The Bowen and Patron Galleries
The only nonprofit art gallery in the Village of Chagrin Falls welcomes thousands of guests and presents hundreds of regional artists in five gallery exhibitions every year. Many national and international artists exhibit in The Bowen Gallery, The Patron Gallery, and our acclaimed Art by the Falls outdoor art festival. Exhibiting a broad range of media and styles—from traditional to experimental—novice, emerging, and seasoned artists share artistic expression with art lovers and collectors of Northeast Ohio.
The 55th Annual Juried Art Exhibition Call for Artist will open August 26th. Information coming soon.
Art Works
Sep 11 - Oct 21
Featuring the work of Northeast Ohio Arts Administrators and Educators
Valley Art Center will present Art Works, a group exhibition featuring artists who also work as educators, arts administrators, gallery directors, curators, nonprofit leaders, and cultural organizers throughout Northeast Ohio.
On view September 11 through October 21 in the Bowen Gallery, Art Works brings the studio practices of these arts professionals into the foreground. The exhibition asks audiences to consider the relationship between making art and the work required to create opportunities for artists and communities.
The exhibition features Davon Brantley of the Cleveland Institute of Art, Jill Eisert of Chagrin Falls Schools, Hilary D. Gent of HEDGE Gallery, Michael Gill of Collective Arts Network, PJ Hargraves of Cuyahoga Community College, Natalie Petrosky of Kent State University and Please Don't Mow, Arnold Tunstall of the University of Akron, Nikki Woods of the Cleveland Institute of Art, Aaron D. “Aawful Aaron” Williams of Zygote Press, and Anna E. Young of Summit Artspace.
Together, the artists represent a range of practices including painting, photography, printmaking, ceramics, drawing, and mixed media.
The exhibition grew from a simple idea: Art works because people do.
Arts administrators, educators, curators, and cultural leaders often work behind the scenes to organize exhibitions, teach students, support artists, develop programs, raise funds, build partnerships, and connect communities with the arts. Many of these same people maintain active creative practices of their own.
For the artists in Art Works, those roles are not separate.
"Being an arts administrator gives me sympathy for the people who support my studio practice," says Michael Gill, Executive Director of Collective Arts Network. "The same is also true in reverse. Being an artist, I understand the challenge of getting shows, making sales, and trying to find a supportive audience for the work."
Anna E. Young, Director of Artist Programs and Exhibitions at Summit Artspace, describes the relationship as a "distinct superpower." Her administrative and curatorial work informs her studio practice, while making art helps her better understand the experiences of the artists she works with.
The exhibition also highlights the role of arts educators. Chagrin Falls High School art teacher and artist Jill Eisert maintains her own studio practice while teaching students through the creative process. For Eisert, continuing to make art keeps her engaged with the experimentation, failure, iteration, and discovery that she asks of her students.
Art Works offers Cleveland-area audiences an opportunity to meet some of the artists working throughout the region and to see the creative practices that continue alongside their professional lives.
Opening Reception: Friday, September 11, 5:00 to 8:00 p.m.
(5-6pm Sensory Friendly Quiet Hour)
Exhibition Dates: September 11 through October 21, 2026
Location: Bowen Gallery, Valley Art Center, 155 Bell Street, Chagrin Falls, Ohio
Programs are made possible by Ohio Arts Council and Cuyahoga Arts and Culture.
5th Annual
Emerging Young Artist Exhibition
Artists Ages 16 - 22
Show: July 10 - Aug 26, 2026
Juror: John A. Sargent III, artist
Opening Reception
Friday, July 10, 5–8pm*
*5-6 Sensory Friendly Quiet Hour
Award Ceremony 7pm
FREE & OPEN TO ALL
Accepted Artists:
Margaret Berrodin, Ella Birdsell, Hazel Breyer, Everson Brooks, Fi Burnham, Helena Cherian, Clayton Coffman, Layla Davis, Elisa DeLorme, Joselyn Duncan, Ingrid Fernandes, Jinae Forcey, Keegan Gehri, Charlie German, Lovena Grillot, Myra Hartford, Erin Houghtling, Frankie Jablonski, Nadia Miller, Robyn Moore, Asher Muron, Billie Piltz, Natasha Rehlender, Faith Schneider, Morgan Schultz, Ahmad Siddiqui, Zachary Slay, Owen Stull, Isabella Rogelski, Amelia Vinson, Delainey Wyville, Samantha Yahner, Caleb Zelch, Gretchen Zito
BEST IN SHOW: Amelia Vinson, The Rest
Judy Bennett Award for Young Creative Excellence: Jinae Forcey, Could We Live in Harmony?
Honorable Mentions:
Delainey Wyville, I want to drink the river I grew up in, to feel its bite in the pit of my stomach and know it is with me
Layla Davis, Casual
Billie Piltz, My Teeth
Fi Burnham, my problem with calling it a night
Margaret Berrodin, You know I can't let you slide through my hands
Fun, To What End?
An Exhibition of Edward Raffel and Will Wilson
March 27 – May 6, 2026
Opening Reception: Friday, March 27, 5 – 8 pm
Sensory Friendly Quiet Hour: 5 – 6 pm
Artist Talk: Thursday, April 30, 6:30 – 7:30 pm
Valley Art Center is pleased to present Fun, To What End?, a dual exhibition featuring award-winning local artists Edward Raffel and Will Wilson, curated by Assistant Director & Gallery Manager Julie Polsinelli. The exhibition will be on view from March 27 through May 6, 2026, with an opening reception on Friday, March 27 from 5 – 8 pm, including a Sensory Friendly Quiet Hour from 5 – 6 pm.
As award recipients at previous Valley Art Center’s Annual Juried Art Exhibitions, Raffel and Wilson were invited to present a focused body of work in a shared exhibition that celebrates experimentation, imagination, and distinct artistic voices.
Though working in different dimensions and media, Wilson in mixed media and painted 2D and Raffel in salvaged material 3D lamps, both artists embrace play as both strategy and inquiry.
Edward Raffel presents an expansive installation of sculptural table lamps, most constructed from 80 to 95 percent salvaged materials. While rooted in found object traditions, Raffel’s approach diverges through extensive remanufacturing, repainting, and reconfiguration of components. The resulting works balance color, texture, rhythm, and concentric symmetry, often incorporating circline fluorescent bulbs whose toroidal forms create luminous halos within each piece. Created during a time marked by political unrest and global instability, Raffel describes these works as “a tiny refuge from the misery of the day.” The exhibition title, Fun, To What End?, reflects his questioning of whether playful art can offer relief, resistance, or renewal in difficult times.
Will Wilson’s vibrant, mixed-media works are concerned with “creating a joyful celebration of the different.” His practice blends traditional techniques with cartoon language, graffiti influences, illustration, and abstraction. Wilson’s compositions are bold and expressive, designed to captivate viewers from a distance and reward them with intricate detail upon closer inspection. Through layered imagery and interlocking drawings, he explores the complexity that exists beneath simplified labels, encouraging viewers to look beyond stereotype and surface assumption. His work aims to feel “weird and comfortable at the same time,” offering a visual affirmation of individuality and creative freedom.
Current Exhibition
Student/Faculty Exhibition 2026
On view January 23 – March 4, 2026
Valley Art Center’s annual Student/Faculty Exhibition celebrates the creativity, dedication, and artistic growth of our vibrant community. Featuring work by more than 100 students and faculty, this exhibition highlights the wide range of talent nurtured at Valley Art Center over the past two years.
From painting and drawing to ceramics, sculpture, photography, and mixed media, the exhibition showcases the diverse mediums and approaches taught by our professional instructors. Each piece reflects the unique voice of its maker, offering visitors an inspiring glimpse into both emerging and established artistic practices.
The exhibition opened with a public reception on Friday, January 23, and will remain on view through March 4, 2026. Whether you’re visiting to support a student or instructor, explore new ideas, or simply enjoy beautiful and thoughtful artwork, the Student/Faculty Exhibition offers something for everyone.
Visitors are encouraged to explore the Valley Art/Shop during their visit and experience all that Valley Art Center has to offer!
Past Exhibitions
54th Annual Juried Art Exhibition
The 54th Annual Juried Art Exhibition was Valley Art Center’s longest-running exhibition and a cornerstone of the Northeast Ohio arts community. For more than five decades, this exhibition celebrated the breadth, depth, and evolving practices of contemporary artists working across media.
On view November 7 through December 17, the exhibition showcased a dynamic selection of work chosen by an accomplished panel of jurors: Pita Brooks, Director of Operations at SPACES Gallery; Benjamin Lambert, Berea-based ceramic artist and educator; and Susan Snipes, interdisciplinary artist and Director of UNDERSTORY at 78th Street Studios. Together, the jurors brought deep insight into contemporary art, education, and experimental practice, shaping an exhibition that was thoughtful, rigorous, and exciting.
Artists in the exhibition were eligible for over $3,500 in cash awards, which were announced at the opening celebration. The exhibition opening offered the public an opportunity to meet the artists, experience the work firsthand, and celebrate another remarkable year of creative excellence.
The exhibition was further enlivened by Ekphrastacy, a beloved Valley Art Center event where poets responded to selected artworks with original readings. This evening of visual art and poetry created a powerful dialogue between disciplines and invited audiences to experience the exhibition in an entirely new way.
The 54th Annual Juried Art Exhibition continued Valley Art Center’s commitment to supporting artists, fostering creative exchange, and making contemporary art accessible to all.