Joseph House Art Gallery celebrates 10th anniversary

It’s difficult to believe, but the Joseph House Art Gallery is celebrating its 10th anniversary this month. It’s probably hard for me to believe because technically, it’s in its 11th year.

It opened in 2000. So, it’s 11 years, right?

No matter.

Geri Davis is the keeper of the memories. She was one of the original founders and sent me a history of the gallery. As a co-op, each artist paid for his space and also had to commit to be in the gallery during office hours for a certain number of hours each month to greet visitors, answer any questions and sell art.

It all began to happen in late 1998 when the Historic Columbus Foundation asked Claude and Molly Scarbrough if they would open up their house for the annual Tour of Homes.

They did, and asked a tenant in the house, artist Jan Miller, if any of her friends would bring art for the bare walls.

She did. The artists brought their work. The tour was a success. And to their surprise, the artists found that most of their work sold during the tour.

“Claude, being the entrepreneur he is, saw a perfect venue for Columbus and regional artists,” Geri said.

A group of artists formed a board in 1999, and spent the next year meeting and talking and travel to other artists’ co-ops around the Southeast.

The formal name was chosen: The Joseph House Art Gallery Cooperative.

Some of the artists worked out bylaws and rules, while others worked with lawyers, laid out the floor plans for the gallery exhibition rooms and tried to sell the concept to Columbus and regional artists.

“In the summer of 2000, all of the paperwork was finalized,” Geri said. “Now came the task of inviting artists to join the JHG. Over 200 invitations were sent to artists in Columbus and the surrounding areas. The first 50 artists who signed up and paid their dues in full for the inaugural year were classified as ‘Founding Members.’”

Several of the founding members are still members of the JHG. The membership has been as high as 80 artists, but now there are 52. The Gallery is still owned and operated by its members.

“The Gallery hosts four public receptions a year with seasonal themes and the artists bring in new artwork each quarter,” Geri said. “The JHG is more than just an art gallery. Artists form life-long friendships, teach their particular craft to other members and to the community, and share their artwork in businesses around Columbus.

“The JHG has given back to the community on many levels. They host an annual ‘Talk and Tea’ for CSU’s Friends of Art, sponsor art scholarships, donate artwork to fundraisers such as the American Heart Association, American Cancer Society, Art for Autism and the Historic Columbus Foundation.”

A Gallery-wide project which supports the Columbus Historic Foundation is the “Postcards from the Past,” a postcard book containing images of original artwork of Columbus landmarks.

“Columbus is a city which supports its artists, this is evident by the many guests that are always present at JHG events,” Geri said. “With the vision of Claude and Molly Scarbrough, the diligent work of the JHG founders, the creativity and dedication of the artist/members and the support of the media and Gallery’s patrons, the Joseph House Art Gallery has been able to bring fine art to the Columbus area for an entire decade.”

The founding members who are displaying their work are Julia Ashley, Faith Birkhead, Laurie Bode, Bucky Bowles, Marcel Carles, Carol Crocker, Donnie Crocker, Geri Davis, Doris Black, Sally Gates, Gloria Mani, Jan Miller, Jo Farris, Karen Stewart, Helen Lee, Helena Meek, Diane Osborne, Jill Chancey Philips and Nell Spettel. Most will be at the reception from 2-5 p.m. Sunday. The founding members still involved at the Joseph House are Carles, Davis, Lee, Meek, Osborne and Spettel.

Congratulations to all of you!

Sandra Okamoto, sokamoto@ledger-enquirer.com or 706-571-8580.