About the Art

November 01 – January 31, 2012
Public Gallery

The exhibit explores late-19th-century historical landmark bridges and ecclesiastical architecture.  The architectural structures in downtown Cleveland are diverse and represent some of the most complete examples of the City Beautiful Movement of the early 20th century.  Many of Cleveland’s architectural treasures are cherished by residents of the city and are well recognized both regionally and nationally.  

Artist Details

Christina Wiesley

Christina Wiesley is originally from Michigan but has been living in Cleveland, Ohio for almost nine years.  She works full time at a downtown technology company and enjoys photography as a hobby.  She loves to capture the unique details of the local east side where she lives, as well as the adorable face of her two year old daughter.   

Artist Statement:  East Side Love showcases details big and small from the Coventry Village area of Cleveland’s east side.  The images capture the beautiful details that you may not notice on a first trip through the area; from statues’ faces in Lakeview Cemetery to stunning churches on Cedar Rd.

Chris Bradlee

A humorist and experienced explorer, Chris likes to integrate digital technologies and traditional disciplines, as a result she enjoys blurring the lines that define traditional works of art and new media works.  Training in the visual arts has generally been through variations of the apprentice and workshop system. Boundless imagination, creativity, a sense of adventure and desire provide new insights to familiar moments!

Zach & Sara Bright

Zach & Sara Bright are a husband and wife photography duo based in Cleveland, Ohio.  Most of their images fall into a landscape or nature setting category, but Sara has a soft spot for macro and “photojournalistism”, and Zack has been known to shoot architecture and abstract images. Sara grew up shooting weddings with her father and gained her knowledge of composition from ninja like training starting at a young age.  Zack is more of a technical geek who enjoys irritating Sara by fiddling with tripods and camera settings for long periods of time.  We were drawn together by our passions for travel, the infinite variety and beauty of the natural world, and delicious cheese.  To see their current gallery please visit their website at www.bright-images.com.  For more info on webinars, tutorials, photo walks or other various tomfoolery please visit their blog at brightimages@wordpress.com

Jon Tabar

Jon Tabar is a lifelong Cleveland Plus resident.  He comes from a family of several skilled photographers, and really started to enjoy photography as an art while a student at Baldwin-Wallace College in Berea.  Jon's work was on display in the Dean's Office at Baldwin-Wallace while he was a student, and is permanently on display in their Admission Office.  Jon aspires to share his photography with others with the hope that they will enjoy it as much as he enjoyed creating the work.

Artist Statement: "With a strong interest in both technology and the arts, digital photography is a natural fit for me, and something I enjoy greatly.  I have always been drawn to Cleveland's past, and am happy to present some of my work showcasing the rich architectural history of Cleveland."  Please visit Jon's web site at http://www.jontabar.com or contact him at jon@jontabar.com for more information about his work.

Dr. Mawele Shamaila

A Food Scientist working for Nestle R&D in Solon, Ohio.  He was born and grew up in Zambia and moved to Canada in 1982 and into the USA in 1998. He started photography in 2008 and took a class with Cleveland Photographic Society to which he belongs as a member.  He has improved his photographic skills by entering competitions and just having passion for photography. For more information, please visit his website www.mawele.smugmug.com

Greg Murray

Greg Murray was born in Cleveland in 1981 and is a current resident of the Tremont neighborhood. After leaving Cleveland in 2000 and returning in 2007, he gained a renewed sense of passion and love for the city he grew up in and its surrounding areas.

 In less than a year, Greg has gained local recognition for his ability to capture the places and people of Cleveland. Most recently, he won the grand prize award for the Downtown Cleveland Alliance Photo Challenge. He has also been requested by various Tremont establishments to show his work for the monthly Tremont ArtWalk. Greg’s work can be found at galleries in Cleveland and Akron and also as permanent fixtures in area office spaces and restaurants.

Although photography is Greg’s passion, it is one of many outside his full time job in Human Resources. Greg is also an avid runner, snowboarder and volunteer. www.gmurrayphotography.com

Dee Riley

Dee Riley is a lifelong resident of Ashtabula, Ohio, within easy access of Cleveland.

Photography is her passion and she enjoys living close enough to Cleveland to take advantage of all the “big” city has to offer.

Having her own studio, Riley Photography, Dee specializes in portraits, commercial photography and travel photos.  She enjoys being a freelance photographer and writer for the Jefferson Gazette and Pennsylvania Magazine.

Dee is a member of the Geneva Camera Club, Western Reserve Photographic Society, Cleveland Photographic Society, and the Photographic Society of America.  She started out painting in watercolors and belongs to the Lake Shore Artists and is a member of the Ohio Watercolor Society.  A website under her name shows her photos at betterphoto.com and she has a business posting site at www.rileyphotography.photoreflect.com

Romeo Coleman

Romeo Coleman was born and raised in the inner-city of Cleveland, Ohio.  He attended Cleveland Public Schools and graduated from Glenville High School in 1966. 

He began his interest in cameras in 1964 as a hobby which he enjoys very much.  He enjoys taking pictures of nature and states; “it helps me enjoy God’s creation.”  He also enjoys portrait photography with natural backgrounds.

Initially a self-taught photographer, he read a lot of books on photography and wasted a lot of film practicing what he learned.  As a teenager employed at a local supermarket, he used his tips to finance his hobby.  Romeo studied photography at Cuyahoga Community College.  He attended portrait schools in New Orleans, Mobile, Alabama, and Arizona. 

In 1994 Romeo began his wedding and professional portrait experience, opening a studio in 1997.  He has used many cameras but prefers the Canon brand.  He has previously used models such as; AE-1, T80, EOS 630, EOS Élan, EOS IX Lite, EOS Rebel XT and the newest being the EOS 40D.  Contact Romeo at Romlovecol@sbcglobal.net for more information.

Neil Doren

Neil Doren first interest in photography began while in military service stationed on Oahu, Hawaii during the late 1950’s. The incredibly beautiful landscapes moved him to try and capture those images using transparency film.  During the 1980’s, he began to travel, mostly to the Caribbean, Mexico and Tahiti, and was again inspired to photograph.

In 1991, he visited his brother living in mid-coast Maine, who maintained a glorious garden during the summer, while weaving tapestries during the winter months.   The visual beauty of his garden by the sea and the Maine Coast in general, so captured him, that he returned nearly every year to date.

By 2002, encouraged by response to some of his efforts, he joined the Lakewood Photographic Society and began to participate in juried print competitions.  Anxious to improve, he purchased new equipment (Nikon D-SLR) and has enjoyed the reception to his work and the awards that have followed.

From 2003-2007, he actively presented his work in a variety of juried fine-art shows, exhibitions and competitions.  Much of that time was spent studying fine-art printing, in the digital world, leading to a deep love of the printed image. 

His reward is when the emotions felt at the moment of capture are faithfully revealed in the ensuing final fine-art print.  The prints allow him to share those emotions with others.  When viewers are able to feel from the finished print, something of what he felt at the moment of capture, his reward is complete.   Visit www.neildorengallery.com for more information.

Brent Durken

Brent durken is a photographer based in Northeast Ohio. While he specializes in High Dynamic Range photography, he also photographs architecture, portraits, real estate, seniors, sports and weddings. In addition, Brent posts daily photos of Northeast Ohio on his photo blog. To see these photos please visit his website, www.brentdurken.com

Shelly Hansel

Born, raised, and still living ten minutes from downtown, Shelly Hansel's favorite photographic subject is Cleveland.  Her photographs have appeared in various local exhibits including the Cleveland State University Art Gallery, Cleveland Institute of Music, Brecksville Bicentennial Art Walk, and North Chagrin Reservation of Cleveland Metroparks.  A member of one of the oldest camera clubs in the nation, Cleveland Photographic Society, Shelly shares her pride in her hometown through the lens and loves to realize that others also see the beauty she observes in Cleveland.

Says Shelly, "The vast majority of images I like to capture are of Cleveland and the surrounding natural area.  Greater Cleveland is rich with amazing sights, and as a die-hard Clevelander, 'shooting' the city and our park system brings me a lot of joy and calm at the same time.  Cleveland rocks in every season, and I love trying to prove that through photography."

Shelly Hansel is a high school special education and English teacher who shares her photography with her students and lives with her photo-tolerant canine, Leo.  You can contact Shelly at shelly.photo@hotmail.com for more information.

Stewart Helberg

Stewart Helberg was born in Chicago, Illinois. He spent his early and mid-teen years in Maryland and did not come to Cleveland until his late teens.  After several years in Cleveland he relocated to Kansas and Texas. After several of being away from Cleveland, he returned and Cleveland and considers Cleveland to be his home. Stewart is the current president of the Western Reserve Photographic Society. He is married and lives in Mentor. 

back to top