It is certainly a blessing to be able to host one of Cleveland’s awe-inspiring artist and performer for this completely free community event. The countdown begins - only two more days we reserve your seat! I look forward to seeing you all there!
Madison O’Callaghan
Social Media & Marketing Intern
