This is a symbol that Dayton has the clout to attract national artists

							                                                           For More Information:
                                                           Jillynne Fields: 937-367-4850
                                                           Mike Elsass: 937-266-3491
                                                           Eva Buttacavoli: 512-289-1605
                                                           Kristen Wicker: 937-224-1518, ext. 228

                        Austin, Texas, Meets Dayton, Ohio,
                   in Artwork that Addresses Our Sense of Place
    Exhibit at Color of Energy gallery represents creative partnership between the two cities.

Dayton, Sept. 24, 2008 – The city of Dayton increasingly is positioning itself as a significant player in the
creative class, in which ideas and innovation are key economic drivers. For example, the city continues
to be recognized for its vibrant local arts scene, and DaytonCREATE continues to develop projects
launched during a March visit by knowledge-economy guru Richard Florida. Now, Dayton has drawn the
attention of another national creative powerhouse: Austin, Texas.

A new partnership between the two cities literally will be on display on Oct. 2, when the aptly titled
exhibition “You Are Here” goes up on the walls of the Color of Energy gallery, 16 Brown St. in the
Oregon Arts District. The exhibit will include photography, film, installation, prints, sculpture and
paintings by emerging contemporary artists from Dayton and Austin, Texas, whose work is inspired by
and captures their surroundings. Eva Buttacavoli, director of exhibitions and education at the Austin
Museum of Art, is serving as curator.

“The visual arts in Dayton have never been better,” said Mike Elsass, Color of Energy gallery owner and
nationally recognized painter. “We’re bringing in artists from throughout the nation who want to
interact with our thriving arts community and help take local artists to the next level.”

“You Are Here” opens with a preview party at the gallery from 5:30 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 2, and
an opening reception during First Friday from 5 to 10 p.m. on Oct. 3. Buttacavoli, along with
participating Dayton artists and Austin artist Nathan Green, will present a “curator’s walk-through” at 11
a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 4. The exhibition runs through Nov. 2.

“These artists try to grasp the sense of a place ― their ‘here,’ a continually expanding nexus of their
personal culture, history and iconography,” Buttacavoli said. “Landmarks such as our own backyard, the
corner grocery and the place we work are the real backdrops of our lives. Our hopes and dreams, as well
as our greatest fears and nightmares, are inextricably linked to the place we live.”

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You Are Here exhibit, pg. 2

The work by the eight artists participating in “You Are Here” offers fresh perspectives on how our
surroundings reflect upon the larger personal, social and political issues of our time. Participating
Dayton artists are photographer William Murdock, painters Darren Haper and Adam Mitchell, and
sculptor Shon Walters. Austin artists are photographers Yoon Cho and Denise Prince, painter Nathan
Green, and filmmaker Gabel Karsten. All these artists explore numerous questions in the exhibit. For
example, what defines one’s identity? How might we address fears regarding the loss of identity?

“Today, unlike in other periods of art history, there is no dominant style, mode or focus of art making,”
Buttacavoli said. “The rich variety of art media and styles underscores the fact that artists are exploring
a wide territory of topics and strategies, no matter where they reside.”

As part of the “You Are Here” exhibit, Buttacavoli is creating an illustrated “postcard book” that includes
work by and profiles of each participating artist.

“You Are Here” is part of a three-month marathon of exhibits at the Color of Energy gallery featuring
work by visual artists known on a national level. On display through Sept. 27 is work by celebrated
Louisiana landscape artist Melissa Bonin, and in November, an exhibit of paintings by Dolores Justus and
Steve Griffith, whose work has appeared in numerous national exhibits, will open.

For more on the Color of Energy gallery, visit www.colorofenergygallery.com.

The Downtown Dayton Partnership’s Web site, www.downtowndayton.org, has a complete list of all the
things that make Dayton a vibrant city, including downtown’s arts and cultural amenities, a dining guide,
parking map, and much more. For more information about the Oregon Arts District, call 937-224-1518.

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