Local painter on display in Pennsylvania resort

August 24, 2018

12:00 AM

Encouraged by a growing art community, it’s no surprise that artists venture off into the world to share their talents with other communities and, in turn, foster interest in the Columbus art scene. Local artist and writer of CityScene’s the Painter’s Eye, Michael McEwan will be on exhibit at the Nemacolin Woodlands Resort in western Pennsylvania this fall into the holiday season.

Not only does McEwan give resort guests the chance to interact with his art, otherwise exclusively sold at the Keny Galleries in the Short North, he also gives Columbus residents a reason to explore everything that Nemacolin has to offer – including its roughly 1,000-piece permanent collection.

A Cultural Excursion

Joseph A Hardy III, founder of Nemacolin Woodlands Resort, has always shown an appreciation for art.

In addition to the Hardy Family Art Collection, showcasing the likes of Fernando Botero, Clarice Smith, Giampaolo Seguso, Frederic Remington, Tiffany Studios, Frank Stella, George Hetzel and more, Nemacolin also boasts a resort gallery with exhibits changing seasonally to highlight a variety of artists. Guests can book art tours, offered several days a week throughout the resort and grounds, with more in-depth curators’ tours and sculpture tours also available.

“The tours are a great way to sample our most treasured pieces,” says Nemacolin art activities supervisor Amanda Haymans. “Last year, our collection increased by 15 percent and we also added a new gallery and event space, Reflection, where events can be held amongst the art.”

The resort also offers an open studio and multiple art classes appropriate for artists of all skill levels. The open studio is a great place to work at your own pace or with the guidance of the resort’s art instructor. There is also a class focused on creating faux stained glass, another in which you can unleash your inner Warhol while creating gelatin prints and even one focused on smartphone photography.

A variety of art classes are available to guest from stained glass o photography.

A Columbus Connection

Michael McEwan, a local artist who primarily works with oil, will be on view at the Nemacolin Gallery Aug.1-Dec. 31. The exhibition will showcase 21 oil paintings ranging in size, the largest being 48 by 48.

“I am quite excited to be showing at Nemacolin; people visit from Pittsburgh, Washington, D.C., as well as from Ohio,” says McEwan. “(The resort) is located in a beautiful place in southwestern Pennsylvania and I am hoping to do some studies for future paintings while I am there.”

River at Sundown by Michael McEwan

McEwan will be visiting the exhibit in October to give a gallery talk and painting demonstration. In fact, he was planning a personal trip to Nemacolin when he discovered the opportunity to display his work at the resort in the first place.

“I was actually booking a room for a short getaway on a trip home from Virginia, when I saw that they have a museum and a gallery featuring regional artists,” says McEwan. “I took a gamble and sent the director some examples of my work.”

The Hardy Family Art Collection, consisting of over 1,000 individual pieces, is on view throughout the resort.

According to Haymans, the art department seeks out artists, reviews portfolios and then starts a conversation to gauge how well the pieces fit the Nemacolin aesthetic.

“Michael reached out to us personally to introduce us to his art and process,” she says. “His pieces align well with the atmosphere of our gallery.”

McEwan has taken part in several other exhibitions such as the Butler Institute of American Art Midyear/Annual Exhibition, Youngstown, Ohio; Realism Today, Evansville Museum of Arts and Sciences, Evansville, Indiana; and Realism 90 and Realism 92, Parkersburg Art Center, Parkersburg, West Virginia. He’s has had solo exhibitions in institutions and galleries in Columbus, Zanesville, Atlanta, Indianapolis, Knoxville and San Diego.

A Fun Time for All

Though art fans are sure to enjoy a trip to Nemacolin, adventure-seekers, foodies, athletes and everyone in between also flock to the resort. The Adventure Center, Wildlife Academy, internationally acclaimed Nemacolin Spa Collection, 36 holes of championship golf, ski facilities and so much more make Nemacolin the destination for individuals and families that don’t want (or need) to compromise.

The resort boasts an impressive collection of restaurants and lounges, including the Forbes Five-Star and AAA Five-Diamond restaurant, Lautrec. Living accommodations vary from luxurious hotel suites to private vacations homes. There are even pet-friendly accommodations so no one in the family has to miss out on the fun.