Not Just For Show: Camp Washington’s creative telethon

As we settle into our “new normal” of working from home, zoom classes, and bingeing the newest Netflix series, it can be hard to remember what it was like to connect in the “before.” With all of that in mind, Camp Washington’s own Wave Pool Gallery has a solution: A telethon art show.

Due to the pandemic, Cal Cullen and her team at Wave Pool had to think outside the box when it came to planning this year’s fundraiser, Not Just For Show. Why not make it virtual? If the people are unable to come to the art, then the art will have to come to the people. The show will stream live for 24 hours on Sept. 25–26 from 10 a.m.–10 p.m.

Loraine Wible will offer a surrealist take on problem solving — while relaxing naked in the bath. Born in Paris, Loraine moved to Cincinnati for graduate school and has been an active artist in the city for ten years. When she isn’t working as a professor of visual art at the Art Academy of Cincinnati, she is exploring her alter ego, “Professor Pata,” short for Pataphysics.

Nineteenth century French poet and playwright Alfred Jarry coined the term, meaning the “science of imaginary solutions.” It extends itself beyond the metaphysical and questions the rules surrounding exceptions.

This brings Loraine back to a simpler time and allows her to feel like she can be her most honest self.

The problem to be solved, in this case, is how do we celebrate when we’re alone? “Professor Pata” seeks to bring a sense of warmth and comfort to those struggling to find a reason to celebrate.

Loraine is grateful for the opportunity to create in this space, but mentions feeling a sense disconnect and believes the isolation can be hurting us profoundly in more ways than we are aware.

She wonders: “What will an art community look like post-pandemic?”

You can catch Loraine on Friday at 8 p.m.

Local “poet slash bicyclist” Elese Daniels moved here from northern Indiana to play basketball at UC. However, it was through her work as a community liaison that she rediscovered her love for bicycling and people. Elese is now working in education and outreach for, RedBike where she created and manages their Go Program designed to connect low-income individuals with inexpensive transport.

Else wanted to create something that bridged all of her interests: poetry, writing, people, and bikes. Thus, StoryCycle was born. StoryCycle is, in its simplest terms, a bicycle with a typewriter attached to the front.

Resident Scott Holzman calls it “creative exercise.”

“[It’s] a way to have scheduled, designated time for thinking and processing,” he says.

As for Elese? She’s trying to explore that by being “back on fun.” She wants to really enjoy the things that she is asking herself and others to do.

“How as artists can we be invested in the process and explore the why? The space in between can be messy,” she says.

So, with that in mind, she will take StoryCycle out on the streets. She’ll write and perform original work inspired by Cincinnati’s unique people and places on Friday at 1:45 p.m.

Cal Cullen and the artists at Wave Pool are hoping that throughout the telethon they will hit their fundraising goal of $10,000, which will aid in helping their artist in residencies programs, tutorials, and exhibitions for the 2021 season. There will be options to donate via “text-to-give,” call in, or through their website.

They will be streaming live September 25th and 26th from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on wavepoolgallery.org or through their Instagram and Facebook pages.

Amy Briana Counts is an aspiring young writer in Cincinnati. When she's not writing you can find her climbing rocks, traveling out west, and being "mom" to her cats, Fred and George.