Sarah Curry | And We Toast, 2017 | Oil on canvas | 40” x 30” x 2” | NFS
If you grew up in an area that had art education, you may remember making a hand turkey or a watercolor painting or sculpting a clay pot. The art teacher was always there to assist you, but have you ever wondered what your art teacher could do outside of the classroom? A local exhibition brings together the work of art educators to show their talent beyond school walls.
January 4-5 is the last weekend for the Art Educators as Artists show at the Ohio Art Council’s Riffe Gallery. The Riffe Gallery teamed up with the Ohio Art Education Foundation to create a juried collection of Ohio art educators – from elementary teachers to people in higher education and at administrative levels.
John Whitman | Brokenhearted, 2016 | Black walnut with turquoise inlay | 27” x 9” x 6” | $2,500
Art education can be undervalued in a society that frequently cuts funding for the arts. This exhibit wants to acknowledge the work of art teachers and give them a chance to validate their artistic creations through a formal show. The featured teachers have also led workshops and demonstrations during the exhibition like drawing lessons and creative sculpture demos, creating more learning opportunities for people outside of the classroom.
68 pieces of art and 46 educators are represented in this gallery. A whole list of educators can be found at www.oac.ohio.gov/Riffe-Gallery/On-View. And you never know, maybe your current or past art teacher is on the list.
About The Riffe Gallery
Jamie Schorsch | The Reconfigured Hierophant, 2015 | Digital image, ink, acrylic, mango paper, found objects | 40” x 30” | $3,000
The Riffe Gallery was established in 1989 and showcases the work of Ohio artists and collections from state galleries and museums.
All events are free and open to the public. The Riffe Gallery is open Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., on Thursday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Gallery is in the Vern Riffe Center for Government and the Arts, 77 S. High St. across from the Statehouse in downtown Columbus.
