MEET DANIELLE FROM THE CUYAHOGA VALLEY ART CENTER

Danielle Dieterich, Executive Director of the Cuyahoga Valley Art Center (CVAC), has a history with and a heart for this community, "I grew up in Akron and used to volunteer here at the Art Center with my family as a kid." Studying studio art at the University of Akron, she was trained in every art medium in the program but especially loved welding. After earning her Bachelor's in Fine Arts, Danielle started her professional career in management positions. "When my rheumatoid arthritis progressed in my hands, I began to pursue the administrative side of art, going back to school for my Master's in Arts Administration."

ABOUT CVAC

CVAC is a non-profit with a mission to advocate for a greater understanding of the visual arts by promoting art education, exhibition, and community engagement. They do this in a variety of ways:

CVAC offers quarterly art classes for all levels from beginner to advanced. Classes on anything from woodcarving to watercolors are led by high-quality art instructors from Northeast Ohio and beyond. Scholarships are available for anyone interested in classes.

As the only visual art center in Summit County, CVAC seeks opportunities to support the visual arts at any capacity within the community by partnering with local organizations and initiatives, like the recent Cuyahoga Falls City Schools' All City Art Walk. CVAC was the title sponsor and hosted student art in its gallery. Danielle also sits on the City of Cuyahoga Falls' Public Art Board, an advisory body devoted to the arts. The group works with the Planning Commission to provide insight on art installations, like murals and statues, and the long-term preservation of art in the city.

Since 2019, CVAC has been the artistic partner of the Cuyahoga Falls Library. On behalf of CVAC, Danielle has sought grants from organizations like Peg's Foundation to help provide long-term art education programs at the library. "Partnering with the Cuyahoga Falls Library is an important piece of our outreach. At CVAC, our art classes serve grades 2 and up. But the library has the training, audience, and space - little bodies need little chairs! - to begin introducing art elements much earlier." Last year, CVAC donated over 100 copies of "This Book is Gray" by Lindsay Ward (a local author from Peninsula) to the library and helped facilitate a virtual author visit that brought together reading, color theory, and hands-on art to kids at home. (Stay tuned for this year's book!)

Other Cuyahoga Falls Library programs that have been made possible by the Cuyahoga Valley Art Center include:

• Drop-in Creation Station on Fridays
• Messy Mondays
• Pre-K in the Park
• Art Storytime
• Kids Create
• Kids Create and Read - At Home
• Storytime Kits (which included a special Nutcracker storytime program)

RELATIONSHIP WITH READING

Though Danielle enjoys reading ("When I get into a book, I get into it!"), it doesn't come naturally to her. Highly dyslexic, it's more difficult for Danielle to concentrate, and reading can tire her quickly. But she's found strategies that help her to read the books she loves, "My favorite series of all time is Isaac Asimov's Foundations Trilogy. Sci-fi/fantasy is my go-to, especially books with a more modern take on fantasy."

Danielle has developed a routine to help her read with the least amount of strain. "I have to set a certain place and time and keep it constant. For a defined amount of time, I read in a specific chair and eliminate as many distractions as possible." Borrowing library ebooks on the Libby app has also been a game-changer. "I use Libby's dyslexic font and change the background color to yellow…using Libby is the first time I've been able to read a book in just a week!"

WHAT TO EXPECT AT CVAC

Entering CVAC, their gallery space hosts seven artist exhibitions each year. The public may stop in to view these free exhibitions any time the art center is open. They have space for classes both upstairs and downstairs. Fun fact: The building was formerly a bank, and the lower level still houses an enormous historic bank vault!

This summer, CVAC will host kids' summer art camps for grade 2 through high school seniors. Summer Camp scholarships are also available. With limited class sizes, camps will fill quickly, so Danielle recommends signing up as soon as possible.