Our 30th Anniversary Season Unveiled!

20 North Gallery announces 2022 – 2023 exhibition schedule

As Toledo’s oldest independent art gallery, 20 North Gallery is proud to be celebrating 30 years in 2023 by presenting shows of vibrant oil pastel drawings, stunning landscape photography, expressive abstract paintings, unique jewelry and more.

The much-anticipated 2022-2023 season includes a solo exhibition in October of Toledo artist Kay Weprin’s non-representational abstract artworks, a group exhibition of Toledo-based Unruly Arts in January to ring in the 2023 season, a group retrospective Spring show of selected artists from 20 North Gallery’s 30-year history, in addition to breath-taking photography and painting by Jan Bell and Jane Williams in July of 2023.

The season begins October 21, 2022

…with Kay Weprin: Abstract Personified, an impressive retrospective of the Toledo artist’s mixed media paintings on canvas and oil pastel works on paper, including several brand-new, never-before-exhibited pieces. Featuring curated large-scale paintings from earlier in Weprin’s artistic career, the exhibit welcomes the viewer to discover the journey that brought Weprin to her current iconic style.

20 North Gallery and the artist will be welcoming friends and collectors at the free Public Reception for Kay Weprin: Abstract Personified on Friday, October 21, from 6 – 9 p.m.

The exhibit will continue through December 24, 2022.

Kay Weprin (Toledo, Ohio)

Kay Weprin received her B.F.A. and M.Ed. in Art Education from The University of Toledo (Ohio). Now a retired art educator, she has published articles for School Arts Magazine, and educational websites. As an artist, her work has won awards and has been displayed in regional art exhibitions, receiving multiple First Place awards through the annual Toledo Area Artists Exhibition at the Toledo Museum of Art (Ohio) and Athena Art Society annual juried fall exhibitions among numerous other group art shows. In 2021, she enjoyed a solo exhibit at Hudson Gallery (Sylvania, Ohio). Weprin’s mixed media works in cold wax, oil pastel and handmade paper can be found in many corporate and private collections including the Kingston Healthcare Company Headquarters (Toledo, Ohio), ProMedica Toledo Hospital (Ohio), Owens Corning World Headquarters (Toledo, Ohio), as well as the permanent, public collections of the Sylvania Branch of Toledo Lucas County Public Library (Ohio), The University of Toledo Center for the Visual Arts and Butler University (Indianapolis, Indiana). Weprin is a current member and past President of the Athena Art Society and current Historian for the Toledo Federation of Art Societies.

Click to view the Kay Weprin: Abstract Personified exhibition catalogue, containing art images, prices and artist commentary for the full exhibit.

The 2023 lineup…

…includes group exhibitions of Toledo-based studio Unruly Arts in January; in April, a retrospective of 20 North Gallery’s history, including notable artists who have exhibited here since 1993; as well as a two-person exhibit pairing the breathtaking works of Jan Bell and Jane Williams in July.

To open its 2023 season,

20 North Gallery will present Unruly Hearts / Unruly Arts, an exhibit featuring the lively works of the artists of Unruly Arts. An inspiring variety of mediums and subjects will be featured in this exhibit of expressive art, from intricately designed floral patterns on scarves to large, non-representational paintings on canvas.
This exhibit will open to the public on January 20, 2023 and will continue through March 25, 2023.

Unruly Arts (Toledo, Ohio)

Unruly Arts was established in 2016 and currently maintains their studio in the Artist Village at Toledo Botanical Garden (Ohio). The studio provides opportunities through creating, exhibiting and selling art with an emphasis on artistic freedom and expression. Unruly Arts provides an inclusive and nurturing environment that supports the artistic visions and needs of people with disabilities. Open to the public, Unruly Arts’ location in Toledo Botanical Garden welcomes visitors to enjoy the artworks created by the studio’s artists, as well as regularly welcomes visitors to participate and collaborate with studio artists on interactive, community exhibits.

In Spring of 2023,

20 North Gallery will be celebrating the impressive achievement of its 30^th anniversary with 20 North / 30 Years. This retrospective exhibition will celebrate new and legacy works by artists who have been iconic exhibitors through each of the three decades of 20 North Gallery’s remarkable history.

The list of prestigious regional artists to be exhibited begins with realist painter Michael Sheets, whose solo exhibition The Absolut Beginning was the inaugural show presented by 20 North in 1993. Other distinguished artists in 20 North / 30 Years include Kimberly Arden, Aaron S. Bivins, Phil Hazard, Tom Marino, Jack Schmidt, Leslie Adams and many more. Both 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional artworks will be on display and available for purchase.
This fascinating exhibit will open on April 21, 2023 and will continue through June 24, 2023.

The public reception/30th Anniversary Celebration for 20 North Gallery will be held on May 19, 2023.

In the Summer of 2023,

20 North Gallery will mount a much-anticipated show of works by artists Jan Bell and Jane Williams. Mesmerizing images of wild landscapes and flora by the Ansel Adams Award-winning photographer Jan Bell and stunning, vibrantly-colored paintings by Jane Williams will have viewers transfixed by the natural splendor they capture. Additional information on the exhibit to be announced. Opening in July 2023, this exhibit will continue though September 2023.

Jan Bell (Bowling Green, Ohio)

Jan Bell received his B.F.A. in Photography from Bowling Green State University (Ohio). Throughout his artistic career, Bell has served as an educator at a numerous institutions including Toledo School for the Arts (Ohio) and as Graphic Design Director for WBGUPBS at Bowling Green State University. Bell currently instructs a photography workshop at Lake Superior Provincial Park in Ontario (Canada) and works as a Fine Art Photographer through his studio, Bell Images. The artistic pursuit of untouched landscapes has taken Bell across North America. His work has been widely exhibited from coast to coast, earning him grants and awards including the Grand Prize Award in the Ansel Adams Photo Competition through the Ansel Adams Gallery in Yosemite National Park in California and First Place Award and Best of Show in Photography at Crosby Festival of the Arts (Toledo Botanical Garden, Ohio). Having been published in books and magazines such as multiple issues of B&W Magazine, Bell’s photography has also received the Single Image Award and Portfolio Merit Award presented by this publication. Bell’s photography has been acquired for private and public collections including his piece, Agave, being added to the permanent collection of the Toledo Museum of Art (Ohio) in 2016.

Jane Williams (Maumee, Ohio)

Jane Williams studied design and illustration at Kendall School of Design in Grand Rapids (Michigan) and received a B.F.A. degree from Bowling Green State University (Ohio), studying drawing, watercolor and art history. She has furthered her studies with many workshops, including those taught by regional painters Walter Chapman, Jeanne Dobie and Frederick Graff, as well as national painters Tony Couch, Howard Friedland and Joshua Been. Williams has been included in multiple group and solo exhibitions receiving many awards for her watercolors and oils. She was a signature member of the Northwestern Ohio Watercolor Society from 1996 until its dissolution in 2011, over the years serving as treasurer and then president. Williams is currently a signature member of Ohio Watercolor Society, as well as maintaining her membership in the Athena Art Society.

In addition to the featured exhibits, 20 North Gallery continues to display glass, paintings, jewelry and artists’ cards by noted artists of the region. Gallery hours are Wednesdays through Saturdays from noon to 4p.m.

Opening Receptions: 20 North Gallery and the artists will be welcoming friends and collectors at the free Public Receptions for featured exhibits. Each reception will feature a free appetizer buffet and cash bar by Venue. Reception dates are to be announced.