Outside in Ohio: A Century of Unexpected Genius 

July 26 to October 14, 2012

The Ohio Arts Council’s Riffe Gallery presents Outside in Ohio: A Century of Unexpected Genius from July 26 – October 14, 2012.

Outside in Ohio was produced by the Southern Ohio Museum in Portsmouth and guest curator Mark Chepp, retired director emeritus of the Springfield Museum of Art. The works in Outside in Ohio represent 100 years of creative expression by 18 Ohio artists who never studied art, never hung out in museums and never expected to become known as artists. Highlighting 20th and 21st century artwork in a variety of media, Outside in Ohio surveys the unconventional and distinct personal styles of some of Ohio's most unforeseen artists.

"Folk art and outsider art both happen outside the mainstream of the art world," said Chepp, "but folk art tends to develop within a group tradition, like Amish quilts, for example, while outsider artists spring up out of the blue working very much on their own."

Join the Riffe Gallery for the opening reception of Outside in Ohio on Thursday, July 26 from 5 – 7 p.m. Curator Chepp and folk art experts Duff Lindsay, Lindsay Gallery, Columbus, and Adrian Swain, Morehead State University folk art curator, will lead a free tour of the exhibition on Friday, July 27 from noon – 1 p.m.

A full-color exhibition catalog is available in the gallery for $20.00. Cash or check made out to the Ohio Arts Council only.

Artists in the show include (Ohio hometown noted): Ricky Barnes (Columbus), Ralph Bell (Columbus), Mary Borkowski (Sulphur Lick Springs), Russell (Smoky) Brown (Dayton), Ira Brukner (Yellow Springs), Henry Church (Chagrin Falls), Carole Estepp (Portsmouth), Harry George (Ben) Hartman (Springfield), William Hawkins (Columbus), Levent Isik (Columbus), Mary Frances Merrill (Flushing), Charles A. Owens (Columbus), Paul Patton (Rix Mills), Elijah Pierce (Columbus), Ernest (Popeye) Reed (Jackson), Anthony Joseph Salvatore (Youngstown), Chad Sines (Newark) and Mark Thomas (Chillicothe).

On Sunday, September 23, 2012 from 2 to 4 p.m., join the Riffe Gallery for a free family workshop. Arts Educator Dayna Jalkanen will lead participants in a folk art project of choice--the creation of a personalized wooden welcome sign, or an apron for use during a favorite hobby. All supplies are provided. Children ages 6 to 17 are welcome to participate with an adult companion. Registration is required as space is limited. Register online between July 26 and September 15 at www.riffegallery.org.

On Thursday, September 27, 2012 from 5:30 to 7 p.m., the Riffe Gallery will host a free poetry reading with National Award-winning Poet David Baker. An Open Mic session will follow. Register online in July to participate at www.riffegallery.org.

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. 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.

Outside in Ohio: A Century of Unexpected Genius is presented by the Riffe Gallery with media support from CD101, CityScene, Ohio Channel, Ohio Magazine, Time Warner Cable and WCBE 90.5 FM. The exhibition was originally produced by the Southern Ohio Museum in Portsmouth, Ohio.

There are 18 images contained within this archive that are intended for Riffe Gallery publicity/educational use only. These images are protected by a photographic copyright that belongs to the Ohio Arts Council. They, therefore, are not in the public domain. Please contact the Ohio Arts Council directly if you wish to inquire about obtaining reproduction permission. Dimensions are h x w.

Ricky Barnes Barry Larkin #1, c. 1990 Carved and painted wood 18.5” x 13.5” Courtesy of Lindsay Gallery, Columbus	Ralph Bell Untitled, C.1990 Acrylic on canvas Springfield Museum of Art	Mary Borkowski Seventy Steps, c. 1971 Quilt thread 24” x 38” Zanesville Museum of Art
Russell "Smoky" Brown Potpourri, 1989 Mixed media 25" x 15.5" x 7" Collection of Mark Chepp	Ira Brukner Motion, c. 2000-2008 Oil on panel 32" x 48" Collection of Mark Chepp and Charlotte Gordon	Henry Church Still Life, c.1880 Oil on canvas 26" x 38" Springfield Museum of Art
Carole Estepp Crows and Flowers, c.2010 Hooked rug 32" x 80" Private Collection	Harry George "Ben" Hartman Charlie McCarthy, c.1930s Cast concrete Approx. 20" tall Friends of the Hartman Rock Garden	William Hawkins YMCA, 1981-1982 Paint, formica 39.5" x 29.5" Springfield Museum of Art
Levent Isik Red Canyon Appaloosa, c.1990s Carved and painted wood 18.5" x 25.5" Springfield Museum of Art, Gift of Barbara and Art Vogel	Mary Frances Merrill Valley Dale, 1980s-1990s Linoleum collage 9" x 11" Springfield Museum of Art, Gift of Barbara and Art Vogel	Charles A. Owens Adam and Eve, 1990s Oil on masonite 36" x 48" Collection of Jacob A. Berner
Paul Patton The Muskingum County Fair, 1986 Acrylic on canvas 20" x 30" Courtesy of Lindsay Gallery, Columbus	Elijah Pierce Good Versus Evil, c.1930s Wood, paint, cloth 31.5" x 21.5" Springfield Museum of Art	Ernest "Popeye" Reed Sphinx, no date Carved stone 14.5" x 9" x 6" Springfield Museum of Art, Gift of Barbara and Art Vogel
Anthony Joseph Salvatore Untitled, 1989 Mixed media on paper 36" x 24" Springfield Museum of Art	Chad Sines Spiderman, 2010 Paint on wood 36" x 24" Courtesy of the Artist	Mark Thomas Shift Change, 2010 Acrylic 30" x 24" Courtesy of Lindsay Gallery, Columbus

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