Flourishing Arts in Cuyahoga Falls
Watercolor artist Denny Stoiber spent about an hour and a half painting live next to the Cuyahoga Falls amphitheater as passersby looked on and a crowd formed, asking questions about his process during a 2021 event.
The Silver Lake resident and former engineer and landscape architect started taking art classes when he retired 10 years ago, and he is now a member of the Whiskey Painters of America and the Hudson Society of Artists. His work has been featured in Cuyahoga Valley Art Center exhibits in Cuyahoga Falls, and arts organization Collide: Cuyahoga Falls commissioned him to do plein-air painting live as a part of an initiative to bring myriad live artists downtown during the summer. Collide collaborates with about 10 arts organizations in the city, as well as out-of-city groups like ArtsNow and Millennial Theatre Project to represent all types of art.
“If you look at the impact that arts and culture has, it creates a sense of community,” says Kathy Romito, the vice president of Collide. “People find a common voice in art.”
Look for Stoiber’s work at Hudson Society of Artists’ Clothesline Show June 16 and 17 and Case-Barlow Farm Open House July 7.
He discusses learning watercolor painting and his love for the medium.
What inspired you to try watercolor painting?
Denny Stoiber: I said, I’m approaching retirement, and I need something to keep me out of trouble. … I contacted Cuyahoga Valley Art Center. I knew nothing about what I was doing. I didn’t know which end of the brush to hold. … So it was a little frustrating at first, but once I got the hang of it … I really got hooked on watercolor painting and have been doing it ever since.
What do you like about watercolor?
DS: The watercolor itself resists being controlled. A lot of times you’ll do something and get what is generally known as a happy accident, where you get one color close to another, and the two will start to blend, and it turns out to be something better than you imagine that it could be. … [It] helps your creativity by doing unexpected things.
What kinds of things do you paint, and what inspires you?
DS: Originally, I painted mostly landscapes. … In Summit County, we’ve got a Metro Park system that has many beautiful parks, and then the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. I live in Silver Lake. We have two lakes in Silver Lake, and there’s some beautiful places to paint there as well. The other thing that’s inspiring is I have several friends who like to plein-air paint. … We pick up our stuff and go and set up in a park someplace and spend a couple of hours painting. That is a fun thing to do.
How would you describe the arts scene in Cuyahoga Falls?
DS: It’s pretty vibrant. [Collide makes] plenty of opportunities in seeing the art talent that is in the city. … You’d be hard-pressed to find a more vibrant community.
Story updated 6/14/23