Galleries galore

Magnificent water colors, flower-like sculptures, black and white photos and a wide array of original and distinct art can all be found a hop, skip and a jump away in the Short North district of Columbus.

This past winter quarter, the arts writers of The Lantern tried to enlighten readers about the galleries found in the Short North. Unfortunately, only a few were able to be revealed and a wide range were left unexplored. Five more galleries are about to be unearthed. They include PM Gallery, Artistically Bent ltd., Art Impressions, Small Art and Raffensberger Gallery.

Maria Gallaway has owned PM Gallery from its inception 22 years ago. Although it was not the first gallery in the Short North, it remains the oldest to still be open. She represents about 200 artists from all around the world.

“Every artist has their own personality and just as there are different people they have different stories to be told,” Gallaway said.

One of the personalities she exhibits is the work of her husband Michael C. Crest. He paints colorful abstracts found lining the tops of the walls in the gallery. His is also a carpenter and union steward with OSU.

A wide array of art can be found at the PM Gallery. Pieces range from intricately designed fixtures to ceramic planters shaped like the heads of dogs and cats. As one wanders through the maze of creativity, colorful mobiles that resemble the solar system hang overhead. Mugs and plates shaped like flowers, soap dispensers shaped like sea creatures, and wall-to-wall creations can all be found in the gallery.

Sisters Rebecca and Jan Caddell seem to be invading the Short North after opening three stores in the area. Art Impressions, 714 N. High St., was once open in City Center mall. The gallery, run by Jan Caddell, usually features 20 artists on a regular basis and has more than 150 artists on file. They mostly carry canvases and paper pieces.

Through this month the gallery is featuring artist Jean “Joanny” Tierant. He creates rich palettes that represent the landscape. His work has a way of coming alive and feels that it could jump right off the wall. His paintings range from fields of dandelions to a setting that overlooks a city with an array of Spanish roof tops.

At the moment, the gallery is showcasing original jewelry and black glass from Argentina in emerald, ruby and cobalt colors.

The sisters’ second store is Small Art, 8 E. Lincoln St., behind Art Impressions. Small Art, as the name suggests, contains smaller pieces of art such as paintings of single objects and miniature figurines. The sisters work with interior designers to help decorate several homes including three in the upcoming parade of homes exhibit.

Jan Caddell said the smaller art pieces are just as important in the home as the larger pieces. Rebecca Caddell said they opened the store because there were many wonderful smaller pieces that were becoming lost on the walls and needed a place to be showcased. Paintings of single apples and pears can be found including miniature figures of tea pots and animals such as zebras and dogs on the walls of Small Art.

“We don’t want to be intimidating but want to be accessible and open to people who don’t know about art,” Rebecca Caddell said.

In order to open a gallery one has to be connected to the social aspect of art and have good connections with art representatives, she said. Neither gallery features local artists but they do carry a variety of other types of artwork, including many international artists.

The third shop in the Short North the sisters’ own is Art + Home. This shop is geared more towards framing. The sisters then are able to sell the pieces from their other galleries and frame them.

As one continues to stroll down North High Street past a variety of galleries and many delicious eateries, they may stumble upon Raffensberger Gallery.

Owned by Neil Raffensberger and managed by Lisa Fearn, the gallery is a fairly new addition to the area, opening about a year ago. The gallery features about 12 artists at a time, Fearn said. These artists each have their picture and a short introduction about themselves hanging on the wall in the gallery.

“We have an eclectic mixture of art,” Fearn said. It is affordable artwork that is open to a lot of different styles and tastes, she said.

The gallery includes several pieces from a Noah’s Art collection. They are larger pieces that include the ark, Noah and several different animals, all in pairs, of course. A few pieces by Deborah Brickman are at the front of the gallery. They are framed colorful shapes that have words slithering through the mixture of colored glass. Light bulbs are used behind the pieces to bring them to life and to let the colors radiate the room.

Owner Neil Raffensberger has black and white photos of his own showcased in the gallery. They are mostly landscape shots. Raffensberger also has owned a photography studio in German Village for the past seven years. He wanted a place to showcase his own art, Fearn said. The frames found in Raffensberger’s gallery are from his photography studio, and the pictures in these frames are his own creations.

Also in the gallery are paintings of famous people such as Tiger Woods, large colorful jewelry and blown vases in shapes of different flowers.

Artistically Bent ltd. is yet another original gallery in the Short North, owned by Kris Worthington. It has been in existence for six years and at its current location in the Short North for the past two years, the gallery has handmade original works from 60 different artists. Worthington estimates 30 percent of these are local artists and the rest are from around the world including England, Australia and Canada.

The gallery has many works geared for the animal lover. Clocks resembling cats and dogs adorn the walls. Salt and pepper shakers have taken a new shape with the tops being heads of different animals. Original toothbrush holders in the shapes of dolphin and frog heads can also be found in the gallery. A toothbrush fits perfectly in the mouths of these figures. Night-lights are available in many different designs and the gallery also carries creative coasters.

The highlight of the gallery may be Worthington’s own art that adorns the walls. She specializes in water colors and creates visions of trees and open fields.

Worthington said she chooses which artists she will showcase by seeing if the pieces make an impression on her, if they are original and if they are made well. She also takes a look at the artist themselves.

“The artist must have heart, soul and a passion for what they are doing,” said Worthington.

Although this can not be a total description of what can be found in the these galleries or in the Short North, it does highlight many of the interesting and different pieces that can be found there. The only way to discover the distinct and different world of the Short North is to take a relaxing stroll, one spring day, through the area.

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