All Else Pales 2 Archive
April 17- May 24, 2025
Opening Reception
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Artist Talk
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Closing Reception
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Bios
Artist Statement
All Else Pales: 2 was a multi-disciplinary exhibition at Studio Kroner that brought together visual artists, poets, performers, scientists, and civic partners to explore climate change, sustainability, and environmental justice. Building on the success of the 2023 exhibition, this expanded iteration invited the public into a rich, immersive experience of ecological reflection, learning, and creative activism.
Curated by Paul Kroner and co-curated by Devan Horton, the exhibition featured installations by five nationally and regionally recognized artists—Stephen Hall, Julia Orquera Bianco, John Sabraw, Albertus Gorman, and Devan Horton—each presenting environmentally focused work made with sustainable or reclaimed materials. Their pieces addressed themes ranging from biodiversity loss and pollution to personal accountability and hope for planetary healing.
The exhibition drew 550 attendees, more than half of whom were first-time visitors to Studio Kroner. Guests reported high engagement with the artwork, environmental themes, and educational programming, with 99.4% of respondents saying they learned something new. Many expressed gratitude for the opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals, artists, scientists, and civic leaders around climate and sustainability issues in a space that felt safe, inclusive, and inspiring.
In addition to the visual art, the project offered a robust schedule of public programming designed to deepen community engagement and cross-sector dialogue. Throughout the run of the show, more than 550 people attended a variety of free events, including:
Panel discussions with scientists, environmental professionals, and artists on sustainability, the Anthropocene, and climate action. Click here to see all past talks
Artist talks featuring all five exhibiting artists, highlighting their processes, materials, and environmental motivations.
Live performances, including an original eco-themed work by Mary Kroner and a children’s climate play developed with the Kids Act Out! theater group.
Poetry readings and writing workshops centered on environmental themes, led by Elaine Olund and others.
Hands-on sustainability outreach, such as a seedling giveaway by the Ohio Valley Forestry Fellowship, a battery recycling station, and an interactive resource fair featuring local environmental organizations.
This collaborative project transformed Studio Kroner into a creative hub for environmental awareness and action. Strong attendance and enthusiastic feedback reflected deep appreciation for the fusion of art and environmental advocacy. By fostering dialogue and promoting sustainable practices through diverse artistic and educational experiences, All Else Pales: 2 advanced its goal of connecting community members with both the urgency—and the possibility—of meaningful climate action.
All Else Pales 2 Archive
February 26-28, 2026
Opening
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Artist Talk
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Closing
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Bios
Steve Kroeger
Steve Kroeger, a special educator and action researcher for thirty years, uses his current research to focus on supporting voice. Steve is involved in national and international projects including the Palestinian West Bank, and Ireland. While teaching, graphic narrative emerged as a powerful medium of expression. Since the last election, volunteering in a food pantry doing Spanish translation stirred thinking about abundance and scarcity of food. Comics helps tell the stories of people who are doing the amazing work of collecting, growing, cooking, distributing, educating, and serving in our regional Food Shed.
Karen Boyhen
Through illustration and graphic design, Karen Boyhen helps people communicate with their customers with a delightful and relatable approach. Her portfolio includes editorial illustration, illustrated maps, merchandise, brochures, posters, and annual reports for non-profit, education, and healthcare companies. In the studio at Visionaries + Voices, she facilitates artwork and builds relationships. Last summer she led a project entitled “Tiny Cincinnati” with the community while on artist residency through the Contemporary Arts Center. Karen is focused on making art and building creative partnerships.
Scott Hand
Scott Hand is the Chief Brand Officer at Urban Artifact, Principal Architect with Trilobite Design, and Station Manager for Radio Artifact. A licensed architect specializing in acoustics and sustainability, Scott spent years mastering how physical structures sound and feel. Today, he translates that rigorous design philosophy into the visual realm. He approaches brand development with an architect's eye, treating every illustration as a foundational block of a larger narrative. Scott’s goal is to build an internal world for folks: one that offers a rich, immersive experience and rewards curiosity with intentional whimsy.
Amaha Sellassie
Amaha Sellassie is a afrofuturist, peace builder, social healer, freedom fighter, network weaver, student of cooperation and lover of humanity. He’s an Associate Professor of Sociology at Sinclair Community College in Dayton Ohio. amaha is a practitioner scholar and participatory action researcher dedicated towards building bridges of trust, healing historical wounds, and harnessing the unique gifts and talents of every human being as we press towards a just and equitable society. His areas of interest include health and education equity, praxis, cooperative economic development, dismantling structural violence and getting the voice of marginalized communities into the center of public policy in order to emerge structures of belonging that acknowledge the dignity and worth of every human being. He is co-founder and board chair of the Gem City Market, a community driven effort to address food apartheid through a food coop dedicated to increasing access to fresh fruits and vegetables within west Dayton.
