Painting and Designs of Shaker Heights by William Gould

On Sunday, April 28^th, 2013 from 1:00pm to 5:00pm The Shaker Historical Society (SHS), 16740 South Park Blvd. in Shaker Heights, invites you to attend an opening reception of Painting and Designs of Shaker Heights by William Gould in the Jack and Linda Lissauer Gallery.  Also, highlighted in the art exhibit will be the architectural designs and achievements of Mr. Gould. The exhibit runs from Tuesday, April 2^nd to Sunday, May 26^th, 2013.

A graduate of Shaker Heights High School, William Gould has degrees in Architecture and Planning from the University of Michigan and Cranbrook Academy of Art. In 1961, Gould opened Gould/Associates, Inc. in downtown Cleveland. His firm has been involved with many projects in NE Ohio and an innovative residential development in Shaker Heights called Sutton Place. In 1980 the newly created Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority retained Gould/Associates, Inc. to redesign the Blue and Green Shaker Transit Stations where the old cars ran on Shaker and Van Aken Blvd. The Shaker Square Rapid Transit Station was also redesigned incorporating new stations platforms, landscaping and parking areas. The firm has been recognized for Excellence in Architecture and Planning by the Urban Design Institute, the American Institute of Architects, the Architects Society of Ohio, the National Endowment for the Arts, the U.S. Department of Transportation, and the Dupont Benedictus Award for Innovative Use of Laminated Glass.

Gould specializes in en plein air painting, a French term that means “in the open air”. It is a painting style that defines the American landscape. Plein air painting became popular in the early nineteenth century in both Europe and America when paint manufacturers made a wide range of pre-mixed oil pigments available for the first time, and the easily transportable box easel was developed. The artist could, as Monet wrote, “… paint the air in which is situated the bridge, the boat and the home.”

One of Gould’s favorite locations to paint is the Shaker Lakes area.  His paintings evoke many emotions and impressions of the surrounding Cleveland urban neighborhoods and the NE Ohio environment. William and his wife Harriet reside in Cleveland. They are founders of ArtSpace-Cleveland, whose mission is to assist artists seeking affordable live/work studio space in the city of Cleveland.