Junior

“A project space created through a confluence of energies existing in town between 2005-2007, acting as a conduit for artists and musicians, designers and makers, attempting to foster community interactions in a space created for more then just hanging work on a wall. Exhibitions, concerts, film screenings, dinners, holiday celebrations, a birthday party, a tee shirt release party, the store in back and more were all attempts to celebrate and exhibit people connected to the family tree growing throughout the project both in town and around the country. Coming after David Shoe for me with Junior, I wanted to further find ways to bridge gaps between different social groups in town by curating both local and national artists and musicians in an environment that could allow for possible shared experiences and connections.

In the summer of 2005 I started renovations on the space, which had been a church in its previous iteration. This included the exterior storefront, main gallery space and the back room, which was built out to be a living space and store, with a kitchen that functioned for personal and public usage. The store was another space for showing art, and sold music, ceramics, books, zines, clothing, and more. My role in the project besides building the space out was continuing the music booking I had been doing at David Shoe, maintaining the space/gallery, and curating and installing shows.

Each person involved in helping me with the gallery brought with them pieces to an evolving program that came together and was rearranged over its course.  Ryan Santos and Josh Breidenbach were the original graphic designers, Santos’s show Life’s a Beach, and Then You Tide was the gallery’s first opening, after which he left the project. Years later he ran a restaurant in town called Please. Breidenbach, at the time living in the Guild Haus on Vine, had previously ran a space called The Laundry Room on West McMillan. The graphics for the project were his thesis at The Art Academy, leaving soon after graduating, to be replaced in part by John Caldwell. Breidenbach now resides in Ho Chi Minh City running Rice, a consulting agency, Caldwell, now married to a mortician, lives in Dayton. 

Katrina Opp came to the project with Josh Breidenbach, bringing with her Jenny Steube along with artists Nathaniel Russell and Simone Rubi who at the time were showing together under the name ESSEN. Steube invited artists Patryce Bak and Jesse Alexander, whose shows Souls, Triangles, Space and 12 x 100 were standouts in the programming. Alex Bennett who helped DJ and with events operations joined in eventually with booking and in taking over the residence in the back of the space in its final chapter. 

The project was also supported by the generosity of Dwight Dyer for letting the space use his PA and other equipment, Andy Dwyer for his help with vinyl lettering and signage, Brandon Hickle for screen printing some of the show posters, Melissa Mileto for all of her delicious baked goods for openings and dinner parties, Greg Boyd for help with booking, playing shows, and working the door at times, Hayes Shanesy, Chris Vorhees, and for so many other friends and strangers who helped with labor, support, shows and spirit. The space itself after Junior went on to become several other galleries/project spaces including U-Turn Art Space, run by Molly Donnermeyer, Matt Morris, Patricia Murphy, Zach Rawe, and Eric Ruschman.” - Ryan Fabel

Joshua Breidenbach, Ryan Fabel, Katrina Opp, Ryan Santos, Jenny Steube, Alex Bennett, John Caldwell, Gregory Boyd, Dwight Dwyer, Andy Dwyer, Brandon Hickle, Holly Johnson, Fred Lane, Melissa Mileto, Ryan Mulligan, Brian Nicely, Eric Puryear, Pippin Rush, Maria Seda-Reeder, Hayes Shanesy, Chris Vorhees, Maija Zummo

Participating artists/musicians:

Jesse Alexander, Patryce Bak, Scottie Belissimo, Gregory Lee Boyd, Jon Caldwell, Paul Coors, Andrew Dorsett, Phil Elverum, Ashley Eriksson, Ryan Fabel, Krista Gregory, Terrence Hammonds, Charles Irvin, Floyd Johnson, Angie Lacarenza, Stephen Lacy, Dan Majesky, Tim McMichael, Monks from Drepung Gomang Monastery, Eli Moore, Vince Netherwood, Brian Nicely, Adrian Orange, Gary Panter, Simone Rubi, Nathaniel Russell, Ryan Santos, Hayes Shanesy, Tif Sigfrids, Jeffery William Thomas, Chris Vorhees, Matt Waldbillig, Megan Whitmarsh, and others

Exhibitions Included:
Graves, Keoma, Ace Chance
Halloween party
Music: Alex Bennett, Iceburg, Pete Fosco (DJs)
Life’s a Beach and then You Tide, Ryan Santos
Music: Red Gang, Girltalk, Alex Bennett (DJ)
Sacred Art Tour, Monks from Drepung Gomang Monastery
Opening art show, Tibetan artwork making and displaying, gallery talk, slide presentation, and dinner party with the Monks
Tif, D, Cardinal
99 Bottles of Champagne NYE party
Music: Mt. Storm, Alex Bennett, Ryan Fabel, Cale Parks (DJs)
Twin Peaks Marathon
Rosie’s 21st
Junior Art Auction
Ghostman Sandman, Genders, Lee Marvin Computer Arm
Everything Until Now, Essen- Simone Rubi, Nathaniel Russell
Music: Birds of Prey, Rubies
Ghostman Sandman, The Cincinnati Suds
Academy Records- Stephen Lacy
Mt. Storm, White Gold, Dungeon Thud
Insurrect, Bodies, Black Dove, Ghostman Sandman
Cinqo De Mayo, Tif Sigfrids, Angie Lacarenza, Charles Irvin
Music: Little Wings, Tif Sigfrids, Ryan Fabel
12 x 100, Jesse Alexander
A.R.E. Weapons, Machete, Jumbo Shrimp and Jess $ (DJs)
The Cincinnati Suds, The Seedy Seeds, Rugged Steal
Images Against War
Peace dinner
Fence Kitchen, Dilly Dilly, Hayes, Selbstopfer
Autumedia 2006
Scottie Belissimo
Fancie, Best Pedestrian, Hunter Gatherer
Blood Bath, Halloween party (Mockbee)
Music: Radiant Babies, U.S.A. Crypt, Pernicious Knifs, Genders
Thanksgiving, Lake, Hunter Gatherer
Souls, Triangles, Space, Patryce Bak
Christmas party
Music: Dan Majesky, Vincent Netherwood
Sweat The Technique, 80’s party, A Copesetic Joint/Floyd Johnson, tee-shirt release
Music: J. Coop (MC), D.J. Clockwork, D.J. B
Ping-pong tournament
David Rosenthal UC class group show
The Lesser Birds of Paradise, The Seedy Seeds, Art Damage (video), Hosea
Comedy show, organized by Jon Caldwell
The Good Good, Apiuiz
Time Life, Gregory Lee Boyd, Jon Caldwell, Andrew Dorsett, Phil Elverum, Ashley Eriksson, Ryan Fabel, Brian Nicely, Adrian Orange, Nathaniel Russell, Hayes Shanesy, Jeffery William Thomas, Chris Vorhees
Music: Jeffery William Thomas, Ryan Fabel, Jon Caldwell vacation videos, Pale Horse, U.S.A. Crypt, Hunter Gatherer
Quality of Life film screening
Craft Fair
Matt & Kim, King Tuff, The Read
Mr. Mad Man