The Canton Museum of Art’s cup runneth over with talent during two upcoming May shows

The Canton Museum of Art has two May shows coming up. One will showcase work from around the country; the other, work a little closer to home. Visit CantonArt.org for more information, or call 330-452-7666. May Pottery Show and Sale First up is the 19th Annual May Pottery Show and Sale May 7 and 8. This show features the diverse handcrafted work of the 20 members of Canton’s Ceramic Artists Guild. The Guild is a volunteer organization made up of skilled local ceramic artists who support the Museum’s ceramic education programs and pottery studio. In addition to showcasing their pieces, each artist will also participate in the Empty Bowls Against Hunger initiative by creating eight unique soup bowls for sale at the show. Purchase a bowl and all sales proceeds go to Stark County Hunger Task Force. The fundraiser yielded more than $1,000 last year. Canton National Art Show To commemorate their 75th birthday, the museum will host the Canton National Art Show on May 22 and 23. More than 80 professional artists from around the country have been invited to Canton to exhibit works in oil, acrylic, sculpture, photography, mixed media, fibers, furniture, clay, glass and jewelry. “Canton’s growing focus on the arts makes this the ideal time and venue to launch a fine art show of this caliber,” said Executive Director M.J. Albacete. The hope is that this juried show and art sale will become an annual addition to Canton’s lineup of fine art events. Ron Beahn, Director of Boston Mills ArtFest and creator of the Ann Arbor Show in Michigan, is curating the show. Scattered among the national talent in this show are works by talented local artists, including furniture from Kevin Anderson and John Strauss, watercolors from Ted Lawson and Isabel Zaldivar, mixed media from Joe Martino and photography from Stephen McNulty. The show will be open from 10am to 6pm on Saturday and from 10am to 5pm on Sunday, and will be held in the Cultural Center for the Arts. Admission is $7 (including parking). Want a sneak peek? The preview party is scheduled for Friday, May 21, from 6 to 9pm. Attendees will enjoy an early tour of the show, a meet-and-greet with exhibitors, appetizers and craft beer and wine for $35. Visit CantonNational.com for more details on the show.