Downtown Ravenna welcomed a new revolving art space at their local snack spot Popped! in October with hopes to bring in artists and patrons from all over Ohio.

Popped! is a snack and sweets store with locations not only in downtown Ravenna, but also downtown Kent. Daniel Kearsey, curator of the new space, was approached by the owners to bring a new twist to their Ravenna store. 

“I was actually doing an art show over in Ravenna,” said Kearsey. “The owners of Popped! told me that they liked my work, and then we just kind of met up afterwards to chat, and as we were talking they brought up the idea that they’ve been wanting to do an art space.”

Owner of Popped!, Gwen Rosenberg spoke on why she wanted to open the new art space.

“Ravenna doesn’t have a whole lot of access to art,” Rosenberg said, “there’s education, but it’s expensive.”

Rosenberg and Kearsey then began work on the space, with Kearsey taking over as curator while Rosenberg lent their location for the installation.

“It’s their space, they own the place, but I am the curator of it– I’ve been reaching out to the artists,” he said.

The art space will rotate every few months and feature art from different mediums and artists.

“It’s going to be every few months,” he said. “The first one for 2024 is going to be a photography show, then we have other stuff lined up. We are going to do a show based off of the lunar eclipse, the Olympics, and Ravenna itself.”

In between shows, Kearsey said he hopes to open the space for classes, speakers, and more. 

“We’re not really calling it a ‘gallery’ because throughout the year we will bring people in to talk and do classes, ” Kearsey said. “For example, while the photography gallery is going on, we may have a photographer come in and teach the basics of photography or have someone come in and talk about a book they’ve done; stuff like that.”

The space’s current show features seven artists, with each receiving a dedicated portion for their work. 

“We kept it local for this first one because it was the opening of a new, local space,” he said. 

The current showing culminates on Dec. 1 with a closing reception from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. 

Kearsey said he hopes it will bring in people from all over to see the work. 

“The closing reception is going to be open later and will have snacks, chocolates and drinks,” he said. “It will be a closing reception where everyone can promote it, because right now visitors just trickle in and out, but this and the opening are when the most people typically show up– it’s more like you’re having a party.”

The art space, located at 232 W Main St. in Ravenna, is open Tuesday to Friday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. or by appointment. For more information on the Ravenna ArtSpace, visit their Facebook here. 

Patrick Creedon is a reporter. You can contact him at [email protected].