Tag: Euclid Art Walk

Local man to open bike shop in Euclid, Ohio

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Miss Gulch from the Wizard of Oz riding a bicycle

(Courtesy of Guest Blogger Duane Mierzejewski, owner, Bananas for Bikes)

I grew up and was raised right here off East 185th St., East Park Dr. and Windward Ave. At the age of 23, I moved away to the southeast side of Cleveland for 15 years to Slavic Village. Following that, I spent 15 years raising my children in Richfield. Personal reasons brought me back to Euclid in 2011.

I have always loved cycling — starting as a tourist then moving to long-distance riding and competitions. The 90s saw me move to commuting to work by bicycle for fun and fitness. Since I’ve moved back to Euclid, I just ride for fun and leisure, to stop and smell the roses. In 2014, I became hooked on the collection and restoration of old, vintage bicycles from the 50s, 60s and 70s. I continued to grow a nice collection of bikes and friends through various organizations and bicycle shows/swap meets. All the while, I bought, sold, traded and donated bikes from my home on Craigslist and eBay.

This past fall, I decided to go all in/full go on opening a storefront/shop right here in Downtown Euclid at 21936 Lake Shore Blvd. I have watched the area for a few years and realized that there is really nothing around here that fits my niche as an old-school bike shop. Why not? Euclid has not had any store/shop-related bike stuff for 25 years. I have a passion and a gut feeling that this may work – a place where anyone can come in, enjoy a slice of nostalgia, maybe purchase an older, vintage bicycle, browse around at a museum that have planned for the basement area. I will not sell new bicycles, but recent to much older, vintage bikes that have been refurbished and made rideable — and at a better cost than buying some junk at a big-box store. Styles will include BMX, Muscle, Single, 3-speed, 5-speed and 10-speed Cruisers with 18-, 20-, 24-, 26- and 27-inch wheel sizes.

Also, I intend to have a fully operating repair service for many bikes, but probably not the very high-end ones. I will carry a complete line of parts, accessories such as helmets, tubes, tires, handlebars, seats, water bottles, etc. The shop will be a start location to gather for rides, events such as the Euclid Art Walk, the Memorial Day Parade, and local bike ride – heck, even Bike Euclid Events. We have ample parking in back and along Lake Shore Blvd. The location should help and benefit many, especially with the expanded bike lanes and the Lakefront Renovation. I may even introduce rental of older, vintage bicycles for out-of-town visitors or for anyone who may want to ride a bicycle they had as a child 30 to 40 years ago.

First-annual student art show held at second-annual Euclid Art Walk

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Euclid Art Show first-place winner "Hot Sauce in my Cup of Noodles" by Brady Wilson
Euclid Art Show first-place winner “Hot Sauce in my Cup of Noodles” by Brady Wilson
Euclid Art Association first-place winner "Losing Faith" by Madeline Pflueger
Euclid Art Association first-place winner “Losing Faith” by Madeline Pflueger
Euclid Art Association first-place winner "Self-Portrait" by Chazlyn Johnson
Euclid Art Association first-place winner “Self-Portrait” by Chazlyn Johnson
Euclid Art Association first-place winner "This is How Euclid will Look in 2050" by Zania Jones
Euclid Art Association first-place winner “This is How Euclid will Look in 2050” by Zania Jones
Euclid High School fine art students
Euclid High School fine art students (first-place winner Brady Wilson on the right)
Euclid high school photography students
Euclid High School photography students

(Courtesy of Guest Blogger Joan Milligan, Euclid Art Association program director)

How do you start an art movement? By making connections! During a planning meeting in June for the second-annual Euclid Art Walk, the Euclid Art Association brought up the idea that an art walk should have an art show for the students of the city. That was how the All-Student September Art Show was born.

The goal of the student art show was to connect the community to the local schools to promote the arts. Art is an important, but often limited, part of curriculum. Art teaches students be creative and to look for and recognize designs and patterns all around them. By developing this ability, students can be led to careers not only in art, but also in computer science, graphic design, architecture, engineering and more. Because of limitations in school budgets or family resources, many talented students don’t have access to quality art supplies. We realized the art show could serve another purpose – create a forum to display and recognize budding talent and award that talent with access to good supplies for various media.

Once the seed was planted, the show began to grow! A local landlord offered a vacant storefront to use as a gallery. Businesses, including HGR Industrial Surplus, made donations so that good-quality art supplies could be awarded as prizes to the students and classrooms. The prizes presented to the winners included:

  • Large and small tabletop easels
  • Pastel sets
  • Framing certificates to Driftwood Gallery
  • Drawing tablets
  • Canvases
  • Paint sets
  • Paint brushes
  • Crayons
  • Gift certificates to Dodd Camera
  • Photo paper
  • Art books

Additionally, the Cleveland Museum of Art sent its mobile art truck complete with hands-on art projects for children, and even a troupe of stilt walkers!

The Euclid Art Walk was held on Friday, Sept. 22, from 6:00-11:00 p.m. The Student Art Show was held from 6:00-8:00 p.m. in the donated storefront. We created a mini-gallery-feel in the store with art racks and tables from the Euclid Art Association. Live painting opportunities for both adults and children were available in front of the store.

This inaugural art show had 46 entries from elementary through high-school students ranging. There were enough entries at the high-school level that we were able to designate two judging categories: Photography and Fine Arts.