Tiffin University’s Diane Kidd Gallery to Host “All I Can Do Is Make Flowers and Listen to Reggae” Mixed Media Exhibit

The Diane Kidd Gallery at Tiffin University is pleased to present "All I Can Do Is Make Flowers and Listen to Reggae," an exhibition of mixed media artworks by Cleveland-based artist Liz Maugans. The exhibit will be on display through October 11, with an artist reception Friday, September 6, from 5 to 7 p.m. where artist Liz Maugans will speak at 5:30 p.m. and light refreshments will be provided. This event is free and open to the public.

Liz Maugans is a prominent figure in the Cleveland art scene, currently serving as the Director of YARDS Projects and Curator of the Dalad Collection at Worthington Yards. A champion for local artists, Maugans co-founded Art EverySpace, a women-owned business that supports artists through the purchase and activation of hyper-local art in communities living and working in properties in Northeast Ohio communities. She is also the co-founder and former Executive Director of Zygote Press, a nonprofit printmaking studio in Cleveland and the founder of the Collective Arts Network, a platform promoting Northeast Ohio artists.

With over twenty-five years of experience, her work focuses on emerging art, social justice and community-building. She is also an educator at Cleveland State University and has taught printmaking throughout Northeast Ohio. Maugans holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Kent State University and a Master of Fine Arts degree from Cranbrook Academy of Art. Her work is featured in major collections such as the Progressive Art Collection and The Cleveland Clinic. She has received numerous awards, including an Ohio Arts Council Individual Artist Fellowship and a Creative Workforce Fellowship.

Maugans' recent work is deeply personal, reflecting her journey through challenging times marked by global chaos, grief and aging. Seeking solace, she turned to creating art that embodies joy and abundance, inspired by an imaginary escape to Jamaica. Her "Flowers" series, influenced by the uplifting rhythms of Reggae music, symbolizes love, resilience and the simple beauty of life. Through printmaking, painting and mixed media collages, she explores themes of transformation and renewal. The process of creating these vibrant floral works has been both therapeutic and invigorating, offering a sense of beauty and balance in an unpredictable world. The flowers in her art represent a shift from scarcity to abundance, providing both personal fulfillment and a source of delight for others.

For more information, visit the Diane Kidd Gallery's website at tiffin.edu/arts/diane-kidd-gallery or email Joseph Van Kerkhove at [email protected].