This 35mm film series by photographer Jake Schneider captures the tradition of a beloved weekly ritual as viewers step into the world of Greenville’s Swinging 8’s Square Dance Club. CONTRIBUTED
From juried shows exploring identity and lived experience to material-driven practices and collaborative projects, May’s exhibitions highlight the depth and diversity of the local art scene. Here’s what to see this month.
The Future of Female at Dayton Society of Artists
The Dayton Society of Artists presents “The Future of Female”, a juried exhibition highlighting the perspectives, experiences, and voices of women-identifying artists. This exhibition brings together a diverse range of work offering an exploration of identity, presence, and creative expression in contemporary practice.
“What does it mean to be female?,” asked the juror, painter Alea Chapin.
“The artists in the exhibition ‘The Future of Female’ are all considering this question. Some works are subtle, speaking about growth, the layering of identities or a quiet moment with a loved one. Others are strong and loud, shattering old ideas and constraints, with visuals that you can almost hear. Still others speak to personal experiences of grief, trauma, memory, joy, love, longing and honoring those who came before,” said Chapin.
Dayton Society of Artists, 48 High St., Dayton
Opening Reception 6-8 p.m. Friday, May 8
Exhibit open trough July 3
Free and open to the public
At This Moment at the 2nd Floor Gallery of the Main Library
“At This Moment” is a juried exhibition presented by the Dayton Society of Artists at the 2nd Floor Gallery of the Main Library.
This exhibition invites artists to reflect on lived experience, observation, and the realities of contemporary life. Featuring a range of perspectives and approaches, At This Moment brings together diverse voices exploring identity, place, community, memory, and everyday experience.
Presented in a public library setting, the exhibition emphasizes accessibility, dialogue, and reflection — offering viewers a chance to engage with the present as it is being lived.
Artist reception: 5–7 p.m. May 21
The 2nd Floor Gallery, Main Library, 215 E. Third St., Dayton
Exhibit open through May 30
Free and open to the public
Unexpected materials at TCD member’s exhibit
Dayton-based artist Teresa Olavarria’s meticulous creation processes include layering and firing glass onto metal and casting bronze from wax models, resulting in richly textured forms that echo the organic structures found in nature. Through this transformation, fragile organisms are preserved in metal, becoming both study and tribute. CONTRIBUTED
The Contemporary Dayton opens a new member’s spotlight exhibition, “Teresa Olavarria: Lichen.”
Working in vitreous enamel on copper and patinated cast bronze, Dayton-based artist Olavarria translates the ephemeral qualities of lichen into enduring materials, echoing their textures and colors.
Her meticulous processes include layering and firing glass onto metal, and casting bronze from wax models. The results are richly textured forms that echo the organic structures found in nature.
“The works in Teresa Olavarria: Lichen invites viewers to reconsider what they see and what they overlook,” said Heather Jones, Curator and Director of Programs and Engagement.
“It’s about slowing down, looking closely, and recognizing the complexity and interconnectedness of the natural world.”
All artworks in the exhibition are available for purchase, with proceeds supporting both the artist and The Contemporary Dayton’s mission to connect artists to the community.
Exhibit open through May 30
Edward A. Dixon Gallery pairs artists through color
View artwork from four pairings of artists who have collaborated on the theme of color. The exhibition is in partnership with Dayton Collaboratory whose director, Peter Benkendorf, noticed similarities between the gallery’s artists and proposed pairing them up to create new work together.
“Each artist pairing would decide on their own color palette and how to approach the work as far as style, medium, and size while leaning towards abstraction for the style,” said Dixon.
Exhibit open through Sunday, May 31
Ohio Craft Museum presents Best of 2026
A Daytonian has won the award for “Best of 2026” at the Ohio Craft Museum.
“Serving Tray and Strawberry Basket” by Alison Lowery is a porcelain work featured in the 43rd annual juried members exhibition.
Juror Carol Sauvion, creator of the PBS series, “Craft in America”, selected works by 69 contemporary craft artists in clay, glass, metal, wood, fiber and mixed media from nearly 400 entries.
Established in 1963, Ohio Designer Craftsmen — the organizers of the show — engages the community through exhibitions and education programs and supports the professional development of fine craft artists.
The Ohio Craft Museum
1665 West Fifth Ave., Columbus
Exhibit open through Friday, July 3
Admission and parking are free
‘Swing Your Partner’ photography exhibit by Jake Schneider
This 35mm film series by photographer Jake Schneider captures the tradition of a beloved weekly ritual as viewers step into the world of Greenville’s Swinging 8’s Square Dance Club. Through thoughtful composition and hand-printed photographs, Schneider reveals the timeless spirit that brings this community together.
Anna Bier Art Gallery at St. Clair Memorial Hall, 215 W 4th St, Greenville
Opening reception: 6-7 p.m. May 23
Exhibition on view Fridays 11:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. through June 26.
Two impactful exhibitions at Contemporary Arts Center in Cincinnati
Artists Gee Horton and Michael Stillion premiere solo exhibitions worth the drive to the Contemporary Arts Center in Cincinnati.
Michael Stillion’s “And then it was flowers” features recent paintings of stone and ceramic vessels with human features, paired with exaggerated poppy flowers. Together, these elements evoke themes of fragility, transformation, and impermanence.
Gee Horton’s “Chapter 4, In Another Lifetime” features large-scale photorealist drawings, photography, collage, video, and immersive installations that reflect on Black masculinity, generational memory, and childhood. This narrative-driven exhibition features Horton’s loosely autobiographical account of the struggles of Freeman Little, a 37-year-old Black man living with Guent Bu Wa, a rare hereditary sleep disorder that causes vivid, prophetic dreams.
Contemporary Arts Center, 44 E. 6th St., Cincinnati
Hours vary; exhibit open through Aug. 30
Visit www.contemporaryartscenter.org
More to see in May and June
‘Nathan Foley: Flight of Obscurity XXIII’
An immersive sculptural installation by Nathan Foley, whose Foley’s works “sits between the beauty (of flying) and the horror of war,” said Rosewood gallery coordinator Laura Truitt.
Exhibit open through May 23. On view in the Kettering Health Art Gallery at Rosewood Arts Center, 3600 Shroyer Road, Kettering. Online: playkettering.org/current_exhibition
‘Mina Kim: Structures of Repetition’
Peering through a sculpture by Mina Kim as it casts shadows on her paintings. CONTRIBUTED
Oil paintings on raw linen alongside suspended wire sculptures by using a meditative practice the artist describes as “repetitive, labor-intensive gestures” like “drawing countless lines or twisting thin wires by hand.”
Exhibit open through May 23. On view in the Kettering Health Art Gallery at Rosewood Arts Center, 3600 Shroyer Road, Kettering. Online: playkettering.org/current_exhibition
SOS ART 2026
A 24-day art show and event of creative expressions for peace and justice at the Art Academy of Cincinnati
Exhibit open June 19-July 12. Includes more than 100 artists in Greater Cincinnati and has paintings, sculptures, photos, prints and more.
The Art Academy of Cincinnati is located at 1212 Jackson St., Cincinnati and the website for the exhibit is https://sosartcincinnati.com/sos-art-2026.
‘Voices of Kenya: Social and Cultural Reflections’
An exhibit of prints at Kennedy Heights Arts Center
This is the fifth biennial ‘“Voices from” exhibit with SOS ART and Kennedy Heights Arts Center collaborating. The “Voices from Kenya” show has 154 prints by 42 Kenyan artists.
Exhibit open June 27-Aug. 22, 2026. A guided tour by the curator is on July 17. Kennedy Heights Arts Center is at 6546 Montgomery Road, Cincinnati
‘Symbols of Hope: Eunshin Khang’
“The paintings of Eunshin Khang invite dialogue,” writes the Dayton Art Institute. “She explores memories and feelings, giving form to painterly images that create their own dialogue of materials and composition: hard and soft edges, 2-D and 3-D surfaces, figurative and abstract, light and dark.”
Exhibit open through June 7. The Dayton Art Institute is at 456 Belmonte Park N, Dayton. More: daytonartinstitute.org/exhibits/symbols-of-hope
‘Elizabeth Hawes: Radical American Fashion’
More than 50 garments made between the 1920 and 1960s with original sketches and illustrations by Elizabeth Hawes, a designer, author and social commentator.
Exhibit open through Aug. 2. This exhibit is at the Cincinnati Art Museum, 953 Eden Park Drive, Cincinnati. More online: cincinnatiartmuseum.org/art/exhibitions/elizabeth-hawes-radical-american-fashion
