Snow Day at the Pump House

On Sunday afternoon Akron Civic Commons, Knight Foundation, Let's Grow Akron, and Ohio & Erie Canalway hosted a community event at the Pump House on Summit Lake. There were ice carving demos, ice cube water color painting, snow cones, hot chocolate, a couple of fire pits and drum performances. The Pump House is eventually going to be renovated and then the community events won't only be on its grounds - but inside as well. It is going to be a great community space in a beautiful location.

Day in The Land

Erin manages the Countryside Conservancy Farmer's Market but did not have one on Saturday. She wanted to head up to Shaker Square to check out theirs. So we drove up to the North Union Farmers Market. We picked up some goodies and chatted with some of her friends but they didn't have any prepared food so next we headed off to get some lunch. Well, we got the ball rolling and ended up spending most of the day in Cleveland....

Akron2Akron

Last night I photographed another one of the Akron2Akron walking tours. With the February date they decided to schedule a mostly inside tour - of Quaker Squarer(formerly Quaker Oats) and Greystone Hall(formerly the Masonic Temple) - but this being Ohio it turned out to be a beautiful 70. Anyways - both places are loaded with history - they are such cool buildings. Quaker Square's grain silos were converted into a hotel and are now University of Akron dorm rooms. The old Masonic Temple is now run by the Akron/Summit County Visitors Buildings and is used for everything from weddings to plays.

I always think I know so much Akron history but come away from these tours knowing so much more. Put March 18th on your calendar to take advantage of the next one.

Torchbearer's Anniversary Dinner

TorchBearers had there Anniversary Event last night at the Tangier. This year was a little different from years past as there was a sit down dinner in the banquet room. It is amazing to me to look around a room like this, see so many great people, and knowing that so many of them are now my friends. When I quit my job as a farm hand a few years back to pursue my dream as a photographer I don't think I could have imagined it being like this. On top of that it was so cool to be photographing an event where two of my high school classmates were the honorees - Betsy Bare Hartschuh as Torchbearer's Distinguished Alumnae and Kyle Kutuchief & John S. and James L. Knight Foundation as the recipient of the Read Family Friends of Young Leaders Award.

Polar Bear Jump

I have seen photos of my friends jumping in the freezing water at Portage Lakes State Park for years but I had never been there. The Polar Bear Jump raises money for the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank. This year it was a beautiful day, air temperature-wise, the water was still ice cold. ....but I don't know for sure - I wasn't there to jump - but to photograph my friends at the law firm KNR. They had raised the second largest amount of anybody at the event.

Common Threads Akron

Saturday evening I photographed the first Common Threads Akron which was held at Birchwood Supply Co. It is a series of events that are sponsored by the Knight Foundation and Global Ties Akron to bring people from different cultural backgrounds together to engage in conversation. This event focused on the foreign born - sharing their stories and contributions to Akron. It was an engaging evening, sometimes fun, sometimes heartbreaking but totally worthwhile.

Summit Brew Path Launch

On Friday I was lucky to attend the launch of the Summit Brew Path at Thirsty Dog Brewing. This program is sponsored by the Akron/Summit County Visitor's Bureau. The idea is to pick up a passport, go and get a beer at a brewery, get it stamped, and when you visit all you get a prize.

Friday was a fun night to get to meet so many of the brewers and talk to the ones I had met before. One - I'm already a brewery nerd, two - I took photos of all the breweries for the website. Kind of a dream job, ya know?

Glass

I've been shooting glass art for a local artist for a few years now. He dropped off a few pieces at the studio the other day for me to photograph. I really like shooting his stuff because it is challenging but when I get it right I think it looks super cool. He recently switched where he blows his glass and I'm going to be heading out there to shoot his process soon - that should make for a interesting shoot.