Downtown and the Short North are the parts of central Ohio best known for their visual arts offerings – but in the greater Columbus area, there’s art all over the place.
We took a look at the suburbs and outlying counties of central Ohio to see what each had in terms of artistic opportunity. And with so many galleries, arts festivals and artists’ guilds out there, we certainly weren’t disappointed.
Dublin
Dublin Arts Council
The Dublin Arts Council oversees the Dublin Art in Public Places program, which has installed more than 70 sculptural pieces in the last 25 years, from 1990’s Leatherlips monument to the brand-new Daily Chores.
It also offers classes and summer camps, as well as regular exhibitions, which include work by local artists and student artists as well as pieces by prominent artists, such as Shifting Perspectives, a Down syndrome photo exhibition that began in the United Kingdom and is now an annual feature in Dublin.
“It’s a community that values creativity,” says council Executive Director David Guion. “We have a lot of amazing talent here in Dublin.”
Galleries in the community: Dublin Arts Council gallery
Festivals in the community: Dublin Art Fair (canceled 2013, but may be revived)
Organizations in the community: Dublin Area Art League
Worthington
McConnell Arts Center
The McConnell Arts Center, which opened in 2009, focuses its classes and events on all different art forms, but visual art is a big part of it, and many of its exhibitions feature the work of local artists, such as sculptor and fiber artist – and Worthington resident – Dorothy Gill Barnes.
The center’s gallery space offers an opportunity for artists to display their work in a professional venue, its annual yArt sale (Aug. 16) gives them the chance to sell their work and and its busy performance schedule provides plenty of time for patrons to view their work.
“We do a little over 20 shows a year, and they are all focused on artists who are living, breathing and working today,” says center Executive Director Jon Cook.
Galleries in the community: McConnell Arts Center, High Road Gallery
Festivals in the community: Worthington Art Festival
Organizations in the community: Worthington Area Art League
Westerville
Citywide Art Programs
Westerville has two galleries in its Uptown district – David Myers Art Studio, which also offers classes, and Gallery 202 – as well as three on the Otterbein University campus. It has two arts-centric groups: the Arts Council of Westerville, a catch-all organization supporting the arts in general, and the Westerville Art League, an alliance of local artists.
Its Parks & Recreation Department organizes Public Art in Westerville Spaces, a rotating outdoor sculpture exhibition, and it’s also in the midst of rolling out a series of sculptures by late central Ohio artist Cobert C. Collins. And its arts festival – the Westerville Area Chamber of Commerce Music & Arts Festival, July 12-13 – brings in more than 160 fine artists and crafters each year.
“The Westerville community is supportive of so many things that have to do with cultural enrichment and the arts,” says Christa Dickey, community affairs coordinator for the city of Westerville.
Galleries in the community: David Myers Art Studio, Gallery 202, Frank Museum of Art, Miller Gallery, Fisher Gallery
Festivals in the community: Westerville Area Chamber of Commerce Music & Arts Festival
Organizations in the community: Arts Council of Westerville, Westerville Art League
New Albany
Jeanne B. McCoy Community Center for the Arts
As it is intended for use by New Albany-Plain Local Schools as well as by the community, the McCoy Center frequently hosts the products of New Albany High School students’ senior seminar projects, such as a floral close-up photo exhibition by 2014 graduate Riley Gundlach.
The center has also been used such for presentations as a recent one on new educational models. One model presented was an arts-focused curriculum.
“Of the four models presented that night, (the arts model) was probably the most gripping,” says Patrick Gallaway, director of communications for the school district.
Galleries in the community: Hayley Gallery
Bexley
Gallery Scene
Bexley is home to Hammond Harkins Galleries and Art Access Gallery, as well as Schumacher Gallery at Capital University. The former two serve up work from a variety of artists, many of them highly successful local artists, while the latter’s exhibitions range from student work to historical photographs.
With a wealth of residents interested in art and a number who are artists themselves – Carol Stewart, Aminah Robinson and Dennison Griffith are among the recognizable local names who live in or around Bexley – and the presence of the university, the city offers a great environment for a gallery, says Marlana Hammond Keynes, owner of Hammond Harkins.
“We get a lot of (Capital) kids in the gallery,” Keynes says. “They’re bright, they’re interested, they want to learn.”
Galleries in the community: Hammond Harkins Galleries, Art Access Gallery, Schumacher Gallery
Organizations in the community: Bexley Art League
Canal Winchester
Canal Winchester Art Guild
The guild, which has doubled its membership in the last couple of years, organizes a number of exhibitions for members at various galleries as well as the annual Art Stroll, which takes place in May, and “field trips” to other artistic institutions.
The guild’s members come from all over central Ohio, but many are local to Canal Winchester, such as painter Robert Warren, who hosted nationwide instructional painting programs including PBS’s The Art of Bill Alexander & Robert Warren.
“We have a real variety of artistic people in the guild,” says guild President Linda Boving. “We have watercolor, oil, acrylics, collage, sculpture, glass, fiber arts, photography.”
Galleries in the community: Art Loft, Studio 7.5
Festivals in the community: Art Stroll
Organizations in the community: Canal Winchester Art Guild
Grove City
Arts Festivals
Grove City’s arts events include Grove City Arts Council’s Night on the Town, which took place in May; the Wine and Arts Festival organized by Grove City Town Center Inc., June 14; and Arts in the Alley, put together by the Grove City Chamber of Commerce, Sept. 20-21.
To give an example of the talent in and around Grove City, the Wine and Arts Festival alone had 65 artist booths last year and, between artists and authors, is hoping for 80 to 100 this year.
“We have just been completely overwhelmed with the number of responses we’re getting from folks who want to participate,” says Andrew Furr, executive director of Grove City Town Center.
Galleries in the community: Dreaming Tree Galleries
Festivals in the community: Night on the Town, Wine and Arts Festival, Arts in the Alley
Organizations in the community: Grove City Arts Council
Grandview Heights
Art Studios for the Disabled
Two studios in the city, Open Door Art Studio and Goodwill Columbus Art Studio and Gallery, reserve their space for artists with various disabilities, giving them the opportunity to display their work, hone their technique and even earn extra money through commissions.
The studios teach professional techniques, and the artists’ work can hold up against that of any other artist, says Holly Adkins-Ardrey, director of the Goodwill studio.
“Art is the great equalizer; there is no right or wrong, good or bad, except in the onlooker’s own personal opinion,” Adkins-Ardrey says.
Galleries in the community: Open Door Art Studio, Goodwill Columbus Art Studio and Gallery, Tacocat Cooperative, Ohio Craft Museum, Glass Axis
Festivals in the community: Lazy Daze of Summer Festival
Organizations in the community: Grandview Heights/Marble Cliff Arts Council
Upper Arlington
Cultural Arts Division
A gallery, an annual arts festival, a public art program and more fall under the purview of the Upper Arlington Cultural Arts Division.
The Concourse Gallery, located at City Hall, always features UA residents in its exhibitions, and every two years, it holds a big exhibition of 20 to 40 local artists; this year’s runs Aug. 20-Oct. 28. The division also organizes the Upper Arlington Labor Day Arts Festival, slated for Sept. 1, and oversees the city’s Permanent Art Collection, public art program and workplace art lending program.
“A great community deserves great art,” says city Arts Manager Lynette Santoro-Au. “We have a wonderful community of artists who live and create here in Upper Arlington.”
Galleries in the community: Concourse Gallery
Festivals in the community: Upper Arlington Labor Day Arts Festival
Organizations in the community: Upper Arlington Cultural Arts Division
Hilliard
Old Hilliardfest Art Fair
Photography, jewelry, ceramics, drawing, painting and wearable art are among the media created by the artists and crafters who set up shop at Old Hilliardfest’s art fair.
The festival, which takes place Sept. 13, also includes an interactive arts area for children, as well as a multitude of non-visual arts related attractions such as live music and a car show.
“Each year, we have 30 to 40 vendors in the art fair,” says Robert Vance, public relations coordinator for the festival.
Galleries in the community: Old Hilliard Coin & Fine Art
Festivals in the community: Old Hilliardfest
Delaware County
The Arts Castle
Though the Delaware County Cultural Arts Center is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, the castle at which the center is based was built in 1854.
Its regular exhibitions feature work by local and regional artists as well as retrospectives, and its annual Arts Affair brings in up to 120 artists Nov. 6-9. It also offers a plentiful bounty of art classes.
“During a quarter, we usually offer about 80 classes and workshops,” says Arts Castle Executive Director Diane Hodges.
Galleries in the community: The Arts Castle, City Art Center, Richard M. Ross Art Museum, the Market at Serendip
Festivals in the community: Arts Affair, Delaware Arts Festival, Fine Art, Food & Wine
Organizations in the community: Delaware Artists Guild
Licking County
The Works
The Works’ classes and workshops, many of them aimed at youths, go beyond arts, but art is still a big part of the center’s mission – particularly with its biannual residencies for glass artists.
The vast majority of its quarterly exhibitions are curated – Works staffers will develop an idea, then put out a call to artists whose work is appropriate for it – and each relates in some way to the center’s educational focus.
“We like to tie in all the components that are in the (center) – the history, the science behind the art,” says Samantha Harris, director of marketing. “It’s got to be something that isn’t just art.”
Galleries in the community: The Works, Kussmaul Gallery, LeFevre Art Gallery, Denison University Art Gallery
Festivals in the community: Art Walk and Quilt Show, Granville Art Affair & Rotary Wine Festival
Organizations in the community: Licking County Arts
Fairfield County
Downtown Arts Offerings
Downtown Lancaster offers the Decorative Arts Center of Ohio; Ohio Glass Museum; Georgian Museum, featuring antique decorative art; Monarch Gallery, which is part of restaurant the Lodge in Lancaster; Blue Shoe Arts Gallery, part of pottery painting studio Art & Clay on Main; art and antique gallery the Bodenheimer-Mayer House; Blank Slate Artisan Shop; and an annual public sculpture exhibition utilizing work from area schools.
Destination Downtown Lancaster, which oversees the sculpture program, also organizes the Art Walk at the Lancaster Festival; this year’s Art Walk is set for July 18.
“We have a lot that a town our size might otherwise not have,” says Kate Ervin, executive director of Destination Downtown Lancaster.
Galleries in the community: Decorative Arts Center of Ohio, Ohio Glass Museum, Georgian Museum, Monarch Gallery, Blue Shoe Arts Gallery, the Bodenheimer-Mayer House, Raymond S. Wilkes Gallery
Festivals in the community: Art Walk
Union County
Marysville Art League
The league, headquartered at the historic Houston House, was formed in 1979, but had dwindled to 12 members by 2012. It has since increased its numbers to 650 – by seeking opportunities to cross-promote, adding more artists and scheduling more classes, workshops and experiences.
Members’ work can be seen in the marketplace the league arranges at the Union County Covered Bridge Bluegrass Festival, set for Sept. 19-21 in North Lewisburg, and at the league’s Partridge Co-op, also at the Houston House.
“We have two potters, we have a woman who does castings … we have a guy who does wooden bowls, we have a basket weaver who is phenomenal,” says league President Kim Heminger.
Galleries in the community: Houston House
Organizations in the community: Marysville Art League
Garth Bishop is editor of CityScene Magazine. Feedback welcome at gbishop@cityscenemediagroup.com.
Inside the City Limits
Galleries, festivals and more found in Columbus proper
Clintonville: Turner Studio & Gallery; Clintonville Arts Guild
University District: Ohio Art League, Wexner Center for the Arts, The Ohio State University Faculty Club, Billy Ireland Cartoon Library, Swing Space Gallery, Thompson Library Gallery
Short North: Studios on High Gallery, ROY G BIV Gallery, The Pizzuti Collection, PM Gallery, Jung Association Gallery, Sherrie Gallerie, Brandt-Roberts Galleries, Sharon Weiss Gallery, Rivet Gallery, Marcia Evans Gallery, UrbanOffice Furnishings Gallery, Terra Gallery, Ray’s Living Room, Lindsay Gallery, Mac Worthington Gallery of Contemporary Art, Oak Room, Paul Palnik Cartoon Studios, lucky13gallery
Downtown: Angela Meleca Gallery, Ohio Art Council’s Riffe Gallery, Hawk Galleries, Columbus Museum of Art, Canzani Center Gallery at Columbus College of Art & Design, MadLab Gallery, Gallery on High, Fresh A.I.R. Gallery, The Ohio State University Urban Art Space, Cultural Arts Center
German Village: Keny Galleries, Muse Gallery, Gallery 831; Art Crawl (July 19)
East Columbus: King Arts Complex, CS Gallery
Franklinton: 400 West Rich, Second Sight Studio
Visit www.cityscenecolumbus.com to learn about the other visual arts options each suburb and county has to offer!
