6 December 38 Ohio Artists Featured in Statewide Juried Exhibition at the Columbus Main Library December 6, 2019 Art, artists, For Artists, For the Public, News, Public Columbus Metropolitan Library, Friends of the Library, Juried Exhibition, Kevin Lyles, Main Library, Ohio Arts Council, Ohio Online Visual Artist Registry, OOVAR 0 The talents of 38 Ohio artists will be on view at the 13th Annual Ohio Online Visual Artist Registry (OOVAR) Juried Exhibition, Jan. 16 - Feb. 29, at the Columbus Metropolitan Main Library's Carnegie Gallery (96 S. Grant Ave., Second Floor). Presented by the Ohio Arts Council (OAC), Columbus Metropolitan Library, and Friends of the Library, the exhibition showcases Ohio artists registered in OOVAR, a database of work by more than 1,900 artists from Ohio and all over the world. Artwork was selected for the show by the exhibition’s three jurors: Kevin Lyles, a professional artist from Gallipolis; Michael Suh of the Columbus Metropolitan Library; and Julie Newhall of Friends of the Library. “The biggest surprise was the quality and breadth of the work,” said Lyles, a professor of art at the University of Rio Grande. “I knew I was in trouble when I perused the first five or 10 entries. Narrowing those down was by far the hardest part.” The artists in this year’s show hail from 24 Ohio cities and work in a variety of mediums. Those selected for the exhibition include: Brooke Albrecht, Columbus Ginny Baughman, Centerville Diane Belfiglio, North Canton John Benvenuto, Dayton Adam Bernard, Medina Samantha Bias, Cleveland Barbara Breen, Beachwood William Brouillard, Cleveland Bob Bruch, Oberlin Donna Coleman, Oberlin Lynn Cox, Westerville Connaught Cullen, Chauncey Pamela Daum, Kent Randy DePuy, Columbus Craig Fisher, Toledo Paul Graham, Worthington Kathy Guest, South Bloomingville Derrick Hickman, Lebanon Linda Hutchinson, Kent Paula Izydorek, Cleveland John Jaster, Kettering Beth Lindenberger, Akron Bruce Macadam, Columbus Daniel Mainzer, Stow Lynda McClanahan, Columbus Rachel McFarlane David, Reynoldsburg Vivian Mosley, New Philadelphia Chris Pemberton, Blacklick Angie Rucker, Westerville Jesus Sanchez-Alvarez, Athens Peggy Schuning, Cincinnati Donald Schuster, Liberty Township Inga Smith, Columbus Jimbo Tamoro, Columbus JT Thompson, Columbus Gina Washington, Cleveland Paul Wilbur, Columbus Evie Zimmer, Cleveland A filterable list of artists and their work in the exhibition can be downloaded here. In addition to selecting the artwork for the show, the jurors will each give one Juror’s Choice Award to a piece in the exhibition. These three $500 awards are sponsored by the OAC. A People’s Choice Award, also $500 and sponsored by the Friends of the Library, will be selected based on ballots cast by patrons of the gallery and library. Visitors can vote for their favorite artworks in the show through Feb. 23. All awards will be announced and presented publicly on Feb. 29 during a closing reception held at the Main Library from 2 to 4 p.m. Lyles, whose own work was included in the 10th Annual OOVAR Juried Exhibition in 2016, said visitors to the library and gallery will be introduced to an array of art that is “incredible in variety and quality.” “When one sees an exhibition like this, it is almost hard to believe that there could be this many approaches and perspectives,” he said. “Our desire to create and our ability to make art is fundamental to being human. It’s every bit as important as what engineers, scientists, politicians, mathematicians, teachers, or workers do. Giving Ohio artists these exhibition venues helps artists feel that it is important for their voices to be heard—and seen.” Admission to the 13th Annual OOVAR Juried Exhibition is free and open to the public during library hours. View more artwork on the OOVAR site at ohioonlinearts.org. ABOUT THE OHIO ARTS COUNCIL The Ohio Arts Council is a state agency that funds and supports quality arts experiences to strengthen Ohio communities culturally, educationally, and economically. Connect with the OAC on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, or visit our website at oac.ohio.gov. ### Article by Amanda Etchison, Communications Strategist Comments are closed.