20 North Gallery Opens “ARToledo 2024” Exhibition of Photography, Paintings

On Friday, April 19, 20 North Gallery opened “ARToledo 2024,” an exhibition of photography and paintings—in acrylic, oil and ink—by four Toledo-area emerging artists, Austin Lipowski, Vincent Livecchi, Paul Lyon and Yuemin Xin. The exhibit will continue through June 22.

20 North Gallery and the artists will be welcoming friends and collectors at the free Public Reception for “ARToledo 2024” on Friday, April 19, from 6 pm – 9 pm. The reception will feature a free appetizer buffet and cash bar by venue.

Beginning to Now

Since its founding in 1993, 20 North Gallery has periodically hosted emerging artists exhibits, promoting the development of promising new talent in the Toledo art landscape. “ARToledo 2024” is a small group exhibition which provides the opportunity to nurture and retain Toledo’s rising artistic talent, giving new artists a chance to enter the commercial art market in their home community—while providing Toledo collectors the opportunity for a first view of the future of Toledo’s rich, continuing art legacy.

In 2024, the exhibition was designed as a competitive show, open to Ohio and Toledo-area artists who have prepared a body of work, but who have not yet been a featured artist in any commercial gallery venues prior to the ARToledo 2024 exhibit.

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This year’s exhibition juror is Aaron Pickens. Pickens received his B.F.A. from Bowling Green State University (Ohio) and M.F.A. from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania. Pickens spent his years as an emerging artist in Toledo, exhibiting in regional shows including “NowOH” at the Dorothy Uber Bryan Gallery at Bowling Green State University (First Place in 2D Art, 2016; Best of Show, 2017, 2018). Recently, his paintings have been included in national and international juried and invitational shows such as “Surreal Salon 14” at Baton Rouge Gallery (Baton Rouge, Louisiana). Pickens is Assistant Professor of Fine Arts and New Media at Indiana University Kokomo (Indiana).

Juror’s Remarks

As the juror and curator for “ARToledo 2024,” Mr. Pickens remarks, “Every time I evaluate an artist’s creative practice, I look at several different parameters. Is the artist technically proficient with their medium? Is there consistency within their body of work? Is there something distinctive about their creative practice? What do they want to communicate to the world through their art? Furthermore, when I curate an exhibition, I am also looking for a possible connection between the different artists. How would their artwork function together and what does it collectively say? The artists that were chosen for the 2024 ARToledo exhibition all demonstrate a strong creative practice and have a clear professional trajectory in the arts. Additionally, the exhibition evolved into having two connecting themes: painting and the landscape.

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“However, despite these two connecting themes, the work is visually diverse. What caught my attention with Austin Lipowski’s abstract paintings is the sophisticated layering of the paint, the gestural mark-making, the use of color, and the dynamic compositions. With Yuemin Xin’s paintings of nature, the mark-making is both expressive, while also immaculately controlled. The work also embodies a reverence for tradition and seeks to preserve a culturally-significant discipline. Vince Livecchi’s photographs magnify subtle details within the natural world. With the extreme depth of field within his images, the compositions oscillate between abstraction and representation. Paul Lyon’s paintings of the landscape explore an impressionistic approach to depicting the Midwest. The energetic application of paint has elevated the familiar.

“Finally, there is an interplay between the macro and micro when viewing the work together in the exhibition. Not only is this evident in how the landscape has been represented but also in the mark-making and the use of paint. This is just one of many dialogues that are occurring between the work of the selected artists. Ultimately, the work chosen for this exhibition highlights the vitality of Toledo and the surrounding area. The range of expression and the technical proficiency of the work is a testament to the cultural health of the region – as well as the success of each of the artists. I want to congratulate the selected artists for their commitment to their creative practice and for sharing their unique voices with the community and 20 North Gallery.”

The online exhibition catalogue for “ARToledo 2024” containing images of the exhibited art, prices and artist information will be posted at the 20 North Gallery website: 20northgallery.com

What: “ARToledo 2024” Public Opening Reception
Where: 20 North Gallery, 18 N. St. Clair Street, (Downtown) Toledo, Ohio 43604, 419-241-2400
When: Friday, April 19, 2024, 6 pm – 9 pm

Regular Gallery Hours
Wednesday – Saturday: Noon – 4 pm
By Appointment

For more information, contact: Condessa Croninger (Art Director) or visit 20northgallery.com.