The Ohio Arts Council's Riffe Gallery Hosts Natural Light: Paintings by Ohio Plein Air Society July 28-October 16, 2011
by Amy McKay
The Ohio Arts Council's Riffe Gallery will present Natural Light: Paintings by Ohio Plein Air Society from July 28-October 16, 2011.
Curated by Jane Black from the Dayton Visual Arts Center, the exhibition offers viewers the opportunity to see the rolling hills, wide fields and open skies of this great state through the eyes of 16 Ohio artists. Having mastered the En Plein Air technique of painting outdoors, the artists of the Ohio Plein Air Society have learned to capture the essence of a scene in a way that represents both nature and the individual.
"The landscape of Ohio is vast," said Curator Jane Black. "To the casual traveler, it may seem empty...but to a painter, it is teeming with possibility. Oftentimes, if one is working from direct observation and with full attention, the most difficult problem is that the scene is so full. Learning to trim to the essence is a large part of learning to paint en plein air."
Join the Riffe Gallery for the opening of Natural Light on July 28 from 5-7 p.m. Curator Jane Black will lead a tour of the exhibition on July 29 from noon-1 p.m.
Artists in the show include: Nancy Achberger (Milford), Jon M. Browning (Columbus), Martha ONeil Carmody (Cincinnati), Richard Clem (Gahanna), Debra Joyce Dawson (Pataskala), Edie Loechler Dean (Worthington), Mark Gingerich (West Jefferson), Jim Glover (Columbus), Ray Hassard (Cincinnati), Mary R. Holobaugh (Centerburg), Karen Klingbeil LaValley (Westerville), Jack Irwin Liberman (Akron), Paul Reif (Urbana), Mary Ann Sedivy (Newbury), Lori Smith (Mansfield) and Bridgette Turner (Columbus).
The Riffe Gallery will host a free family day workshop, as well as a model painting workshop and poetry reading, in conjunction with the exhibition.
On Tuesday, August 9 from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. in the Riffe Gallery, 10 participants (ages 18 years or older) are invited to take part in a model painting workshop with Ohio Plein Air Society artist and instructor Debra Joyce Dawson. All materials will be provided for a $50 fee, due by August 2. Only cash or check made out to the Ohio Arts Council accepted. Registration is required as space is limited. Register at www.riffegallery.org between Monday, July 18 and Monday, August 1.
On Sunday, September 18 from 2-4 p.m. artist and CCAD instructor Joe Lombardo will explore the shapes and colors of the downtown Columbus landscape with children ages 6 to 17 in an outdoor (plein air) painting activity. All children must be accompanied by a registered adult. Registration is required for as space is limited. Register at www.riffegallery.org between Monday, July 18 and Friday, September 9.
On Thursday, September 22 from 5:30-6:30 p.m., enjoy a happy hour of poetry with four distinguished Columbus poets in the Riffe Gallery. This event is free and open to the public. No reservation is necessary.
The Ohio Arts Council's Riffe Gallery is located in the Vern Riffe Center for Government and the Arts 77 S. High St., Columbus, OH. Admission is free. Gallery hours are Tuesday, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Wednesday and Friday, 10 a.m. - 5:30 p.m., Thursday, 10 a.m. - 8 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday, noon - 4 p.m. Closed Mondays and state holidays. Visit www.riffegallery.org or phone 614/644-9624 for more information. The Riffe Gallery is supported by the Ohio Building Authority and the OAC's Individual Artist Grants and Services Program. Media Sponsors include CD101, CityScene, Ohio Magazine, Time Warner Cable and WCBE.
Free group tours are available Wednesday through Friday throughout the run of each exhibition. To schedule a group tour, contact Riffe Gallery Director Mary Gray at mary.gray@oac.state.oh.us or 614/728-2239.
Image Credit: Ray Hassard, Betty's Chair, 2010
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