Ethan Gitschier of Salem, who contributed two abstract acrylic paintings titled “Wild and Free” and “Passion” to the Davis YMCA in Boardman’s PostScript juried art show, was one of nearly 40 artists who competed. This painting is the latter. (Photo by Susan Wojnar)

BOARDMAN — The YMCA of Youngstown’s Davis Branch was filled with color, texture   and conversation on Sunday as artists and community members gathered for the reception of the second annual PostScript juried art show.

The hybrid exhibition brings together the spirit of past YMCA art initiatives while raising funds to expand access to the arts across the Mahoning Valley.

According to the YMCA Davis Campus artist and arts and humanities coordinator, Suzanne Gray, PostScript was designed to combine elements of the former winter benefit show FIVE Squared with the juried structure of the fall exhibition But I Know What I Like. The result is a family-friendly show open to all art that meets established parameters, while offering multiple ways for artists to participate.

Artists could take part in one of three formats: donating a postcard-sized piece of original art; donating a postcard while also entering one or two larger works into the juried competition; or entering one or two pieces into the juried show with no donation required. This flexible approach encourages both emerging and established artists to contribute.

This year, 39 artists submitted 71 pieces of larger artwork for jury consideration, 

while 30 postcard-sized works were donated. In addition, eight original pieces were contributed to a silent auction. Proceeds from the show benefit the YMCA’s ARTreach program, which provides art supplies and classes to underserved members of the community.

The juror for the exhibition was Fred Shepherd of Canfield, a longtime artist, arts advocate and educator. Shepherd earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree with a concentration in photography and graphics from Youngstown State University and has exhibited in the Butler Institute of American Art’s Area Artists Annual and Midyear shows. He is also the senior-most staff member in the Fine Arts Building at the Canfield Fair, where he has curated the professional wing of the exhibit for the past decade.

“I look for art that sets a mood or a feeling,” Shepherd said. “Art can bring back a special memory. It can express an emotion just by color or shapes. When we all look at a piece, we see different things or express different emotions. Some can pull you right into the work.”

With so much talent on display, Shepherd said selecting winners was no easy task. “There is so much creative talent in the community, it was hard to narrow down my choices,” he said. “Congratulations to the winners and all the participating artists.”

Among those artists was Ethan Gitschier of Salem, who contributed two abstract acrylic paintings titled “Wild and Free” and “Passion.” Gitschier described his work as deeply intuitive and rooted in emotion.

“My work is very spontaneous, and I believe the true inspiration is my emotions and mood while creating my paintings,” he said. He credited abstract art with helping him navigate a difficult period in his life two years ago. “I was looking for an outlet for my emotions and, for whatever reason, turned to painting. I had never painted before. Some of my early work is quite dark, and as I began to heal, my work took on a lighter tone.”

Gitschier added that viewers often find images in his paintings that reflect his emotional state at the time they were created. He summed up his approach with a quote shared by a friend: “The freedom to create art by prioritizing instinct and the unconscious.”

John Fire of Austintown received a Merit Award for his photograph “Jenny Lake,” captured at Grand Teton National Park. A landscape photographer, Fire said he has drawn inspiration from Ansel Adams and Galen Rowell, along with many others.

While he took a few photography courses several years ago, he considers himself largely self-taught. His approach centers on finding compelling locations and waiting to shoot until the lighting is right — most often during the golden hours at the beginning and end of the day. When working in the field, Fire looks for varied perspectives, frequently getting low and incorporating foreground elements. He also pays close attention to texture and leading lines. If the sky offers dramatic clouds, he emphasizes it; if not, he minimizes it to keep the focus on the landscape below.

Tami Johnson of Boardman contributed “Happy Bo,” a digital painting she plans to give to the animal’s owner. A retired art teacher with a master’s degree in fine art from YSU, Johnson remains active in the local arts community.

“I love to draw, paint, and use my iPad to create dog and pet portraits and caricatures,” Johnson said. She frequently supports animal-related charities through her artwork, including Healthy Hearts and Paws, All About the Paws, Paws on Main and Friends of Fido. Johnson teaches watercolor classes to adults at the YMCA and is a member of both the Mahoning Valley Watercolor Society and the International Society of Caricature Artists.

“My approach to my work is that I want to learn all I can and have fun with all of it,” she said.

The Juror’s Choice Award was presented to Jim Young of Boardman for his three-dimensional mixed-media piece “Silent Sentinel.” The work features a polymer-clay face surrounded by found and manufactured objects.

“My original idea was quite different from what I ended up with,” Young said. “This went through a lot of work and reworking before it was finished.”

A lifelong graphic artist, Young said he didn’t become a “real” artist until retirement gave him time to explore new mediums. His inspiration, he noted, often comes unexpectedly — from song lyrics to television commercials to the work of other artists. Young has two pieces on display at the Butler Institute’s Area Artists Annual exhibition.

The show’s top honor, Best of Show, was awarded to Maria Saunders of Boardman for her portrait “The Thinker,” created with watercolor and Sharpie on paper. The piece depicts a woman in deep contemplation, surrounded by an intricate Sharpie design representing the mind.

“The inspiration behind this artwork is simple,” Saunders said. “The woman is shown in a moment of deep contemplation, her expression reflecting an inward, thoughtful state. The background suggests how thoughts can surround us, grow, and ultimately consume us.”

Saunders was born and raised in a small village in rural Russia, where she began formal art training at a children’s art school before studying interior design in college. After moving to the United States, she earned an associate degree in fine arts from the College of the Albemarle and a bachelor’s degree in art education from YSU.

“I am grateful to have received art education in both Russia and America,” she said. “It allowed me to combine traditional Russian art values with contemporary American approaches in my work. I love to experiment, learn new styles, and combine traditional and contemporary approaches.”

Other awards presented were Juror’s Choice for Lisa Frederick, for her photograph titled “Reflective Vintage Grandeur” and to Nancy Hawkins’ oil painting “Philodendron.” Other Merit Awards went to Cynthia Sahyoun for her watercolor “Patience on the Water,” and Noreen Yazvac for her watercolor “Borrowed Light.” Honorable Mentions went to Angela Garner for her oil painting “On the Lake Happy,” Guy Shively for his watercolor “Father’s Day,” Linda Vasconi for her photograph “Steel Scape Path,” Rebecca Hawkins for her pastel work “Through the Bluebells” and Richard M. Hahn for his photograph “Lake Cohasset Rain and Fog.”

As the reception concluded, organizers emphasized that PostScript is as much about community as it is about art. Through exhibitions like this, the YMCA continues to support local artists while expanding creative opportunities for those who might otherwise go without — underscoring the enduring power of art to connect, heal and inspire.