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Sharon Weiss Gallery at 25 Years
Strong and beautiful, a beacon to the neighborhood, and now adding more

by Christine Hayes
November/December 2019 Issue

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Sharon Weiss in her gallery. © Photo | Larry Hamill

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Sharon Weiss is eloquent, enthusiastic, revved-up about all her artists. She has jumped in feet first as of last year and taken on a new space, called Found, located in one of the tiny original homes in the Short North. It is ten steps across a courtyard from the door of the gallery. Both spaces feel like you’ve finally found your ideal home. The downstairs of Found is an extension of the light-filled gallery, with comforting colors, wood, and art enveloping the viewer. The upstairs of Found is now the 24 Lincoln Street Art Studios, which includes the painting studios of artists Amy Adams, Lisa Parks Godfrey, and Karen LaValley.

“Most people at Gallery Hop can’t wait to get upstairs,” says Weiss. “Having the three women here has been wonderful for me personally. They stay afterhours and the neighborhood has become their second home. As far as I know they are the only working painting studios in the Short North.” Weiss has plans for downstairs in the upcoming year: numerous workshops and art talks, painters with a model, a photography exhibit, a guitarist.

An Edward de Bono quote on the Weiss Gallery wall reads “Creativity involves branching out of established patterns in order to look at things in a different way.” Putting working artists in the public view, and brainstorming with the three women how to proceed – more women’s programming, but also presenting all-inclusive subjects, gives an extension to the public, more than looking at art on the walls. Adams does representative work in oil of natural subjects, in an impressionistic style. Godfrey does still life in the style of Old Masters in acrylic, with an oil glaze. LaValley works in oil in plein air, portraits, and still life. Amy Adams, her understated blonde ponytail and her glittering disc earrings giving a fascinating accent, was working on a painting of pumpkins and ageratum.

Then more people popped-up in the Weiss compound. Nathaniel Underwood was there to take his show down. Sharon Weiss Gallery features one artist for a month, but the gallery always retains several pieces so some works can be seen by those who missed the show. Underwood’s quiet-with-intention interiors and portraits gave credence to his credentials: CCAD grad, also teaching there, MFA from University of North Carolina, organizer of the Open Figure painting at the Ohio Art League.

Roger Pettry, designer of Inspiration Metro Salon, whom Sharon calls “the most helpful, wonderful supportive man ever” (and she has been with him more years than the gallery!) showed up to help Nathaniel, and to re-paint the walls for the next show. Michael Reese, curator and arts consultant, came to talk about the Cuba in Columbus art show (both here and in Matanzas, Cuba; a monumental cultural exchange involving 107 Ohio artists, two exhibitions in Cuba, and now the exhibits in Columbus, among 34 venues). Of course the Sharon Weiss Gallery is one of the 34, featuring the artists Amanda Hope Cook, Fred Fochtman, Adam Elkins, Stephanie Rond, Sophie Knee, Michael Guinane, George Leach, Jim Murrin.

Modest Beginnings

Photo | Larry Hamill, 2019

How did this hotbed of activity begin? Modestly, as one night Roger and Sharon were in the Short North in 1994 and saw a “For Rent” sign on a tiny space, which became “Antiques on Poplar.” A cottage in Maine has been a getaway spot for the pair for decades, and little shops in Maine were the source of antiques that Sharon acquired for the store (she also had hand-made items and other treasures, along with art). Her friendships and relationships with artists grew. She changed the name to “Antiques and Art on Poplar.”

A move to 20 East Lincoln was accomplished in 2000, retaining the name, and then the name change to “Sharon Weiss Gallery” began in 2003. Weiss has always collected Ohio art and gone to the other galleries to buy and be supportive.

The present gallery space was once home to the Short North Pole ice cream shop, and then a gallery owned by Jan Frey. “Sandy and Mark Wood, as landlords, have had such generosity of spirit and unparalleled support for the Short North. We have gallery association meetings every month, and we agree that we have to keep the flavor of the neighborhood in art. I am thrilled with the changes in the Short North. You can’t stop progress. I have learned that this is a vibrant community and feel lucky to be part of it and hope to continue to be a part of it.” This is Sharon’s strong statement, as a five-story mixed-use development and parking garage are going up quite close across the alley.

“If then, this art is about something, what is it about? Each artist has his notion, so does every spectator.” – Elaine de Kooning (This quote is also on the wall of the gallery.)

Sharon told me of the highlights of the past 25 years. Of course, Roger threw “absolutely a surprise” party earlier this year. “I was humbled by so many people being here,” Weiss says. “I also want to mention my dear daughter Jenny Weiss, who has always prepared the refreshments for the artists’ receptions for the entire 25 years!” Now THAT is a harmonious family, a constant highlight. Her dedicated friend David Miller has been another constant in her life over the past 25 years – minding the gallery, keeping visitors informed and entertained while she’s away.

The October after 9/11, Sharon Weiss Gallery had a silent auction. All her artists donated, which was, of course, optional. In one afternoon $40,000 was raised, which was donated to a firehouse in New York City. Sharon notes that a painting of a fireman’s head was one of the most touching things about the exhibit, by the artist Craig Carlisle, who paints heads.

For ten years, the Weiss Gallery artists have gathered for a fall outing at the Zanesville farm of Paul Emory and Nora Daniel. “It is a major potluck and paint-out. The artists can sell work to each other at the event if they want.” This year they did things a little differently. The potluck was at the Emory studio and they also took a tour of Zanesville galleries. “It is absolutely my favorite day of the year.”

In April of 2017, a self-portrait show was a highlight in which all the Weiss gallery artists participated. Ms Weiss is looking forward to a “My Studio” themed show in 2020 in which the artists will paint their studios – but no restrictions on the theme.

Stable of Artists
Let’s just take a look at the artists who are exhibiting/have exhibited at the Sharon Weiss Gallery: Nathaniel Underwood, Fred Fochtman, Rick Akers, Dave Terry, Stacy Leeman, Linda Hutchinson (Kent, Ohio),Ron Mlicki, Rachel Stern, Angela Gage, Amanda Hope Cook, Jim Murrin, Mathew McFarren (Granville, Ohio), Debra Joyce Dawson, Jeffrey Stahler, Jeff Kallet (Athens, Ohio), Jan Boone (Cincinnati, Ohio), Ruth Gless, David Jewell, Brian Ballenger, Gregg Kumlien, Doug Norman, Anita Dawson, Mary Chamberlain (Athens, Ohio), Barbara Ery (Athens, Ohio) Stephanie Rond, Brooke Albrecht, Michael Hoza, Daniel Ferlan, Carlos Chang, Paul Pedulla (Cambridge, Mass.) Michael Walek, (York, Maine), Todd Bezold (York, Maine), Philip Joseph (Michigan), Linda Langhorst, Robert McGaw (Bowling Green, Ohio), Charles Woelful, Michael Fowler (South Carolina), Jane Flewellen, Kelley Booze (Springfield, Ohio), Amy Adams, Lisa Parks Godfrey, Karen LaValley, George Leach, Michael Guinane, Hiroshi Hayakawa, Adam Elkins, Sophie Knee, Kaitlyn Gilham, Paul Emory (Zanesville, Ohio,) Naichan Peng, Rick Borg, Steven Walker (Georgia), Renate Burgyan-Fackler, Judy Hazen, Becky Taft, Kris Worthington (fabric art), Edmund Boateng, David Gentilini, John Behling, Eric Lubkemen.

Sixty artists who Weiss, says “come to each other’s openings and spend time looking at each painting.”

Perhaps that is because Sharon Weiss has spent time helping each artist in a human and humane way.

Sharon Weiss Gallery, and 24 E. Lincoln Street Art Studios and Found are all located on E. Lincoln Street. The gallery is at 20 E. Lincoln, open Thursday 12 – 4, Friday-Saturday 12 – 5, Sunday 1 – 4. Call 614-291-5683, 614-670-5929 or visit www.sharonweissgallery.com to learn more. Fred Fochtman has a show in November 2019, Rick Akers in December 2019.

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