Poems and photos come together at Nature Center

Well into her 80s, and showing no signs of slowing down any time soon, Cleveland Heights resident Nina Freedlander Gibans has published her fourth book of poems—In the Garden of Old Age. The poems, and accompanying photographs by Abby Star, will be on exhibit at the Nature Center at Shaker Lakes from an opening reception on Wednesday, May 25, through Aug. 15.

Gibans describes In the Garden of Old Age as a collection of poems about memories, “colliding daily in these summary years that pile up and tumble to the pages like leaves in fall.” The poems are richly illustrated—bright flowers giving way to autumn leaves.

Gibans is well known in Greater Cleveland’s arts community. She has been a teacher, writer, arts advocate, and filmmaker. Her film, "University Circle: Creating a Sense of Place," about the history, public art, and architecture of University Circle, aired on WVIZ/PBS in 2014. 

In 2009, Gibans received the Martha Joseph Citation of the Cleveland Arts Prize for her service to the arts. Her vision, energy, multiple talents, and leadership have left their mark on many of Northeast Ohio’s cultural institutions and arts initiatives.

Abby Star is a native of Cleveland who received her B.A. in studio art from Carleton College in Minnesota. Following graduation, she stayed at Carleton for an extra year to work in the studio art department, and to help photograph Carleton’s permanent art collection. She continues to work on her own photography and is currently very interested in macro and night photography.

Star has had a passion for dance since high school, when she took her first hip-hop class. Since then, her love for dance has continued to grow, and she puts it to use working with GroundWorks Dance Theater.

Nina Gibans and Abby Star will be at the Nature Center on May 25 for the exhibit’s opening reception, 5:30–7 p.m.

The Nature Center at Shaker Lakes is located at 2600 South Park Blvd.

Jewel Moulthrop

Jewel Moulthrop edits and occasionally writes for the Heights Observer.

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Volume 15, Issue 5, Posted 5:41 PM, 05.01.2022