Different Strokes: Michelle Darvis Paints a Picture a Day for a Year

From soaking up rays on a sweltering day to freezing through near-frostbite-inducing winds, Hudson painter Michelle Darvis endured it all for the sake of art. In 2014, Darvis painted a picture outdoors all 365 days of the year.

“This project was a modern take on painting,” Darvis says. “On Instagram, you’re posting a picture every day, it captures your life, and this project is like an old-fashioned way to do this.”

Darvis’ works are on display in countries from Australia to Italy and also at Hudson Fine Art & Framing Co., where you can see all 365 pieces in the A Year in Plein Air exhibit until Feb. 7. Here is a peek at three of Darvis’ favorites.

Photo Credit: Hudson Fine Art & Framing Co.

Wedding Day Morning

Darvis tied the knot in 2014, but that didn’t stop her from pulling out her easel on her wedding day — a time usually filled with chaos. “It was peaceful. I got a chance to reflect on the day,"says Darvis, who will discuss the experience more during a talk at 6:30 p.m. Jan. 22 at the Hudson gallery.

Photo Credit: Hudson Fine Art & Framing Co.

Lakeshore Boulevard

As Darvis painted this view of Lake Erie from her grandmother’s house in Madison, fierce winds battered at her. “This was the closest we thought we got to frostbite,” says Darvis.

Photo Credit: Joesph Darvis

Brain Garden

As a drawing major at Kent University, Darvis sat outside and sketched Brain Garden from different angles for a class. "This is a tribute to Kent State in a way," says Darvis. "It's an iconic piece of art by a famous Kent State sculptor."


Update: A Year in Plein Air has been extended until Feb. 7. There will be a closing reception Feb. 7 from 2 to 5 p.m. with coffee and refreshments. 

Rhythm Makers: Local Band Mo' Mojo Embarks on a Tour of Central and South America

Dominican Republic workshop

After touring Haiti and the Dominican Republic, Akron-based zydeco band Mo’ Mojo is ready for another challenge of breaking down language barriers and connecting with the locals through music.

The American Music Abroad, a program of the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, has selected Mo’ Mojo as one of 10 American bands to do a five-week tour of Central and South America. Beginning Jan. 20, Mo’ Mojo will travel to Belize, Panama, Barbados, Mexico and Colombia. In addition to performing public concerts, the band will interact with local musicians, give lectures and take part in workshops with students.

The band, which is preparing to release its fourth album, We All Got the Same, in May, has already visited Haiti and Dominican Republic as part of the program. “Every single time — as soon as that energetic zydeco music started — smiles spread across their face and dancing started,” says Leigh Ann Wise, Mo’ Mojo vocalist and percussionist. “It's kind of what zydeco does universally. It makes you smile and dance — or at least tap your toe — no matter what language you speak and no matter what your social status or ethnic background.” Wise chats with us about dancing and jamming out with Haitians and the upcoming trip. 

CM: What is one of your most memorable moments working with locals in Haiti?

LW: We were giving a workshop for the students at The Haitian-American Institute. ... The music started and they started smiling and moving a little. The big shift came when we asked if they want to learn how to dance the zydeco. It’s a two-step. You know, here in the states if you ask high school students if they want to stand up in front of a crowd and learn a dance, it’s likely — in my experience — you’re going to get a lot of resistance. Not these folks. Half the room jumped up and started dancing. By the end of the song, they were teaching us to dance. It was truly one of my favorite moments yet. 

CM: What did you learn in Haiti?

LW: For me, it was my first real hands-on experience of how music transcends language barriers. When we were learning songs with Ti Coca & Wanga Neges, a popular world-traveling Haitian band, no one in their band spoke English and certainly no one in our band spoke Haitian Kreyol, but we gathered outside and just started playing. They learned one of our songs and we learned one of theirs. And you know what was key? Eye contact. If Ti Coca wanted me to learn a lyric I completely did not understand, he’d just keep singing it and looking me in the eye. 

CM: What are you looking forward to the most about the upcoming trip to Central and South America?

LW: The idea that we get to teach kids, to me, is the most fulfilling way to spend my time. Who gets to travel playing music as a mode of communication? It's such a blessing. I feel honored to be a part of it.

Beer for Breakfast

Even hardcore beer enthusiasts don't often get an excuse to drink beer with all the trappings of a hearty breakfast. Thankfully, the Winking Lizard has our backs. On Jan. 29, the Lakewood tavern is hosting a Founders Brewery (Grand Rapids, Michigan) event featuring Founders' seasonal Breakfast Stout, limited-edition Kentucky Breakfast Stout and the extremely rare, "backstage-pass edition" Canadian Breakfast Stout.

What makes a beer breakfast-worthy?

Well, all three are brewed with oats, a blend of coffee and imported chocolate. The Kentucky Breakfast Stout, which is usually only available in April, is also cave-aged in oak bourbon barrels. But the Canadian Breakfast Stout, which hasn't been released since 2011, is a true rarity.

"We were able to acquire a very limited number of maple syrup bourbon barrels about a year ago and decided to age an imperial stout brewed with coffee and chocolate," says Dave Engbers, Founders Brewery president and co-founder. 

When it's available, which isn't often, it's usually listed among the top five best beers in the world and given a perfect 100 rating, according to the popular beer-aficionados site BeerAdvocate.com. 

Winking Lizard Lakewood is offering all three as a flight of 5-ounce pours for this event. But only 175 flights will be available (at $15 each) due to the limited quantities available. We recommend getting there early. Doors open at 4 p.m. and kegs will be tapped at 5, but after its last release, Founders Brewery CEO Mike Stevens felt the need to apologize to frustrated fans who missed out:

"We make this beer because we are extremely passionate about creating the best liquid we know how to produce. We started this business as home brewers and still look at ourselves as such. We know that some of you might never get your chance at a CBS bottle, but we feel it would be a greater disappointment to have never shared this product at all."

Other Founders Brewery draughts will include Big Luscious, a dark chocolate and raspberry stout; Backwards Bastard, a bourbon barrel-aged Scotch ale; Black Rye rye beer; Dirty Bastard Scotch ale; and All Day IPA, Centennial IPA and Dark Pennance, all pale ales.

Shift Change

Matt Danko and Jonathon Sawyer at Trentina

Trentina, Jonathon Sawyer's new tasting menu restaurant in University Circle, has had a change of leadership in the last few weeks as former executive chef Matt Danko has stepped away from the helm. In the meantime, Sawyer himself is stepping back up to the plate pending further decisions.

Though he didn't return our calls for comment, according to Sawyer, Danko "took some time off" and is not currently cooking. It's a surprisingly common practice among managing chefs who are involved in the opening days of high-profile restaurants such as Trentina.

We're hopeful that Danko will return, if not to Trentina then at least to the general Cleveland dining scene. His accolades — a 2013 James Beard Outstanding Pastry Chef nomination, a 2013 Food & Wine Magazine Best New Pastry Chef nomination and a 2012 Eater Young Gun award — warrant the assumption that Danko was born to cook. But before starting out in Cuyahoga Falls' Sheraton Hotels, Danko earned a master’s degree in fine art with a minor in education, briefly working as a teacher.

"It's unfortunate with all the success that's coming right now," says Sawyer of the transition. "But we left the door open [for him]."

Trentina, 1903 Ford Drive, Cleveland, 216-421-2900, restauranttrentina.com

Still Spot On

Barney Taxel, Taxel Image Group

  I celebrated the arrival of Wine Spot on Lee Road in Cleveland Heights with a 2012 post. A recent visit made it clear that much has happened since then and there are many more reasons to put this place on your go-to list.

Barney Taxel, Taxel Image Group

    There's still the same eclectic array of wines, craft beers, and hard ciders from around the world for sale. But now there are 12 beer taps and a six seat bar; an extensive selection of hard to find vermouths, digestifs and apertifs; cheese and meat boards to go with your drinks- charcuterie supplied by Saucisson; and a high speed chiller that can get a bottle ice cold in seven minutes.

Barney Taxel, Taxel Image Group

  Owners Adam and Susan Fleischer also secured a full liquor license and so they are pouring shots — only the really good stuff of course — and mixing some creative cocktails along with full glasses of everything they sell. Those in a tasting mood can order beer, wine or whiskey flights.
  Since New Year's eve is almost here. it's worth mentioning that the store is stocked with a variety of bubbles-champagne, cava and prosecco among them. But I am totally smitten with something Adam encouraged me to try. It's a dry sparkling white wine called Gruet Brut, made in the French methode champenoise. Not sure which feature amazes me more: how delicious and aromatic it is, with notes of grapefruit and green apple; that it's only $14.99 a bottle; or that it comes from New Mexico. Finds and recommendations like this are what The Wine Spot is all about. And I'm so glad to have them in my neighborhood.

Woof, Whinny and Yum

  

What Michelle Heinz, a law student with some big vet bills, is doing has so many different kinds of good going on that I hardly know where to start talking about it. Her Chardon based side business is called  Wasted! Bakery. She makes healthy treats for dogs, horses and humans.   The project started when she needed extra money to take care of her rescue dog Diego. Now she supports multiple animals (as well as herself). She uses spent grains from local brewers and distillers as her base ingredient, stuff that would normally end up as trash. But for her, it's pure gold.
   "It's really healthy," Michelle explains to me. "The process of producing alcohol releases the sugars in the grains and replaces them with protein molecules."

  The puppies get combos like pumpkin and parsley or sweet potato and basil; for the ponies it's molasses clusters and applesauce bark. People can indulge in bourbon browns and peanut butter cookies. Her four footed pets, boyfriend and family are willing taste testers.
 Eventually she hopes to have her own store. But for now, catch her and Wasted! Bakery's wares at The Taste of Chardon on Jan 31.  Everything can also be ordered any time by email or phone.

Eat Better

The Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Food Policy Coalition, an organization dedicated to creating a fair, healthy and sustainable local food system accessible to all area residents, has put together an easy to use 18 page guide to help people plan nutritious meals on a budget, stock their pantries, shop smarter, learn a few cooking basics, and utilize fresh produce. With short sections of text and lots of colorful graphics, the authors- a group of contributors from various educational and medical institutions, government offices and community service providers- deliver a lot of important facts in a very digestible format. There are tips about how to get the best deals at the grocery store, start a vegetable garden, an explanation of how CSA's work along with a list of 13 of them, and details about financial food assistance options.

Photo by Barney Taxel, Taxel Image Group

Well informed foodies and more experienced cooks will likely not find much that's new here. Though the countywide directory of farmers' markets, which includes locations, phone numbers, months of operation and hours is a keeper, to be pulled out in spring when they resume operation.  If you don't need this kind of information think of others who do. Maybe this is something you want to share with neighbors, workplace colleagues or employees. I also suggest passing it along to young adults you know- your own kids, relatives and friends- who are just beginning to live on their own: there's an entire page devoted to essential kitchen tools, divided into"buy now" and "buy later" categories. In fact, since we're in the gift giving season consider a package that includes the Guide along with a cast iron skillet,  a wooden cutting board, or a Dutch Oven.

The Community Food Guide can be downloaded as a pdf. Single printed copies for individuals or multiples for anyone interested in distributing them can be requested by emailing Nico Boyd,  boyd.406@osu.edu, or calling him at 216-429-8200, ext 212. A Spanish language version will be available in the next few weeks.