ART BITES: Plastics, an Acquired Taste Panel Discussion

Artists Archives of the Western Reserve

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• Date Saturday, July 18, 2026
• Time 1:00AM - 2:30AM
• Location 1834 E 123rd St Cleveland, OH 44106
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Founded in 1996 by notable Cleveland sculptor David E. Davis and eight other prominent Ohio artists, including Shirley Aley Campbell and Patricia Zinsmeister Parker, the Artists Archives of the Western Reserve (AAWR) emerged from a shared vision. Recognizing the risk... more

Inspired by Barbara Martin’s “Plastic, an Acquired Taste” exhibition, on display through August 8, the Artists Archives of the Western Reserve is proud to host a presentation and discussion on plastic pollution and some possible and promising solutions. “ART BITES: Plastics, an Acquired Taste Panel Discussion” will feature three speakers representing local, grass-roots organizations who are approaching the fast-growing problem of plastics pollution from different, inspired directions. Kathy Smachlo practiced internal medicine for over 40 years. Since retiring she has been studying the plastic pollution problem and its impacts on all life on earth. She is the liaison between the Cleveland Heights Green Team and Beyond Plastics, an organization which combines the knowledge of environmental policy experts with the energy of neighborhood advocates in order to end plastic pollution. She is active in efforts to preserve and restore our natural ecosystems, to protect birds, and to reduce toxins in our environment. Grace Nemer is the Head of Product Testing at CLEANR. A graduate of Case Western Reserve University (B.S. Mechanical Engineering, 2024), Grace has been with CLEANR for over three and a half years, first as a part-time contributor during her undergraduate studies and now full-time post-graduation. CLEANR’s washing machine microplastic filter is easy to install and easy to use. It connects quickly to any washing machine’s drain hose to filter over 90% of microplastics that would have gone straight down the drain and into the environment. Eddie Olshansky is a native Cleveland fisherman who’s made it his mission to clean up the waterways of Ohio under the moniker “Trash Fish”, one kayak trip at a time. From big plastic tubes to small plastic bits, from styrofoam to tires