Art and Museums

Local art shapes the community, and in turn, the community shapes local art. Invaluable to a vibrant city, art offers a wordless commentary on life, an expression that crosses all boundaries, to be received uniquely by each person who takes the time to look and see. And, in seeing, each person leaves a little bit different than when they arrived. King Gallery is the newest addition to the colorful, magical shops of women-owned businesses that…

Scraps of paper, forgotten photographs, old magazines – these are the things that make Julie Umberger’s eyes light up. She knows she can take these bits and pieces and turn them into astounding creations. Each find is an opportunity to tell a story and spark inspiration for her viewers. Julie graduated in 2009 with her BFA in studio art and spent many years expressing herself through painting. About a year and a half ago, feeling…

Artist Eddie Owens Martin, known as St. EOM, changed the world of art as we knew it when he shared his vision through the wonderland of Pasaquan. An entire world of its own, Pasaquan features Eddie’s work, ideas, stories, music, and spirit. The seven acre site located in Buena Vista has been restored by the Kohler Foundation and preserved by Columbus State University and is an off-campus extension of the university’s programs as well as…

When entering the Woodcrafter’s shop at colorful Historic Westville, one is engulfed with the pungent aroma of wood chips, followed by the dazzlingly bright smile of interpreter Lee Gilford. There are no power tools, batteries, electricity, or other 20th-century comforts. Just primitive, yet effective woodworking tools from the mid to late 1800s. Here, Lee is in his element, and his energy and joy are instantly contagious. He moves from station to station with ease and…

It’s still and quiet outside, a beautiful golden afternoon. The sunlight filters lazily across the grass. Big, humming carpenter bees wobble across the edge of the tree line, hunting for the clover flowers that have blossomed in the spring. It’s a calm day, a fine day. It’s also the middle of a pandemic. The guidance from the CDC, from our health experts, from our leaders, from our friends and colleagues, is to keep distant, to…