The Nearest Faraway Place
Ohio's Painters, Makers & Their Mentors
Jan. 31 - Apr. 26, 2025
Ohio’s painters and makers have been a diverse lot. Many of them were born in the state and cultivated their creativity with inspiration and teachings from local Ohio mentors. Some had the means to travel and receive additional art education in other U.S. cities or abroad, so they left Ohio to find themselves, discovering and refining their artistic voices. Some of these artists returned and there were still others that came to the state from across the U.S. or around the world.
Regardless of where their journeys began or took them, common threads bind them: perseverance, introspection and explorations of different possibilities in their artwork. This exhibit is a tribute to the creative passions and visions that have emerged from Ohio over time. In curating this collection, we aim to share our journey alongside other collectors, celebrating the artistic spirit that has thrived, continues to thrive, and will undoubtedly persist in Ohio for generations to come. Remember, we all have mentors. We are also mentors to others and all of us are perpetual students.
Artists created long before us, others are creating now, and there are those who will create long after we are gone. This is the family tree, the lineage of creativity and learning that continues through those artists that we know and view today, and what we do with what they have taught us. in sharing these stories of Ohio art and artists, we discover just how much great art and how many influential artists have been brought forth from this state. It has been a learning place for so many, with organized art clubs, art schools, colleges, universities and museums across the state, and particularly within the three major cities of Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati.
Ohio was always a place to settle due to easy access by railroads, rivers and waterways, and eventually roads and highways. Due to Ohio’s proximity to major cultural hubs like Chicago, Detroit, New York, St. Louis and Philadelphia, it was destined to have an impact on the social and commercial development of our country. In fact, Ohio became a cultural hub in its own right over the last two centuries. It is “The Nearest Faraway Place.”
SUPPLEMENTAL EXHIBITION CONTENT
