Heights Arts blog

Heights Arts blog

Ekphrastacy: Artists Talk and Poets Respond to Irrational Objects

Thursday, April 18 at 7:00 p.m. Join Heights Poet Laureate Siaara Freeman and guest poets Beks Freeman, Carrie George, and Philip Metres for a night of surrealism and the unconventional. For this Ekphrastacy, poets respond to the current exhibition on view in…

April Literary Artist of the Month – Carrie George

Carrie George is a poet and teacher living in Akron, OH. She received her MFA from Kent State University and the Northeast Ohio MFA program. She is the manager at Elizabeth’s Bookshop & Writing Centre. She is coeditor of “Light Enters the…

April Visual Artist of the Month – Leo Covault

  Leo Covault is a Cleveland-based transgender artist with an interest in exploring gender through the lens of historical fashion and folklore. He was inspired by stop motion animation, shadow puppets, and stage design to create his photographic illustration style. Leo creates…

April Musical Artist of the Month – Genevieve Smelser

Genevieve Smelser joined the first violin section of The Cleveland Orchestra in August 2023. She comes from a family of musicians in Chicago, Illinois, and her primary teachers included Mathias Tacke of the Vermeer Quartet and Gerardo Ribeiro. Smelser received her bachelor’s…

March Musical Artist of the Month – Afendi Usuf

Afendi Yusuf joined The Cleveland Orchestra as principal clarinet with the start of the 2017-18 season. Born in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, he has appeared as guest principal with a number of North American ensembles, including the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, Canadian Opera Company,…

March Literary Artist of the Month – Beks Freeman

Where there is a sword to be swung, song to be sung, or tale to be spun, there you’ll find B. T. Freeman (they/he). AKA “the sword-wielding chaos goblin,” they are an actor-combatant, writer, and singer/musician from West Lafayette, Indiana. Currently an…

March Visual Artist of the Month – The Gypsy & the Hermit

Meet the creative minds behind The Gypsy & the Hermit! Cristina and Victoria are a dynamic mother-daughter duo on a mission to spread the art of mindful giving. Through their carefully curated, reusable fabric gift wraps and hand-painted greeting cards, Cristina and…

February Musical Artist of the Month – Dr. Irwin Shung

Dr. Irwin Shung, whose playing has been praised by State Magazine for its “ease, technique, and musicianship,” has performed throughout North America, Europe, and Asia.  Shung teaches at the Cleveland Institute of Music and Case Western Reserve University, in addition to serving as Artistic Director…

February Literary Artist of the Month – Stephanie Ginese

Stephanie Ginese is an author, instructor, and stand-up comedian from South Lorain, Ohio. Her work has been featured in Las Palabritas Journal at Harvard University, The Pinch Journal at University of Memphis, Wax Nine Journal, and elsewhere. Her debut collection of poetry,…

February Visual Artist of the Month – Sarah Bullington

Sarah Bullington is a jewelry artist from Medina Ohio. Sarah lost her sight from a brain tumor at the age of three, but this has not stopped her from achieving her dreams. Sarah was first introduced to art by her grandpa as…