On Wednesday September 1st, 2010 museums and galleries from around the world participated in an elaborate question and answer initiative that proved to be equal parts social science experiment and educational opportunity. It was, in its way, a reckoning; the chance to see whether meaningful dialogue could be achieved amid the clutter and racket of 21st-Century internet spam. Ask a Curator was the name of the event, and it was the brainchild of one Jim Richardson, a self described marketing type and cultural audience obsessive. [Read More]

An architecture exhibition titled What’s Next: New Visions for Clinton Theater features the drawings and plans of three concepts that envision the future of the historic Clinton Theater and its adjacent properties, all of which are now facing impending demolition. Conceived and created by Columbus-based architect, Tim Lai, the three proposed concepts seek to transform the theater’s site into a community-focused space and (re)create a landmark in the Clintonville neighborhood. [Read More]

A project nearly seven years in the making will come to a close next spring as the Goodale Park Fountain comes to life in the middle of the park’s pond. We recently sat down with local sculptor Malcolm Cochran, the artist who designed the fountain, to learn more. [Read More]

Chris Rankin is a local CCAD grad who is leading a double life. By day, he is a Principal at Creative Spot, a local design, marketing and interactive firm. By night, he is an encaustic painter and engaged member of the local art community, currently serving on the board at the Ohio Art League.

We recently caught up with Chris for a quick Q&A session about his artwork. [Read More]

Happy Weekend! Go to Pecha Kucha tonight to find inspiration from cool people doing cool things. The event is at Junctionview Studios. Downtown Live features The Reaganomics. More live music at Rumba Cafe on Friday and tonight at Ruby Tuesday’s for Wafflepalooza. Festival Latino is going on Saturday and Sunday. The North Market’s Farmer’s Festival is taking place on Saturday. Lots of food, entertainment and cooking demonstrations fill the day from 8-5pm.  Summer Hype is going on at Skully’s on Saturday. Cowtown Lowbrow’s show Hot As Hell is on Saturday at Junctionview. Hills Market is running Crab Boils at 1 and 3pm. The Shake the Hand That Feeds You Slow Food Dinner is also on Saturday. Or head to PBJ and Jazz in the Topiary Park on Saturday. You can also help out at the Gay Softball World Series, events start on Friday. On Sunday, relax with a screening of The Mountain Crumbles at the Gateway Film Center at 2pm. Or head to Goodale Park for fo/mo/deep from 12:30 to 2pm. Unwind at the first Food and Un-Wine event on Sunday from noon to 4pm at Barcelona. Enjoy the weekend everyone!

Have you ever been going about your normal business one day and suddenly had the urge to research short stories adapted to film? Lucky for us, Stephanie Harrison took that whim and ran with it. Harrison, a Columbus native and emerging author, is the editor of Adaptations: From Short Story to Big Screen, for which she was a 2009 Columbus Literary Award Winner.

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It’s August. And it’s really, really hot. But this Saturday evening, things are going to get full-out scorching. Local artist collective Cowtown Lowbrow will host a “Hot As Hell” show at Junctionview Studios from 6:00 to 10:00 p.m. Admission, beer, and barbecue are all free.

Cowtown Lowbrow was founded in 2007 by Dan Gerdeman and includes local artists Coreroc, Sharon Dorsey, Cyrus Fire, Marina Goldshteyn, Joey Monsoon, Stephanie Rond, and Carolyn Slebodnik. It embraces “lowbrow” art, which lends inspiration from West Coast car culture, East Coast graffiti, underground comic books, video games, tattoos, and concert posters. “We’re interested in work that’s meaningful and in your face,” Dan said. “Instead of focusing on things that are purely conceptual, we fuse craft with thoughtfulness and funkiness.” [Read More]

The Ohio State Fair Fine Arts Exhibition is perhaps a little too easy to overlook. It’s a short exhibition by gallery and museum standards, running only the duration of the fair. It’s in the Cox Fine Arts Center, located past the rides, food, and livestock at the southwestern edge of the Expo Center. As if that weren’t enough, it’s in constant competition with many of the more traditional fair attractions (butter sculptures, helicopter rides, baked goods and concerts).

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Shadowbox has won quite a bit of acclaim with their Woodstock-based “Back to the Garden” musical, so they’ve decided to take their show on the road. You won’t have to go far to see them though (it might actually be closer for many readers), as they’re making their way to Schiller Park in German Village to put on a free show tomorrow evening at 8pm.

“We’ve probably spent over 100 man hours already just on this one performance,” laughed Shadowbox Head Writer Jimmy Mak. “I don’t think Steve (Guyer, Director/Producer) realized exactly what he was getting into when he said yes to this.” [Read More]

Even in the best economies, making a full-time living as an artist can be daunting. Where, then, can an artist turn for assistance? Fortunately there is a growing community of groups that share ideas, cooperative learning environments and spaces. According to Caitlin Strokosch, executive director for the Alliance of Artist Communities, an international association of artists’ communities and residencies, there is a nationwide increase in artist co-ops. “It’s no longer ideal for an artist to work in isolation,” says, Strokosch. “Co-ops and exposure to other artists foster balance and inspiration.” [Read More]