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ZANESVILLE IN THE SHORT NORTH

Oppositional Forces #7
Asphalt, Alkyd, and Oil
Michael R. Seiler

Zanesville artists showcased in the Short North

Shelly Schultz, Zanesville Times Recorder Published 1:53 p.m. ET Jan. 8, 2020 | Updated 4:08 p.m. ET Jan. 8, 2020

Former Chandlersville resident highlights local work in her gallery

ZANESVILLE – A group of Zanesville artists are being showcased this month in Columbus’ Short North district.

Chandlersville native Sarah Gormley has opened her High Street gallery to nine local artists, Jane Cardi, Alan Cottrill, Nora Daniel, Paul Emory, Jana Pryor, Linda Gall, Marti Steffy, John Taylor-Lehman and Mike Seiler. The exhibit opened on Jan. 3, and the Zanesville artists will be at the gallery for an artists’ reception from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday.

After graduating college, Gormley lived in Chicago, New York and San Francisco before moving back to the family farm to help care for her ailing mother.

“I needed to take a break from corporate marketing which has been my career to date, although I had always dreamed about opening an art gallery since my Grandma Cameron bought me my first piece of artwork when I graduated from undergrad in 1994,” Gormley said.

Tête-à-Tête” (face-to-face) bench by sculpture Alan Cottrill is on display during the Zanesville in the Short North exhibit in Columbus.

Tête-à-Tête” (face-to-face) bench by sculpture Alan Cottrill is on display during the Zanesville in the Short North exhibit in Columbus. (Photo: Submitted)

Gormley lived at the family farm for a year after her mother passed away in 2018. A year ago this month, she moved to the Short North.

When the owners of the apartment she rents learned that Gormley had an interest in opening a pop up gallery, they showed her a space on North High Street.

“I opened in April of last year knowing I had to pursue the gallery seriously,” Gormley said. “I’ve had a wonderful experience, largely due to the gracious support and help from people within the community, from Wood Company to the other galley owners and the local artists, all of whom have been absolutely generous with their time and energy.”

Gormley is on the board of the Zanesville Museum of Art and knows many of the local artists. She wanted to find a way to showcase the talent in a group exhibition so the exhibit, Zanesville in the Short North, was born.

“The show is a group of nine very different, but wildly talented individuals from Zanesville,” Gormley said. “The biggest challenge is that there is only so much wall space at the gallery that I could only take nine artists, it was difficult to choose.

Nine Ball by Zanesville artist Paul Emory is on display in the Sarah Gormley Gallery in the Short North District of Columbus.

Nine Ball by Zanesville artist Paul Emory is on display in the Sarah Gormley Gallery in the Short North District of Columbus. (Photo: Submitted)

“There are so many rewarding parts of this work, and it’s hard work,” Gormley said. “Meeting and getting to know the artists is phenomenal. There is nothing better than seeing a client react to a piece, to connect with the art and the story behind the piece of art, and seeing somebody decide they want to have it. To know what it means to each artist, it’s so powerful. And, to think about all of the joy the artwork will bring to that person or family for years to come – that’s the best part of owning a gallery, the human connection.”

cschultz3@gannett.com