The materials I work with are magazine collage, acrylic paint, charcoal and cloth. The patterns and odd configurations of things I stumble upon are an integral part of the process of changing my original design, always leaving a doorway open for an element of chance. A number of images have more of an emphasis of paint over cut paper. Though the collage elements are integrated sparingly, they often set the tone for the rest of the design.

Robert’s work will be on display from October 12 - November 6, 2018

Robert Coomer is an internationally recognized, award winning photographer who grew up on a farm in Brown County, Ohio. Art has always been a part of his life and in 1994 he graduated with a BS degree in Graphic Design from the University of Cincinnati College of Design, Art, Architecture, and Planning.

He draws from his farm roots to shoot images of backyard wildlife, old barns, farmscapes, and scenic landscapes in Southwestern Ohio and Eastern Kentucky. His work is an exploration of light and subject, and discovering beauty in unexpected places.

I find beauty in age and decay, and then reproduce it in a way that maintains a sense of time and place. To do this, I use distressed steel as the basis of my pieces. It can take up to 3 months to build up the rust and patina patterns on each piece of steel and then up to 12 hours of surface work to strip and reveal the damage done. Once I have my surface, the image is printed to the metal with various techniques, and then float mounted on stained wood using distressed bolts that maintain the aged and worn appearance. Through this process I am able to create an emotional connection to the image, and produce a piece authentic enough to look as though it had been stolen from the scene and presented to the viewer as an artifact on display. The work is modern and industrial, but is equally at home among antiques and more traditional settings.

Adam Kolp was born in Westerville, Ohio, in 1978. As soon as he could hold a pencil, he started drawing and doodling. Adam’s desire to create led to a childhood dream of becoming an artist. When he was in high school, his vision started to decrease and he was diagnosed with Kerataconus, an eye disease that affects the structure of the cornea and causes vision issues. After graduating from high school, Adam continued his education at Otterbein College in Westerville, Ohio, studying Visual Art.

Even though his vision became a constant struggle and he was placed on the cornea transplant list, he still continued on at Otterbein, taking classes and making artwork. After two cornea transplants and a pending graduation, Adam decided to return to Otterbein College and get a degree in education so he could share his love of art. Adam is a Middle School art teacher in New Albany. Adam enjoys sharing his passion for art with his middle school students so much that his job doesn’t feel like work. Adam also has established himself as a local professional artist, creating many original and commissioned pieces of art work.

The struggle that Adam endured with his loss of vision has given him a unique view on life and living. He is constantly creating; drawing, painting, wood burning, researching new ideas and techniques, finding a new life for reclaimed materials, or falling back to how he started in 1980, doodling in a sketchbook.

"Outside In" opens Saturday April 22, 2017 @ 5pm

"My paintings are an expression of my love of nature. As a child  my desire to draw began at an early age and I would put to use any paper surface my mother could provide for me.

I hope to convey to the viewer the passion, beauty, and reverence i feel when exploring our magical natural world."

Majoring in fine art at Kent State University, Carolyn focused on painting the figure. Her study of the human form proved later helpful in her anatomical renderings of the wildlife in her paintings.

She worked as a graphic artist immediately after college and later for seven years as an illustrator's assistant. 

Close observation, photography and her almost daily treks into the woods, fields and along the Big Walnut Creek, over which her studio sits, have been the inspirational reference for her richly colored, realistic oil paintings.

Carolyn has been represented by numerous galleries and has been included in local and national juried competitions in which she has been recognized and awarded for her paintings.