The public is invited to attend an exclusive, one-night only art exhibit and party aptly named 426 Raw Walls. A huge warehouse has been transformed from studio spaces into an exhibition space in order to showcase area contemporary artists. With over 25 artists participating, this is the perfect opportunity to celebrate art, meet artists and develop an understanding of why art is not optional. PLUS, this is the only chance you will see the hottest, hippest, zaniest and most cutting-edge local artists in one place at one time for only a limited selling time. Get there early and get your artwork before someone else does. At 7 pm, the 426 Raw Walls exhibit will come to life with live performances and heated art sales. >From 10 pm – midnight the walls become background decoration for the hottest After Party featuring music by Dos Locos and Live Artistic Performances by Emma Greer. The entire event will last from 7:00 pm – Midnight on Friday, October 1, 2010.

The Art Academy of Cincinnati’s Alumni Association hosts a public party every even-numbered year. For the 2010 party, the Association has invited local artists to join Art Academy alumni to create original, site-specific art to reflect the abundance of artistic talent right here in the Queen City and to benefit the Art Academy’s Undergraduate Scholarship Fund. The event is free and open to the public. Guests will have the opportunity to support the Scholarship Fund by using the donation boxes located at the entrance and by the food/bar area. In the spirit of collaboration, all artists are encouraged to donate a percentage of their sales to the Scholarship Fund. Participating artists include: Rebecca Nava who will create a floor piece with wood chips and paintings. Lish will display neon, glow-in-the-dark sculptural paintings. Lisa Merida-Paytes will expand her art onto the wall and floor, creating a new installation that includes a variety of relief sculptures. Matt Morris and Eric Ruschman will develop a collaborative wall-floor installation, and Quincy Robinson will display a group of toys he and his associates have designed to showcase the history of toy-making in Cincinnati.

Other local artists include Jessica Bechtel, Paul Bohart, Cedric Cox, Maureen David, Joe Fisher, Gary Gaffney, Jennifer Grote, Michael Hurst, Kim Krause, Pam Kravetz, Anissa Lewis, Steve Meeks, Dan Mueller, Sara Mulhauser, Lindsey Pitman, Alan Pocaro, Kim Shifflett, Sandy Russell, Marlene Steele, Megan Triantafillou, Rebecca Weller and many more.