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Tremont ArtWalk @ Various Locations 4/10 A walk in the rain on a dark Friday night proved to be as eerie as it was inspiring. The broad range of artists, art works and the venues in which they were displayed was an accurate reflection of the neighborhood in general.

Strolling down Professor Avenue, I was pulled into a schizophrenic journey. Eye Candy was a small space stuffed with works of art and other gift-shop-like items. The jewelry, purses and works in wood were especially intriguing, if only the shelves were less crowded it would have been easier to feature each piece. Just down the street was Banyan Tree, an urban shop full of designer decor, funky furnishings and chic clothing, which were mostly well designed, manufactured items, which were very worth the time browsing. I've been hearing about Asterisk* for so long, I was eager to see what it's all about. After stumbling into an over-crowded, unmarked entrance, I was taken back by the throng of people, the variety of the works of art and especially the rundown building housing it all.

While some of the works on the main floor were thoughtful and poignant, the basement held some works that were violent, obscene and disturbing. The condition of the building itself was so dirty and worn, even in disrepair, and the crowd was so loud and imposing, that it was difficult to concentrate on the works. I just wanted to get out of there.

Around the corner on Jefferson Avenue is a study in contrasts. Doubting Thomas, housed in a run-down house with some walls torn down to the lathe and grubby floors, displayed works that reflect adolescent anger and unplanned accidents. This was another place I felt the need to leave quickly. The poor condition of the space was so overwhelming and distracting that the works of art were not paid the attention they probably deserved. Right next door is a tiny space with meticulously arranged decor to feature the resourceful and beautiful jewelry of Alison Saville. Her little shop, called Virescent Designs, was the perfect setting for her wearable trinkets made from recycled bits of antiques and enamels.

The best part of the evening was spent wandering down Starkweather Avenue, where I discovered the new gem in the neighborhood, Geode. This fresh, clean, new space was a welcomed contrast to my earlier experiences, and it displayed stunning useful works of art as varied as jewelry and furniture, decorative boxes and lighting. In this brand new store/gallery the owner, Gillian Barnes, payed homage to her father, Ron Joranko, by diplaying his exquisite paintings throughout the space. He lived in the Tremont neighborhood and painted what he saw during those years. His crisp, bright works puncuate the gallery with a visual reminder of the neighborhood just outside the doors. These paintings were an appropriate backdrop for Ms. Barnes' excellently-chosen and displayed objects.

Just a few doors down was Lilly Handmade Chocolates. This simple space elegantly features delicate works in chocolate and rare, hand crafted, hard-to-find beers. Brook Nieves of Powter Puff Boutique and her cohorts were on hand, dressed to the nines for a photo shoot in the showroom, with the brightly striped walls of the chocolate store as a back drop.

A few last stops included Mastroianni Photography on W. 14th Street, whose commercial photography on display far exceeded in professionalism the original works by Shannon Meeks and Amy Roskilly that were also presented in his gallery. Lastly, was the spare little shop of assorted handmade items called Suki Yume on College. While the works on display were intriguing, both of these spots had me clambering to escape the unpleasant odor of the old buildings they were housed in.

There is so much to see on the Tremont ArtWalk that in one evening I could not hit all the hot spots, but what I did see was well worth the trip. The inconsistency of the works and the venues they were housed in was at least consistent with the neighborhood in general. The Tremont ArtWalk is a monthly event, and will be featured again the second Friday in May. Be prepared to be surprised, challenged and impressed.

Stay tuned for what's happening in the upcoming May Tremont ArtWalk by clicking http://www.TremontArtWalk.org.

From Cool Cleveland contributor Carol Drummond carolATdrummondesign.com

Learn more about Drummond at http://www.Drummondesign.com.
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