CLEVELAND, OH.- The Maria Neil Art Project ushers in the new year with an art exhibition by a very unique and talented artist, Andrew Reach. An artist whose personal story is as compelling as his art, Reach has created several new works to be shown alongside many previous works that have never been seen before.
"Andrew Reach is a remarkable artist. His colorful and imaginative work, as well as his own, often challenging, personal journey is the embodiment of the strength of the human spirit," said Adam Tully, co-owner of the gallery with his finace John Farina. "We are very proud to show his newest works in our latest exhibition, ‘Bits in Pieces’ to kick off the new year in vivid color."
Once a successful architect, Andrew was sidelined by a crippling disease called Scheuermann's kyphosis, a rare affliction that caused an abnormal curvature of his spine and threatened to ruin his internal organs. Major surgery, complicated and painful treatments, anguish and depression – things that might have caused a lesser person to give up, only held Andrew back temporarily.
At the urging of his partner of more than 30 years, Bruce Baumwoll, he took the technical skills and creative energy he had and began to pursue another passion – art.
Andrew taught himself Photoshop and began channeling his chronic pain into artistic expression. He started with a simple Valentine’s Day card and has evolved into a serious artist with a rich and impressive body of work to show for it. He has shown in solo exhibitions at galleries and museums across the country and his work is featured in several large corporate, hospital and museum collections. His latest work, from large scale geometric images to three dimensional sculptures to smaller ‘whimsies’ (as he calls them), will be on display in the gallery though February 15. Each piece is unique and is only produced in very limited editions - usually less than seven. Once an edition is completed, it is closed out completely and no longer available.
“My art is inextricably tied to technology; the software to make it; the hardware required of the software to render images; the printer to translate it from computer code to the real world,” says Reach about his work. “All these things are required if I am going to be able to make it and share it. It is a construction project of sorts. I build with color and shapes, putting pieces together to build the whole composition. Making these artworks re-energizes me and I hope they do the same for you.”
Having been given so much himself, Reach is a major proponent of giving back. Among the many charities he and his partner support are animal welfare organizations. Ten percent of the proceeds from any sales during the run of the exhibition of Andrew's work will be donated to the Waterloo Alley Cat Project, a program that provides care for neighborhood cats and works to prevent overpopulation through a trap
The exhibition will be on view from January 2 through February 15 at the Maria Neil Art Project at 15813 Waterloo Road in the Waterloo Arts District in Cleveland. An Opening Reception with the artist will be held on Friday, January 2 from 5:00 pm until 10:00 pm.
