"Cards that make people smile.”
Loveland, Ohio - Friday, February 11 is Second Saturday Open Studios at the Loveland Artists Studios on Main.
A featured display in the main gallery this month is the Valentine art of four resident artists who have won at various times over the years, the Loveland Area Chamber of Commerce Valentine Card design contest. Included, is this year’s winner, Jamie Morath. Morath’s art has adorned the annual Valentine card, in 2008, 2009, and 2012. The Chamber’s Valentine Program began in 1972.
The Chamber Valentine cards are central to their nationally-known stamping and postmark program. Valentines are hand-stamped with a unique cachet, which is modeled after the year's winning card, and then hand-cancelled with a special Loveland, Ohio, postmark. Each year, they re-mail thousands of cards to all 50 states and many foreign countries. The Chamber’s cards always contain the words, “There is nothing in this world as sweet as love.”
The other artists featured during the “Second Saturday” are two time winner, Nancy Sullivan, (2008, 2011) Monica Anne Achberger (2010) and Loveland Magazine Publisher, David Miller (2000).
Sullivan’s story is that while living in Loveland she realized that we were on a migratory path for birds with all our green space and trees. “I love birds and their antics and it seems a natural to combine them with Lovelands heart theme.” She said that the first card is more romantic and the second design was a little bit of a family idea. “My first serious job was with American Greetings and even though I was in accounting, I have always loved greeting cards. Cards that make people smile.”
Sullivan has been a long standing and active member of the historic Cincinnati Art Club, serving on the board several times, and years ago she was also a participant in the “Reginald Grooms Circle”. Her paintings can be found in corporate and private collections from coast to coast. You can also view and purchase her art at her studio at the Loveland Artists Studios on Main. Visit her Web Site or send her an E-Mail.
Achberger said that driving by Anniversary Park, on West Loveland Avenue everyday, inspired her to capture the romantic rose garden setting. “The quaintness of the gazebo with the architectural heart motif detail, seems a reminder that in our busy world today - slow down enjoy the view and smell the roses.” Achberger’s Artist Studio profile says, “I create poetic narrative paintings of the places I have been and reflections the world as I want it to be. As I paint, often on location, the process is a luscious, luminous, romantic, textured dance of the brush on the canvas.”
Achberger earned a Bachelors Degree in Fine Art from the Columbus College of Art & Design. She has attended painting workshops with Michael Scott, Chuck Marshall, the Cincinnati Art Academy and Morgan Samuel Price. Throughout her sixteen years as a graphic designer, she has painted and designed jewelry, perfecting her skills in costume and garden design.
Achberger says that perhaps her need for creative expression comes from her knowledge that life is fragile and not to be taken for granted. For most of her life, she lived with life-threatening kidney disease. However, in 1998, she underwent a successful kidney transplant, receiving a kidney from her husband, John. During her recovery she returned to her “true passion” – oil painting.
In 2011, a photo of Achberger was featured on highway billboards around the Greater Cincinnati Area that urged people to be organ donors.
In the decade since, Achberger has participated in numerous shows and competitions, “Inspiring others to pursue their dreams despite life’s challenges.” She is a signature member of Cincinnati Art Club, OPAS-Ohio Plein Air Society and American Impressionists Society. She graduated from Columbus College of Art & Design. Achberger has received many awards for her art. (http://monicaachberger.com/news.html) She can be reached via E-Mail or 513.379.8778, or her Web Site.
Morath’s Valentine entry for 2008 was the first art contest she entered since she was in high school. She babysits full time and would draw pages for the kids to color. One baby-sitting parent, Holly McAttee, asked her to enter Loveland's Valentine Card contest. ”I told her there was no time - and what would I paint? I haven't painted in forever being wrapped up with taking care of all these kids.” McAttee even offered to drop it off and pick it up for her.
The offer made Morath think about what to paint and at that time the first thing that came into her mind was chocolate. “I love chocolate,” she said. So she painted a chef with his table of chocolates. Now the question was what medium to use. She decided to try watercolor. This was her very first time using watercolor. “I was happy with the results so I had Holly turn it in.” About a week or so later Morath got a phone call and she says she is not sure who it was she talked to, but remembers the voice saying something like, "Unfortunately you did not win, but we all thought that your card reminded us so much of a store, Loveland Sweets in Loveland that we wanted to make a limited edition of your Valentine Card."
Morath said that even though she had lived in Loveland for a few years she had not yet been to downtown Loveland to see what's all around. “Wow. Not only did I win the first time ever limited edition version, but I found a store close by - that sells chocolates.”
“I am actually a very shy person but have gotten much better since I have started creating art again,” Morath said. “ She remembers being told she had to be at the Loveland Kroger for the Kick-Off. "What? I can't stand in front of a group of people.” She said that she was one of those kids that faked sick when she had to do a report in front of the class. “I can't do this," she said to herself and panicked until the day arrived. Even though it was a small event and at a familiar place she still had to stand in front of people. ”During the kick off my hands were all sweaty, heart pounding through my head, tears collecting in my eyes - repeating to myself, ‘I can do this. Pretend they are kids I babysit for." Morath’s name was called. “Uh Oh.... Yep almost passed out.” She remembers looking at Nancy Sullivan, who was the other winner, and saying in a quiet voice, "I'm so nervous."
Morath made it through the event and acknowledges not knowing from that point on, how her life would change. She is now an award winning artist receiving twelve awards in the past three years. “My heart still pounds through my head - but with a smile,” she said.
Morath’s “Limited Edition” version was the Chamber’s first and so far last limited edition version. “If I remember correctly they sold out within a week. I remember people calling me to find out if I had any left.”
Morath said her Valentine card win of 2009 was harder to come up with the idea. “I love animals and still loved chocolates but I think I was afraid to venture out with something totally different so I did another chef.” This time with a basset hound, because her mother-in-law had one that just passed away. “When I got the call that I had won again, but the regular version of the card - I just couldn't believe it.” She says she was on a roll that year. During the annual kick-off in 2009, she met the new Valentine Lady for that year, Linda Cox. “I had no idea that she had a basset hound. How perfect was that? Her winning the Valentine Lady, and my card winning with the basset. Just the perfect match.”
Morath said she disappeared for a few years until this year, busy with starting her career in art, and appearing at art shows in Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky. She decided that she would try again, but this time for some reason every time she would say the saying "There's nothing in this world so sweet as love" she would continue with saying "...as the love in Loveland" And, when she thinks of that saying, she thinks of the four-sided clock in Historic Downtown Loveland by the bike trail. “Everyone knows ‘The Clock,” she said. “There's never a time you don't see a huge amount of people there. Whether it's snowing, raining or the sun is shinning bright. You get the feel of friends, family and the love in the community.” Morath described Loveland as, “Such a great place to live.” She thought, “What better way to show Loveland then to paint a bike with a man and a lady with their pets by the clock. I think even though it is simple - it says it a lot.” E-Mail or visit Marath's Web Site to learn more.
Miller’s winning design in 2002, was the first time the Chamber chose an entry that was actually a photograph. The photo was of hand prints on a piece of poster board. The hands form a heart, and someone took the tempera paint and in the middle of the heart, spelled out “Loveland” with their finger. He cleaned up the image in “Photoshop” and added the magical prescribed words, “There is nothing in this world so sweet as love.”
At the annual Chamber Valentine Breakfast it was noted that the card sold out shortly after it was introduced. Miller said at the time, “It wasn’t the card design that sold out, it was the concept of sending Valentine Cards from Loveland that was so popular.” This was shortly after the terrorist attacks on the Pentagon, the World Trade Centers, and the downed jet in a Pennsylvania farm field. Miller said, “It was a time when so many people were connecting with loved ones and old friends. Everyone was searching for ways to stay in touch after the country was shaken to its core.”
The event where the hand prints were made into the shape of a heart also has meaning for Miller. It was on the Xavier University Campus at what was called the “Community Building Institute.” Miller was with a group of Loveland residents, and other community groups from the Cincinnati area for a weekend series of workshops to strengthen local neighborhoods. The Loveland Initiative, known as the Loveland Shalom Initiative at the time, was represented by community leaders, such as School Superintendent, Mike Kline, single dads, working moms living below the poverty level, teachers, business people, and several children and teens residing in Loveland’s Section Eight apartments. Miller said, “The way the poster was made had significant meaning to me at the time, because of the diverse make-up of the people who dipped their hands into the paint and formed the heart.”
Miller notes that the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks brought the whole country together, “At least for a time.”
Miller said, that although the card design is not a significant “piece of art” he likes people to know that actually about fifteen Loveland residents, from young to old, made the Loveland Valentine Card in 2001, a month before our nation was unrecognizably changed forever. Miller said, “All I did is what any photographer would do - click the shutter so the moment wouldn’t be lost - as lost as our innocence soon would be.”
You can view these cards, some of the original cart designs and paintings, and meet the artists on Saturday. This is an opportunity to also meet the other 35 artists, tour their studios, see their latest creations - and purchase art. There are fiber artists, glass blowers, bead makers, clay molders, wood turners, sculptors, stained glass artisans, photographers, and of course painters specializing in mixed and varied medium.
Want to learn how to perfect and market your own art? Meet the artists and pry some wisdom from them this Saturday from 6 until 10 PM. The Loveland Artist Studios on Main located in a historic Loveland School Building and former shirt manufacturing facility near the Loveland Post Office.
Recent Comments