Tag: Canton Ohio

Yarn Explosion! Join us in filling downtown Canton, OH with exploding color!

Volunteers crocheting for a yarn bomb art installation in Canton, OH.Last year, I worked with a group of fiber artists to create an explosion of colorful yarn in downtown Canton, OH near my art studio. It was so amazing, and it brought so much joy to the Canton Arts District, we have decided to do it again!

This year’s “Create the Possibilities Yarn Explosion” is even more ambitious than last year’s. We will cover the light poles, posts and rails along two blocks of Court Ave., like we did last year. This year, however, we plan to decorate a building as well! 

Volunteers crocheting for a yarn bomb art installation in Canton, OH.The building that houses my studio/gallery will have a giant paint can made of yarn (on my marquee roof) with giant “paint splats” made of yarn spilling out and onto the surroundings. Other artistic elements such as paint brushes and paint boxes will be included as well. The building is perpendicular to the end of Court Ave. at 6th St. NW where colorful yarn gracing light poles and posts will go for two blocks from June to September.

My fiber artist friends are already working on the crocheted paint splats, but we need a lot! Are you a crocheter looking to bring some color to your community? Please join us! We need as many crocheters as we can get to make small circles that will be put together to make the overall project. We hope to get as many artists involved in this collaboration as we can get.

Yarn bomb with bicycle in Canton, OH
2022 “Imagine the Possibilities Yarn Explosion”

The volunteer group meets at 6pm on Thursdays at BZTAT Studios at 209 6th St. NW, and we would love to have you join us! If you would prefer to work at home instead, we have a “Create the Possibilities – Yarn Explosion In The Canton Arts District!” facebook group that you can join to keep up with other crocheters. 

Wondering how you can help? Here is what we need:

COLOR
Our color palette is bold colors from the rainbow. Pieces should focus on one of the primary/secondary colors in the rainbow (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple) with accenting elements in neighboring colors. For example a primarily yellow piece may use elements of orange/red. The goal is to create pieces that have texture and depth. Color families. Please avoid use of pastel and shades of black or brown.

WHAT WE NEED

  • Circles in various sizes!
  • 12 inch circles (solid red, orange, yellow, green blue or purple)
  • 3 inch & 6 inch circles (color families as described above… so, for example, one circle made up of several shades of blue, or solid circles of various blue shades)
  • We have been using double crochet and half double crochet spiral circles, but any circles will work.
  • Flat is the goal. Please weave in ends before submitting.
  • All pieces will be matched with similarly colored circles and assembled into shapes reminiscent of paint splatters which will adorn the building faces on 6th street. Poles will be recovered and yarn-splattered as well.

MATERIAL TO USE

  • 100% acrylic yarn in medium or greater weights. Your steering committee recommends Dollar Tree yarn, Walmart brand yarn (Mainstays) and Red Heart bargain brands.

MEETINGS 

  • We welcome anyone who wants to join us, but meetings are not required. We meet weekly at BZTAT Studios on Thursday evenings from about 5:30 to 8:30ish. This is when we will decide on more complicated pieces such as a bike and struggle together with installations.

DATES

Please drop off completed pieces at BZTAT Studios as they are done so assembly can take place.

  • Deadline 1 – March 1, 2023 (200 piece goal)
  • Deadline 2 – April 1, 2023. (150 piece goal)
  • Deadline 3 – May 1, 2023 (100 piece goal)

If you would like to donate yarn or other supplies, here is our Amazon Wish List

We look forward to your support, and we can’t wait to see the finished product!

Life is an Adventure!

BZTAT

Kids Art Adventure! Art classes for young artists at Avenue Arts Theatre and Marketplace

Kids art adventure art class with artist bztat in Canton, OHHaving an art studio at Avenue Arts Theatre and Marketplace gives me access to a classroom, and I intend to put it to good use! In fact, I have already scheduled my first art classes. 

Do you have a 7-11 year old who is creative? I am offering a Kids Art Adventure! at Avenue Arts Marketplace and Theatre beginning July 22, 2017. The class is limited to 10 students, so sign your artist up today!

Here are the details:

Kids Art Adventure!

A creative art experience for kids ages 7-11

Participants will explore their creativity using a variety of art materials and media. Emphasis is on having fun with creativity!

Children's Art classes Canton Ohio

Saturday Mornings 10-11 AM 

4- 1-Hour Sessions for $60 (Dates: 7/22/17; 7/29/17; 8/12/17; 8/19/17)

Location: Avenue Arts Marketplace and Theatre, 342 Cleveland Ave. NW, Canton, OH, 44702

Art supplies are provided.

 

I look forward to creating great art adventures with your young artist! Click on the button below to register them for this fun end of summer art activity!

register now for Kids Art Adventure with Artist BZTAT

So Canton has a mountain lion…

canton-mountain-lion-art-bztat
"Canton Mountain Lion" digital Art by BZTAT

In recent weeks, there have been several sightings of a mountain lion, or some large cat-like creature, in the Canton, OH/Stark County area. Although the animal has not been close enough to any human beings for anyone to get a clear photo of it, the mere possibility of such a creature in the area has provoked fear and anguish.

Sadly, the response from wildlife officials has been lackluster and seemingly heartless. They suggest that the animal would be killed, not tranquilized and relocated, should it reappear in their sights.

Experts have speculated that the animal that has been seen in Stark County was likely a captive animal that someone was keeping. Experts suspect that it either escaped or was released.

I am an advocate for the humane treatment of animals. I generally only get involved in causes related to domestic animals, however, this animal’s plight, and several others like it, has struck a nerve with me. Why is it that humans feel the need to keep wild, aggressive animals as pets?

Why do we feel the need to bend the things that fascinate us to our own whims and keep them as our own?

I love having pets – domesticated pets. Aggressive wild animals have needs beyond our comprehension, and simply should not be living outside of natural habitats. At least zoos and sanctuaries go to great lengths to recreate habitats, using experts and research.

A home or cage is no home for a wild animal.

They get loose, struggle with their new unfamiliar habitat, and then they become a potential public safety threat.

Being a Twitter buff, I decided to take to the social media platform to raise some awareness and have a little fun. I created the @CantonMtnLion Twitter account, somewhat in the style of the viral @BronxZooCobra to see what would happen. It has not gone viral, but it has raised the attention of local media. I was interviewed today for a story by Action News 19 from Cleveland, and two local radio hosts have enjoyed tweeting with the mountain lion.

I am not sure where the Twitter account will go from here, but I hope to use it to raise awareness to animal welfare issues, as well as have a little bit of fun. There have been no actual sightings of a real cougar in the area for days, so I suspect that it has moved on. But there is no reason why we cannot use its misadventure as a way to raise awareness.

The state of Ohio and other states have initiatives to reduce the wild animal trade and the inappropriate care of exotic animals as pets. The Humane Society of the United States has initives going on all over the country. How can you get involved? Check out these websites and follow the mountain lion on Twitter to find other resources.

I urge you to think about how we treat animals in our world and think about how we can be more humane. We share this world with them, not control it for them. How can we be better neighbors?

UPDATE: View the Action News 19 story: