Various Flowers and Their Surprising Strengths - Opening Reception
May 16, 2026 5:00 PM –9:00 PM
Overview
Join us at Strauss Studios for the exhibit opening of Various Flowers and Their Surprising Strengths by Justin Michael Will.
Enjoy light refreshments, live music by Andy Bors, and new artwork on our gallery walls. Event is free and open to the public.
Justin is a painter, illustrator, and sculptural artist working in Cleveland, Ohio. Currently painting and sculpting out of his studio at Vessel City in Gordon Square, he also maintains a commercial illustration, design, and mural practice. His work can be found in galleries as well as local breweries, restaurants, and on the sides of buildings in a number of Cleveland suburbs.
Having studied at the Columbus College of Art and Design, Kent State University, and Cuyahoga Community College, most of Justin’s real world experience in the arts has been self made and taught. From 2009 - 2023 he managed a local art supply store, keeping him connected to his peers in the arts and immersed in education of a variety of creative tools and their applications.
Never too comfortable in one creative space for too long, Justin dances in and out of traditional fine arts and illustration, speaking in color and shape. His whimsical, joyful works offer space to pause in the moment, as he is happiest when his work sparks creativity, joy, and laughter in others. Using a variety of mediums ranging from ink and paint to salvaged wood and household items, Justin offers physical manifestations of common emotions shared with many - a life that desires beauty and strength, and a balance between time and impermanence.