ART WORKS of
DEVOTED LOCAL CREATIVES
PUBLISHER
Wayne T. Lewis
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Lindsay Press
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Sav McKee
EDITOR’S ASSISTANT
Mary McCarthy
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
Erika G. Clark
Gabrielle Shamon
Natalie Folchi
Joss Ford
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Jordan Abbruzzese
Laura Jones
Taylor Dorrell
Erin McKee
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Andrew Thomas
CREATIVE DESIGNERS
Abby Nocera
Liann Trahey
CONTRIBUTING DESIGNERS
Maya Holman
Brooke Sheridan
MARKETING MANAGER
Emma Mortellaro
SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER
Zoe King
ADVERTISING DIRECTOR
Meggin Weimerskirch
SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES
Mindy Wilhite
Anna Gerhard
ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE
Meghan Chapman
Precision
Peace
Soft light moves across the marble and cabinetry, reflected in the clean lines of glass and polished fixtures. Each choice was made with care and a clear plan, ensuring the space would feel effortless to use day after day. The result is a bathroom that offers calm through its details, an inviting place to begin and end the rhythm of daily life.
14 BUSINESS A Knight's Tale
The designer building the most luxurious homes in Central Ohio
18 DINING
Chef's Table
Esteemed Chef Yudi is slicing up the only omakase in town
26 WELLNESS
Free Spirited
Paloma is a spa and sanctuary here in Columbus
LIBATIONS At Your Service
Meet Cassidy Lee-Durain, Service Bar’s cocktail mixologist
50 FASHION
Tailored Jim Rieser’s custom-made suits never go out of style
Resident Artists
The group of all-women artists at 24 Lincoln Street Art Studios
ON THE COVER:
Amy Adams paints a floral still life at her studio in 24 Lincoln Street Art Studios. Photo by Erika G. Clark.
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
Ihave always been fascinated by stories, particularly films, that center characters consumed by their craft. Black Swan, Tár, Phantom Thread, Whiplash, Center Stage, The Devil Wears Prada, to name a few.
There is something magnetic about watching someone devote themselves so completely to a skill, an art, a calling. For years, part of me longed to love something with that same ferocity. It wasn’t until conceptualizing this Spring issue that I realized perhaps, I already do.
Growing up, I spent my allowance on magazines. I would walk to Walgreens and buy Cosmopolitan, which I was almost certainly too young to be reading. My best friend and I would flip through the glossy pages in secret, then cut them into mood boards so our parents wouldn’t discover them. My closet walls were plastered with inspirational quotes and titles. Each morning, as I chose between plaid skirts, I was met not only with outfits but with fragments of what I loved even more than clothes at the time: magazines themselves. Even then, I was studying composition—the balance of images and headlines, the power of a perfectly placed word.
In fifth grade, I was selected for Power of the Pen, an exclusive group of the school’s best writers. In high school, a teacher pulled me aside to ask if I had plagiarized an essay—he was certain it couldn’t possibly be mine. In college, I disappointed my parents by leaving my pre-med path behind after one too many battles with organic chemistry, choosing to major in English instead.
So much of my past has shaped exactly where I am today, as a writer, an editor, and someone who’s utterly obsessed with the fact that I get to write about other people who are equally obsessed with their own jobs.
This issue celebrates a dozen creatives whose commitment to their careers—their art— border on reverence. Some in the traditional sense, like the artists of 24 Lincoln Street Art Studios. Others less literally, but no less passionately: Chef Yudi, the classically trained sushi master who hand-selects fish flown overnight from Tokyo; Jen Borman, who lives and breathes discipline of both mind and body; Kevin Knight, who demands excellence from himself and every home he designs; Cassidy Durain-Lee, who crafts cocktails entirely on her own terms; Jim Rieser, who regards dressing well as an art form itself; and Angela Gann and Stella Giometti, who have built a sanctuary for those seeking restoration after burnout.
All of these Columbus creatives remind us that even when you love what you do, devotion does not make it easy, but it simply makes it all worth it.
McKEE
Editor-in-Chief, Refined
At 24 Lincoln St. with Erika Clark
On set with Natalie Folchi and Kevin Knight
Viewing photo options with Jeni Britton
At Jen Borman's photoshoot for this issue
3 DAYS POWER RESERVE AUTOMATIC CALIBRE
CROWN PROTECTING DEVICE PATENTED IN 1956
50 BAR
500 M WATER RESISTANCE
A
Knight’s
Esteemed designer KEVIN KNIGHT draws on TRADITION to create Central Ohio’s most ENCHANTING homes
Story by TAYLOR DORRELL Photography by NATALIE FOLCHI Design by BROOKE SHERIDAN
“It’s real,” the builder and designer Kevin Knight told me in the living room of an unfinished house secluded outside of Delaware, Ohio. Knight was standing upright with his hands folded in front of his waist, looking up with a completely serious face. I tilted my head, confused.
“And when you say ‘real,’” I clarified, “you mean as opposed to it just being visual and not structurally utilized?”
“Yes,” he said, pointing up above. “I had a problem with the 2 by 10s,” Knight explained, “so we said, ‘Let’s make the
ceiling structural, the way it would have been done, you know, 200 years ago.’”
I didn’t know, but I saw the large oak timbers that held up the home and nodded along. “I see, I see.”
Knight then brought up the ever-controversial slate roofs. “I’m the builder that likes using them,” he said. “It’s a real product. It’s a legacy. It takes a lot of time and it slows down the flow of construction, and it’s not the easy way, but it’s the right way.”
He continued, “And I don’t know if you noticed it when you drove in, but these are
the triple hung windows with the weights the way they would have been 200 years ago— they were used when Thomas Jefferson did Monticello in the 1700s.” The towering windows opened from the floor so that they could technically be used as doors.
He stepped through the windows-turneddoors, explaining that this entire process—of conceptualizing, designing, and building—is an artistic form for him. “I don’t just think of nailing 2 by 4s together,” he explained. “I really think about the whole space. What I do is a form of creativity, and these houses are a great representation of what I do and what will last.”
KNIGHT AND DAY DIFFERENCE
Kevin Knight of Knight & Co. says that the art of building homes is his form of a creative outlet, setting him apart from many builders and designers here in Columbus.
While he says that he thinks of the art of building as a creative outlet, in his freetime, he also sails, paints watercolors, and creates informational home design videos on Instagram that have garnered him over 13,000 followers and a loyal fanbase of people who find him equally as charming and witty as I do.
Kevin Knight is a quiet, unpretentious man of an earnest sort with a likeness of a blend of 20th century writers like James Thurber, James Joyce, and S.J. Perelman. A keen, intense eye sparkled behind his modest circular glasses, his black vest and baseball cap were worn with the effortless authority of a man accustomed to walking about a construction site and calmly giving directions, which, as the founder and owner of Kevin Knight & Co., he often does. As he stood there relaxed with his hands folded, it was the type of portrait that would have
inspired an illustration that one would find in The New Yorker
Kevin’s client and owner of the soon-to-behome we’re in is a local CEO who, coming from humble beginnings, grew up on a pig farm in Ohio and wished to return to a simpler rural life with his 50 acres of hilly pastures and a modest mansion. It’s one of a handful of homes that Kevin Knight & Co. is currently constructing, from more contemporary homes in Upper Arlington to Georgian homes in New Albany. “We enjoy it all,” Knight said. And by all, he means more than the 150 grandeur homes he’s built.
When I asked if he would label his work as luxury housing, he paused. “Most people like yourself like to name or put things in categories. I just think of them as residential housing for clients. Whether it’s X square
TAKE THE PLUNGE
Kevin Knight was inspired by British architect Edwin Lutyens for this symmetrical New Albany backyard. Picture courtesy of Knight & Co.
DRAWING INSPIRATION
Knight uses elements in his homes that have been around for the past 200 years, blending modern aspects with traditional techniques.
“What I do is a form of CREATIVITY, and these HOUSES are a great representation of what I do and what will LAST.”
footage or 10 times X, it doesn’t matter to me, it really doesn’t. What does matter is the quality of design and quality of thought.”
Knight’s affinity for detail was forged at OSU where he received his degree in architecture. “When did you go to OSU?” I asked. “Before you were even thought of,” he joked. He worked in the industry straight out of college in 1976 and started his own practice in the 1980s, building some of the first homes in New Albany.
In his traditional builds for today, he is heavily reliant on the 2007 book Get Your House Right: Architectural Elements to Use & Avoid, a spanning guide for builders and contractors. In it, you will find painfully specific advice about burning problems like eave returns, front-loaded garages, and how to avoid the pitfalls of “McMansions.”
“This was written 20 years ago,” Knight emphasized. “And it sounds really corny, but when I drive through neighborhoods, I’ll see stuff like that,” he said, pointing to an eave return that replaced cyma with a flat board set at an angle.
Since that day, I keep thinking about flat board angles and two-car garages. I can picture the illustrations in Get Your House Right and the sobering voice of Knight telling me what’s real. One evening I was over for dinner at a friend’s house, and I looked up at the ceiling where there were three wood beams. “It’s not real,” I thought. “Not like it was 200 years ago.”
VISIT kevinknight&co.com to inquire about a custom built home or view more of Kevin’s work.
This office Kevin helped renovate features custom steel and glass doorways, a wine cellar, and a gorgeous fireplace. Picture courtesy of Knight & Co.
SPIRALING
These stairs, which Kevin Knight considers the ultimate circulation through this Upper Arlington home, were built on-site in collaboration with Stock + Stone Architects and Interior Designer Nick Magato. Picture courtesy of Knight & Co.
PASSION PROJECT
HARU Omakase is a culmination of
Chef Yudi's skills that he refined while cooking for Toyota executives and other high-profile clientele.
A seat at HARU offers an intimate view of Chef Yudi Makassau’s culinary expertise
Story by TAYLOR DORRELL
Photography by ERIKA G. CLARK
Design by ANDREW THOMAS
HARU Omakase is not an ordinary dining experience. There’s no permanent menu at this Polaris-area restaurant, no substituting ingredients or requesting vegetarian options, no walk-ins, and especially no drive-thru.
And HARU’S executive chef, Yudi Makassau, is no ordinary chef. Yudi is classically trained in sushi making by Toyota—yes, that one—requested specifically to make sushi and Japanese fare for the executives at the company. From there, he was sought-out at high-profile establishments like the internationally acclaimed SUSHISAMBA and the ever-popular Nobu. And now, with two decades of experience under his chef’s hat, he’s landed here in Columbus.
“HARU started as a passion project,” Chef Yudi explained. “A way for me to showcase skills I’ve picked up over twenty years, while also filling a gap in the Columbus food scene that hasn’t really been explored in depth.” HARU Omakase was founded by Jeff Tsao and his wife Yenny, a co-founder of Meanie Konbini, a company that makes onigiri, triangular balls of rice filled with various ingredients and wrapped in dried seaweed. They personally hand-picked Chef Yudi as a partner. “The vision for HARU naturally grew from there,” Chef Yudi said.
C hef’s Table
FRONT ROW SEAT
Chef Yudi carefully slices buttery king salmon imported from New Zealand right in front of guests.
“That BALANCE is what excites me— taking something familiar and refining it just enough TO FEEL NEW, without losing its SOUL .”
Omakase is a Japanese phrase that roughly translates to “I'll leave it up to you.” Guests have to entrust Chef Yudi to create a one-of-a-kind meal for them, completely relinquishing any control they have over their dining experience.
The concept is HARU’s and Chef Yudi’s speciality, and it’s the only dedicated Omakase restaurant in Central Ohio.
After booking a dining time and arriving at a table, the experience costs $89 per person and unfolds in five “tours,” or courses: a salad, three sushi-centric entrées, and a dessert, all of which are chosen on a changing basis by the chef. For an extra $10, you can book a seat at the chef’s table to hear about the intent behind Chef Yudi’s menu personally from him, while the glimmer of Yudi’s knives reflect into the eyes of your date.
The menu, largely made up of seafood, features sushi and eel as the most common ingredients. “There isn’t one specific dish I always come back to,”
Chef Yudi said. “For me, it’s more about an idea that guides every menu. I’m constantly asking myself how I can push seasonal flavor profiles while still respecting traditional sushi techniques. That balance is what excites me—taking something familiar and refining it just enough to feel new, without losing its soul.”
CHEF'S CHOICE
Omakase is a Japanese phrase that roughly translates to “I'll leave it up to you,” meaning the diner relinquishes control over their order. It's up to Chef Yudi.
FRESH CATCH
Chef Yudi takes a weekly trip to the John Glenn International Airport to pick up items flown in directly from Tokyo’s Toyosu Market.
While there are many local ties with the restaurant, the fish themselves are not local. Chef Yudi does not sit on the banks of the Scioto in hopes of catching that night’s meal. Instead, the chef depends on the best of the best international markets for his supply.
With an air of fidelity, every week orders are placed from trusted sources across the globe. Their current menu features at least three imports: buttery king salmon imported from New Zealand; anago eel from South Korea, known for a soft, fluffy texture; and premium uni from Hokkaido, so creamy that it’s almost custard-like. It is becoming increasingly common for fish in the Pacific Ocean to find themselves on a flight to the flatlands of Central Ohio. The chef himself takes a weekly trip to the John Glenn International Airport to pick up items flown in directly from Tokyo's Toyosu Market. “Freshness and timing are everything,” the chef said. “So the process is very involved and hands-on.”
In the outskirts of Columbus, Ohio, one can find a wide variety of international cuisine. From Bethel Road to Sawmill Road, there is no shortage of cultural imports. Tucked in between the sprawling superhighways and winding suburban roads are the shopping malls and restaurants from Vietnam, Yemen, and Japan. For now, the Polaris-area is the only place in the region where one can find Omakase meals featuring the most delicious sea creatures of the Pacific, thoughtfully, traditionally, and expertly prepared by the most dedicated chef in the Midwest.
RESERVE a spot at Yudi’s table inside HARU by visiting haruomakase.com.
• Three Exhibitions Annually
• Architecture & History
• Art Classes, Ages 5–Adult
Andrew Richmond and Hollie Davis curators
Story by SAV MCKEE
STEVEN RANKINS Design
ANDREW THOMAS
OHIO VEIN & VASCULAR - POLARIS & REYNOLDSBURG help Central Ohio patients find relief from leg pain
If you’ve noticed aching, swelling, or heaviness in your legs after a long day, it might be more than just fatigue. For many Central Ohioans, these are early warning signs of vein disease, a condition that affects nearly one in three adults. Left untreated, it can lead to serious health complications.
At Ohio Vein & Vascular’s Polaris office and new Reynoldsburg location, patients are finding relief and renewed comfort every day through expert, minimally invasive care and most walk out the same day, already on the path to better circulation.
MORE THAN TIRED LEGS
“Many people think leg pain and swelling are just part of aging,” explained Dr. Centa, one of the leading physicians at Ohio Vein & Vascular – Polaris & Reynoldsburg. “But they’re often your body’s way of saying something’s wrong.”
Symptoms of vein disease can include:
• Aching or throbbing pain in the legs
• Swelling or heaviness, especially after standing or sitting
“Vein disease doesn’t discriminate,” Dr. Centa said. “We see teachers, nurses, athletes, and retirees. Anyone can experience it.”
Photography by
by
ADVANCED, MINIMALLY INVASIVE TREATMENTS
Ohio Vein & Vascular – Polaris & Reynoldsburg offer advanced, minimally invasive treatments for varicose veins and venous reflux, such as thermal and mechanical-chemical ablation, that close damaged veins and restore healthy circulation. Procedures are quick, comfortable, and require no hospital stay or downtime. The team also treats Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD).
LOCAL PRACTICE WITH A PERSONAL TOUCH
At the Polaris and Reynoldsburg offices, every patient receives compassionate, individualized attention. Most procedures are completed in under 20 minutes, and new patients are typically seen within days of calling. Free vein screenings are available to identify symptoms and risk factors early. Best of all, Dr. Centa splits his time between both the Polaris and Reynoldsburg locations.
“We’re here to make getting help simple and stress-free,” said Dr. Centa. “You don’t have to live with pain or swelling. Relief is closer than you think.”
Call (614) 426-VEIN (8346) to schedule a free consultation at Ohio Vein & Vascular. The Polaris office is located at 1070 Polaris Pkwy., Suite 100, and Reynoldsburg is at 6100 E. Main St., Suite 105. Visit LoveYourVeins.com for more information.
FREE LEG SCREENING
Don’t ignore the signs of leg pain, swelling, or visible veins. A quick, free, non-invasive screening could be the first step toward healthier legs and a more active, comfortable life, especially if you have the following symptoms:
• Pain in the muscles of the leg, buttocks, thigh or calf while walking
• Aching pain in the legs at night
• Tingling, heaviness, numbness or swelling of the lower extremities
• Restless legs
• Varicose veins or leg ulcers
• Leg wounds that don’t heal
• Leg cramps
MEET THE
DOCTORS
As part of the Ohio Vein & Vascular network, bringing together innovative treatments and leading physicians, the office is staffed by three vein & vascular doctors:
Dr. Joseph Centa, a board-certified general surgeon with over 25 years of experience, practices in Medina, Norwalk, and Columbus. He is a graduate of Ohio State's College of Medicine and a fellow of the American College of Surgeons.
Dr. Zadeh, founder of Ohio Vein & Vascular, is a board-certified surgeon with 35 years of experience. He’s a leader in vein care and has served as Chief of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery at various institutions in New York City and Pennsylvania.
Dr. Michael Levy, a board-certified surgeon, has performed over 10,000 vein procedures. With prior roles at Mount Sinai and NYU, Dr. Levy now serves patients in the greater Cleveland area.
Story by SAV MCKEE Design by BROOKE SHERIDAN
Three years ago, a medium at Paloma Wellness studied a Polaroid portrait of me, her eyes tracing the colors of my aura. She looked up, met my gaze, and asked me, “Do you feel fulfilled in your career?” At the time, I was considering a departure from my role as a high school English teacher to embrace a life in creative editorial work. I said nothing about it to her, but psychics tend to know these types of things.
When I returned to Paloma last month, I was no longer a teacher contemplating a career change, for that already happened, but a writer seeking clarity after a stubborn bout of creative block. I arrived with a tired body and a weary mind, searching for inspiration. What I found was something far more profound: confirmation.
Some come to Paloma Wellness, located in the heart of Grandview, for lymphatic drainage massages and decadent facials. Others arrive seeking spiritual connection—intuitive readings, reiki rituals, moments of quiet reckoning. For co-founders and co-owners Angela Gann and Stella Giometti, there is no distinction. “It’s a destination and accumulation of experiences that support someone’s mental, physical, and spiritual well-being,” Stella emphasized. “If we just called Paloma a ‘spa,’ well, no, there’s so much more that we offer.”
Like many of their guests—including myself—both Angela and Stella walked away from something in search of a life that felt truer, more honest, and more attuned. Still, they’re careful to note that Paloma is not a place for prescriptions or persuasion. It’s a space for self-discovery. “We do not tell people who they are or what they should be doing,” Stella explained. “We provide them with experiences that allow them to remember, to trust their intuition, and to emotionally regulate…to empower them to say, ‘I trust my inner knowing, and the decisions I make for myself are the right ones.’”
DEEP BREATHS
Along with spiritual guidance, Paloma offers a plethora of body work, such as massages, facials, and lymphatic drainage. Pictures by Brian Kaiser and Meghan E. Kerr.
SACRED SPACE
During my most recent aura reading, Maria Cataland uncovered vibrant colors and a newfound confidence that felt reassuring. Even in the midst of a creative rut, Maria’s reading confirmed I was on the right path. She also introduced me to a curious ancestor—a long-gone aunt— whose approval came with a caveat: the right path, she warned, is rarely the easy one, but what was most important was that I chose it for myself.
Angela and Stella’s own transitions out of the corporate world required the same courage the medium, and my ancestor, witnessed in me. “There were things we loved about our past roles—creating beautiful brands, traveling, connecting with customers…but as we got older, our lives started to change,” explained Angela.
The two friends and longtime collaborators began imagining a future that honored their creativity, free-spiritedness, and their evolving sense of selves—especially now as mothers.
“We felt this deep misalignment, and that’s what drove us to build this. Alignment is definitely something that we feel now with Paloma,” Angela explained. “Everything that Paloma offers is, at its core, what fuels us personally. That’s what made this such a beautiful transition for us.”
Over the past five years, Angela and Stella have grown Paloma into a retreat, a brand, a reflection of lived experiences of not only the guests here, but also of themselves.
“There’s a story in every detail,” said Stella. “Yes,” Angela agreed, “like do you
remember our trip to the Painted Desert?” Stella gasped and nodded while grabbing her phone to show me the picture from their hike there. Angela pointed to the earthy yet peachy limewashed wall colors of Paloma that perfectly matched the photo Stella showed me, and the floor color that is reminiscent of the sand they ran their fingers through while conceptualizing this dream together. “We hiked there, and in that particular spot, we thought: ‘This is it. This is Paloma.’”
The design is only one expression of intention. Anything that touches the body here, whether it’s a textile or skin-care product, is carefully selected: hand-crafted candles and incense, crystals sourced from the owners themselves from Tucson, Brazil, and Peru, hand-made jewelry, and more.
The Dome at Paloma offers community sound baths, but also one-on-one offerings, such as aura readings, palmistry, reiki, and much more. Picture by Brian Kaiser and Meghan E. Kerr.
“We provide them with EXPERIENCES that allow them to remember, to trust their INTUITION, and to EMOTIONALLY regulate.”
This space isn’t promising all the answers. The real magic lies in its ability to offer a gentle nudge that allows you to listen and reconnect with yourself again. Picture by
MAGIC IN MOTION
Erika G. Clark.
ALL FOR YOU
Each healer and body worker is chosen with the same discernment. “It’s a point of pride for us, just the level of talent in the healers that we bring into this space that are able to connect with people and help them build intuition and a trust in themselves,” Stella explained. Guests are in the best hands possible for their facials, massages, body work, and spiritual guidance.
“Creating a space that allows people to slow down, reconnect with themselves, and allow themselves to really focus on self-care and self-exploration is something we’re very passionate about,” said Angela.
While some would consider tarot cards, psychic readings, and the massages at Paloma “magical,” maybe the real magic here is that this space isn’t promising all the answers. Rather, it offers the gentle nudge
that lets you listen inward and trust in what you find, and what you’ve known all along. In a world that so often asks us to rush or second-guess, there’s value in simply being still and reconnecting with yourself. That’s what Angela and Stella did when they conceptualized this sanctuary for others, and what I did when I decided to change my career, trusting myself that I could write articles such as this one.
“This is a purpose that runs so deeply within both of our entire beings,” said Stella.Angela nodded. “It’s so, so meaningful to us.”
BOOK an appointment at Paloma, located at 1197 W. 5th Ave., by visiting experiencepaloma.com. If you’re interested in investing in Paloma’s two new locations, email stella@experiencepaloma.com.
Hand-crafted candles and incense, crystals sourced from the owners themselves, hand-made jewelry, and more await guests in Paloma’s lobby. Picture by Erika G. Clark.
HALL OF MIRRORS
Paloma’s offerings encourage deep reflection and inner work, revealing a truer version of yourself. Picture by Erika G. Clark.
Story
by LAURA JONES
Photography by ERIKA G. CLARK
Design by BROOKE SHERIDAN
esident rtists
Gallery owner SHARON WEISS and a curated roster of WOMEN artists have TRANSFORMED a historic SHORT NORTH residence into an IMMERSIVE, atelier-style studio
In a small blue house on Lincoln Street, behind a black wrought iron gate, is an art studio and gallery, home to five female artists working side by side.
24 Lincoln is one of the oldest homes in the Short North, built in the late 1800s. Turning it into a studio space was the brainchild of Sharon Weiss, owner of the Sharon Weiss Gallery, which shares the small courtyard with 24, and features a storefront window facing the street.
Weiss has operated her gallery for almost thirty years, when her passion to collect caught fire, and she decided to exhibit her favorite Ohio-based artists for others. When considering the little blue house, Weiss said, “It didn’t take me long to think of women. I’ve always been supportive of women, and the older I get, even more so, whatever they may be doing.”
These women—Amy Adams, Lisa Parks-Godfrey, Tamar Rudavsky, Moon Evans and Kara Razek—are all painters. Coming from a variety of backgrounds and locations from China to Boston, they all now work and show at 24 Lincoln Street Art Studios, three painting downstairs and two gracing the second floor.
The brown wood floors, white wainscoting, and eggshellblue walls softly illuminated by cozy lamps are still reminiscent of the home this space once was. Even the small kitchen, where an artist might pause to make a cup of tea or coffee, feels intimate and lived-in. Yet, art is everywhere: lining the walls, nestled among easels, and scattered across paint-spattered desks. 24 Lincoln is a singular, one-of-akind creative hub—layered, vibrant, and as richly textured as the women who work within it.
FRUITS OF HER LABOR Lisa Parks-Godfrey, who resides on the first floor of the studio, paints odes to the natural world: fruits, vegetables, flora, and fauna.
FULL BLOOM
Artist Amy Adams has a special gift and interest in painting floral arrangements. Her second-floor studio is blooming with color.
“When people come into the STUDIO and you have an OPPORTUNITY for them to interact with YOUR WORK in real time, that just fills you as an ARTIST.”
A good way to get to know them is during Gallery Hop, held during the first Saturday of every month from 4-8 P.M. Weiss explained, “The artists interact with people when customers come in and it makes it so personal. Anytime I see an artist painting, I always want to go up and see what they're doing. You don't get to see it that often.”
But does the interaction disturb the painters as they work? Adams, the first artist to take up residency at 24 Lincoln Street Art Studios, said it’s actually the opposite. “Creating is a solitary endeavor. When people come into the studio and you have an opportunity for them to interact with your work in real time, that just fills you as an artist.”
Much of the subject matter the women paint is similar. Nature, for instance, in all its forms, fruit, fauna, flowers. Three of the artists paint en plein, meaning they work outside among the elements, what plein art painter Kara Razek called a “hard sport,” chasing constantly changing conditions, weather, light, clouds. But while subject matter can be similar, the thinking process behind each work, the artist’s pursuit, so human and so personal, is entirely their own.
Adams, for instance, described herself as a “light and shadow painter” focused on revealing a subject’s essence. “I'm obsessed with the study of form and, when there is a light source on a subject, you can see how the light informs what it looks like. It's really that transition between light and dark that is fascinating to me. Philosophically, it gets into more of my spiritual side. You can't have the light without the dark.”
GIRL POWER
24 Lincoln Street Art Studios was conceptualized by gallery owner and art expert Sharon Weiss, who specifically wanted women to have a space to work and dream. From left to right: Amy Adams, Lisa Parks-Godfrey, Kara Razek, Tamar Rudavsky, and Moon Evans. You can purchase their work at a Gallery Hop in the Short North.
Another philosopher in the room, a Philosophy professor actually, is Tamar Rudavsky, whose concern is time and temporality. “I think of Heraclitus who said that reality is always in flux,” she said. “We can never step into the same river twice. That's the sense that I'm trying to capture when I'm painting.” And while Rudavsky is passionate about this pursuit, she’s also written books, taught classes, plays violin and more recently, piano, and has even nurtured a sourdough starter for 21 years. “I grind my own wheat berries and people are finding me,” she said. Add bread, and not just paintings, to the list of art she sells.
Down the stairs from Rudavsky and Adams, Parks-Godfrey occupies a space up front near a window. Parks-Godfrey’s career began by working with the developmentally disabled. “I loved helping them create,” she said, “and helping them get out what they weren't able to speak down on to their canvas or piece of paper. It meant everything to me.” Inspired by those interactions and her own art collecting, Parks-Godfrey started to paint, but while some of the women spoke about the intoxicating flow state of making art, she admitted, “I’ll cry through a painting.” Art can also be a struggle, “but I persevere and work through it,” she said.
Then there’s Moon Evans. Her space is up front, near the stairs. She went to business school on the advice of her mother, but never forgot the words of an early teacher who told her she was talented at art. She is one of the women who is also a mother, but emphasized she prioritizes time for her own work, which she said, isn’t just about talent but endurance and consistency, “brushstroke after brushstroke.” Diligence is its own philosophy, and Evans’ paintings strive for complexity and feeling, built one soft layer of color at a time.
Finally, there’s Kara Razek, a lifelong, art school educated artist who is still searching through various techniques—watercolor, gouache, oil and that plein air practice—to find her “true heart” in art. Her approach might be best described as solving a puzzle. “I like looking at things and figuring out how they were constructed. There are different problems for everything. Capturing the light in plein air is completely different, for instance, than having a steady light you can study. It’s all a puzzle, and I’m developing the ability to go deep with the way I think through things.”
OVER THE MOON
Moon Evans’ paintings strive for complexity and feeling. You can find her painting deeply emotional work on the first floor of the studio.
ZEST FOR LIFE
Another beautiful still-life by Parks-Godfrey.
IT TAKES A TEAM
in such close proximity enables each woman to interact with each other. They admire what each other are working on and even collect each other’s paintings.
Working in such close proximity enables each woman to interact with each other, and they admit to walking around the studio when alone and looking at what each other is working on. Some also collect each other’s paintings. Each has their own relationship to the little blue house, calling it a refuge or even another world. Adams, who loves to work with light, relates to it in that way. “I love the light that comes into my space. It's not great for painting because it's a strong southern light, but it's great for feeling inspired.” She paused, then offered another benefit of the house. “It’s also being in the heart of the city and still having a quiet space to create, which is juxtaposed with noises of people walking around, the restaurant next door, people coming in and out of the gallery. It's almost like you get a bird's eye view of the inner workings of the community.”
And in the little blue house at 24 Lincoln Street, we get to witness the inner workings of five women considering everything from light to time to struggle to endurance, and of course, their passion for art.
VISIT 24 Lincoln Street Art Studios in the Short North during Gallery Hop. Art is available to purchase onsite. Learn more at sharonweissgallery.com/studio.
SKETCH ARTIST Along with paintings, Kara Razek experiments with sketching.
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AN OPENING ON EAST BROAD
Photography by ERIKA G. CLARK Design by ABBY NOCERA
THE new fine art GALLERY that feels like HOME
Ilkaa’s Fine Art Gallery & Atelier offers a way of experiencing photography that feels both elevated and approachable, bringing museum-caliber work into a setting designed for connection. Whether coming to enjoy photography or to build an intergenerational collection, visitors are invited into a space shaped by curiosity, care, and lasting vision.
Founded in 2023, Ilkaa’s Fine Art has steadily built a photographyonly program rooted in intention and permanence. In April 2025, the gallery entered a new chapter by acquiring its home at 785 East Broad Street, the historic Joseph-Cherrington House. The space was thoughtfully renovated in collaboration with Matluc Services, resulting in a refined, modern environment that respects the building’s history while allowing the artwork to take center stage.
A SHARED VISION
Curator Ilkaa and gallery owner Millie Franz shape
the program at Ilkaa’s Fine Art Gallery & Atelier.
The gallery presents a carefully curated roster of internationally respected and highly collectible photographers. Among them are Kim Weston, whose work carries forward a storied photographic legacy; Roman Loranc, often compared to Ansel Adams for his masterful black-and-white landscapes; Cristina Mittermeier, a National Geographic photographer and founder of global conservation charities; and Mark Arbeit, an internationally recognized photographer whose work has appeared in Vogue, Vanity Fair, and Rolling Stone. The roster also includes Azita Gandjei, whose portrait and documentary work has been published by The Guardian and other international outlets, and Zach Weston, known for his meticulously crafted still lifes and dedication to traditional photographic processes.
Work by resident photographer and gallery owner Millie Franz is also featured throughout the space, grounding the gallery’s vision and commitment to photographic craft.
The collection emphasizes museum-grade photographic artwork, ranging from large-and medium-format film photography to one-of-a-kind works and limited editions. Each piece is selected for its compositional strength, emotional depth, and its ability to live beautifully within real spaces.
Ilkaa’s Fine Art serves collectors, designers, creatives, and those drawn to meaningful imagery. The experience is intentionally unhurried, inviting visitors to spend time with the work and engage in conversation and discovery.
Prior to the public opening, the gallery may be viewed by appointment and online. Additional opportunities to encounter the work in person are available through a small rotating monthly curation in collaboration with Pretty in Ink at 122 E. Main Street.
Located in Columbus’s historic Olde Towne East, just east of the Columbus Museum of Art, Ilkaa’s Fine Art & Atelier invites the public to join its opening and anniversary celebration on May 16.
Gallery opens to the public.
“I know a lot of places do it seasonally, but every time I get behind the bar I want to make something new,” said Durain-Lee.
When a drink is poured, it’s made thoughtfully, bringing forward the flavor of fresh ingredients from the kitchen.
“This is the first place I have worked at with an executive chef that has all this knowledge and relationships with local farmers, and I can incorporate that into my cocktails as well. You can really taste it,” said Durain-Lee.
Her unconventional process, willingness to experiment, and focus on highlighting the notes of Middle West Spirit’s products shines through.
“It’s not the most practical for maybe some bartenders, but the first thing I want to do is grab the spirit,” Durain-Lee said, explaining her process. “I don’t want to make a cocktail where you lose all the quality behind the spirits that we make. I put an array of everything in the kitchen sink in front of me, and start Frankensteining until I have something delicious.”
Debuting this spring is Durain-Lee’s latest creation: Girl Dinner. The drink features a fresh Middle West Spirits vodka made with toasted peppercorn, mixed with a fresh dill infused dry vermouth.
A take on an old school martini combined with a Bloody Mary, the velvety cocktail is adorned with a black truffle salt rim and a skewer of garnishes.
“My thought process was, I love a Bloody Mary, but the main reason I want a Bloody Mary is for all the garnishes,” laughed Durain-Lee. “Why is that the only cocktail that gets to have garnishes? This drink is everything you can expect from a Bloody Mary or martini with some extra pizazz—so you can have your liquid diet, and snacks on the skewer.”
While Girl Dinner is made for the spring season, cocktails like The Setsuna have become a customer go-to.
“Setsuna means flittering moment. It’s a bit of a Japaneseinspired cocktail with toasted sesame oil washed gin, an umami flavor, warm, but it still has the soft floral notes from the gin. It has yuzu juice in it, as well as honey syrup and ume wine.”
Additionally, Durain-Lee is inspired by her team.
“I have such a vast team of cheerleaders here, and I can bring them what sounds like a crazy idea in my head—but giving it to them and seeing their faces light up, it gives me the passion and drive to make new cocktails,” smiled Durain-Lee.
The cocktail menu plays with the seasonal food items as well, pairing with orders like the duck fat french fries, or the lamb belly “Lambchetta Sandwich.” With a popular happy hour until 6pm, Wednesday through Saturday, walk-ins are welcome, but reservations are encouraged.
“I love when a customer comes in and says ‘make me something new,’” concluded Durain-Lee.
RESERVE your spot at Service Bar, open for dinner and drinks Wednesdays through Saturdays. Tables can be booked at middlewestspirits.com/servicebar.
WITH A TWIST
SHAKING THINGS UP
Cassidy Durain-Lee, Bar Manager and Lead Mixologist at Service Bar, makes unique cocktails using unconventional processes and a willingness to experiment.
DGirlinner
Inspired by the rising appetite for savory cocktails, Service Bar’s LEAD MIXOLOGIST, Cassidy Durain-Lee, offers her refined interpretation of a LIQUID DIET
ADD POUR
RINSE
ADD
SHAKE
POUR
GARNISH
RECIPE
3 oz crème fraîche & toasted peppercorn washed OYO American Character Vodka to a cocktail shaker
1 oz fresh dill-infused dry vermouth into shaker
chilled coupe with mezcal
black truffle & sea-salt to rim of coupe
vodka & vermouth vigorously
mixture into coupe with a skewer of bleu cheese-stuffed olive, house-made pickle, fresh radish peel, cocktail olive, and caviar bump on the side
Clintonville • Grandview • Easton • Powell
What to Expect at Farm to Table(aux)?
THE COCKTAIL SOIREE
During the two-hour cocktail soiree, delight in stunning artisanal cocktails and hors d'oeuvres, bid on your favorite silent auction items, purchase a Mystère Box ticket, and experience the art through interactive tableaux vivants. Surreal surprises await you at every turn!
THE SEATED PROGRAM
Savor an exquisite farm-to-table three course dinner while dynamic performances astound and entertain. Next, grab your bidder number to join in the live auction and mission moment, helping fund critical needs. Close your experience with the exciting reveal of the Mystère Box winner, who will receive an item valued at more than $4,000!
PAST EVENT PHOTOS
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HEART ON HIS SLEEVE
Jim Rieser, who has been in the custom clothier business for 27 years, says his favorite part of his career is the close-knit relationships he establishes with clients.
Story by ERIN DANIEL MCKEE
Photography by NATALIE FOLCHI
Design by ABBY NOCERA
JIM RIESER and his custom clothier business HUNTER & LORDS treat dressing well as a DISCIPLINE, and not just a TREND
Awards season has just wrapped up. Unsurprisingly, looks worn by Hollywood's leading ladies are dutifully discussed by glib online fashion forums and celebrity media. Men's looks for such events usually barely get a mention, snarky or otherwise, but things seemed to have changed this year: custom suits dominated. Velvet Valentino peak lapels, plush piping in Zegna, a tieless but brooched tux by Ferragamo, and a contrast-colored neck and cuffs from Prada all made cameos.
These red carpet spectacles reinforce how the menswear landscape has changed in general. Custom and bespoke suits project a detail-orientated quality focused gent that appreciates longevity and substance.
As a recent transplant from London, I'm looking out for any hidden treasures Columbus has to offer, including a men’s custom clothier. I’m directed to the master of suitings himself, Jim Rieser, of the custom clothier Hunter & Lords, based here in Columbus.
Hunter & Lords’ studio is located at 1297 North High Street in the historic York House brownstone, built in 1900. However, due to the demanding nature of his high-profile clients’ schedules, Rieser makes house calls for custom measurements. Although much of his administrative work is conducted in his classic studio, he’s often in the homes and offices of top CEOs and renowned business owners.
BEYOND MEASURE
Along with custom measurements, Hunter & Lords offers luxury fabrics for their suits from mills such as Drago Lanificio, Holland & Sherry, and Dormeuil.
I'm fortunate that Jim can fit me in today. Tomorrow he’s on a flight to Florida, visiting multiple clients across the state—a routine itinerary that also includes clients in Ohio and Chicago.
Rieser takes roughly twenty measurements per client— sometimes more—building a foundation for the suit, but also for how that client moves through the world. Fit, fabric, posture, preference: nothing is rushed. Each decision is discussed, revisited, refined. Notes are then sent to his Italian and Turkish tailors, who hand-make the garments in Knoxville, Tennessee, a process that takes six to eight weeks and, notably, no shortcuts.
This is a type of bespoke experience one can barely find these days. Rieser explained that it's not only the cost of the suits, top coats, jackets, and belts that would categorize Hunter & Lords in the luxury retail department, but the experience itself. "Luxury is all about exceptional quality and personal attention," he noted.
Hunter & Lords was originally established in 1928. Prior to taking the reins in 1999, Rieser managed his own successful international custom clothier, growing it to one of the largest independent direct sellers of custom clothing in the U.S.
"I have a passion for fine clothing which was distilled in me at a very early age, growing up on the East Coast," Rieser explained. He cited George Clooney, Sydney Poitier, and Frank Sinatra as notable men epitomizing timeless taste and style.
I ask Rieser what an ideal gentleman looks like today. Handing me a tumbler of 21-year-aged Royal Salute Whiskey to sip, he says, “The ideal gent remains the same, in that clothing is a statement of sophistication, confidence, and personal style. Investing in high quality, tailor-made clothing ensures a timeless wardrobe that emphasizes fit over trends.”
Soon, it’s my turn to try to match that level of sophistication. Rieser opens a book of swatches, Super 180s from Drago Lanificio in Biella, Italy, alongside Holland & Sherry and Dormeuil. He watches me closely, not to influence my decision, but to observe. I choose an understated green that feels like butter. He solidifies that I made an excellent choice, emphasizing, "Dressing well matters because it quietly shapes how you feel, and how others respond to you, and how seriously you’re taken, often before you say a single word."
In that moment, I’m reminded that one doesn’t need to be Sinatra, a CEO, or a red-carpet fixture to wear a Hunter & Lords suit. You just need to care about how you show up. For Rieser, that standard never wavers. Once you’ve stepped into his world, it’s hard not to adopt a bit of it yourself.
VISIT hunterandlords.com for a consultation with Jim Rieser.
SEW TO SPEAK
Rieser takes roughly twenty measurements per client, which are then sent to his Italian and Turkish tailors for custom, hand-made suits.
SUIT YOURSELF
Hunter & Lords was established almost one hundred years ago, offering custom and luxury suits, jackets, top coats, and even belts.
JEN BORMAN, personal trainer to high-profile clients all over town, flexes her MIND, BODY, and SPIRIT
True to FORM
Story by SAV MCKEE
Photography by GABRIELLE SHAMON
Design by LIANN TRAHEY
FORM
en Borman is your favorite fitness instructor’s favorite fitness instructor.
On any given morning at Homewerk, her German Village-area studio, the room fills with the city’s most disciplined bodies: strength trainers, Pilates instructors, barre teachers. This is where Columbus’ fitness insiders come to train both
“It’s a huge compliment,” Jen emphasized. “As a business owner, and doing what I do, I’m very hard on myself. Since these athletes are my clients, I can’t call out the wrong muscles or have them in a move longer than they should be. I have to be on my game.”
True to form, that pressure is one of her favorite parts. Homewerk is not a side project or a passion hobby, but rather her entire being. It’s her craft; this is her practice. “I’m always designing the next workout. It’s how I fall asleep at night, and it’s the first thing I do in the morning. Talk about an obsession,” she laughed, “but you know the saying, ‘You’re only as good as your last class.’”
Alongside sculpt instructors and yoga gurus, a roster of high-profile clients fills Jen’s studio for personalized, tightly tailored weight-lifting sessions. Local medspa owners anchor Monday’s full-body class; a well-known attorney shows up Tuesday at 7 A.M. for arms; an editor-in-chief books a private, legfocused session on Thursdays; and the founder of a salon empire reserves a small-group workout for herself and her
“And we’re all rooting for each other,”
Homewerk offers livestreamed classes too, bringing in clients from across the country—some of whom have trained with Jen for well over a decade.
“I'm ALWAYS WORKOUT... designing the next
In fact, several date back to 2009, when she first posted a handwritten sign inside a Columbus bridal shop searching for clients. At the time, she was training one-on-one out of her guest bedroom. When the shop owner asked her to teach group classes on-site, she agreed. “I had never taught a group class before,” explained Jen. “It was truly a ‘fake it ‘til you make it’ moment.”
But she was more than qualified to do so. Jen is ISSA certified, one of the most respected credentials in personal training, focusing on anatomy, physiology, and nutrition. Before fitness became her career, she worked in corporate retail, but her time on a college tennis team was what left a lasting impression.
“I missed that feeling of being a part of something physical, and shared, like a team sport,” she reflected. “It gives you that built-in community, and I found that adulthood didn’t offer many replacements for that.”
In the process of committing to another corporate role here in Columbus, she made a deal with her husband. “I told him, ‘Before I take this next job, before I stick with this retail route, give me six months. Just six months to try personal training.’”
Six months became seventeen years.
SWEAT IT OUT
Slow and precise movements guided by Borman will have you sweating, burning, and surprisingly, still smiling.
OBSESSION. ...talk about an “
After owning a Clintonville studio pre-pandemic, Jen returned, once again, to her guest bedroom during COVID, livestreaming classes for clients who refused to let the work stop even though the whole world did. “We were doing the work, from home, even during a pandemic, hence the name ‘Homewerk,’” she explained.
When a sunlit loft near Parsons Avenue became available in 2021, she signed the lease. The name Homewerk, which became a recognized brand around town, stayed.
Homewerk is exclusive by design, with only ten mats, limited classes, and an eager waitlist, but the energy inside is intentionally inclusive. “I want people to know that they can walk into the studio, and they won’t feel judged, rushed, or made to feel behind,” said Jen. “You don’t need to perform. You just need to show up.”
Unlike most fitness classes, Jen does every movement alongside her clients, every class.
“Form is everything to me,” she exclaimed. “So I work out, every single move, with everyone else. It all goes back to tennis for me: We’re a team, and I’m feeling the burn too. We’ll find a way to get through this together.”
Because Jen’s own personal workout mirrors her clients’, she’s meticulous about working on different muscle groups—no two classes are the same, and each day is specifically designed to strengthen and lengthen different areas of the body. She brings that same intention to the environment: softly lit, with spotlights on her for those streaming in, a candle burning, and an upbeat playlist curated to energize clients. Peanut butter banana smoothies, handmade in Jen’s kitchen with vegan, organic ingredients, are always stocked in the fridge for post-workout recovery.
“My #1 goal with Homewerk was to build a place with integrity. Community came with that,” Jen said.
“Without a doubt, my entire life revolves around Homewerk,” Jen continued. “I'm at a point now where I don't know who I would be without it.”
Judging by the loyalty inside those walls, and far beyond them, she’s not the only one who feels that way.
BOOK a session with Jen Borman at Homewerk by visiting www.homewerk.live.
