Size: 12"x12"
Medium: Mixed Media collage
Artist: Julie Cook
Inspired by: "Fall" by the 1st - 2ndgrade team at Marion C. Seltzer School
Suggested Value: $100.00

"I love to paint nature and I love trees."

Julie Cook is a self-taught artist who mainly works in acrylics and mixed media. Julie has lived in Madison Township for over 30 years. She enjoys experimenting with paint and products to see what new textures and techniques she can create. Julie uses traditional tools as well as unique items like scraps of wood, plastic, and recycled packaging material. Julie is deeply inspired by God's creation and is thankful for the ability He has given her.

Julie's artwork has been juried into several shows throughout Northeast Ohio, and she has had several solo shows including those at Penitentiary Glen, Fairmount Art Center, Solon Center for the Arts, and Holden Arboretum. She is an artist at Stella's Art Gallery in Willoughby where her work can be seen in Studio 1. A portion of the sale of each painting is sent to https://www.globaladvanceprojects.org/ an organization that helps at-risk children on the Thailand/Burma border where her daughter works. Julie's paintings are making a difference in the lives of those children, as well as bringing peace, joy, and contentment to many others.

Buy MUST be Present (Cannot be shipped or picked up in the office)

Size: 24"x24"
Medium: Photography
Artist name: J.B.
Inspired by: "My Cat is Fat" by Gabriela from Buhrer Dual Language Academy
Suggested Value: $300

"The poem is about a lazy cat. Who doesn't adjust his attitude for anyone. He does what he wants, when he wants. I think that's funny. Humor is art is key."

JB is a man of mystery. Who is he? Where is he? All we know is he makes art.

Size: 10" x 15"
Medium: Pen, ink, markers
Artist: Gary Dumm
Inspired by: "My Cat is Fat" by Gabriela from Buhrer Dual Language Academy
Suggested Value: $300.00

"I like cats and thought the poem was fun & funny!"

Gary Dumm has loved cartoons and comics ever since he was a child. His mom taught him to read using comics as well as books.

And he learned that he could get attention from other kids in grade school by showing them his drawings. Later, in high school, he found that was also a way to draw attention from girls. The practice of drawing is who he is.

Combining words with pictures is a challenging but fun way to make a living. He has worked with a lot of talented writers, especially Harvey Pekar on his autobiographical comic series "American Splendor" and Scott MacGregor on our graphic novel "Fire On The Water." They've inspired him to hone his craft every day.

Telling a story with art is what he aims to do with every image he has created. More recently he has worked with his wife Laura on their series of large and colorful environmental and socio-political paintings. But he will forever continue to work on comics in glorious black-and-white.

Size: 20" x 20"
Medium: Acrylic
Artist: George Kocar
Inspired by: "My Cat is Fat" by Gabriela from Buhrer Dual Language Academy
Suggested Value: $500.00

"My wife and I have always had cats and are amazed by their different personalities. A few of our cats were fat."

George Kocar is a Bay Village resident. As well as being an artist and illustrator he was a adjunct faculty member of Ashland University. George has had over fifty solo shows. He has exhibited his work in over five hundred group shows across the United States, most notably numerous Butler Mid-year Shows in Youngstown, Ohio, and The Cleveland Museum of Art May Show. He has won numerous awards including a Jurors Award at the Butler Institute of Art in 1985 and 1998, and Best of Show at the Ohio Exposition Center in Columbus, Ohio in 1998. He is listed in Who's Who in American Art.
His illustrations have graced the pages of numerous newspapers and magazines including, The Cleveland Plain Dealer, Esquire, Playboy, GQ, The New York Times and the Washington Post. His work has been included in several annuals, including AMERICAN ILLUSTRATION 2 and 3, and OUTSTANDING ILLUSTRATORS TODAY 2.

Size: 11" x 14"
Medium: Watercolor
Artist: Allison Hennie
Inspired by: "The Blue Bunny" by the 1st - 2nd grade team from Artemus Ward School
Suggested Value: $250.00

"I enjoyed the whimsy of the poem! The spirit of the poem and reference to a bunny also made me think of Alice in Wonderland and the open-mindedness of children."

Allison Hennie is a Cleveland native with a passion for people, places and the arts. Hennie is a practicing architect who enjoys watercolors, climbing, and pie for breakfast.

Size: 11"x17"
Medium: Graphite on paper and ink
Artist: Tom Masaveg
Inspired By: "The Blue Bunny" by the Artemus Ward 1st -2nd grade team
Suggested Value: $200.00

"During this time in society, I felt uplifted by the innocence and whimsy of this poem. I wanted to create something less serious than what I normally create and be apart of that joy with a piece that is true to my style but influenced by an appreciation for the cute things in life that heal and offer peace."

Tom Masaveg has roots in Cleveland and has branched out to live for years in 3 Ohio forests during a transformative stage in his life that eventually led him back to the city to focus on a mission to connect urban people with the benefits of nature. His art is always emotional, often a bit dark though it doesn't feel that way as he creates it. Tom works to show balance between dark and light, often in the human form blended with plant biology. There are almost always archetypal themes hidden in his work due to his efforts to embed universal truth into drawings that he hopes people will find meaning from regardless of their space and time.

Size: 11" x 14" (framed)
Medium: Digital Illustration
Artist: Danielle Rueger-Miroewski
Inspired by: "The Blue Bunny" by Artemus Ward 1st - 2nd-grade team
Suggested Value: $95.00

"When I read The Blue Bunny, I could immediately see Bert in my mind and was excited to bring him to life. Life Bert, I also like to play and drink pop."

Danielle is a Cleveland-based illustrator/designer who specializes in the cute, fun, and colorful. Her greatest joy is illustrating children's books - she loves bringing characters and stories to life! When not working, you could probably find her out in nature, traveling with her partner, or playing with her pets - a rescue husky mix named Emma, a black cat named Peekaboo, and a tabby kitten named Olive.

Buyer must be present at event (shipping/pick-up not available)

Size: 22" tall, 12" x20" wide
Medium: Clay
Artist: Bill York
Inspired by: "The Blue Bunny" by the Artemus Ward 1st-2nd grade team
Suggested Value: $500.00

"The visual images of the poem were very easy to latch onto. This was a beautiful, simple poem that brings a bunny to life. I have worked with art and children and enjoy interpreting how they see the world."

Bill York's first memory, when he was too young to even know what he was remembering, he drew pictures in the dirt. He was always creating, he has always been an artist and enjoy teaching even more. He is a stone carving, ceramic artist who majored in sculpture and minored in drawing, with a fine arts degree.

Size: 16" x 20"
Medium: Acrylic on canvas
Artist: Laura Dumm
Inspired by: "Pet Adoption" by Robinson G. Jones 3rd - 5th grade Team
Suggested Value: $400.00

"I do art to make a difference and after a 4-year rest from painting, I was drawn to this fundraiser for kids! I also am a big pet lover with 7 rescued cats so it seemed like a message I wanted to do a painting for."

Self-taught, Laura has always been interested in art and making art. She married cartoonist/artist Gary Dumm in 1971. In 1986, after working for various publications, she made the decision to become a freelance graphic artist/illustrator.

As well as doing her own work she has collaborated with her husband, coloring his black & white cartoons and working with him on numerous comics, graphic novels, and books.

Now retired, and a full-time painter, she's used drawings by Gary to create a series of paintings dealing with social and environmental issues such as greed, GMO's, pollution, AI, climate change etc. done in a Pop-Art Surrealistic style.

Size: 11" x 14"
Medium: Acrylic Paint
Artist: Beth Lynne
Inspired by: "Pet Adoption" by Robinson G. Jones 3rd - 5th grade team
Suggested Value: $500.00

"As an animal lover and rescuer, I love the message in the poem about the benefits of adopting an animal and giving them a loving home. I wanted to show the joy of rescuing and the difference that it makes for that animal and those who adopt."

Beth has been an artist for over 35 years, having worked as an illustrator for many years at

Cleveland's top art studios as well as freelancing for clients such as American Greetings and Coca-Cola.

Along with illustration, Beth has produced many murals, public art sculptures, drawings
and paintings as well as graphic design work including logo design.

She has been a long-time resident of Lake County and currently has her art studio/gallery.

Beth Lynne Studio is located in Fairport Harbor where she accepts commissions and
creates paintings, animal portraits, home portraits, murals, limited edition prints, custom
designed re-purposed furniture, screen printed apparel featuring her designs, jewelry and
more.

In 2019 Beth was the original creator of Mentor's public art project, Mentor Rocks the Bears, in which bear sculptures were designed by her along with other local artists and they were displayed throughout Mentor.

Much of her work is donated to art fundraisers and auctions, such as Guitar Mania and
Art Fur Animals which she has donated to for 14 years.

When not creating, Beth can usually be found surrounded by cats, including many she
has rescued and fostered, or at an animal sanctuary which she often features in her art.

Size: 10" x9"
Medium: Hand painted laser engraved wood
Artist: Danny Likar
Inspired by: "The Park" by Natividad Pagan International Newcomers Academy 1st - 2nd grade Team
Suggested Value: $200.00

"The poem 'The Park' was just the right amount of silliness. It's about a deer named Mark who eats candy and Oreos. What's not perfect about that!?"

Danny has a BFA from Kent State in Jewelry/ Metals. His usual work is quirky and silly and just the right amount of crude that makes everyone from children to grown adult smile.

For this piece he wanted to make a more abstract representation of the poem that is pleasing to look at first glance but upon detailed viewing has every element of the poem represented. It's simple but really captures the essence of the poem.

Size: 16" x 24"
Medium: Acrylic on Canvas
Artist: Tom Desko
Inspired By: "Snow is Coming" by Aramis from Artemus Ward School
Suggested Value: $450.00

"My choice of poem reminded me of the unpredictable Cleveland winter weather. The insightful, young poet effectively captured the sense of a snow warning."

Tom Desko is a Cleveland-based artist (originally from Youngstown, OH) and he has been painting for over 40 years. His paintings are mostly watercolor and acrylic still-life and landscape but he enjoys the challenge of creating abstract works. Each piece he produces, for himself or by request, is a unique expression of a story. He would love to hear one of yours and possibly share one of his.

Size: 14"x14"
Medium: Encaustic Wax
Artist: Dawn Tekler
Inspired by: "The Snow is Coming" By Aramis from Artemus Ward School
Suggested Value: $275.00

"[I liked] his honesty about winter in Cleveland."

Dawn Tekler (b. South Bend, Indiana) earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from The Cleveland Institute of Art with a major in Photography and a minor in Video and Film History. Currently resides in Cleveland, Ohio. You can visit her gallery at 78th Street Stuidos #113.

Size: 16" x 20'
Medium: Mixed medium on yupo
Artist: Susan Riha Parsley
Inspired by: "Creatures" by Araceyls from Buhrer Dual Language School
Suggested Value: $320.00

"Art can not only draw people together, but it can also inspire involvement of compassion for others."

Susan Riha Parsley was born in Chicago, Illinois. Now living in Vermilion, Ohio. She received her Bachelor's in Fine Arts Degree at Bowling Green University in 2019. She is a part of the Vermilion Art Guild in Vermilion, Ohio, and continues to serve her community.