New Exhibition open at Way Library Gallery
PRIZM OPENS new exhibition for June and July, “An Artist Life,” a retrospect of Joanne Grossmann” at WAY LIBRARY GALLERY
PRIZM Creative Community and the Way Public Library Gallery are pleased to open a new solo exhibit of artistic and historic interest at the Way Public Library gallery, 101 E. Indiana Ave. in Perrysburg. “An Artist Life,” a retrospective of Joanne Grossmann, will be on display during the months of June and July during normal library hours. The collection contains large scale oil paintings created by Joanne over the years. Memoirs on display include her book published in 2001 named, “Letters from Camp” which documents the experiences of her father (Floyd Thornton, former Mayor of Perrysburg) as an Army officer during WWI. A summer opening reception to visit with the Artist, family and community members will be held on Tuesday July 7, from 6:30- 8:00 p.m. in the Way Library Gallery area on the lower level. Light refreshments will be served.
JoAnne was born in Perrysburg, Ohio in 1930. She loved to draw from a very early age, and her talent soon became apparent. Animals, especially horses and deer, were often the subject of her drawings. Her love for animals is evident in many of her works. After graduation from Perrysburg High School in 1948 Joanne attended Bowling Green State University for a year and then transferred to Ohio University in Athens to study Art. Edward Hopper was a strong influence on Joanne’s style, a focus on the subtle interaction of human beings with their environment.
During summer break while working at the Perrysburg Pool, Joanne met Fred Grossmann Jr. and as they say, the rest is history. They married in 1952 and started a family, settling in West Toledo. Her husband, the late Fred Grossmann Jr., had a motorcycle shop in Perrysburg where the municipal building now stands. During this time Joanne painted as time allowed and continued her study of art at the Toledo Museum of Art. In 1972 the family moved to a grand home in historic Westmoreland. The “Ballroom” served as a fine studio for Joanne. The huge ceilings and ample wall space of the home allowed Joanne to paint large, and indeed she did.
Joanne and Fred were avid horse racing fans, making twice yearly trips to Keeneland in Lexington, Kentucky. The beautiful landscape and majesty of the horses inspired many paintings. Many of these were showcased at The Derby Days exhibition at 20 North Gallery in Toledo in 2008. Throughout her career Joanne has entered many art shows including the Toledo Area Artists exhibition, winning multiple awards over the years. Other venues include the Preview ’71 exhibition in Cincinnati and the Butler Institute of Art in Youngstown, where her work remains to this day.
Joanne now resides in Perrysburg. Her works decorate her home and the homes of many family members, friends and acquaintances. She has a painting on permanent display at Owens Illinois World Headquarters and also in the Municipal Building of the City of Perrysburg.
PRIZM Creative Community is a 501 c. 3 nonprofit organization for education, service, and collaboration in the literary and visual arts. PRIZM has received public support from The Ohio Arts Council, The Toledo Community Foundation, and public and private sources. #######
Press Release Contact Name: Rose Mills
Press Release Contact Email: [email protected]
Press Release Contact Phone: 419-874-3135
Organization Name: Way Library
Website or Link: waylirary.info
Organization Address: 101 E Indiana Ave, Perrysburg, OH, 43551