MANSFIELD — The canvas for Samantha Scheneider’s latest oil painting was so big it didn’t even fit upright in her basement. She spent weeks painting it sideways.
Her hard work paid off Saturday, when the Shelby artist won Best in Crow for her larger-than-life oil painting Metanoia.
Schneider said she completed the painting in about three weeks. It’s her first to be featured at the Mansfield Art Center (MAC).
“It was very exciting, I haven’t won any awards before,” she said. “I haven’t done full body paintings in a while.
“When I first did them I was terrible at them. This was very fun to play with.”
The MAC’s Crowfest 2023 features more than 100 crow-themed pieces from artists across the state and a handful from outside Ohio. The depictions range from oil paintings to mixed media to sculpture and 3D installations.
The MAC received almost 200 submissions for Crowfest 2023, according to marketing and development director Jennifer Beavis.
The exhibition runs through Oct. 29. Entry is free to the public, though a donation is suggested.
The city of crows
The MAC hosted its first Crowfest last year as a tongue-in-cheek homage to the migratory community that passes through Mansfield each year.
Every year, crows seek the light and warmth of downtown, perching in trees and tall buildings. They’ve even gotten some negative press over the years for covering the benches, sidewalks and statues of Central Park in a torrent of droppings.
City officials have had some success chasing away the crows in the past by deploying lasers and playing distressed crow noises.
But at the MAC, the crows aren’t seen as a nuisance. With thirty acres of woods next door, they stay out of the way — for the most part.
MAC Director George Whitten said it’s not uncommon to hear crows “having a dance party” on the MAC roof. He’s also watched them dive bomb from the roof, swooping down and shooting up as if it were a game.
And then there’s their famous caw.
“The noise is deafening sometimes in the evening when you’re walking out of here, going home,” Whitten said.
Jennifer Beavis, MAC’s marketing director, said the event celebrates something that’s unique to Mansfield.
“That’s why we did it. We get this incredible migration of crows every year,” she said. “Mansfield should be the city of crows.”
“We had a Facebook comment that said, ‘If you haven’t had to scrape crow poop off your windshield with a snow scraper, than you’re not from Mansfield.’ And it’s true.”
Show highlights young local artists
The crow, along with its larger cousin, the raven, have been staples of symbolism across cultures.
“There’s so many different representations of crows through history, in artwork, in literature. They’re a mystical bird,” Beavis said.
Beavis said crows have been used to represent both good and bad omens. They’ve been symbols of hope and symbols of death. It all depends on who you ask.
Schneider chose to explore the idea of transformation in her piece, “Metanoia.” The title refers to a transformative, perhaps even spiritual, change within oneself.
The painting shows Schneider levitating against a stormy sky. A crow perches on her knee. Dark feathers sprout from her scalp while large, black wings extend out from her back.
“At first I wasn’t sure how I’d feel about painting something that’s not my usual subject matter, but I really got into it,” she said. “The paint took me away.”
Schneider said her feelings about the transition from childhood to adulthood inspired the piece.
“Transforming into something that I was kind of scared of before,” she reflected. “Crows have kind of this darkness to them, so that’s where I was going with this.”
Kayden Graf was less concerned with symbolism when crafting “Crows Lament.”
“I don’t really add a bunch of meaning behind it. I just draw because I like to,” the 15-year-old said.
Like Schneider, Crowfest marks Graf’s artist debut at the MAC. He visited the opening reception Saturday with his mother and uncle. When they came to “Crows Lament,” they were delighted to find a small red sticker next to his name, meaning someone purchased the piece.
“I think all of our jaws dropped at the same time,” said Graf’s uncle, Ron Lambert.
His mother, Sara Hampton, beamed with pride.
“It’s amazing. He’s a great kid and now he’s going to get his name out there as an artist,” she said.
The family said they the show as a whole as well.
“This is the first I’ve ever been to the art center and I definitely plan on coming back,” Lambert said.
Crowfest 2023 Award Winners
Schneider was among several award winners on Saturday. Other artists recognized were:
Tom Baldwin, Award for 3 Dimensional Work, “Corn Shellers”
Joseph Dulin-Didonato, Award for Painting, “Fly High”
Evangelina Phillippidis, Award for Technical Skill, “The Crows Grief”
Gus Phillips, Award of Innovation, “The Murder”
Cody F. Miller, Award for Mixed Media, “Restoration”
John Donnelly, People’s Choice, “Corvo”
Will Oberdier, Crow’s Choice (most realistic crow painting), “C.R.O.W.”
Janet Marsano, Dimension & Detail, “A Murder of Crows”
Drew Anderson, Punniest Crow, “Rebel Without a Caws”
