Matthew Jackson and Barbara McGuire at November’s event. courtesy photos
ArtHouse Columbus
L’erin Cross, Daniel Cross, and Seth Moorman. photo by Kyle Spears
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~by Karen E. Farley
eth Moorman, L’erin Cross, and Daniel Cross hope to bring a new experience to downtown Columbus. Last November, the trio organized their first art house event. They booked musicians, artists, and writers to perform and show their work at their home on Washington Street. ArtHouse Columbus is a gathering of local artists and musicians. The group meets quarterly to share their creativity with one another and the community. The Crosses and Moorman share a passion for both music and art and want to attract artists with a positive message. “Last summer, the three of us were at a music festival called Cornerstone in Bushnell, Illinois,” explains L’erin. “It was the final year that they were holding the festival after 29 years. Someone said it was time to bring that experience back to our home towns and Daniel took that very literally.” L’erin, who has a B.S. in Art Education, has her own line of stuffed animals and paints for friends and family. Moorman, a student at IUPUC, is a songwriter, plays the acoustic guitar and does sound for bands and concerts. Daniel is working on his B.S. in Vocal Music. He has been in several choirs as well as playing bass guitar in bands over the years. The Crosses met Moorman when he ran sound for Daniel’s band four years ago. After living in Nashville, Tenn. for a short time, the couple moved back to Columbus in 2011. Their music experience in Nashville led them to begin planning a venue of their own.
10 INto ART • April–June 2013
“We have some friends that have an art house in Nashville, so Daniel talked to them about starting one here in Columbus,” she says. “After planning for four months and buying a house to have it at, we had our first event in November,” L’erin says. The Crosses circa-1907 home on Washington Street, with 2,500-square-feet, is an ideal venue for the events. Individual artists and musicians are starting up these venues across the country. At their first performance, almost 50 guests toured their home while listening to music and enjoying coffee and pastries. The quarterly events include music, visual and literary genres. Music entertainment includes individual artists and full bands.