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ARTSPACE/LIMA NEWS

Kewpee: Students to Watch
{a continuation of our Women to Watch exhibition, showcasing emerging artists)

March 22nd 2024

Our first exhibit of 2024 was ‘Ohio Women to Watch’, which featured 11 of the top women artists in Ohio. We are going to continue the theme of highlighting women artists this year by showcasing eleven female artists from every show. The jurors of the Kewpee High School Invitational Show have designated 11 young women who have made an impact with their art.

 

All of these 11 Women's work (below) show exceptional skill and promise, from the quality of the work to the message within the pieces. Congratulations!

Here are the artists (in order from left to right): Grace Musson, Anna Averesch, Ayla Tabler, Kally Cotter, Mya Brown, Fern Jackson, Haley Hahn, Sierra Miller,  Hayley Chambers, Rachel Fronzaglia, and Alyvia Kiser.

Grace Musson's Spiral Jar black and white jar with striped lid
A photo of Grace Musson using the potter's wheel
A photo of Anna Averesch modeling a dragon head.
A very detailed Godzilla statue
A headshot of Ayla Tabler
Painting by Ayla Tabler, self portrait titled "see no ayla, hear no ayla, speak no ayla" a three panel image.
A portrait of Kally Cotter
A sculpture by Kally Cotter of a mans shoulders and he has a giant gold question mark for a head.
A portrait of Mya Brown
A colorful drawing of a purple woman. The drawing is ripped in the middle and reveals a black and white eye.

By Craig Kelly from Lima News

February 23, 2024

The essence of created art is taking an internal vision and turning it into an external reality. By that definition, the work former ArtSpace/Lima executive director Ellen Nelson put into putting the art gallery on the map in the Lima community was truly a work of art.

Nelson, 79, died Feb. 1 in Madison, Wisconsin, where she moved in 2019 to be closer to family, according to her obituary. While her roots go back to the Badger State, Nelson left an impact on Lima through her involvement with the arts, specifically the Lima Art Association which became ArtSpace, first as a volunteer in 1984 and then as executive director in 1988, a position she held until 1998.

“ArtSpace has been around for 60 years, so she got in midway through the history of the organization,” longtime ArtSpace board member Fred Odum said. “But it was more like an arts club before she was involved, and she really turned it into an institution.”

That transformation involved moving the organization from its old home at the Allen County Memorial Hall to its present location on Town Square. For present executive director Sally Windle, Nelson was the leader ArtSpace needed in this effort as she possessed both the vision of what ArtSpace could be as well as the tenacity to make that vision a reality.

“Looking at some of the old scrapbooks and pictures from the newspapers, there’s everyone from the business sector coming to see what ArtSpace was doing,” she said. “She had people from Westinghouse and from other businesses in there, and they were making decisions about what ArtSpace was going to do for the next show. So she had that way of making it not only the art community but also some of the leaders in other areas be a part of this.”

Nelson also worked to make the art gallery sustainable through its endowment. Events like Rally in the Square helped promote the downtown gallery and raise funds to keep it in operation. She also worked to promote the future of Lima’s art community through promoting connections with area schools.

“[Former operations coordinator and education director] Nancy [Lohr] and Ellen pretty much just opened the doors of this place,” former Lima schools art education director Mike Huffman said. “We collaborated on a lot of professional development, and that was really advantageous to have a community-based arts organization as a partner.”

Today, ArtSpace/Lima has become a cultural pillar for Lima’s downtown, not only bringing in a variety of exhibits for viewing but also helping people create their own art through various projects and educational efforts. In honor of Nelson’s work in bringing ArtSpace to where it is now, the main floor gallery now bears her name. While that gallery may help preserve the memory of Nelson as a strong advocate for the arts in the Lima community, Lohr, Nelson’s longtime co-worker and friend, said she hopes others will remember something else about the former executive director:

“Her graciousness,” she said. “She allowed us to grow, as well, and I will forever be thankful for that.

Kelly, Craig. (2024, February 23). Nelson a Catalyst in Developing Lima's Art Scene. The Lima News. https://www.limaohio.com/top-stories/2024/02/23/nelson-a-catalyst-in-developing-limas-art-scene/

Nelson a catalyst in developing Lima’s art scene

The gates of the Ellen Nelson Gallery in ArtSpace Lima
The old vivace restaurant with ArtSpace's logo on the window.

ArtSpace is Expanding!

October 27, 2023

We are pleased to announce the purchase of a new building with the help of our anonymous donor. The new building, located at 59 Town Square , will allow the gallery to expand and showcase a wider range of art and provide more space for educational programs and events.

We are thrilled to be expanding our space. This new building will allow us to better serve our community and provide a more engaging experience for our visitors. We are committed to providing our community with a vibrant and engaging art experience. This expansion will allow us to do just that.

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