June Arts Off 75: The Season of the Creatively Untamed

“Summertime and the livin’ is easy…”

This line from one of the most iconic songs of the 20th century feels like the perfect sentiment for the coming months. Gone are the heavy layers we donned to brave the chill of fall, winter and even those stubborn spring days. With the sun finally hanging longer in the sky, it’s time to exhale and enjoy a season that invites a different pace — one that is more open, relaxed and creatively untamed.

Over the years, I’ve spoken with countless creatives who echo this same truth: summer is the season for restoration, exploration and inspiration. There’s a literal shedding of coats and scarves this season, but also a metaphoric one — an invitation for artists to strip away expectations and consider ideas less traveled. Now is the time to gather with fellow makers to reflect on where you’ve been and dream about where you could go.

One artist who embodies this spirit better than most is Gary Hinsche – one of my favorite artists and one of my favorite humans (and a previous guest on the Inspired By podcast, check it out here: https://thinktv.org/gary-hinsche-artist/) Originally from Southern California, he’s made Dayton his home for many years, bringing a laid-back West Coast sensibility to our more measured Midwestern rhythms. Gary is a visionary in the world of graphic design and he’s spent decades shaping visual culture through his professional work.

All the while, Gary has also quietly and consistently cultivated a singular practice as a painter of deeply felt abstraction. His work vibrates with intuitive gestures, rhythmic compositions and a color sensibility that manages to be both subtle and bold. There’s a palpable sense of movement in his canvases — perhaps a reflection of his lifelong curiosity and openness to change.

This summer, a long-overdue retrospective of Gary’s work will be on view in an upcoming collection at the Dana Wiley Gallery from Friday, June 20, through Sunday, August 31. While summer often sees a lull in gallery programming, this show is a bright exception. What makes it even more exciting is that Gary is among a constellation of fellow creatives invited to “activate” the gallery space throughout the run of the exhibition.

These sorts of events allow for multi-sensory, cross-disciplinary experiences. Each one is being designed by a different invited artist, and each promises a unique way to engage with Gary’s work and the space around it. This blend of ideas and willingness to invite others into the creative space is what makes Gary’s show feel like so much more than a retrospective. It’s a celebration of community, collaboration, and curiosity.

So yes, the livin’ is easier in summertime, and that is exactly why this is the season to recharge and to reimagine. Whether you’re an artist or an arts lover (or both), now is the time to lean in. Try something new, make something just because, show up and experience art in fresh, spontaneous ways. And if you can catch even one of the moments at Gary Hinsche’s exhibition this summer, I promise it will be time well spent.

Check out the Arts Off 75 list below of Southwest Ohio arts events and exhibits that are kicking off this month:

Plus, in case you missed it, check out these events from our previous Arts Off 75 blog posts that are still ongoing this month:

Rodney Veal
CET and Think^TV Producer and Community Arts Liaison