Three new artists have been installed in the Healing HeART exhibits in Western Reserve Hospital: Nirali Schrader, Kevin Friend and Mark Munoz
NIRALI SCHRADER (@akronhennaart)
Nirali Schrader’s work is now on display in Infusion and the Women’s Imaging Center. Nirali Schrader is an Asian Indian born artist who moved to America in 2007 to earn a double Master's degree in Education. Teaching in classrooms helped Nirali realize that she wanted to continue to instruct and inspire but in a more creative capacity. She started her own business, Akron Henna Art, with her inspiration from the city where she completed her education and launched her career. The speciality medium of choice is henna, a plant-based dye native to India and appreciated around the world for its ability to temporarily stain the skin to make beautiful body art. Nirali helps share the healing properties of henna through her non-profit, Henna Crown Art, which gives another layer of beauty to courageous people who are fighting cancer. She also leads art classes online on behalf of Access the Arts, a non-profit, with Medina Juvenile Center to share a new artistic expression with kids, so they learn how to create works of art under her guidance. Nirali's most recent public recognition came from the Mayor of Stow who recognized her work in part with 15 others who donated custom works of art that adorn and beautify light boxes at intersections around the city.
For this gallery, Nirali chose to incorporate her cultural henna-style design work using new mediums of acrylic, alcohol ink, paint markers and watercolors on canvas and wood. This art represents Nirali's inner growth and experiences as an artist which she feels is an actual healing experience via the colors and media used.
Email: [email protected]
KEVIN FRIEND (@arevolt64)
Kevin Friend is another artist featured in the Women’s Imaging Center as well as New Choice Pharmacy.
I spent the first 24 years of my life in Akron, Ohio. I went to St. Hilary, St. Vincent-St. Mary and earned a degree from the University of Akron. I took photography at St. Vincent-St. Mary from Earl Emery. He has been a great teacher, mentor and inspiration for all the work I do. I lived in Chicago near Wrigley Field for 23 years. I received my MBA from the University of Chicago. I have three beautiful daughters from my time there. Having daughters profoundly changed me as a man. Looking at the world through their eyes has made me into a vehement supporter of women's rights and the need for equality.
I have been back in Akron since 2011 and I love living next to a national park. I traveled a lot for my job and took lots of photos while walking hundreds of miles in the places and cities I visited. I have had the privilege of seeing many beautiful locations across the world, but I will contend that Akron with its Cuyahoga Valley National Park backdrop is one of the most beautiful. I try to spend as much of my free time as possible on photography and creating art. In 2018 I created a mural I called Unify: The Verb. It is an image and language meant to force viewers to consider the concepts of Peace, Love and Equality. I have 6 of these murals spread out across the city of Akron. I intend to keep spreading the Unify image and message just in case seeing it and reading it is the catalyst for that person to decide to be kind, join the Circle of Good and become an ARevolT with me. ARevolT is my unique combination of the words art + love. My goal is to live each art with love for the benefit of others.
MARK MUNOZ
Mark Munoz's work accompanies Kevin's in New Choice Pharmacy and is also on display in Physical Therapy. Mark is a landscape and nature photographer born and raised in west Texas. He now resides in Akron, Ohio where he spends his time photographing birds throughout our many parks. See more of Mark's work at www.buzztography.com