Paula Wiggins tells stories through fanciful, colorful pastels such as "Subversion," currently on display at the Carnegie.

The Carnegie Visual + Performing Arts Center has been around for 30 years, but this year holds promise of being the most eclectic season yet. Three components -- art, education and theater -- will combine to provide a wide variety of cultural experiences for the general public.

Gallery Director Bill Seitz says, "Our goal is to expose talent that is right in our own backyard, and expose local residents to different varieties of art. We're open to all kinds of art from all types of people."

One way Seitz finds his talented exhibitors is through an annual call to artists. This adjudicated event is held to decide which regional artists will showcase their work in the following year. On or before April 1, 2005, aspiring artists can submit their portfolios to a committee of judges. This year's jurors are Jennifer Howe, David Knight and Laura Hollis. Seitz says sometimes artists will be chosen from outside the Tristate but, even then, their work must relate or appeal to this region.

Here's a closer look at artists on view this spring season, starting April 8.

Brent Oglesbee, who teaches at Western Kentucky University, will present his mixed-media sculpture in the main gallery. Oglesbee uses his skills to create art forms that evoke images of vintage machinery. Kate Budd is an Akron, Ohio, artist who concentrates on creating small, sensuous wax sculptures. Her work will be on view in the Hutson Gallery.

Three more artists are true locals: Alice Pixley Young is a Cincinnatian who uses mixed-media sculptures and drawings to showcase both personal and social issues. Paula Wiggins, another Cincinnatian, tells her audience stories through fanciful, colorful pastels. The third familiar name on this list is Jason Franz, a painting instructor at Xavier University and co-director of the recently opened Manifest Gallery in East Walnut Hills. Franz's paintings have an "old world" feel to them because he often paints historical, humanistic images, such as Greek gods or ancient mortals. The above artists will show their work in the McCarthy, Connector and Duveneck galleries, respectively.

The next official art opening will be a big-to-do on April 22, highlighting the exhibits below. These works will be on display until May 27.

The Kentucky Art and Craft Guild will include pieces from approximately 30 artists who use a variety of media. This exhibition will be in the main gallery. Phillip Nolley and Marti Mocahbee will present a two-person show in the Duveneck Gallery. Nolley and Mocahbee are known for their work in glass and ceramics. They have a friendly working relationship and, therefore, present a good mix of work that relates to other pieces in the collection.

Cincinnatians Jay Bachemin, Renee Harris and Arnelle Dow will be presenting their work in the McCarthy, Hutson and Connector galleries, respectively. Bachemin is proficient in photography and will present many of his worldly pictures. Harris is a fiber artist who creates small, personal works that generally incorporate deeper, underlying meanings. Dow specializes in batiks and, in fact, is known as "the Batik lady." She carefully highlights the subtleties of dye and coloring in her art by following the antique form of batik.

"Nowadays I see a lot of artists experimenting with materials," says Seitz. "The artists that push these boundaries will always be a part of the art scene and should be a part of the art scene. But it's refreshing to see an artist go back and use an old process to create something wonderful."

All galleries are in the front half of the Carnegie building. The main gallery is on the lower level, and the other four galleries are on the second floor. The theater, designed in a style similar to a European Opera house, is currently being renovated. Seitz says a committee is currently looking into possible acts to perform here later in the year.

"We hope to have every imaginable type of music go in there, from Appalachian and Folk music to Classical and Jazz music, plus everything in between," says Seitz. "We also hope to incorporate dance, which is something we haven't had a lot of in our program."

The theater might also be used by high schools to perform their musicals or plays. The education center will use the space to teach kids about drama and theater, and the gallery will use the venue for performance art, films, playwrights and lecture series.

For the Kids
The Carnegie offers many programs for kids. A popular after-school option is ARTSTOP, a free place for kids to harness their imaginations Monday-Friday, 3 to 5 p.m. This program was originally developed to keep inner-city kids off the streets; it's grown to include kids from the suburbs.

Those seeking family activities can paint together every Saturday1 to 3 p.m. The center provides the supplies; parents and kids supply the creativity. These events are free to members; $5 per family for non-members.

On March 13, Hobey Ford and the Golden Rod Puppets come to the Carnegie for a 1 p.m. performance in the Eva G. Farris Education Center. Ford will also present a one-hour puppet workshop for kids, beginning 30 minutes after the show. The performance is free to Carnegie members; it's $5 for adults and $3 for children and students who are non-members. You must register for the workshop, which is $10.

"It's an exciting time with everything that's going on here," says Seitz. "When people come down here, they're going to notice a big difference."