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Columbus Fall Art Shows

Sunday we enjoyed a trip to German Village (restored area of Columbus, OH) to see the Fall Show of the Central Ohio Watercolor Society at Caterina LTD, 571 South Third St., Columbus. If you're looking for a delightful outing with friends, go out for lunch at any of the wonderful restaurants in that area, shop for Christmas gifts at Caterina (dishes from Poland, Italy and France), and enjoy the show on the second and third floors.







I love this pottery made and painted in Poland. Each mug is different, and there were several styles of bowls and casseroles, all with lovely designs. These were $12 each--more than I usually pay for a mug, but I have some in the cupboard that are nearly 50 years old and cost $.10. Run the average.

Then as you drive home, swing by the Caspian II Building at 3518 Riverside Drive in Upper Arlington, south of the Nottingham Road Stoplight. The Upper Arlington Art League has its fall show there. My husband has 2 paintings in the COWS show and 3 in the UAAL show.

By the way, the Upper Arlington Art League helped get the hugely successful community Labor Day Art Show off the ground. In 1966 this show started as an art exhibit for local artists near the Miller Park Library with about a dozen artists. Don Dodrill got the ball rolling and then founded the art league. I think my husband and I may have been some of the first members (although I don't belong anymore). Then when the show outgrew that space, it moved to Jones Middle School for a few years, then up to the city building on Kenney Road, across from the OSU golf course. Now it is held in a city park and attracts tens of thousands (I blogged about it here). As it grew, the UAAL developed a kids' art tent and helped with events as well as many members entering and selling their works in the show. All of this was eventually taken over by the city. UAAL is the only group of amateur and professional artists based in UA, although many of their members are also participating in COWS, Dublin and Worthington groups.

Many of the founders of UAAL are still in the group, and of course, they are now in their 60s, 70s and 80s. The city has a gallery in its city/municipal building, called the "Concourse Gallery." The Cultural Arts Commission has now decided that the UAAL isn't good enough to have shows in their gallery. Shame, shame on you, UA, for living up to your reputation as just a bit hoity-toity and stuck up, for not respecting your elders, and being clueless about your own history!