Our visit to Ohio’s capital city continues with the Columbus Museum of Art. The Neo Classical building opened in January of 1931, there have been several expansions through the years, the latest, 50,000 sq. ft. that includes a new wing, atrium and cafe. That said, if you’re expecting the DIA, you’ll be disappointed, this museum is not of that stature. The collection includes late 19th and early 20th century American and European modern works of art. The museum holds the world’s largest collection of works by Columbus artists Aminah Brenda Lynn Robinson, Elijah Pierce and George Bellows. Contemporary Art, Folk Art, glass, photography, expressionist works and social commentary art can all be found within its walls.
We park in the lot adjacent to the building, it’s nice outside so we take some time to explore the grounds. A new garden courtyard provides seating with a nice view of the surrounding area; sculptures are made of stainless steel and wire, painted steel, aluminum and bronze. I’m not sure why but the tall metal strips in red, white and blue remind me of bacon–I must be hungry. The new wing has a limestone base, the rectangular-shaped gallery space is covered in panels of green-patinated copper with deep-set floor to ceiling windows, very modern looking. We use the north entrance stepping into the natural-light-infused atrium. I can see straight through to the front of the museum, lounge areas look inviting, directly above, 35 glass boats dangle, catching the light. We take the stairs to the second floor, small rooms contain video and projection installations. Large, modern works of art hang on stark white walls, individual wood planks lay side by side, it makes me think of fettuccine (why does everything remind me of food?). ‘Back of Kelly’ is a startling life-like recreation of the back of a man, I like the Nocturne Navigator, the skirt of the dress looks like stars in the night sky.
The original building remains opulent; fancy metal grates act as windows, elegant light fixtures hang from decoratively painted ceilings. Dale Chihuly’s glass art always commands attention. Here the walls are soft colors; vanilla, lavender, blue. Wood floors creak beneath our feet, we traverse long halls, duck in and out of galleries viewing pieces by Charles Demuth, Francis Criss, Clarence Holbrook Carter, Niles Spencer and Norman Rockwell’s Morning After The Wedding. A giant sunflower under glass glows in the center of a gallery, it’s beautiful. We are delighted by the works of Renoir, Monet, Picasso, Matisse, Cezanne, Degas, Juan Gris and Diego Rivera. Some spaces have seating, allowing you to relax and really absorb the art. In the hall terrazzo floors gleam, different kinds of glass are displayed in cubicles.
On the bottom floor there’s a whole section designed to get visitors creatively involved. A black wall is covered in art made from Post-it notes, it’s amazing what some people have made from sticky squares of paper. The Wonder Room is awesome; duck under draped pieces of cloth to a burgundy-painted room with a blanket fort, a giant spider web made from vintage textiles complete with super-sized bugs and a fashion station where you can create garments for a dress form. It’s a pretty cool space, great works of art hang on the walls as inspiration, tables are filled with materials for you to create your own great work of art, kids and adults seem to be enjoying the experience equally.We find ourselves at the original entrance, to me this is the prettiest part, architecturally speaking. The ceiling is amazing; blue, cream, yellow, green and gold all working together to create lovely patterns. The chandelier hangs from a central panel, potted palms sprout from urns, marble steps, brass railings and archways foreshadow the treasures on display inside.
We’re headed over to a warehouse called 400 West Rich in Franklinton; Heather at the Terra Art Gallery in Dublin recommended we check it out. Franklinton was the first American settlement in Franklin County, founded in 1797, it was annexed to the city of Columbus in 1870. Much of the land lies below the level of the Scioto and Olentangy Rivers, floods have taken their toll through the centuries. With a new flood wall in place the area is no longer considered a floodplain, making this district just west of downtown ripe for redevelopment. 400 West Rich resides in a warehouse built in 1910 by D.A. Ebinger Sanitary Manufacturing Company, this sanitary porcelain manufacturer invented the public drinking fountain as we know it. EBCO left the building in the 1950’s, a series of interesting tenants followed; Sweden Freezer, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut and Eickholt Glass. Today it’s a combination of artists studios, galleries and Strongwater Food and Spirits; let’s go in. A grin creeps across my face when we step inside, this was the lobby the EBCO warehouse, the terrazzo floor is spectacular, I don’t think I’ve ever seen such an intricate pattern before. The furniture is pure mid-century, love the colors. Look at the old receptionist’s desk, how about that rotary phone? Up a few steps we are in the bar and dining space, they’ve even turned former offices into little dining rooms.
We chat with our server about the building, Franklinton and Columbus in general, he points out the mural of Grace Darling, she was a media celebrity in 1838. She and her father were responsible for rescuing shipwrecked sailors from the SS Forfarshire. With a little help from our server we make our selections and in no time lunch is served; everything looks delicious. The Farro salad is excellent, the grain is tender, radishes and cukes are crisp, peas, sweet drop peppers and sprouts add sweetness, the soy sauce vinaigrette adds the perfect amount of saltiness. The Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich stacks pickles, arugula, red hot aiolo on top of a spicy chicken breast all held together with a brioche bun. It has a nice kick and excellent flavor, the red hot is not the overwhelming flavor. Before we leave we take a peek at the event spaces, the original sawtooth windows are now used in the ceiling. Original birch wood has been repurposed into tables and the bar. Here and there leftover machinery, tools and bolts lurk about. What a great way to re-use and old warehouse.
As we drive around the district a little we see a sign for Glass Axis, oh good, they’re open. The building is another left-over from like 1902, it’s now used as a glass-making facility. The non-profit allows the public access to well-equipped studios for all forms of glass art including stained and fused glass, torch and hot glass blowing and sculpting and neon art. They offer hands-on classes, demonstrations, public programs and even event space. A student removes his rod from the furnace, we watch in fascination as he gently blows into one end and a glass piece begins to take form at the other end. It’s really warm standing by the furnace, at least 6 other rods are warming up. We walk past bowls of glass chips, kilns, huge gloves work tables and a variety of other glass-related tools and equipment. At the back we wander into the gallery, shelves and pedestals hold glass in a variety of colors and forms. Vases, bowls, garden stakes and unique light boxes capture our attention; many of the items are for sale. I’m glad we were able to stop in. I imagine the next time we visit there will be a dozen new businesses here in Franklinton. Time to bid Columbus farewell; thanks, it’s been fun!
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