Columbus Monthly – September 2025

Why kidney cancer care innovation is more important than ever

Kidney cancer affects tens-of-thousands every year, but research and care advances are improving survival chances and quality of life for patients.

Kidney cancer occurs more frequently than many people think, with approximately 80,000 diagnoses each year in the U.S.

While it’s more common in men, it’s one of the 10 most-frequently diagnosed cancers in both males and females.

When abnormal cells start to form in the kidneys, they can become cancerous and grow and replicate, sometimes rapidly, which results in tumors. The biggest danger is when these cells metastasize or leave the kidney and begin to grow in other places.

There are multiple types of kidney cancer, with approximately nine out of 10 cases categorized as renal cell carcinomas, which usually start in the lining of tubes in the kidney called tubules.

“Building our fundamental understanding of these cancers has been a major development of the last 20 years,” says W. Kimryn Rathmell, MD, PhD, the CEO of The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center –James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC – James). “Armed with this knowledge, major improvements have emerged for effective treatments of both common and rare types of kidney cancers.”

As an NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, the OSUCCC – James combines kidney cancer care and research in the same facilities, allowing Ohio State’s dedicated experts to provide patients with a wide array of treatments, including cutting-edge clinical trials.

“Our kidney cancer team is made up of urologic oncologists, medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, pathologists and radiologists,” says Eric Singer, MD, MS, chief of the OSUCCC – James Division of Urologic Oncology.

Kidney cancer symptoms and risks

Signs of kidney cancer can differ depending on the patient, but anyone experiencing one or more of these symptoms should visit their doctor:

• Blood in the urine

• Pain in the back or side

• Abdominal mass

• Unexplained weight loss

• Unexplained fatigue

• Recurring fever

• Loss of appetite

• Urinary pain or increased frequency

While its exact causes are currently unknown, experts have identified several kidney cancer risk factors:

• Tobacco use

• Overuse of certain pain medications

• Obesity

• High blood pressure

• Family history of renal cancers and/or syndromes

• Some genetic conditions

• History of kidney stones or bladder cancer

• Exposure to certain chemicals

Scan the QR code to learn more about kidney cancer care and research at the OSUCCC – James.

Kidney cancer treatment and surveillance

Kidney cancer care has grown over the years to include a wide range of surgical and therapeutic options, including surveillance methods that enable some patients to avoid complex procedures.

“With active surveillance, we’re using radiology tests to see if small kidney masses are growing over time to help determine if those tumors need to be treated,” Singer says.

When further intervention is required, advances in technology and techniques allow

dedicated kidney cancer specialists like those at the OSUCCC – James to perform the latest procedures, including innovative surgeries.

“Our surgeons have expertise in complex procedures, including robotics, that benefit our patients, even those who have multiple tumors, hereditary syndromes or may need re-operative surgeries,” Singer says.

Scan the QR code to learn more about cancer clinical services, including surgery, chemotherapy and more, at the OSUCCC – James.

Kidney cancer in younger patients

Along with as many as 14 other cancers, including types that affect the colon and pancreas, kidney cancer diagnoses are increasing in younger patients.

“It is distressing to see these trends in cancer incidence showing up in people in their 20s, 30s and 40s,” Rathmell says. “It is important that we empower our teams to understand why cancer in the kidney is happening at younger ages, what types of cancers are in this rising group and how best to treat these younger patients.”

While kidney cancer is still relatively rare among people under 50, the rising rates are cause for concern — and a call to action for doctors and researchers.

“We can make a difference when we are armed with the facts. This is a part of the science we are inspired to pursue in understanding these early onset cancers.” Rathmell says.

“We know as physicians that we have to pay attention to surprising details, because that is often where there is a key to the diagnosis.

“I am excited for the future, because I see our James physicians approaching this critical problem with curiosity as well as compassion. This is how we make that difference for young kidney cancer patients.”

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FEATURES

21 FALL ARTS GUIDE

Get to know the Columbus arts scene with our guide to the news and performances of the season.

• Meet Maureen O’Brien, new CEO of the Columbus Symphony Orchestra (Page 22)

• Experience The Contemporary Theatre of Ohio at 40 (Page 26)

• Listen to the Jazz Arts Group’s enduring vibe (Page 30)

• Challenge your preconceptions at a provocative exhibition at RAW Gallery (Page 32)

• Attend a conversation between literary icons Maggie Smith and Saeed Jones in support of their new book (Page 36) Plus, calendar listings for related events

38

TEN TITANS OF COLUMBUS JAZZ

Jazz shows are happening almost every night of the week in Columbus. Meet some of the musicians who keep the scene swinging.

51 FASHIONING A NEW COLUMBUS

Fashion leader Yogi Terrell believes in Columbus’ potential on the runway and beyond. Meet this local visionary.

ON THE COVER: From left: Keith Newton, Derek DiCenzo, Bobby Floyd and Reggie Jackson at Natalie’s Grandview. Photo by Tim Johnson

James Gaiters at Blu Note Jazz Café

As the Short North continues to

a new transaction fee aims to keep the district safe, clean and

Under

Genetic

is

Dorothy Hassan, CEO of Our Helpers,

Sensation

The Boat House at Confluence Park

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Peter Tonguette brings us a piece on the city’s top jazz musicians, Page 38, and interviews with major arts leaders in our Fall Arts Guide, Page 21.

CONTRIBUTORS

Sarah Donaldson profiles Columbus Fashion Alliance founder Yogi Terrell, Page 51. She’s a reporter with Ohio Public Radio and Television Statehouse News Bureau.

Kathy Lynn Gray delves into the role genetics play in cancer, Page 15, and how children can benefit from exposure to people from around the globe, Page 56.

Placing Art at the Center of Columbus

What a time to be living in Columbus. The city seemed to come into its own during the decade from 2010 to 2020, when the culinary scene made the leap into credibility, economic development began to hum with new industry and new jobs, the Scioto Riverfront was remade into a jewel of our downtown, and our arts institutions matured and diversified with spicy fresh talent and evolved offerings. The Museum of Natural History came to COSI. Franklinton was reimagined and invigorated in a way it never had been. To use a word from former Mayor Michael Coleman, Columbus started to own its swagger. And it’s gotten even bolder since 2020.

Katy Smith katy@columbusmonthly.com

Though we have a long way to go in bringing all our neighbors along with us on the journey to prosperity, Columbus is poised for some exciting developments, many of them centered around art. In 2009, art was not exactly seen as a driver of development here. There were murmurs about how we needed more public murals, and we were proud of how far the Short North Arts District had come from its rough days in the 1980s and earlier. But there was no coordinated effort to lift up art as a core value in the development of Columbus. That’s changed. The backing of some

wealthy, art-loving families with big vision such as Edwards, Pizzuti and Scantland has helped, despite recent reductions in arts funding from county and federal governments. We’ll continue to see more art, and hopefully a fair amount of works by Columbus creators, incorporated into major projects like the Capital Line. The Short North is thriving and looking toward what’s next (Page 12). Fashion is taking center stage with organizations like the Columbus Fashion Alliance, which with public support recently bought a building from the Columbus College of Art and Design to create a design hub. You can meet its founder, Yogi Terrell, on Page 51. Our Fall Arts Issue is filled with the stories of local creators—from the Titans of the Columbus jazz scene (Page 38) to the new CEO of the Columbus Symphony Orchestra, Maureen O’Brien (Page 22), who joins an organization contemplating its most ambitious project yet, a new concert hall on the Scioto Peninsula. Welcome to Columbus, Maureen. It’s truly a wonderful time to be here.

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front & center

BY TIM JOHNSON

PHOTO

Canoe Culture Trapper John’s Canoe Livery offers experiences on Big Darby Creek. See what’s changed under the business’ new ownership, Page 14.

Front & Center | City Life

The Short North’s Next Move

The city’s most popular strip is creating a fee to fund neighborhood services and safety. Will it help the district flourish?

By Lucy Clark | Photos by Tim Johnson

The Short North Arts District long has been a hotbed of activity and discussion in Columbus. Luxury hotels, trendy restaurants, eye-catching art installations and galleries abound along North High Street. Some of Columbus’ most treasured events center around the district, including the Doo Dah Parade and Stonewall Columbus’ Pride March, as well as the hundreds of events hosted at the nearby Greater Columbus Convention Center, such as the acclaimed Arnold Sports Festival.

For all the varied groups and events the Short North attracts, natural points of conflict have arisen in the community, from residents to business owners to visitors. One major area of concern has been safety—in June 2024, 10 people were wounded in a mass shooting. In May this year, another shooting left two people wounded at the Columbus Taco Fest in Goodale Park. These incidents, along with general concerns over accessibility and affordability in the neighbor-

hood, have generated community-wide discussions over how to keep the Short North vibrant and bustling while also addressing these worries. The community and those who love it want to know: What does the Short North need to continue to flourish as an epicenter of creativity and culture?

While there is no one-size-fits-all solution, a recently formed New Community Authority attempts to address some of these concerns. Spearheaded by the Short North Alliance and adopted by Columbus City Council in June, the NCA will allow businesses in the district to charge a small fee per transaction, the funds from which will directly feed back into the community. The list of property owners opting into the authority agreement was not available at press time for this article.

The fee is proposed to start at 1 percent, applicable to transactions of non-grocery food, beverage, select services, retail, parking and hotel stays for participat-

ing businesses, per public records. There will be an additional 1 percent charge from midnight to 3 a.m. Currently, the only property formally under the NCA’s purview is a pocket park at the corner of North High and Warren streets, though it’s expected that additional properties will join the NCA.

Safety First

Betsy Pandora, executive director of the Short North Alliance, says the NCA could generate an estimated $2 million annually. This money, collected from participating businesses, restaurants, galleries and hotels, would be spent based on wants and needs as expressed by the community.

“We would need the community to help inform it,” says Pandora, who adds that she’s excited to see the way the district will help shape future decisions.

One of the first orders of business will be addressing concerns around safety. Pandora says this includes investing

Alexander Woisnet painting at Gallery Hop

further in the Short North Ambassador program, which stations people in the neighborhood to “address any matter that does not involve an immediate threat to human life safety,” such as wellness checks, hospitality support, walking escorts, non-emergency crisis responses and more. Other safety measures could include beefing up special duty officer shifts and investing in technology, cameras and lighting, Pandora says.

Another high priority for the Short North Alliance is increasing cleanliness and beautification in the area. With over 10 million visitors to the Short North last year, Pandora says greater effort is required to keep the geographically small area looking its best.

“We would love to give life to the myriad creative ideas that come from our community all the time, and [to] have the resources and tools to be able to provide a bit of starter fuel. It could be a really powerful and catalytic thing for our community as it continues to grow,” says Pandora. “We help make the neighborhood ... not just a place to visit, but a place that’s really about belonging.”

Mayor Andrew Ginther describes the NCA as a grassroots effort that, alongside increasing public safety and cleanliness, will “[preserve] the energy and vitality that make the district so unique.” He adds that his office “[welcomes] the ongoing dialogue that is driving this initiative forward.”

Seven board members were appointed to the NCA, consisting of six citizen representatives—Mary Jo Hudson, Tyler Puhl, Sheila Trautner, Jane Grote Abell, Adam Okuley and Maria Mercurio— and one government representative— Stephen Sayre. Three additional board members are to be appointed by the Short North Alliance.

“The NCA is a transformative effort,” says Puhl, president of Wood Companies, a longtime Short North property owner and real estate developer. “This initiative reflects the Short North Alliance’s leadership in finding innovative solutions to keep our neighborhood thriving. What’s most inspiring is the number of independent property owners coming together to support it. That collective commitment gives me tremendous confidence in the Short North’s future.”

Part of Something Bigger Collaboration has been the backbone of not only the NCA, but several initiatives

in the Short North, such as the popular Hops on High market series. An evolution of Gallery Hops, the Hops on High markets are held a few times a year. The streets are shut down to vehicle traffic so pedestrians can enjoy a diverse array of vendors and shop and dine at mainstays in the area.

Ryan Ransom, owner of the Short North apparel store Ransom Supply, says the Hops on High series “turns the neighborhood into an experience that’s more than shopping, more than bars. ... When the street’s alive like that, our store becomes part of something bigger.” He’s excited for what the NCA could do to support the district. “It’s local money staying in the community, and that goes a long way.”

These collaborative efforts—between the Short North and its community

members and businesses, but especially between the Short North Alliance and the City of Columbus—could help address additional concerns the NCA can’t on its own, including those regarding housing accessibility.

“We need housing across the spectrum,” says Michael Stevens, director of the Columbus Department of Development. “Because of the mixture of amenities and its location and vibrancy, you see some of the highest rents being collected in the Short North. We want to make sure [people] have opportunities so they can afford to live there and work in that neighborhood.”

Stevens adds that he appreciates the alliance’s approach to addressing issues proactively as a community instead of relying on “finite resources.”

“Having partners that will be working with us to provide solutions and help advance that, I think is great,” he says.

The city will hold a public hearing at 2 p.m. Aug. 21 at the City of Columbus Front Street parking garage conference room at 141 N. Front St. for residents to ask further questions. Following that, a resolution can be passed to “formally [accept] the additional properties into the expanded new community district,” per the Department of Development. Areas prioritized for expansion include commercial properties along North High Street in the Short North, as well as Italian Village and along East 5th Avenue, West 5th Avenue and Detroit Avenue, though maps have not been finalized. “The territory is where the funds can be collected and invested, and may continue to expand in the future,” says Pandora. ◆

KaTanya Brewer singing at Gallery Hop

Gary Pandora performing at Gallery Hop

A Day on Big Darby Creek

The new owners of Trapper John’s Canoe Livery continue a more than half-century legacy.

By Randy Edwards

A kayak trip down a cool, shaded stream seemed the perfect antidote to a hot summer’s day for Brendyn Seymour and Emilee Zultz, who enjoyed their first paddling adventure on Big Darby Creek, courtesy boats they rented from Trapper John’s Canoe Livery.

“Ever since we were kids, we used to just walk through the park, but we decided to try this,” Seymour said while floating through a section of Battelle Darby Creek Metro Park in mid-July. “It’s kind of dope.”

Trapper John’s, a local Ohio institution for more than half a century, has new owners who are continuing the tradition of providing watery fun on the region’s only national scenic river. After an unusually wet spring that delayed a planned reopening, the livery began sending boats down the river around Memorial Day.

Trapper John’s offers a variety of trips ranging in length from a few hours to all day, at prices that range from $40 to $80. There are discounts on weekdays, and $10 rides for children ages 10-12 (canoe only, accompanied by an adult).

Trapper John’s Real Estate Ltd paid $800,000 total last year for the Darby-

dale livery and café location and the two takeout sites downstream. Nick Coughlin and Emily Mayes, the couple who operate the business, told the Columbus Dispatch in May that they grew up in the area and have always loved nature and the outdoors. The couple also plans to reopen the Creekside Café featuring local brands including coffee from Jennings Java, cookies from Bakes by Lo, candles

IF YOU GO:

7141 London Groveport Road

614-877-4321

trapperjohnscanoeing.com

Open daily through Labor Day with trips offered until 3:30 p.m.; check website or call for availability later in the season.

Prices range from $40-$80 with discounts available on weekdays and for children ages 10-12. Children must be at least 10 years old to canoe.

from Bloom Candles and bagels from Bears Bagels, although the café wasn’t yet open at midsummer.

But visitors can still enjoy a day on the water. One trip offered by Trapper John’s, known as the Upper Trip, passes through the Battelle Darby Creek Metro Park. This roughly 5 mile journey is arguably the prettiest stretch of Big Darby, as it passes almost entirely through protected land. An agreement with the park district allows Trapper John’s access to the park-owned launch site off Alkire Road for a two-hour time frame in the mornings.

“We are privileged to operate on the State and National Scenic Big Darby Creek, one of Ohio’s last great places to experience a day in nature,” the company says on its website.

Indeed, on the morning we visited, a multigenerational group in Trapper John’s canoes and kayaks paused to enjoy watching two deer—one still in a fawn’s spots—drink at the stream’s edge.

Trapper John’s is open daily from Memorial Day through Labor Day, though river and weather conditions may impact availability. Call or visit the website for hours later in the fall. ◆

BY TIM

PHOTO

JOHNSON

Kayakers on the water

Knowledge Is Power

More patients are undergoing genetic testing to gauge their risk for cancer.

By Kathy Lynn Gray

Ovarian cancer has upended Brooke Lane’s life.

But for her mother, Sharon Shealy, Lane’s diagnosis and subsequent genetic cancer testing has been a lifesaver—literally.

That speaks to the power of such testing, says genetics counselor Leigha Senter.

In 2018, Lane was a 35-year-old living in Bucyrus with her husband and two boys when she learned she had stage 3 ovarian cancer, often called the silent killer because its symptoms are vague. To guide her treatment, Dr. Floortje Backes at the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center–Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute recommended genetic screening.

Lane tested positive for the BRCA1 (breast cancer gene 1) mutation, putting her at elevated risk for breast and ovarian cancer. Family members were tested and one—her mother—had the mutation, too.

As a precaution, Shealy, of Cairo, Ohio, had a hysterectomy, and her surgeon found a hidden cancerous tumor. “She had no symptoms,” Lane says. “They would never have caught it if we hadn’t done the genetic testing. The genetic testing saved her.”

According to the National Cancer Institute, about 10 percent of cancers are believed to be caused by an inherited gene mutation.

When it first became available in the mid-1990s, genetic testing was reserved for people at high risk, says Senter, interim director of genetics at the OSUCCC–James.

Even as late as 2007, the testing was mostly available only on the genes that carry the BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations, says Nichole Morman, manager of genetic counseling at OhioHealth. Today, 80 to 100 genes can be examined with one blood or saliva sample. In addition to breast and ovarian, cancers linked to hereditary mutations include colon, pancreatic, prostate, thyroid and stomach.

Any adult can seek genetic testing but

Morman particularly recommends it for anyone with a rare cancer or a cancer diagnosis before age 50, as well as for individuals who have multiple family members with cancer.

If a positive result occurs for someone without cancer, a genetic counselor can suggest ways to manage risk. Those might include increased screenings, screening at an earlier-than-normal age, medication, lifestyle changes and, in some cases, surgery.

Senter also might suggest other family members be tested. “Once we have a test result, it becomes the patient’s job to share that with their relatives,” she says.

Dr. Hiral Shah, an oncologist at Zangmeister Cancer Center in Columbus, says while genetic testing can cause anxiety, patients are generally receptive. “It gives you a lot more information to make the best medical and lifestyle decision

for yourself and for other family members,” she says. “And if you test negative, it brings a lot of relief from uncertainty.”

A physician referral usually isn’t necessary for genetic testing, Morman says, but insurance may not cover it. OhioHealth charges a flat self-pay rate of $250. Online tests can be purchased for about $300.

Senter says Ohio State’s self-pay rate also is $250, but qualifying for financial assistance can reduce the cost.

As for Lane, she fought cancer again in 2024, this time in her liver. After surgery and six rounds of chemotherapy, a scan completed in May 2025 showed no evidence of cancer. Her mother has had no reoccurrences.

“I’m happy to share my experience to raise awareness,” Lane says. “My advice is, if you’re at risk, do the genetic testing. It saved my mom’s life.” ◆

Brooke Lane holds a certificate on her last day of chemotherapy for liver cancer in April 2025.

Our Helpers Serves Our Neighbors

A local leader brings her passions for education and mental health access to local immigrants and refugees building their lives in the Columbus region.

By Sophia Veneziano

When Dorothy Hassan was an undergraduate student, she always wanted to study abroad.

While it never worked out for her during college, her dream persisted. As an adult she moved to Yemen for six years, followed by Egypt for four more.

When she returned to the United States and moved to Columbus in 2012, she arrived with four kids and her Egyptian husband.

“That was my first encounter with some of the prejudice an immigrant experiences,” Hassan says. “That’s how I usually introduce myself in circles: I’m not an immigrant, but I’m the wife of one.”

Today Hassan is the CEO of Our Helpers, a nonprofit that serves immigrants and refugees. Hassan uses her own lived experience to make a difference in Columbus. She took over leadership of the organization in 2022, eight years after it was founded by an immigrant woman, Hodan Mohammed, in 2014.

Through leading Our Helpers, Hassan says she fights for the belief that immigrants deserve more than what society has deemed “basic needs.”

The nonprofit’s Community Free Store

offers free food and homewares to help families fill their cupboards and outfit their homes.

Atop running workforce development programming, advancing English language learning partnerships and launching a Love Yourself summer camp for young girls, the store is one way the organization emphasizes human dignity.

“Families have the right to dream big. Families have the right to live outside of a box that someone else put for them as ‘basic needs.’ Our services blow the top off a small box of basic needs,” Hassan says.

“Who is it to say that families don’t have the basic right to potholders or to pictures on their walls?”

Hassan has pushed for mental health to be a core part of the organization’s mission, explaining she believes it is the foundation to success. This passion is what caused the Our Helpers board to view her as the perfect fit to take over as CEO, the nonprofit’s board treasurer Laura Berger Abbas says.

“She has moved into a direction of mental health, which is very appealing to the board, and we are thrilled with the

projects that she’s taken on,” Abbas says.

This is encapsulated by the group’s Love Yourself summer camp, which welcomed 90 immigrant and refugee girls in June to build friendships, learn how to express themselves and establish healthy boundaries.

When asked about the impact she sees Our Helpers making in the community, Hassan says she goes to bed each night wondering if she is doing enough.

Still, she says any time she doubts the work, she gets encouragement from the people Our Helpers touches, especially the girls involved in Love Yourself.

“The American Dream is alive and well, but I feel like we owe it to people to give them the resources and the support that they need to allow their American dream to take form. It takes community. It takes resources, and it takes kindness,” Hassan says. ◆

This article was made possible by the Center for HumanKindness at The Columbus Foundation, which partners with Columbus Monthly to showcase kindness in the community. Suggest ideas to Sophia Veneziano at sveneziano@dispatch.com. ColumbusMonthly.com/Kindness

BY TIM

PHOTO

JOHNSON

Dorothy Hassan

EverydayKindness Heroes

Sometimes the beneficiary is a stranger. Sometimes it’s a friend, acquaintance or colleague. We look to honor those who perform extraordinary selfless acts to improve, heal and unite our community.

Consider lifting up the volunteer quietly aiding their neighbors or the community member tirelessly advocating for change. We need your help to recognize the kind, selfless heroes among us.

Greater Columbus Arts Council Columbus Arts Festival Patron Party

The Greater Columbus Arts Council held the 2025 Columbus Arts Festival Patron Party on June 6 at the Priscilla R. Tyson Cultural Arts Center. More than 600 people attended the event, which featured cocktails, hors d’oeuvres and live music. The Patron Party is a component of the festival’s VIP package which raised nearly $35,000 in support of the festival’s operations.

1 Scott Heimlich, Tracy Moran and Scott Brown 2 Greg Maly, Bruce Soll, Gaëtane Verna 3 Emily Toney, Megan Cavanaugh and Kelly Stevelt 4 Cheryl Brooks Sullivan, Tom Katzenmeyer and Sue Jones 5 Eric and Christy Farnbauch 6 Remi Wörtmeyer, Patrick McGovern, Julia Noulin-Mérat and Sue Porter 7 Kate Bauer, Rebecca Asmo, Raj Bellani and Amanda Turner 8 Michael S. Brown, Gabby Anderson, Celia Anderson and John Tannous 9 Bruce Soll, Patrick Katzenmeyer, Liz Brown, Joy Soll and Michael S. Brown

Columbus Museum of Art’s Wonderball

Wonderball 2025 was held Jan. 25 at the Columbus Museum of Art. The event is the museum’s signature winter fundraiser, with proceeds supporting CMA programs.

This year’s reflection-themed event attracted over 1,600 attendees and raised almost $340,000 in support of the museum’s mission.

1 Chanelle Redman, Krystopher Scott and Monique McCrystal

2 Justin Coleman and Robbie Banks with Janelle, Michael, Kimberly and JD Coleman 3 Vicki Bowen Hewes

4 Zach Cooke 5 Alissa Hazzard

Short North Stage’s One Singular Sensation

On March 1, Short North Stage hosted nearly 200 guests for its annual gala, One Singular Sensation. The event raised more than $22,000 to support the creation of live theater. Broadway performer Laura Bell Bundy and composer Andrew Lippa performed at the event, which honored Tom Katzenmeyer, president and CEO of the Greater Columbus Arts Council.

1 Natalie Wojtanowski and Kelsey Miller 2 Marcy Schaffir, Laura Bell Bundy and Jonathan Schaffir 3 Ron Murray 4 Mark, Mary and Rachael Barbash 5 Tom Katzenmeyer 6 Dan Kreiter, Laura Bell Bundy and Paul Towne

Now open with evening hours

Fall Arts Guide

Just because the weather is cooling down doesn’t mean your social calendar has to. Columbus’ art scene is as varied as it is vibrant, and it’s ripe with opportunity to keep busy this fall. Read on for updates about the city’s top arts groups and creative figures, as well as dates of gallery openings, literary events, music performances and more.

Brian Gray in the Contemporary Theatre of Ohio’s production of Ride the Cyclone

Orchestrating Success

BY

Maureen O’Brien

PHOTO

TIM JOHNSON

Maureen O’Brien has stepped in as Columbus Symphony Orchestra’s new CEO, and she hopes to renew fundraising efforts for its proposed concert hall.

By Peter Tonguette

Over the last year, the Columbus Symphony Orchestra has been embarking on two parallel searches: a search for money to build its planned $275 million concert hall, and a search for a new leader who would, in part, spearhead the project.

One of those searches reached a conclusion this summer when the orchestra hired its new CEO, Maureen O’Brien.

The 43-year-old native of Lansing, Michigan, most recently served as the executive vice president for institutional advancement of the New World Symphony in Miami, a role that incorporated fundraising, communications and marketing.

“We wanted to attract a candidate who was perhaps from a larger organization but wasn’t in the CEO chair and wanted to get to the CEO chair,” says orchestra board chair Stephen Markovich. Such candidates, he said, can have “bigger dreams, bigger aspirations.”

O’Brien replaces former executive director Denise Rehg, who in March 2024 announced her intention to retire, a month after the orchestra’s proposed concert hall plans became public knowledge. Markovich acknowledges that the leadership void may have worked to dampen fundraising for the concert hall project, which calls for a combination of private giving and public money to build an orchestra-tailored facility on the Scioto River. If such a space is built, the orchestra would depart its historic home of the Ohio Theatre.

“When the donor community sees that there’s going to be a leadership change, there’s probably a little hesitancy out there,” Markovich says. “Now that we’ve got our definitive leader, we can reengage that community.”

O’Brien, whose accomplishments at New World Symphony include overseeing a capital campaign that totaled $150 million, says she welcomes the challenge. “Halls are not built every day, and it’s a huge undertaking,” O’Brien says. “There’s such opportunity to get it right, and we have to make sure we’re having all the conversations we need to have.”

The new orchestra leader comes by her enthusiasm for classical music and its makers naturally. Her mother was a piano teacher, and she took piano lessons for years before switching to the flute in the fourth grade. She fell into her eventual career path of arts administration in high school, when she was placed at a

The 2025-26 season of the Columbus Symphony Orchestra will take place at the Ohio Theatre. Concerts scheduled will include:

Sept. 26-28: Beethoven 5

Oct. 3-5: Scheherazade

Nov. 14-16: Messiah

Jan. 16-17, 2026: Latin Rhythms and Hollywood Drama

Jan. 23-24, 2026: Mozart’s Requiem

For more information, additional concerts and tickets, visit columbussymphony.com

local arts organization by a temp agency. While studying music performance and French at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, O’Brien had several other part-time jobs at area arts organizations. Upon graduation, she stayed the course with positions at the Orchestra of St. Luke’s and Midori and Friends, both in New York, and the Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix, Arizona. She joined the New World Symphony in 2015—several years after it had built its own brand-new facility, the New World Center.

“It was pretty great working in a new facility that was purpose-built for the or-

ganization,” O’Brien says.

When the Columbus Symphony Orchestra came calling, O’Brien says she was ready to graduate from being the “No. 2 person” at the New World Symphony to having a primary leadership role.

Part of that leadership will require rejuvenating the orchestra’s concert hall fundraising; recently, the organization was given a two-year extension of its original funding commitment deadline set by the city of Columbus and Downtown Columbus Inc., from June 2025 to June 2027. O’Brien says that conversations must be had about the right size and needs of the building, and she wants to talk to fellow arts leaders about how the space, while designed for orchestra use, can benefit them.

Doug Kridler, CEO of the Columbus Foundation, praises O’Brien’s record of accomplishment and what he called “her engaging way and her authenticity in caring for this art form.”

“Maureen knows that any aspiration like a new home for CSO will rise and fall on the ability to make its case with clarity, passion and humility,” Kridler says. “I don’t feel it is fair to put the load of getting such a huge project across the finish line on her shoulders—it is a community question that needs to be answered. I do feel, though, that Maureen is the right person at the right time to help steward a thoughtful process toward its conclusion.”

Markovich says the orchestra remains bullish on the project, even if its particulars might evolve. “When you get new leadership, it is the perfect opportunity to rethink your planning assumptions and rethink the feasibility and the scale of the project to make sure it all is still appropriate,” Markovich says.

For her part, O’Brien is eager to get to work—and to experience something she has missed during her decade in Miami.

“My mom is from Indiana, my dad is from Iowa,” she says. “It’s a part of the country that I enjoy, and I’m now looking forward to having seasons again.” ◆

The Old Man and the Sea

Presented by the Wexner Center, Opera Columbus, and Ohio State’s Office of Academic Affairs, and produced by Beth Morrison Projects

Music by Paola Prestini Libretto by Royce Vavrek

Directed and cocreated by Karmina Šilec Conducted by Mila Henry

Based on the novel by Ernest Hemingway

FRI, OCT 10 | 7:30 pm SUN, OCT 12 | 2 pm

MERSHON

Photo: Dorian Šilec Petek

Keeping it Contemporary

The cast of Fat Ham

PHOTO COURTESY KYLE LONG

On the eve of its 41st season, the Contemporary Theatre of Ohio’s rebranding is being applauded for bringing renewed attention to the organization.

By Peter Tonguette

Forty years ago, the Contemporary American Theatre Company began producing plays that spoke to topical themes and current concerns. Two years ago, the group decided to ditch its old name.

In 2023, the theater company long known by the acronym CATCO announced that, going forward, it would call itself the Contemporary Theatre of Ohio—not out of a change in its founding principles but in a reaffirmation of them.

“I really wanted us to be clear about our value,” says Christy Farnbauch, who in 2020 was hired as the organization’s executive director. Farnbauch and artistic director Leda Hoffmann, who joined the company later that year, jointly replaced longtime producing director Steven Anderson, who retired in 2019.

“What is it about this company that is needed and important and relevant for the community?” says Farnbauch, who points to some anecdotal evidence that the time was right for a name change.

“The acronym CATCO, which stood for the Contemporary American Theatre Company ... people didn’t know that,” she says. “That had gotten lost through the generations. And no kidding, we would get calls asking if we were a cat welfare agency.”

“Every arts organization needs to periodically look at itself and say, ‘Are we still relevant? Is our name, our mission, our brand still communicating who we are and where we want to go?’” says Jami Goldstein, chief creative officer of the Greater Columbus Arts Council. “Having that ‘contemporary’ word front and center is really important for them to convey the kind of theater they’re doing.”

From its earliest days, the group prided itself for putting on cutting-edge theater. That legacy is part of what attracted Hoffmann, who was then serving as the artistic director of the Strawdog Theatre Co. in Chicago.

Hoffmann wanted to stay in Chicago when the Contemporary reached out. She changed her mind once she met with theater officials and gained an appreciation

ON THE FIELD. IN THE LOCKER ROOM. ON THE RECRUITING TRAIL.

If it’s happening in Scarlet & Gray, it’s happening here.

Fall Arts Guide

of its heritage. “I think the history of this theater, the legacy of this theater and the contemporary works that CATCO is really interested in doing, made me go, ‘Oh my gosh, this is absolutely the job for me.’ So I moved my life to Columbus.”

At that time, though, the Contemporary was in the thick of the pandemic and what turned into an 18-month period during which the group presented no traditional live performances. It was during that time that plans were hatched and solidified for the group’s eventual rebranding as the Contemporary.

“While we were trying to keep the lights on, and we were doing virtual work and we did some work outside … we had some time to really dig in and investigate our purpose and vision and mission,” Farnbauch says.

That self-examination also came to include a new self-definition as an anti-racist contemporary theater company—a part of its mission that had not previously been explicitly stated. “Sometimes in these larger and historically predominantly white institutions, there are just core assumptions of what kind of plays are going to be on stage and what shows are going to look like,” Hoffmann says. “To really do contemporary theater, we have to do shows that represent all of the people who live in Columbus.”

That commitment to diversity, Hoffmann says, ranges from the actors seen on stage to the artisans working on the design team to the playwrights whose works are being performed, such as James Ijames, a Black playwright whose show Fat Ham, a modern version of Shakespeare’s Hamlet, was performed last season.

“We surpassed our ticket goal for Fat Ham,” Hoffmann says. “That’s a Pulitzer Prize-winning play that was on Broadway. It’s being done all over the country,

Christy Farnbauch and Leda Hoffmann

and I knew that the Contemporary was the theater in this city that would do that play. To see audiences respond so well just gives me such confidence that Columbus really does want to see plays and the occasional musical … that are new.”

Anecdotally, the leaders say that their audiences are becoming more diverse by a variety of measures, including age range. When the Contemporary presented Ride the Cyclone last season, Hoffmann says “the number of teenagers descending upon our theater was truly exciting.”

For those who have noticed changes from CATCO to the current Contemporary Theatre of Ohio, Hoffmann points out that a group committed to performing contemporary works will, by definition, be ever evolving. “We’re staying with the mission of the company to bring contemporary work to Columbus,” Hoffmann says.

Farnbauch exemplifies this by highlighting that 40 years ago, Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman was, by some measures, contemporary. “We did, last year, Wife of a Salesman, which is a play imagining what the conversation might have been between the wife and the mistress of Willy Loman,” Farnbauch says. “That’s contemporary 40 years later.”

Goldstein applauds the ongoing legacy at the Contemporary, no matter its name. “The leadership they have now with Christy and Leda is incredible,” Goldstein says. “The productions that they’re choosing are innovative and responsive to the community.” ◆

The 2025-26 season of the Contemporary Theatre of Ohio will take place in the Riffe Center’s Studio One and Studio Two theaters. The shows set to be performed this year are:

Sept. 4-21: Alice By Heart

Oct. 30-Nov. 16: The Roommate

Dec. 11-21: A Christmas Carol March 5-22, 2026: Jaja’s African Hair Braiding

April 23-May 10, 2026: Primary Trust

For tickets and more information, visit thecontemporaryohio.org

AT BLUE JACKETS SEASON NEVER ENDS

Fall Arts Guide

Katy Coy leads the Jazz Arts Group forward with vibrant arts and educational programming.

By Peter Tonguette

When Jazz Arts Group CEO

Katy Coy arrived in Columbus in 2023, she would have characterized herself as a “recreational jazz fan.” These days, however, she has become a bit more devoted in her fandom. As the leader of Jazz Arts Group, Coy oversees an organization that produces concerts by its in-house ensemble, the Columbus Jazz Orchestra.

And, thanks to JAG’s work since its founding in 1973 by Ray Eubanks, much of Columbus is listening to jazz, too.

“What I love about the Jazz Arts Group is that it is so tied to the local jazz scene,” Coy says. “We are a representation and an outgrowth of the organic, really robust and exciting jazz community here.”

A native of Auburn Hills, Michigan, and a holder of arts administration degrees from two universities, Coy spent time in Columbus (including a stint as an executive assistant at the Columbus Symphony Orchestra) before taking the helm of the Valley Symphony Orchestra in McAllen, Texas. Then Coy got called back to Columbus to lead JAG. “It’s such a distinctive organization—there’s not that many like it in the United States even,” says Coy.

“The CJO has a national reputation for excellence,” Coy says. “I can count on one hand the number of professional big bands in the United States, and we have one right here in Ohio.” Under the direction of artistic director Byron Stripling, the orchestra presents a broad array of concerts each season in the Southern Theatre.

The organization also routinely invites leading artists from outside Columbus for shows at the Lincoln Theatre. “There’s so much going on across the United States as it relates to jazz music and new jazz artists,” Coy says. “JAG is in a position … to bring the best of that to Columbus.”

But at least half of JAG’s mission, Coy says, is educating area youth. “The education really is cradle-to-grave,” she says, pointing to initiatives ranging from its family-friendly PBJ & Jazz concerts to its Columbus Community Jazz Band, consisting of amateur players of all ages. The organization also offers programs in schools,

Conducting the Future

at its on-site Jazz Academy and through student ensembles, including the audition-only Columbus Youth Jazz Orchestra.

Coy says that JAG is seeing audience growth each year, but she is also trying to be responsive to evolving patron habits. For example, evening concerts now start earlier in response to guests not wanting to be out too late. “We want to build the night that they want to have,” she says.

As arts organizations contend with loss of federal funding, Coy says that JAG has not been directly impacted, though it has chosen not to pursue grants from the National Endowment for the Arts in the present environment. Donors, though, have taken note of the times.

“We’ve been lucky to receive a few new nice gifts in [recognition] of the fact that things are a little uncertain right now,” Coy says. “We’re trying to future-proof and be efficient.” ◆

The 2025-26 season of the Jazz Arts Group will take place at the Southern and Lincoln theaters. The shows set to be performed this year are: Oct. 10-12: Rhapsody in Blue Dec. 4-7: Home for the Holidays

Feb. 13-15. 2026: Tea for Two March 20-22, 2026: Hotter Than That May 1-3, 2026: The Loren Lounge For tickets, additional shows and more information, visit jazzartsgroup.org

PHOTO BY TIM JOHNSON

Katy Coy

Beethoven 5

September 26, 2025 | 7:30PM

September 28, 2025 | 3PM

Scheherazade

October 3, 2025 | 7:30PM

October 5, 2025 | 3PM

Handel’s Messiah

November 14 & 15, 2025 | 7:30PM

November 16, 2025 | 3PM

Latin Rhythms & Hollywood Drama

January 16 & 17, 2026 | 7:30PM

Mozart’s Requiem

January 23 & 24, 2026 | 7:30PM

Price & Tchaikovsky

February 6 & 7, 2026 | 7:30PM

Mahler 1

February 20 & 21, 2026 | 7:30PM

Amadeus Live

March 6 & 7, 2026 | 7:30PM

Rachmaninoff 3

March 14, 2026 | 7:30PM

Shostakovich 8

March 27 & 28, 2026 | 7:30PM

Beethoven, Schumann, & Brahms

April 17, 2026 | 7:30PM

April 18, 2026 | 3PM

Orff: Triumph of Aphrodite

May 1 & 2, 2026 | 7:30PM

Challenging the Status Quo

Uncensored, an exhibition from the Ohio Art League, pushes boundaries with evocative works.

By Zach Trabitz

When artist Jim Bowling, a professor at Otterbein University, had questions raised regarding the appropriateness of his sculpture critiquing gun violence, he was disappointed but not surprised given the current political climate.

Bowling is now participating in the Ohio Art League’s exhibition, Uncensored. Uncensored will be at RAW Gallery in Downtown Columbus from July 13 through Sept. 12. Admission to the exhibition is free. The gallery space and exhibition are aptly named—the art presented comments on the current political climate with unfiltered, poignant honesty.

Artists like Bowling who are participating in the show identified Uncensored as an exhibition grounded in the current

moment, one that resists a fearful political climate and tendency to shy away from difficult or taboo conversations. Art featured in the exhibition comments on an array of themes, from gun violence to reproductive rights.

Bowling says his sculpture, Second Amendment Rites, was a reaction to the Uvalde, Texas, school shooting in 2022 that killed 21 people.

The work was in a different show, and Bowling says questions were raised over whether it would be allowed to remain, owing to some finding it “too political.” Uncensored, in his perspective, was a response to these types of challenges to art.

“At other venues, artists I’ve spoken with have had their work suddenly withdrawn, not accepted or edited in some way,” Bowling says. “When we’re at the

point of editing the art as free speech, we’re reaching an issue. Why are we having to watch what we have to say?”

Gwen Waight, an artist based in Peninsula, Ohio, says her work was also previously censored. Waight’s piece in the Uncensored exhibition is titled Free Abortion and is an assemblage of found objects.

“I got this piece into another show and it was censored,” Waight says. “It got in, but when they saw more, they said, ‘We can’t lose our funding. This is a little too controversial.’ I’ve gotten that a lot with my pieces. I’ve found that people are drawn to my pieces, but they don’t always know right off the bat what statement the pieces are making until they either read the title or they read my artist statement. Then they’re like, ‘Oh, that’s a little too much for us.’ ”

Free Abortion by Gwen Waight

Second Amendment Rites by Jim Bowling

little too much for us.’”

Kenia LaMarr, a master’s student of arts policy and administration at Ohio State University, submitted Virtuous Intimacy to the exhibition, which is a painting that depicts her friend Rachel sitting naked. LaMarr stressed that Uncensored is happening at an opportune time.

“Especially now, we need spaces where there is not so much censorship—even academia is becoming more censored,” LaMarr says. “Research and the study of humanity is becoming censored. Art is a digestible tool for those who may not understand an experience or a challenge for a group of people, but they understand art as a way to communicate that.”

Bowling’s Second Amendment Rites depicts a man covered in red, white and blue paint, appearing as both a man and an American flag.

view as what’s valuable and what isn’t valuable as determined by our own actions and the actions of our legislators.”

LaMarr explained that Virtuous Intimacy is grounded in her observation that womanhood is often inherently sexualized when it shouldn’t be.

“I was thinking about being a woman and how women’s bodies are accepted in the world,” LaMarr says. “A lot of women aren’t able to sit nude without being objectified. I wanted my painting to be real and reflective, since it’s a vulnerable position for Rachel. You don’t get any sexual undertones from the painting. Oftentimes, womanhood is censored, femininity is censored, but my depiction of Rachel is raw.”

Waight, whose assemblage comments on the state of reproductive rights, says Uncensored allows artists to create exactly what they want to make without fear of backlash.

“The exhibition affords us freedoms we should have,” Waight says. “This art shouldn’t be taboo. This kind of exhibition says, ‘No, you don’t have to have fear, you can feel emboldened, safe and free to express exactly what you want to say.’ And that’s so important because now, people are having fear surrounding what’s OK to say.” ◆

Fall Arts Guide

UPCOMING ART EXHIBITS

JULY 19-JAN. 11 | Las Vegas Ikebana

The Columbus Museum of Art will display the works of Los Angeles-based Maren Hassinger and Chicago-based Senga Nengudi, who have been artistic collaborators since 1977. The exhibition explores their extensive history and features several lesser-known works. It’s accompanied by a monograph documenting their creative partnership. Price included in cost of general admission, columbusmuseum.org

AUG. 8-SEPT. 13 | Where Life is Precious, Life is Precious Artist Kirsta Benedetti’s interactive portraiture and storytelling exhibition will be on display at the Priscilla R. Tyson Cultural Arts Center. Benedetti’s work sheds light on the experience and vibrancy of incarcerated women. Free, culturalartscenteronline.org

AUG. 23-JAN. 11 | Veronica Ryan: Unruly Objects

See Turner Prize–winning artist Veronica Ryan’s first major survey exhibition at the Wexner Center for the Arts. Co-organized with the Pulitzer Arts Foundation, Ryan’s work is influenced by her global travels. Free, wexarts.org/exhibitions

OCT. 25-JAN. 9 | Riffe Gallery 2025 Biennial Juried Exhibition

This statewide juried exhibition, hosted by the Ohio Arts Council, showcases compelling original works by professional Ohio artists at the Vern Riffe Center for Government and the Arts. The exhibition supports various mediums, including painting, sculpture, fiber, photography, video and more. Free, oac.ohio.gov/riffe-gallery

SEPT. 4-NOV. 27 | Marcus MorrisElegance is Refusal

The exhibition, hosted at the Beeler Gallery at the Columbus College of Art and Design, is the culmination of Morris’ master’s thesis at Ohio State University, in which he uses staged photographic portraits and silk-screened prints to reclaim and reimagine his younger self. Free, beelergallery.org/upcomingexhibitions

DAVIDSON THEATRE

OHIO THEATRE

Fall Arts Guide

Conversation Becoming Community

The People’s Project, a collaborative project by two writers with Columbus ties, aims to help in more ways than one.

By Emma Frankart Henterly

On Sept. 9, friends and longtime collaborators Saeed Jones and Maggie Smith will appear in conversation at the Columbus Metropolitan Library’s main branch to promote their literary collaboration, The People’s Project: Poems, Essays, and Art for Looking Forward. Between them, the pair have published numerous poetry collections, memoirs, articles and other works, but neither has tackled a venture quite like this in form or pace, as the whole project came together in less than a year.

The People’s Project grew from shared shock and dismay over the 2024 presidential election cycle and its outcome in what Smith describes as a grassroots effort.

“I was reaching toward our friendship … to get my balance,” says Jones, who left Columbus last year for an artist-in-residence program at Harvard University, what sparked the collaboration with Smith.

Such outreach is a natural inclination during times of grief, rage or confusion, Smith muses. “It became increasingly obvious that the small conversation we were having between the two of us needed to grow.”

So, the pair began emailing friends and colleagues with a goal: Create a sense of community in book form. A way to help themselves and others feel a little more seen and a little less alone. They asked their networks: “What do you think people need to hear from you right now?”

The responses—from scholar Imani

Perry, ACLU lawyer Chase Strangio, U.S. poet laureate Ada Limón and others—depicted everything from trans joy to deportation fears to systemic critique to parental love. Smith and Jones crafted them into an arc that makes space for the varying emotions many have felt in the last year as civil rights are attacked, immigrants are disappeared and the Constitution is challenged by those sworn to protect it.

Despite its title being an allusion to the 900-page political blueprint Project 2025, The People’s Project is a slim volume of intentionally brief works.

“When I’m overwhelmed and I’m spiraling, I don’t need a dissertation; I need a gem of wisdom,” Jones says.

The People’s Project has a more tangible activist component as well, Smith adds, with 5 percent of its sales being donated to the American Civil Liberties Union.

“I think it will be really galvanizing for people,” says Smith. “Community is commiseration. But maybe it’s also a bunch of people who can, together, put their shoulders to a door. It feels like that.”

Such a collective mindset, both feel, can help create a brighter future.

“It’s clear that we have to live in community, not just for crisis but for fun,” Jones says. “All those other [negative] things come along down the road, and it helps if you’re already in rhythm with each other.”

◆

UPCOMING LITERARY EVENTS

AUG. 27 | Angus Fletcher in Conversation with James Clear The author of New York Times best-selling Atomic Habits, James Clear, will be joined by Ohio State University story science professor Angus Fletcher at the Columbus College of Art and Design to discuss Fletcher’s new book, Primal Intelligence. General admission tickets cost $10. gramercybooksbexley.com

SEPT. 9 | Authors at the Library with Saeed Jones and Maggie Smith

Learn more about The People’s Project and hear from anthology editors and acclaimed writers Saeed Jones and Maggie Smith at the Columbus Metropolitan Library Main branch. Tickets cost $26.29, which includes a copy of the book. prologuebookshop.com

OCT. 8 | October Book Bar

Meet fellow book lovers at Seventh Son Brewing for a night of great drinks and literary conversations at the Thurber House’s popular social mixer. Tickets cost $35; all attendees must be 21 or over. thurberhouse.org

Maggie Smith

Saeed Jones

Ten Titans of Columbus Jazz

By Peter Tonguette | Photos by

In Columbus, jazz is both a matter of heritage and something that lives in the here and now. Historically, the city has birthed the careers of some notable names in the genre, including Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Hank Marr and Eugene Walker. And Columbus remains the musical home of countless other talented musicians. Many are associated with the Jazz Arts Group and its ensemble, the Columbus Jazz Orchestra; many others play in various combinations in the city’s numerous clubs and restaurants, including Natalie’s, the Blu Note Jazz Café (which opens a second location in August), Dick’s Den and the Ginger Rabbit Jazz Lounge. Some still go out on the road. All contribute to a community where it is possible to hear live jazz almost every evening in one venue or another.

To celebrate the present tense of jazz in the city, we spoke with 10 of the most notable players in Columbus. The list that follows is by no means exhaustive, but the artists profiled give a hint of the talent that continues to make Columbus a soulful, swinging place.

Tim Johnson

Where to See Jazz in Columbus

The city will have no shortage of jazz concerts this fall. Below is a list of highlights of upcoming events. For tickets, more information and additional shows, visit the websites—and read on to meet some of the musicians you’ll see.

Bobby Floyd Trio

5-6:30 p.m. Sundays in August

Natalie’s Grandview nataliesgrandview.com

Vaughn Wiester’s Famous Jazz Orchestra 7:30-10 p.m. Mondays

Boulevard Presbyterian Church famousjazzorchestra.com

Vocalist Mary McClendon 6 and 8:15 p.m. Sept. 4, Oct. 2 and Nov. 6

Ginger Rabbit Jazz Lounge gingerrabbitjazz.com

Saxophonist Robert Dove and friends PBJ and Jazz free family concert noon Sept. 13, Topiary Park jazzartsgroup.org

Drummer Jim Rupp, bassist Andy Woodson and saxophonist Michael Cox

7:15 and 9:30 p.m. Sept. 13

Ginger Rabbit Jazz Lounge gingerrabbitjazz.com

Pianists Bobby Floyd and Dave Powers

A Handful of Keys, 8 p.m. Oct. 2 Lincoln Theatre jazzartsgroup.org

Mark Lomax II and the Urban Art Ensemble The Unity Suite, 7 p.m. Oct. 2. Wexner Center for the Arts wexarts.org

Erik Augis Trio

5:30 p.m. Oct. 3 and Nov. 7

Ginger Rabbit Jazz Lounge gingerrabbitjazz.com

Columbus Jazz Orchestra with Bobby Floyd, Rhapsody in Blue 7 p.m. Oct. 10-11; 3 p.m. Oct. 12

Southern Theatre jazzartsgroup.org

Columbus Jazz Orchestra Home for the Holidays 7 p.m. Dec. 4-7; 3 p.m. Dec. 8

Southern Theatre jazzartsgroup.org

From left: Bryan Olsheski, Tony Monaco, Jimmi Love and Derek DiCenzo at Dick’s Den

Bobby Floyd

Pianist and organist

Anative of Marion, Bobby Floyd remembers playing the piano before most people remember learning their ABC’s.

“I’m talking about at the age of between 2 and 3 years old,” says Floyd, whose command of the piano and organ have made him a beloved member of the Columbus Jazz Orchestra. “Even I knew it was a gift, because I was the only one of all my siblings and my friends that could do it.”

His gift was first heard in church, where his pastor gave him Tuesday nights to perform for the congregation. “That eventually turned into Sunday mornings and any time they needed a musician,” Floyd says.

Around the same time, Floyd began listening to his father’s jazz collection, including records by Erroll Garner, Thelonious Monk and other great jazz pianists. “Gospel music and jazz are so closely related,” he says. “I was able to take some of what I learned from listening to jazz records and play it in my church.”

After graduating from high school in 1973, he attended Ohio State University for two years before his professional workload started dominating his schedule. “I started playing at nighttime in the week and then get up the next morning to go to my classes, and it didn’t exactly work out!”

His career, however, was working out in a big way: Floyd spent many years touring with the likes of Ray Charles, Dr. John and other notables. Then, in the mid-1980s, he began sitting in for legendary jazz organist Hank Marr, then with the Columbus Jazz Orchestra. Upon Marr’s death in 2004, Floyd took over the keyboards full-time at the Columbus Jazz Orchestra.

“Jazz has always been strong in Columbus,” he says. “Now, a lot of people that come to Columbus that aren’t familiar with what’s going on here, they kind of have to seek it out. But once they find out, they’re usually really surprised.”

Bobby Floyd at Natalie’s Grandview

James Gaiters

Drummer

Drummer James Gaiters remembers going to the kitchen as a youngster and improvising a drum set out of his mother’s pots and pans. “[My father] said I would do that until I was finished, and then I would clean up,” says Gaiters, who was born in Columbus and brought up in Zanesville. “I would take everything and put it back where it belongs.” Despite his early connection to drumming, Gaiters was an architecture major at Ohio State University. Then, during a period when his grades were faltering, he sought out a class that could give a quick boost to his grade point average. “I saw drum lessons,” he remembers. “I felt, ‘That should be easy, because I’ve always played and I could read music.’” Soon, Gaiters was playing with the Ohio State Jazz Ensemble—and architecture was a distant memory. “I like how danceable jazz is, and then the melodies are endless, especially coupled with harmonies,” he says.

After departing Ohio State in 2000, Gaiters began touring with national acts and eventually formed his own quartet. He has logged appearances at the Newport Jazz Festival, Ottawa Jazz Festival and the Village Vanguard in New York, the last with Wynton Marsalis’ septet. In 2011, he returned to Ohio State to pursue a degree in music education. During his days, he works as a teacher’s assistant for students with behavioral challenges at Thomas Worthington High School, but most evenings and weekends are occupied with local gigs, including jam sessions at the Park Street Tavern on Tuesdays and performances at the Blu Note Jazz Café on Saturdays. He also regularly plays at two different church services on Sunday mornings.

“I don’t know if fulfilled is the right word,” he says of his current mix of musical offerings. “I’m enjoying myself. However, I’m still writing music, I’m working on producing my next album as we speak, as well as I am looking for more opportunities to hit the road with my band. ... My fire is still burning.”

James Gaiters at Blu Note Jazz Café

Reggie Jackson

Drummer

Drummer Reggie Jackson was still in high school when he began playing gigs with trumpet player Arnett Howard. The Columbus native would continue balancing school and music for years to come. “When I started at Ohio State [University], I was a full-time student, but I was still gigging, playing around town, with all of the jazz faculty as well as other jazz artists,” Jackson says. “I was also touring with a jazz artist who used to live here by the name of Kim Pensyl.”

After the conclusion of his freshman year in 1992, Jackson shifted to parttime student in order to jump on the jazz opportunities that were coming his way. Although his mother and stepfather wanted him to finish his degree (which he did in 1998), Jackson knew he had to pursue his lifelong love of percussion. “When I was a kid in church, my mom would have to sit by the drums, because me being close to the drums would be the only way to keep me quiet during the service,” he says.

In the spring of 2000, Jackson commenced a tour with acclaimed vocalist Diane Schuur, a collaboration that lasted 22 years. Other than one year in which he lived in Los Angeles, he has made his home in Columbus. “As a musician, I can live here, and with the cost of living, I can actually own a home,” he says. “The other great thing about Columbus is that I’m either a two-hour flight or less away from a lot of major cities—New York, Chicago, Philly, D.C., Atlanta. ... I could fly the day of the show, which is what Diane’s manager used to do a lot for anything on the East Coast.”

Jackson routinely makes the rounds with local artists. With bassist and guitarist Derek DiCenzo, he forms onethird of Bobby Floyd’s trio. He also serves as the artistic and musical director of the Harmony Project. “When players move here from other cities, I always tell them places to go, the jam sessions to go to, because that’s the best way to meet people,” he says. “Once you meet people, it’s kind of like you’re family.”

Mark Lomax II

Drummer and composer

Drummer and composer Mark Lomax II grew up surrounded by music—both the sort that his parents approved of and the kind that he sought out on his own. “My mother being a minister of music in the church, my father being a pastor in the Black church tradition, music was very important,” says Lomax, who was born in Virginia but has lived in Columbus since he was 2. “Even though they both liked jazz, it was limited given the religious structure. So we had to sneak in all kinds of other music.”

By the time he was a teenager, Lomax was playing in jazz, rock and gospel bands. “Back in the day, I could play very well—concert-well—13 instruments, which mostly included the classical percussion instruments,” says Lomax, who counts among his instruments the flute, piano, vibraphone, marimba, xylophone and glockenspiel. “Timpani actually was very formative for how I constructed my solo drumming voice,” he says.

In 1997, he started at Ohio State University, but there followed a tumultuous period where he was not on the same page as his teachers. “I dropped out twice; [it] took me 10 years to get my undergrad,” he says. “I had to write two master’s theses because they didn’t understand the first one I wrote.”

All the while, he experienced professional success that was not necessarily recognized in the classroom. At the same time his music was called “derivative” by professors, “I was signed to a record label out of Philly and I did two records that were bestsellers for their labels at that time.”

Lomax completed his education in 2013. “I became only the third African American, to my knowledge, to graduate from Ohio State with a doctorate degree in classical composition,” says Lomax, who characterizes his work— including 400: An Afrikan Epic—as Afro chamber music.

“As a composer, I look to African and African American source materials, whether it be story, whether it be traditional music—and by ‘traditional,’ I mean blues, spirituals, folk music from across the African diaspora.” He recognizes the utility of the term “jazz” but considers the phrase “Black improvisa-

tional art music” to be a more accurate description of the art form. Audiences can hear his vibrant contributions to that tradition through his various groups, including the Mark Lomax Trio and the Urban Art Ensemble.

Mark Lomax II at Relay Recording

Mary McClendon

Growing up, Mary McClendon remembers singing in pretty much every choir that would take her. “My mother was just one of those people who sang all the time,” says McClendon, who was born in Portsmouth but has lived in Columbus since the age of 7. “She had this really high soprano voice, and of course she’d be doing hymns or spirituals.”

For McClendon, listening to her mother—as well as TV broadcasts of musicals like Porgy and Bess—was all the training she needed. She never had a vocal teacher. “Of course, I’m from an era where we had music and art every school day,” McClendon says. “That’s from elementary through high school.”

At her first job, at Motorists Mutual Insurance Co., McClendon sang in the company choir, but her performing ambitions stalled as she raised her family. In time, though, opportunities started coming her way, including as an understudy in the Gallery Players’ production of South Pacific and as part of the chorus of a touring production of Show Boat. Then, while going to school at the Columbus College of Art and Design in her 30s, she was encouraged to sing for a student function. “The kids urged me to get up on stage, and I sang one song,” she says. “It was well received, and I was happy about it.”

She started getting gigs at area clubs, leading her to remember the advice she had been given years earlier. “Back in high school, my choir director had told me, ‘You’re a jazz singer,’ ” she says. Eventually employed as an illustrator for JCPenney, McClendon continued singing, opening for national acts and regularly performing locally. “I especially love ballads—just to tell the story in the way you phrase it,” she says. “You’re speaking but you’re singing, and a lot of that is missed if it’s only instrumental.”

Now in her 80s, McClendon is still performing, noting that her day job as a receptionist keeps her in vocal shape. “I talk an awful lot,” she says.

Vocalist

Mary McClendon at Ginger Rabbit Jazz Lounge

Tony Monaco Organist

Columbus native Tony Monaco started on an instrument few would associate with jazz: the accordion. But when he was 12, a friend of his father’s gave him Jimmy Smith’s Greatest Hits!, a best-of compilation by the iconic jazz organist.

“It was a double album set, and I went into my little bedroom where I had a record player that I was playing Beatles 45s on,” Monaco says. “The first song I heard was the whole side of the record—it’s over 20 minutes. It was called The Sermon. And that’s when I was baptized— that was it.”

As a teenager, Monaco had gotten ahold of Smith’s address, and the aspiring jazz organist sent some amateur recordings to the master.

“Coincidentally, on my 16th birthday, he called,” Monaco says. “I knew the sound of his voice from all the grunts on the record. ... He told me that I played too many notes, and that I needed to learn how to play the right chords.”

For years, Monaco was occupied in his family’s restaurant and concrete business. “I always had to play music, but I had to do other things to make the income,” he says. But when his father died in 1999, he had the opportunity to concentrate more fully on the instrument he had come to love. “There’s something about the sound of it, and the fact that you’re in control of playing your own bass, your own harmony, your own leads,” Monaco says of playing the organ. “It’s like the ultimate big-band instrument.”

Monaco was mentored by jazz organist Joey DeFrancesco, and he toured for two-and-a-half years with jazz guitarist Pat Martino.

These days he can be seen—and heard— at local venues including Dick’s Den, Natalie’s Grandview and at annual area festivals including the Jazz and Rib Fest and the Creekside Blues and Jazz Festival.

“I think God gives each one of us a unique set of talents, and if we listen, we follow,” he says. “The talents are already there to be discovered.”

Tony Monaco at Natalie’s Grandview

Bryan Olsheski

Saxophonist

It might be said that saxophonist Bryan Olsheski was born into a jazz home: His father was a saxophonist for trumpet player and bandleader Al Hirt, and his mother is a singer. He was born in a jazz hometown, too: New Orleans. When he was a youngster, his parents pulled up stakes to Mansfield, where they hoped to be “big fish in a small pond,” as he puts it. Although Bryan lost his father when he was 9, he eventually became acquainted with his dad’s artistry. “Some of his musician friends shared some tapes of him performing with me, and I got to know my father through a lot of the recordings that he made,” Olsheski says. “From that, I was attracted to the sound of the saxophone.”

When he was in the fifth grade, his mother gave him a saxophone (after a request for a drum set had been declined), and he ended up studying at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, where he majored in jazz performance. A post-graduation job playing with jazz combos on a cruise ship led to a sojourn in London, England. “The jazz community, no matter where you go, is a small community,” he says. “If you have an interest and you’re a player, you’re welcomed into that community.”

After three years in London, Olsheski made his way to Columbus, where he has remained. His main passion, he says, is jazz improvisation, but he has learned that he is best served by adopting a variety of styles. “In this day and age, being just a jazz musician, especially in a place like Columbus, won’t put food on your table,” he says. “You have to be diverse; you have to be able to play wedding gigs, big band gigs, funk gigs, jazz gigs.”

Although Olsheski’s jazz journey has taken him from New Orleans to Mansfield to London to Columbus, he is happy with where he’s ended up. “I could have moved to a bigger city at one time, but I have a family,” he says. “My priorities are music and my family—not in that order.”

Bryan Olsheski at Dick’s Den

Jim Rupp

Drummer

Drummer Jim Rupp remembers the moment he fell in love with jazz percussion. “My high school band director took me to see the Count Basie Orchestra at the Moonlight Ballroom in Canton, Ohio, and I just fell in love with it,” says Rupp, who was born and raised in Canton.

He already loved the drums, but the experience of seeing Basie’s orchestra solidified his interest in the genre of jazz. “Drummers set the groove, along with the bassists; we set the style, the dynamics,” Rupp says.

Rupp attended Ohio State University, and a key opportunity came within days of graduation. “I went on the road with Maynard Ferguson 10 days out of Ohio State, and that was a big gig at that time,” says Rupp, who subsequently played with the Glenn Miller Orchestra and Woody Herman’s band.

Those years were demanding but rewarding. “You live for the two hours on stage every night,” Rupp says. “In Woody’s band, you might have a few weeks off in the summer and three weeks off at Christmas, and that’s it. You’re gone. You develop a bond with the guys in the band.”

In between tours, Rupp developed Columbus connections. “I was really fortunate to play with [organist] Hank [Marr] and [saxophonist] Rusty Bryant here in town,” he says. “Those guys were big influences, as much as anything, on me: their groove, their sense of music. I always say I have an undergrad from Ohio State in music education, but my grad school was with Rusty and Hank.”

Today, Rupp teaches part-time at Ohio State while also playing with the Cleveland Jazz Orchestra, Cleveland Pops Orchestra and, of course, the Columbus Jazz Orchestra. Performing, especially locally, is something he still relishes.

“I love playing in town,” he says. “The Ginger Rabbit is the coolest club. I play there every once in a while. I feel very blessed and fortunate to do what I love for a living.”

Byron Stripling

Trumpet player and bandleader

Trumpet player and Columbus Jazz Orchestra artistic director Byron Stripling learned about the importance of music from his father. “He grew up in poverty and had nothing, but the one thing he did have was a radio,” says Stripling, who grew up in Decatur, Georgia. “He spent the day listening to, when he could, classical music, and especially he loved the Metropolitan Opera broadcasts.”

Stripling remembers his father playing records by Louis Armstrong, Count Basie and Duke Ellington after he came home from work. They left an impression. “I never remember a time when I didn’t want to be a musician,” he says. “It was probably my dad’s influence. ... I wanted to play the trumpet, and I wanted to perform.”

Despite those influences, the jazz world almost missed out on Stripling: When he entered the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York, his goal was to become a classical trumpet player. “They had no jazz department. They offered jazz band, but you couldn’t get a degree in it. Now you can.”

Anxious about finding work when school was over, Stripling fell into the orbit of trumpet player Clark Terry, who offered to call bandleader Lionel Hampton on his behalf. “In the dorms back then, there was only one phone per floor, so somebody came to me and said, ‘Hey, some guy calling himself Lionel Hampton wants to talk to you,’” Stripling says. “All of a sudden, I was talking to him and he said, ‘I want you to join my band.’ That’s how I got that first gig.”

Goodbye, classical trumpet; hello, gigs with Dizzy Gillespie, Woody Herman and the Count Basie Orchestra, and the title role in a musical show about Armstrong, Satchmo: America’s Musical Legend. He eventually made his home in New York. Then, in 2002, the CJO came calling with the invitation for him to lead the group. Although he had never been a bandleader before, he felt he was ready. “I had observed plenty, and I had also watched all of the bandleaders I was un-

der and how they do it,” Stripling says. And ready he was—today he continues to lead the CJO while also serving as a

conductor with orchestras in Pittsburgh and Milwaukee. “I believe in walking on a stage with a smile,” he says.

pops

Vaughn Wiester

Trombonist and

bandleader

Born in Abilene, Texas, trombone player and Famous Jazz Orchestra leader Vaughn Wiester grew up in Mount Vernon. “For whatever reason—it’s just got to be magic—music came and got me in Mount Vernon, Ohio,” says Wiester, who points to his high school band director and the time he criticized Wiester’s enthusiasm for the impossibly square Lawrence Welk Show. The director gave him a batch of records by jazz great Stan Kenton.

“He put them in my hands and he looked at me and he said, ‘Take these home and listen to them, and watch Lawrence Welk next week,’” Wiester says. “The big takeaway was, of course, it ain’t all the same. When I heard those Kenton records, I went, ‘Holy smokes, what is this?’”

Following service in the Navy (and a single quarter at Ohio State University), Wiester played trombone with area groups including the Dave Workman Blues Band. He also went on the road with Woody Herman. A multi-decade stint teaching jazz at Capital University was followed by his most significant encore: hatching the idea for his group, Vaughn Wiester’s Famous Jazz Orchestra. The group first performed in 1992.

“My inspiration was, on a couple of occasions, ... I got a call to go down and sit in with the Blue Wisp Big Band ... in Cincinnati,” Wiester says. “The name came from the first club they played in.”

A 22-piece band, the Famous Jazz Orchestra has cycled through several Central Ohio locations through the years, including the Columbus Music Hall and, from 2011 to 2025, the Clintonville Woman’s Club. When the orchestra’s stint at the last venue ended earlier this year, Wiester did not have a new location lined up, but sounded a hopeful note about his group’s prospects. “We’ve never been homeless for longer than a couple of weeks, and we’ve always ended up in a very decent place,” he says. That much has turned out to be true: In June, Wiester announced that the group would resume

Monday dates at the Boulevard Presbyterian Church. “The universe has always acted on behalf of the Famous Jazz Orchestra,” he says. ◆

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FASHION Forward

By Sarah Donaldson

Photos by Tim Johnson

Yohannan Terrell is working to boost the city’s reputation as a design mecca by connecting creators and retailers. A new incubator space will amplify the effort.

Columbus Fashion Alliance founder and marketing executive

Yohannan Terrell has refined his analogy for Columbus over the years.

Yogi, as most people call him, likens the city to the student who initially sits in the back of the class, maybe wearing glasses.

“But they got really good bone structure, really good hair,” Terrell says, laughing.

“You’re like, ‘Yo, if you just take those glasses off, man, you might pop that top button off,’ and then they do it and all of a sudden, it’s like ... they’re hot.”

Columbus doesn’t need to search for a new identity, he says during a conversation at the alliance’s Idea Foundry space in July. He believes it needs to fully embrace what already lies under the surface. That good bone structure.

For as long as Terrell has used the analogy, he’s had an underlying agenda to go with it. He works day and night on this mission he’s conceived: to convince oth-

‘‘ He has an infectious enthusiasm that I think cities need.”

—DOUG KRIDLER, CEO OF THE COLUMBUS FOUNDATION

ers that Columbus needs to fully embrace fashion as an industry central to its culture.

Talk about Central Ohio’s business climate, and local leaders might talk about the booming biotechnology sector, data centers or Anduril Industries’ military drone facility, which is expected to be the largest job-creation project in Ohio history.

Terrell, who lives near Easton, would send you in another direction.

Long a test market for fast food and retailers based on its Midwest location and its concentration of corporate headquarters, Columbus has consistently ranked highly for the number of fashion designers who call the city home. In 2012, an analysis by Bloomberg ranked it third, just behind New York City and Los Angeles. That’s due in no small part to retail pioneer Les Wexner, who grew The Limited into the L Brands empire that ruled malls for decades and in turn drew other fashion retailers to the region. Today, in addition to Victoria’s Secret, Abercrombie and Fitch, DSW and others are headquartered here.

“I’m not going to say it’s not homegrown, the tech industry, right?” Terrell says. “But at the same time, those are newer industries coming here.”

At the alliance’s headquarters, located on the second floor of the Idea Foundry in Franklinton, reminders of Terrell’s

Yohannan Terrell at the Columbus Fashion Alliance space in the Idea Foundry

mission are everywhere. Off-white mannequins abound—some clothed, some not. In a lab, white desks—most topped with a sewing machine—line the walls. There are large cutting tables, threads in every hue, embroidery machines, and magazines and other reading material. Just the right amount of organized chaos.

In adjacent rooms, neon LED signs proclaim, “FASHION IS OUR BUSINESS.”

One, in what Terrell calls the “war room,” hangs next to framed pictures of students who have completed summer programs with the fashion alliance. He points out, proudly, where each one went after.

Terrell founded the Columbus Fashion Alliance in 2019. The nonprofit aims to contribute to individual designers’ and fashion businesses’ growth by educating, coaching and facilitating connections between creatives and fashion retailers, according to its mission statement. CFA has raised and reinvested $6 million toward that goal, funded in part by the city of Columbus, Franklin County and supporters like Battelle, the Columbus Foundation and Victoria’s Secret, Terrell says. In 2023, it reported total revenue of $1.5 million.

Students—who take over CFA machinery each summer—move the mission forward. Terrell also sees the organization’s headquarters as somewhere creatives can come and just create, without high overhead cost.

The alliance has five full-time employees, and several more sets of hands come from part-time and contract positions. “We’re a small but mighty family trying to learn and grow. The nonprofit industry is hard,” he says.

Influential Role Models

Akron-born Terrell, 48, wasn’t thinking much about what he was wearing in his youth. His coming-of-age tale resembles that of “a majority of young Black kids” who weren’t wealthy, he says. His family moved from one home to the next, received government assistance and frequented the food bank.

“Broken home, broken family. Mom, dad, sister in a small household, and basically drugs and alcohol kind of destroyed our family,” he says.

One memory that stands out is how he really wanted Air Jordans, the signature black-and-red court shoes that rolled out in the mid-1980s. His dad scored a pair of knockoff sneakers instead. “I remember telling myself, ‘Man,

as soon as I get a job, I’m going to buy all the stuff I want,’” he says.

Terrell played on the North High School football team and got a brief look from some scouts from Dartmouth College, although neither he nor his friends were familiar with the Ivy League school then. It dawned on him later the trajectory his life might have taken.

Even if it was not “the greatest childhood,” Terrell says, there were women who watched him closely. One was his mother, Harriet. “She was serious about me doing good in school, and if I didn’t do good in school, I had to be careful. Old school, she’s an old-school mom,” he says. “And while I was still running the streets and getting in trouble, I was more afraid of my mom than I was of the streets.”

The second guiding figure was Cheryl Russell, who with her husband mentored kids and took Terrell under her wing. “Cheryl, she knew I was smart, and she was like, ‘What are you going to do about college?’ And I was like, ‘I don’t know.’ I didn’t even know the first thing,” he says.

Russell took him to the library, where they filled out and submitted college applications, including to Ohio State University. He didn’t have the money, so she covered his application fees. When he was admitted to Ohio State, he says, “that was the catalyst that kind of changed my life.”

“I had a son when I was 18, so I was still very much tethered to Akron. I still was trying to dig myself out of that history of where I was coming from, that

environment,” he says.

But he dug.

His son, Travon, is now 29 and a dentist. His daughter, 19-year-old Chayana, is getting ready to study film at the University of Cincinnati.

Another influential woman in his life is his cousin Fredericka Wallace-Deena, who has worked nationally and locally in philanthropy. Wallace-Deena now runs a fundraising firm, and the two talk frequently.

“He’s just amazing … the way he thinks about things, there’s no limits. He’s always going to think about something,” she says. “If it says, ‘do not answer or do not go here,’ if he thinks that it should be crossed, he’s going to figure out a way that everyone can travel safely.”

After graduating from Ohio State with a bachelor’s in psychology and a minor in marketing, Terrell worked in clubs and events and was hired by Wallace-Deena to do marketing for United Way of Central Ohio. He also worked in radio at Interactive One and launched a publication focused on urban culture, Flypaper Magazine.

The nonprofit industry is tough, Terrell says. “Everybody’s vying for dollars.”

Wallace-Deena says it can be tough in particular for primarily Black nonprofits because of persistent income inequality. Still, according to an Urban Institute study from 2018, nonwhite families tend to donate a greater percentage of their earnings to charities than white families.

CEO

Warhol and Wall Street

Founder and director

Columbus Fashion Alliance

Age: 48

Previous: Online editor at Interactive One

Education: Bachelor’s degree in psychology with a minor in marketing, Ohio State University

Involvement: Experience Columbus, Greater Columbus Arts Council, Lincoln Theatre, Short North Alliance

Resides: Easton area

Family: Children Travon and Chayana Terrell

YOHANNAN “YOGI” TERRELL

Terrell does well because he focuses his efforts beyond the barriers that race and class can create, Wallace-Deena says. If silos exist in an environment Terrell inhabits, she says, he is dismantling them.

Doug Kridler, CEO of the Columbus Foundation, commends Terrell for his commitment to inclusion. The foundation was one of the earliest CFA funders. “What I make of Yogi’s vision for the city is, it’s filled with the many voices and a truly diverse sensibility that reflects the full measure of our city’s residents and the inherent value that that diversity brings to the richness,” Kridler says.

He says busy institutions move fast, and ideas tend to distract from the grind toward what is next. What strikes Kridler about Terrell, he says, is how “undeterred [he is] by the fact that it’s not easy to take an idea into reality.”

“He has an infectious enthusiasm that I think cities need,” Kridler says.

Community Connections

That enthusiasm translates into a very busy schedule beyond CFA. Blocks of engagements fill Terrell’s color-coded digital calendar.

Ten years ago, he cofounded marketing firm Warhol and Wall Street after getting his feet wet at United Way. Terrell says he isn’t as involved in the day-to-day anymore. Over the years, the agency has done branding and engagement work locally and for national brands like Mountain Dew and Red Bull.

He’s got a long list of involvements, including serving as a member of the Experience Columbus board of directors and Greater Columbus Arts Council

board of trustees, and he is also involved with the Lincoln Theatre and the Short North Alliance.

“I like big city energy, right? I was going to move years ago, but because I had my kids here, I couldn’t move. So, a mentor of mine was like, ‘If you are yearning for more excitement, cultural excitement, then get involved civically.’ And that’s what I did,” he says.

He jokes now that he’s too tied down to ever leave Columbus.

More recently, he channeled that enthusiasm into work with Downtown Columbus Inc., the private, nonprofit development organization that advocates for major local projects. Terrell traveled and studied other cities’ cultures and resources as part of the 2022 strategic plan. The question in front of him was, “How do we make Columbus feel like everybody’s Columbus?”

Terrell’s answer is a bit like a ladder of engagement. If done right, he says, Downtown’s surface parking lots would be used frequently for vendors’ markets. The city would invest more in walking and biking trails that connect sites and neighborhoods, without the need for cars. And the buzz he’s creating builds. “Culture—whatever that culture is in your city—it creates energy, and that energy attracts people, and people attract commerce, and those combinations attract or build communities,” he says.

Just look at the community Terrell builds each summer at the CFA.

On this Tuesday in July, a cohort of local high schoolers is hard at work building a fashion brand from scratch. By the end of the summer, from that collection

they’re creating, about 3,000 pieces will be produced and given away to other students at a pop-up shop.

Eighteen-year-old Sahr Julian RashidNoah, of Pickerington, is a lead in the cohort. This fall, he’ll be studying communication design and fashion design at the Parsons School of Design in New York City. Columbus has grown “real gems” in the fashion industry who have influenced his work, he says. “They all leave Columbus, obviously, and try to cultivate their own skills, but they always come back,” Rashid-Noah says.

Take Valentina Thompson and Madison Hilson, Ohio State graduates who founded the women’s outdoor brand Seniq in 2023. Just before that, they worked for Backcountry.com, which is headquartered in Utah.

“We’re building Seniq in Columbus because it’s the best city in the country to launch a brand. The mentorship, the retail infrastructure, the cost of living, the creativity … it’s truly unmatched,” Thompson says via email.

As his summer cohort works, Terrell is fielding real estate calls. CFA will move to a new headquarters soon, which he’s named The Loom. CFA is buying the Columbus College of Art and Design building at 161 N. Grant Ave. with a loan from IFF and grant funding of $1 million from the county and $600,000 from the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Programming funds won’t be used for the building, Terrell says.

The Loom will serve as a fashion incubator with retail, event space and more. CCAD’s fashion design major long has churned out successful graduates, and he envisions investing further in the infrastructure for them to grow.

“This is where the industry and the culture will converge,” he says. “There’s nothing like this in the Midwest, for sure. The closest thing to it would be in New York and L.A., and even in New York and L.A., there’s not too many nonprofits that have a whole building dedicated to the culture of fashion.”

As Terrell heads to his next meeting, where he’s got a decaf mocha with almond milk waiting, he laughs when asked if he ever has downtime. He shows a recent tattoo on his left arm that reads: “You have, can, and will do hard things.”

“I remind myself of that when I’m trying to do things, like change the city through fashion,” Terrell says, “Like, why not?” ◆

Yogi Terrell with Columbus gallery owner

Michelle Brandt

A special quarterly section of Columbus Monthly

EDITED BY JULANNE HOHBACH

PAGE 56

Building Bridges Teaching children to respect and embrace different cultures and backgrounds

PAGE 60

The Go-To Guide: Day Trip Destinations 10 family fun spots focused on animals, aviation, science and more

Building Bridges

Teaching children to respect and embrace people from different cultures and backgrounds can help them thrive in a global society.

By Kathy Lynn Gray

Growing up, Amy Rudawsky lived in a homogeneous community with few peers who came from different cultures, races, religions and backgrounds.

After she married and had her own children, she wanted them to have an upbringing where diversity was more present in their neighborhood and schools.

“I wanted to give my kids more exposure to other things in the world,” says Rudawsky, a teacher and co-director at the School for Young Children in Clintonville. The preschool is known for welcoming families of diverse backgrounds, beliefs and traditions.

Her kids are grown now, but Rudawsky still believes in the importance of helping children understand and embrace diversity. “Kids are naturally curious to learn about the world and the people

in it,” she says. “It’s important for them to know there are people out there who don’t look like them and who celebrate life in different ways, so that when they build relationships, they’re open to that kind of growth.”

Despite the federal government’s push to remove or tone down diversity, equity and inclusion in schools and businesses, there are still plenty of ways for families to raise children who appreciate and respect people from different cultures, religions, races and abilities, says Ronda McIntyre, a retired Columbus City Schools elementary teacher.

“If kids don’t have diversity in their schools, you can look for opportunities where they can be in a group setting where there aren’t going to be kids just like them,” she says. That might be at a library story time, a swimming pool in

another part of town, a summer camp or a festival, she says.

McIntyre and her husband, David, sent their children to Columbus City Schools “so they could be in classes with kids who weren’t just like them,” she says. That led to plenty of family conversations about diversity. They also attended the First Unitarian Universalist Church, which is a safe haven for same-sex couples and transgender people.

“Just being in church they would meet a lot of different people, and then we’d talk about that,” McIntyre says.

As a fourth and fifth grade teacher at Indianola Informal K-8 School, she and her fellow teachers spent weeks at the beginning of each school year building a community of trust in their classrooms. “When the group of students you have is diverse, building that

BY

PHOTO

TIM JOHNSON

Racheal Alcock, Columbus Metropolitan Library’s manager of diversity, equity and inclusion, holds several books she recommends to parents for teaching children about different people and cultures.

respect and trust among students is key,” she says. “The world we live in is very diverse, and kids see that and ask questions and that’s good; it’s a good way to have conversations about the construct of race, for example.”

Students learned from Muslim classmates why it was important to them to fast during Ramadan and from Chinese students how to celebrate the Lunar New Year. “The kids felt they could trust the people around them and so could talk about those things and be respected,” McIntyre says. “I don’t understand today why we are not celebrating who we are instead of trying to erase people.”

Breaking Down Barriers

For parents looking to expand a child’s views beyond their insular world, McIntyre and Rudawsky say reading is a good first step.

“A great way for small children to learn about others is through books,” says Rudawsky. “And it’s not like, ‘Let’s go find a book about Martin Luther King or the Special Olympics.’ It’s about finding books about a family going out to get ice cream and they happen to be brown or Asian, books that show different representations of people.”

Lynette Ford, a former teacher and a Columbus storyteller for more than two decades, says a plethora of books with lots of different faces can be found in libraries. “You don’t have to hit kids over the head with it, but it’s great to look for those kinds of books to introduce them to the fact that kids come from different cultures,” Ford says.

Cartoons and other television shows, too, often represent a variety of races and cultures, so Ford encourages parents to seek those out when selecting shows for their children to watch.

As a storyteller, Ford shares folktales from her own background as an African American with Appalachian roots. These often star animals who get themselves into trouble and wriggle out of disasters. As the children sit in a tight group on the floor, she draws their attention to the story by adding choral responses, rhymes and gestures that give each child the feeling she’s telling the story just to them.

“It’s an equal playing field for everyone, encouraging them to listen attentively to a stranger, but a stranger who is safe and who is sharing communication skills they’ll need in the future,” Ford says. “It

may give them the chance to meet others they might not meet anywhere else and, by saying who I am and having a rhyme or a song together, then we’ve built community.”

Storytelling can teach lessons to adults and children alike, she says. Early in her career, Ford was invited to present her stories at an all-white rural elementary school and arrived to find a man purposefully hanging a Confederate flag across from the school. Once inside, a kindergartner called her “China girl” before being shushed by a classmate. After the program, the name caller had a change of heart; he stood up and shouted, “I love her!”

Ford returned to the school twice more, and on the third visit, the man who had hung the Confederate flag showed up for the story time. “He asked me about my Appalachian background and then he said, ‘There’s not many of us around,’ ” Ford says. “We broke down barriers that day, and I hope that remained in the children’s memories.”

Ford says as parents and grandparents communicate with children, they’re teaching them literacy and listening skills that can expand their worldview. “You go from general communication to, ‘What stories can I share that will enhance my child’s understanding of the world and their understanding of people who aren’t part of their daily world?’ ”

PARENT POINTERS

These online resources are among many offering information on talking to children about different races, cultures and backgrounds:

Grandview Heights Public Library antiracism resources ghpl.org/antiracism

The Conscious Kid a nonprofit focused on supporting healthy racial identity development and disrupting racism theconsciouskid.org

Confident Parents, Confident Kids a website for caregivers confidentparentsconfidentkids.org

Nationwide Children’s Hospital Positive Parenting Program nationwidechildrens.org/ specialties/behavioral-health/ for-families/triple-p

The Willesden Project an education initiative inspired by the story of a young Jewish girl who fled Vienna during World War II teachingwithtestimony.com/ thewillesdenproject

Volunteers at a Seeds of Caring event tie fleece blankets for hospitalized children.

The Best Bike Shop in Columbus

“Umm,

Fall Family Music Fest

Sunday, September 28

Activities for Children at 2pm Performance at 3pm Nationwide Children’s Hospital Meet and Greet with Tim at 4pm

KID’S TICKETS ARE FREE!

Adult tickets $20. Children under 18 require a free ticket. Scan this QR code for tickets or visit newalbanyfoundation.org for more information.

Educational Partner

She suggests parents take their children to movies and museums that highlight different cultures and to buy dolls and puppets that look different from their own family. “Make it all a part of the child’s experiences, and if you can’t do that, go to YouTube to find a variety of storytelling.”

Educational Experiences

Volunteering is a good way to help children grow their empathetic side, and Seeds of Caring is one local nonprofit that can help.

The group sets up programs that children aged 2 to 12 can participate in, ranging from interacting through music with adults who have disabilities to planting, mulching and harvesting community gardens that supply produce to food pantries.

“We build empathy intentionally by exposing children to diverse lived experiences,” says Julianna Hausman, a program manager with the nonprofit. By helping in a food pantry garden, for example, they learn about community members who experience hunger.

“A lot of adults comment that these events lead to growing conversations in their households,” Hausman says. “We want children who participate to know they have the ability to make a difference in the world.”

Lilu Terefe, assistant director of youth programs for ETSS in Columbus, knows well the value of accepting and celebrating people’s differences.

“Diversity is our power,” says Terefe, who came to the United States

Girls dance at the ETSS Youth Summit, an annual celebration held by the nonprofit in August.

Presented by The New Albany Community Foundation

20 years ago from Ethiopia and now oversees ETSS’ family, schools and engagement program. The organization was formerly known as Ethiopian Tewahedo Social Services but shortened its name recently to better reflect its purpose: helping refugees and immigrants who come to America from all countries.

Terefe oversees ETSS’ after-school programs and summer camps located around the city. In camp, children work on academics, take field trips and practice social skills. But they also have cultural exchange days where they share their native cultures with each other, Terefe says.

“Diversity is around them, and they have to be open and understanding of that to be a well-rounded, wholesome and understanding person,” she says. “To be functioning citizens, they need to understand there are many different kinds of people in the world.”

Children in the program aren’t asked to give up their nationality’s customs but to “take the best of your home culture and your American culture” and combine them, Terefe says. That means Somali students will share stories, food and holidays with Ethiopian or Nepali participants to experience different aspects of each culture.

“We’re highlighting the beauty and strength of diversity, especially now when it’s sometimes seen as a negative,” she says. “We are helping them to understand that, yes, you may be different, but your difference is something to be celebrated. Your friend’s different may not be your different, but be proud of that.”

As a mother of three young children, Terefe has learned that small moments of parenting, whenever opportunities come along, can expose kids to the differences among people.

“Help them be willing to learn and respect others around them and keep teaching them to have a willing heart and mind,” she says. “We might have our own beliefs, but that doesn’t mean we hate or discriminate against others who don’t have those beliefs. We have to be kind to others and have respect.”

◆

Check out the online version of this story for a list of suggested books for children and parents, compiled by Racheal Alcock of Columbus Metropolitan Library.

Day Trip Destinations

Skip the packing, airport lines and long car rides and find a getaway close to home. Day trips offer memorable experiences and quality family time without the hassle of travel. Not sure where to head next? We’ve collected 10 of our favorite spots around Ohio that appeal to a wide range of ages and interests. Go to the online version of this story at columbusmonthly.com/columbusparent for additional day trip ideas.

To suggest a destination that we should consider adding to our list, send an email to contact@columbusparent.com.

Boonshoft Museum of Discovery

2600 DeWeese Parkway, Dayton;

By Nichole Frederick

937-275-7431; boonshoft.org

A science center, zoo, planetarium and children’s museum are all under one roof at this destination in Dayton. Permanent and special exhibitions accompany the signature climbing tower, water table, science theater and hands-on experiments of all kinds. The Storybook Trail is the museum’s latest addition, where children can follow a story along a path while exploring the nature play areas that include a rope climb, mud kitchen and more. Check the program schedule for Space Theater shows, animal talks, zoo feedings and science presentations.

Cost: $15 adults, $13 seniors, $12 children ages 3-12 and free for ages 2 and younger.

Carillon Historical Park

1000 Carillon Blvd., Dayton; 937-293-2841; daytonhistory.org/visit/daytonhistory-sites/carillon-historical-park

Visitors from all parts of the state will enjoy learning about Dayton history, as well as the park’s indoor and outdoor exhibits and activities. The 65-acre park includes the John W. Berry Sr. Wright Brothers National Museum, featuring the 1905 Wright Flyer III, and a transportation-focused center that shows other modes of travel, such as a locomotive and a Conestoga wagon. Separate exhibits focus on the Great 1913 Flood and Dayton manufacturing and innovation. Cost: $14 adults, $12 seniors, $10 children

These 10 spots across Ohio offer family fun focused on science, animals, aviation, nature and more.

THE GO-TO GUIDE

A view of the Space Gallery and the R&D Gallery at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force

ages 3-17 and free for ages 2 and younger. Parking is free.

Historic Roscoe Village

600 N. Whitewoman St., Coshocton; 740-622-7644; roscoevillage.com

Journey back in time and experience life in an 1830s canal port town with a family trip to Roscoe Village. The historic village centerpiece is a mile-long stretch of period businesses, including a general store, a jeweler, a sweets shop and other local artisan boutiques. Living History Tours take visitors to a blacksmith shop, residence, doctor’s office, one-room schoolhouse and other destinations.

Craft workshops are available to experience period activities, such as candle dipping, weaving and rope making.

Horse-drawn boat rides are offered on the Ohio and Erie Canal from May into October. Check the website for festivals, classes and other programs.

Cost: Walking through the village is free. History tours, the museum, boat rides and other activities have fees.

Hocking Hills State Park

19852 State Route 664 S., Logan; 740385-6842; ohiodnr.gov/go-and-do/plana-visit/find-a-property/hocking-hillsstate-park and hockinghills.com

Scenic hikes with caves, waterfalls and vibrant fall foliage paired with canoeing, zip lining and horseback riding make the Hocking Hills region one of the top destinations in Ohio for outdoor enthusiasts.

Old Man’s Cave is a favorite spot to visit, but don’t overlook Ash Cave, Cedar Falls, the Rock House and Whispering Cave in this 2,356-acre state park.

Stop by the visitor center for interactive exhibits and wildlife displays, as well as hawks and owls at the raptor center.

Stargaze at the John Glenn Astronomy Park, located less than a mile from the entrance to Old Man’s Cave. Programs are available on Fridays and Saturdays, March through November, but a free parking pass is required.

Cost: Admission is free.

The Mazza Museum

Virginia B. Gardner Fine Arts Pavilion, University of Findlay, 201 College St., Findlay; 419-434-4560; mazzamuseum.org

A trip to this unique space will enchant and engage young readers as they explore the world’s largest collection of art-

work from children’s books. With more than 300 picture book illustrations on display from the 18,000-piece collection, the Mazza features well-known art from Eric Carle and Maurice Sendak, as well as a plethora of other work designed to promote literacy and a love of books.

Guided tours are available for a fee and can include art activities, a trip to the Newhard Planetarium or an experience in the STEAM Education Center.

Cost: Admission is free but donations are accepted.

National Museum of the U.S. Air Force

1100 Spaatz St., Dayton; 937-255-3286; nationalmuseum.af.mil

Not just for air and space enthusiasts, the world’s largest military aviation museum is a must-see for all ages. With more than 350 aerospace vehicles and missiles in 20 acres of galleries, visitors can experience a captivating journey through history with chronological exhibits from the early years of the Wright Brothers, to the Cold War, to experimental one-of-akind aircraft exhibits.

Highlights include presidential aircraft, the “Memphis Belle” Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress bomber, NASA spacecraft and artifacts and a gallery with rare and last-of-their kind aircraft, including the only remaining XB-70 Valkyrie prototype bomber.

Cost: Admission, parking and guided tours are free. The Air Force Museum Theatre and flight simulators have fees.

Ohio Caverns

2210 E. State Route 245, West Liberty; 937-465-4017; ohiocaverns.com

If you need a break from the stifling summer heat or just want to get out during the winter, head west for a cool trip underground in the largest cavern system in Ohio. The caverns maintain a 54-degree temperature year-round, making this an all-season destination. The 35-acre site is above 2 miles of winding passageways that reach a depth of 103 feet. Some areas are too narrow for wheelchairs and strollers, but the seasonal Limestone Tour is accessible.

The caverns offer two tours in the summer and one in the winter. Other on-site activities include gem and fossil mining, a gift shop and a self-guided tree tour.

Cost: Varies by tour, $24-$36 ages 13 and older, $12-$18 ages 4-12 and free for ages 3 and younger

The Wilds

14000 International Road, Cumberland; 740-638-5030; thewilds.org

Experience a safari adventure and observe wildlife up close—more than two dozen species, many of them unusual or endangered, roam The Wilds. Explore the 10,000 acres by bus in an open-air safari experience, off-road in a customized truck, or by horseback or zip line.

Additional guided tours allow visitors to learn more about the animals and the facility’s conservation efforts, focusing on fishing, bird watching and more. Nine tours are offered late April through October, and custom tours can be booked November through April. The latter includes the Winter Wildside, rhino barn and behind-the-scenes tours. Reservations are required.

Cost: $40-$300, based on tour. Some are free for ages 3 and younger. Columbus Zoo and Aquarium members get a 50 percent discount on the open-air safari.

The Works: Ohio Center for History, Art & Technology

55 S. First St., Newark; 740-349-9277; attheworks.org

The Works, an interactive children’s museum dedicated to local history, art and science, is more than just exhibits. For a trip through the night sky, visit the SciDome planetarium, a 30-foot dome featuring a 4K digital projection system. Or visit the pollinator garden, explore the inner workings of electronics in the Invent Lab, or visit the glassblowing studio for demonstrations that will appeal to all ages. The Marcia W. Downes Art Gallery is free and open to the public.

Cost: $12 adults, $10 seniors, $8 children ages 2-17 and free for ages 2 and younger. COSI members receive half off admission.

Young’s Jersey Dairy

6880 Springfield-Xenia Road, Yellow Springs; 937-325-0629; youngsdairy.com

Young’s, a longtime favorite destination in Greene County, is packed with activities, including mini golf, batting cages, a petting zoo, wagon tours and more. The newest activity at this family-owned, 60-acre farm is Cowtherine’s Carousel, featuring painted horses representing Young’s ice cream flavors.

Cost: Admission and some activities are free; most add-ons have a fee.

VITRIA ON THE SQUARE

Vitria on the Square is Columbus’ premier event venue to host your upcoming celebration.

Vitria is located at the storied intersection of 15th & High within steps of the iconic Ohio State University Oval as well as Mirror Lake. The venue is proud to feature elevated dining with a beverage-forward approach that will leave your guests impressed and stand out from their typical event experience. The culinary team prides themselves on curating menus specific to the event they are hosting and suggests special touches to enhance the experience for all attendees. The beverage team enjoys customizing cocktails with fresh-pressed juices and signature garnishes unique to an event that adds a custom touch.

The Grand Ballroom at Vitria on

14 E. 15th Ave., Columbus 614-540-3436 vitriaonthesquare.com

the Square features 25-foot, floor-toceiling windows that overlook several of the iconic landmarks of The Ohio State University. This space features state-of-the-art monitors built-in that can showcase logos, a slideshow or custom artwork during an event. The Grand Ballroom can accommodate 320 guests seated at round tables with a stage or dance floor or 500 seated theater style.

The Gallery is just outside of the Grand Ballroom and is ideal for a cocktail reception or seating area. This space has natural lighting and

features its own private balcony overlooking University Square available for guests to enjoy. The Gallery features soft seating and artwork throughout the space with a built-in monitor to display a logo, slideshow, or custom artwork as well.

The Terrace Ballroom is just on the opposite side of the Gallery and is surrounded by windows and features its own private balcony also looking out to University Square. The space can accommodate 100 guests seated in round tables or 150 guests seated in theater style seating. This space can split into two separate sections that could both accommodate 50 guests seated in round tables. The Terrace Ballroom also features two built-in monitors that guests can utilize as they would like.

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• New State of the Art A/V System

• Ever Expanding Decor Options

• Experienced Event Coordinators

• Dynamic Room Configurations Ideal for Business Meetings, Corporate Events and Parties

Autumn Weekend Escapes

A long weekend in North Carolina or quick trips to southwestern Pennsylvania or Ohio’s Amish Country can provide travelers with a wonderful fall refresh.

COAST TO MOUNTAINS: NORTH CAROLINA ESCAPE

From the windswept dunes of the Outer Banks to the cool mist of the Blue Ridge Mountains, North Carolina offers a journey through strikingly diverse landscapes, all within a single state. Along the coast, visitors can relax on over 300 miles of beaches, explore historic lighthouses, or dive into maritime history in charming towns like Beaufort and Wilmington. The central region, known as the Piedmont, balances urban energy with small-town charm. It’s home to thriving culinary scenes, acclaimed vineyards, and cultural hubs like Raleigh and Charlotte.

Farther west, the state reveals its most dramatic vistas. The Blue Ridge Parkway winds through dense forests and past scenic overlooks, offering perfect views year-round, but especially spectacular during fall foliage season. Outdoor enthusiasts can hike in Great Smoky Mountains National Park or visit Mount Mitchell, the highest peak east of the Mississippi.

No matter your pace, North Carolina invites travelers to discover authentic experiences: craft breweries tucked in mountain towns, hidden coves along the coast and communities where local pride runs deep. Whether you’re

seeking a road trip, a relaxing getaway or a taste of Southern hospitality, North Carolina delivers unforgettable memories at every turn.

AN ARCHITECTURAL GEM IN THE PENNSYLVANIA FOREST

Both dramatic and serene, acclaimed architect Frank Lloyd Wright’s southwestern Pennsylvania home, Kentuck Knob, is situated just below the crest of a great hill in the Laurel Highlands, seemingly part of the landscape itself. An organically designed floor plan, cantilevered overhangs and imaginative expanses of glass effortlessly integrate the interior of the house with its stunning surroundings.

On a guided tour of Kentuck Knob, visitors will learn about the Hagan family that commissioned the home and lived there for nearly 30 years and their connection to nearby Fallingwater, a masterpiece of homebuilding. They’ll also learn more about Wright, the architect’s vision for the house, and the Palumbo family’s stewardship of this architectural treasure since the 1980s.

OHIO’S AMISH COUNTRY: SIMPLE PLEASURES AND TIMELESS CHARM

A weekend escape to Ohio’s Amish Country offers a refreshing step back in

time. Rolling hills, horse-drawn buggies and hand-crafted goods set the pace for a slower, more intentional getaway. Begin your journey in Holmes County, where scenic backroads weave through farmsteads and fields dotted with roadside stands selling homemade pies, jams and quilts.

One standout stop is Lehman’s in Kidron, a sprawling general store that feels part museum, part marketplace. Originally built to serve the local Amish community, Lehman’s has become a destination in itself, filled with non-electric appliances, old-fashioned tools, nostalgic toys and locally made home goods. Even casual browsers will find themselves drawn into its labyrinth of rooms and vintage charm.

Continue your exploration with a hearty Amish-style meal at one of the many family-run restaurants in the area, then stroll through Millersburg or Berlin for antiques, crafts and local art. An overnight stay in a cozy inn or countryside cabin provides the perfect end to a peaceful day.

Whether you’re seeking handmade treasures, comfort food or a break from modern life, Amish Country delivers an experience that’s both grounding and memorable, just a few hours’ drive from Columbus.

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home & style

BY

PHOTO

TIM JOHNSON

Crafted to Perfection Gary and Donna Vance built the lake house of their dreams. Learn about its handmade touches, like this custom chess set by Gary, on Page 70.

Handcrafted Dreams Handcrafted Dreams

Living room in the Vance’s lakeside home

Gary

and

Donna

Vance created their dream house

on

Choctaw Lake through a hands-on approach.

By Laura Newpoff | Photos by Tim Johnson

In 2014, Gary and Donna Vance attended a party his business partner was having at his summer home on Shawnee Lake near Xenia. Lake life was unfamiliar to the couple but they were quickly enticed by the vacation-like atmosphere that surrounded them. “Kids were being pulled on tubes, teens were skiing and adults were enjoying leisurely boat rides around the lake,” Donna says. “Gary and I both envisioned a future for us as lake people.”

They quickly decided to search for a lake home of their own and discovered the 285-acre Choctaw Lake.

The Vances were living in Tipp City near Dayton at the time, where Gary worked as a senior vice president at

UBS wealth management. For 30 years, they drove back and forth between the two cities to visit family and friends and never knew they passed by the “hidden gem” located just north of I-70.

There were no empty lots available to build on, but a 1,400-square-foot bi-level lakefront house built in 1966 was for sale. Though structurally sound, it was terribly dated, including avocado-colored kitchen appliances. “We both had a vision and could see the potential with this property. We knew it offered the potential of being a grandchild magnet,” Gary says. The Vances have four sons and seven grandchildren.

They purchased the property in September 2014 and bought a ski boat a week later. They began spending week-

ends there and making friends. The existing home wasn’t part of their longterm plans, but Gary—who built homes 30 years ago in Miami and Montgomery counties—knew that building a new, larger house on the site would take up space he needed for storing equipment necessary to build a new seawall, pool and boat house first. As they got to work on the outdoor space, neighbors commented that their backyard was worth more than their house.

In 2018, Donna found an architectural plan she liked online. The couple added 26 features to the design, including an elevator, woodworking studio, home theater, wine cellar, lower-level bar area and butler’s pantry.

The bi-level home was torn down and

Donna and Gary Vance

Photos clockwise from top left: Home theater in basement studio; primary bedroom, featuring a poem written by Donna Vance hanging above the bed; basement pub featuring full-service kitchen; expansive combined kitchen and dining area; living room featuring fireplace and display shelves

hauled away in four days. When Gary turned to his old-school Rolodex to look for subcontractors to build the new home, he learned many of them had either retired or died. “I was literally starting from scratch to determine who would be good subcontractors to hire,” he says. Construction began after their Tipp City home sold in 2020. Gary was the general contractor and electrician.

The Vances moved into the 7,200-square-foot home in May 2021. It has four bedrooms and four-and-ahalf baths.

The living room’s fireplace mantle, floating shelves and ceiling beams are made from 150- to 200-year-old reclaimed wood from an Ohio barn. A bean pot that hangs over the fireplace was used by Gary’s great-grandparents who lived in a one-room house in Indiana. Italian tile flooring in the entryway was purchased for just $50 after a nearby homeowner realized he couldn’t use it as wall tile. Donna applied her love of decorating to pick out the colors and textures for the house.

“The inspiration for the wall color

and cabinetry all came from the foyer tile,” she says. “The blue accents throughout were inspired by our living by the water, and blue is my favorite color.” Her favorite design element is the open floorplan. “Traffic flow is paramount in an open floor plan, and it is also much more conducive for entertaining. Secondly, blending the old with the new to create an ambiance, which is both a reflection of the past but also giving a modern edge was key. The inspiration for my design elements in the home is simply my passion for interior design. I see the world as a candy land of color and texture. My goal being to create a space for all who enter to feel at ease.”

The three-story home has sweeping views of the lake, including the dining area that features a 16-seat table for family gatherings. The 900-square-foot woodworking studio has three lathes for Gary to make his creations, including urns and lidded boxes. The garage above it houses a 1933 Ford Victoria that Gary built. It was one of just 12 cars to earn the “Pros Pick” award at the

Street Rod Nationals in 2008.

The lowest of three levels has the home theater, pool table, ping-pong table, 125-bottle wine cellar, bar and full-service kitchen. The bar is made out of Carrara marble from Italy, sourced from the hearth in front of the fireplace in the house that was torn down.

During their 47 years of marriage, the Vances have lived in a condominium and four homes. “With each house, there were special memories that were tied to that home, such as children being born, having very special neighbors, and having different family pets,” Donna says. “With each house we tweaked a few things that we would do differently on the next home. This home became a product of all the positive changes as we capitalized on our experience from the past. Before the first piece of drywall was hammered to the framed walls, scripture verses were written all over the wooden studs. We wanted this home to not only be sound structurally, but sound spiritually. Our goal being a place of blessing to all who enter. I believe we accomplished this.” ◆

View of Choctaw Lake

Rear exterior and pool

Enjoy luxury, low-maintenance living in the Arena District at Parks Edge. With ground-floor townhomes, single-level condos, and 100% tax abatement, there’s something for everyone.

Amenities include concierge service, rooftop pool, fitness center, guest suite, and more.

Scan the QR code or message me to see what’s available.

Top 25 Home Sales

July 1-31, 2025

PRICE ADDRESS BUYER/SELLER

$3,200,000 2 Albery Lp., New Albany

$2,700,000 2124 York Rd., Alexandria

Muhammad Sumon and Shahnaz Jolly from Matthew G. Walker and Jaquelyn Leah Bitler

Anthony M. and Melissa Enright from Michael B. and Mary L. Cannone

$2,387,900 2355 Farleigh Rd., Upper Arlington Yohan and Jane Min from TST Investments LLC

$2,100,000 3084 Asbury Dr., Upper Arlington

$1,815,000 104 S. Columbia Ave., Bexley

$1,725,000 2620 Abington Rd., Upper Arlington

$1,700,000 1580 Liberty Bluff Dr., Delaware

$1,665,000 439 S. Parkview Ave., Bexley

$1,568,000 6112 Karrer Pl., Dublin

$1,526,100 504 W. Orange Rd., Delaware

$1,450,000 2656 Fair Ave., Bexley

$1,400,000 546 Welsh Hills Rd., Granville

$1,357,000 324 Jackson St., Columbus

$1,350,000 1191 Lincoln Rd., Grandview Heights

$1,350,000 3424 River Seine St., Columbus

$1,340,000 4 Alban Mews., New Albany

$1,300,000 260 McCoy Ave., Worthington

$1,300,000 7375 Southfield Rd., New Albany

$1,275,000 300 Cranberry Ln., Buckeye Lake

$1,275,000 5519 Evans Farm Dr., Lewis Center

$1,245,000 2275 Oxford Rd., Upper Arlington

$1,225,000 419 Glyn Tawel Dr., Granville

$1,200,000 2020 Andover Rd., Upper Arlington

$1,200,000 18 Pickett Pl., New Albany

$1,190,250 105 Blackstone Ct., Granville

Todd A. and Kristen V. A. Beekman, trustees, from Maria M. Lapierre

William Winfred Moore III and Amanda Coulter Mcelroy from Michael S. and Caryn Spangler

Peggy K. Scantland, trustee, from Cristiane Mayumi Ueno and Guilherme Norman Leal Veiga da Rocha

Jonathan Travis and Laura Williams from Liberty Bluff Drive LLC

Julia R. Backoff from Heena and Francis Timothy Santry

J2Dublin LLC from David L Jr. and Amy B. Duvall

Robert H. Schwab, trustee, from Craig T. and Shirley A. Roubinek, co-trustees

Evan M. Trickey from Michelle C. Krall and Peter John Shiptenko

Robert G. and Stephanie A. Peterson from Nicholas James Jr. and Angelia Necole Pastis

Megan Accursia and Colin Patrick Lancaster from 324 Jackson LLC

Adam and Hannah Schaefer from Andrew J. Wilkinson

John W. Galbreath II, trustee, from 1405 LLC

Robert and Beth Sparks from Gemerle D. and Amy Orwick Bowling

Vincent G. Esguerra and Lauren T. Lastinger from Joseph Kelly Madich

Evan Adam and Rachel Hannah Silverland from Gregory D. and Miranda K. Simmons

Lake Douglas and Mary Krieger from Kimberly S. Lanning

Rebecca L. Desanti and Matthew Thomas Ferrel from Mykkia and Kile Cameron

Jay Rajni Patel, trustee, from Edward C. and Alaine J. McKenzie

Andrew and Elizabeth Lewis from Rebecca L. Schnaidt and Douglas P. Flora

Samantha Cheverton and Justin Farra from Kyle

James Barron Kraus and Andrew-Huy Quoc Dang

Jessica Yim and Gary King Yee Yim from Drew Bevier and Alexandria Leigh Levorsen

Persey Osei and Rita Bediako from Wendy Ann Caldwell, trustee

food & drink

PHOTO BY TIM JOHNSON

Flavor That Pops

The newly reopened Boat House at Confluence Park has a unique history and a bold menu, including this signature cocktail, Ghosted. More, Page 78.

One Pot To Feed Them All

Bring your creative energy to One Pot USA, a new all-you-can-eat Korean barbeque and hot pot spot where groups can enjoy cooking together tableside.

By Amy Bodiker Baskes

The best advice I was given before eating Korean barbecue was not to wear my best clothing. It’s not that the meal is inherently messy, but the cook-your-own approach requires full physical commitment.

And so, I dressed accordingly when I visited One Pot USA, an all-you-can-eat Korean barbecue and Chinese hot pot restaurant that opened near Dublin last October, replacing a Joe’s Crab Shack. I’m glad I did; even with its spacious dining room and vaulted ceilings, I brought the cooking smells home with me, despite running through the high-tech deodorizing machine on the way out.

For the uninitiated, Korean barbecue and Chinese hot pot meals are interactive and participatory. At One Pot, large booths—great for groups—are outfitted with sunken personal stockpots, a

SHORTHAND

One Pot USA

3720 W. Dublin-Granville Road Dublin/Northwest Columbus 614-588-8266

onepotusa.com

Hours: Open for lunch and dinner daily

If you go: One Pot’s cocktails bring Asian flavors to the classics. The Bolou Dragon Margarita ($15) includes pineapple and dragon fruit and the Berry Shiso Mojito ($13) muddles shiso with mint and strawberries in this rumbased cocktail.

Photos by Tim Johnson

A steaming grill table at One Pot USA

shared griddle and plenty of surface area to hold all the raw ingredients you cook yourself at the table.

This is a second location for One Pot, which opened its original restaurant in Cleveland Heights in May 2024. The space itself is modern and clean with booths encased in a scaffolding of cream-colored wood. The design centers your attention where it belongs: on the action that happens at your table.

The first decision you have to make at One Pot is which menu to choose. For a flat fee of $29.99 per diner (or $19.99 at lunch during the week) you can select anything from a somewhat overwhelming list of ingredients on either the hot pot or barbecue menus. An additional $5 gets you access to both menus, and discounted kids’ pricing is available. The only limitation placed on your experience is that everyone at the table must agree to order the same option.

The next choice to make is your base. For your hot pot, this means selecting one of nine different broths, which serves as your cooking medium throughout the meal. Options range from spicy (Sichuan or kimchi), to earthy (mushroom), to savory (pork bone or vegetarian miso). As this is more of a cooking liquid than a soup, these big-flavored broths come in handy.

The choice of protein anchors your Korean barbecue order, and One Pot offers close to two dozen options of raw beef,

pork, chicken and seafood. A few meats, like the sesame-soy marinated bulgogi or garlic chicken, come pre-seasoned, but most come out in paper thin rolls you unwrap and quickly griddle to order. Long, metal cooking tongs are provided to handle the raw meat, as are kitchen shears, which usefully cut the thicker pieces like short ribs into individual servings once cooked.

From there, the meal is yours to engineer. On both menus, One Pot offers close to 100 different additional ingredients to cook in your hot pot or on your griddle. There are meatballs and fishcakes, a variety of tofu forms, assorted noodles, dumplings, rice cooked a few ways and a few dozen vegetables.

And don’t forget the sauces, which transform all the raw ingredients you’ve assembled and season each bite. Sauces at One Pot are available at a centrally-located buffet, where stacks of small plates with three compartments encourage you to try different options. Like an endless pantry, there are dozens more choices here, alongside raw ingredients like chopped cilantro, garlic and chiles you can add to customize the flavor. Cheat sheets taped on the sauce bar’s sneeze guard direct you how to make various recipes like “savory garlic” or a “dip sauce good for pork belly.”

For good measure, traditional Korean condiments like kimchi and marinated daikon as well as fresh fruit are also available at the sauce station. A small plate of house-made banchan (Korean side dish-

es) also arrives to the table—ours included zucchini stir fry, a mushroom stir fry and two kinds of potatoes.

When the food comes out, it comes out fast, and every available space on your table is soon filled with plates of all the ingredients you’ve ordered. Attentive staff monitor your progress, answer your questions, refresh any order and change out your grill at intervals. One Pot will impose a food waste charge if you leave behind a pound or more of uneaten ingredients ($13.99 per pound), but it’s hard to imagine getting there.

As you start cooking, it’s good idea to take a deep breath and pace yourself. Give yourself the moment to savor the sizzled short rib with a bite of kimchi atop your bowl of steamed rice, or to slurp the udon noodles that have been cooked in your bone broth with mushrooms, bean sprouts and tofu.

If all this seems like a lot to choose from, it is. One way to limit the chaos is to choose to eat either barbeque or hot pot, but not both. The sheer number of ingredients from either menu can be overwhelming, so it’s best to approach this level of choice with a playful attitude. This is not the spot for people who want to be served a coursed meal or who have no interest in cooking. But for the creative (and hungry), One Pot offers a blank canvas to try any number of combinations of flavors. Go to One Pot with an open mind, a can-do attitude, a bunch of spirited friends, and get in there and play. ◆

Hot pot table

Variety of vegetables

Mushroom broth

Room With a (Really Great) View

The Boat House at Confluence Park has reopened for full-service dining. While much has changed, the stunning views remain.

By Linda Lee Baird

Rickenbacker Drive feels like a road to nowhere. You turn away from a traffic snarl and suddenly you’ve escaped. There’s little sign of the city as you approach the parking lot of a dark brown building that looks like a lodge.

Welcome to the Boat House at Confluence Park.

The perception that you’re away from it all is intentional. In fact, the restaurant— first opened in 1987 as The Confluence by California-based Specialty Restaurants Corp.—was initially so challenging for many people to reach that helicopter access was once considered as a transportation option.

Step inside, and your proximity to Downtown is immediately apparent

through the views from the Boat House’s floor-to-ceiling windows, buildings soaring beyond the rivers behind you. In the nearly 40 years since it opened, the city has expanded closer to the restaurant, the Crew’s branded smokestack serving as a new skyline landmark.

Columbus’ development was part of the reason that the Boat House reopened its restaurant in July. (The restaurant closed during COVID-19, and the building has served as an event space in subsequent years.)

“Columbus is growing very rapidly, and the restaurant scene here is really, really great,” says Jake Rossman, director of operations for Specialty Restaurants Corp.

SHORTHAND

The Boat House at Confluence Park

679 W. Spring St., Downtown 614-469-0000

boathouserestaurantoh.com

If you go: Seating on the newly renovated patio can be reserved and offers waterfront views of Downtown Columbus.

In May, Rossman’s team visited Columbus to explore the city’s dining culture. The trip reinforced what was different about the Boat House. “We’ve got one of the best views in the city. We’ve got such a unique, beautiful location,” Rossman recalls discussing with his colleagues. “We could remodel this quickly and bring a different level of dining to the Columbus area.”

The restaurant has gone through two remodels since 2020. Edward Reynoso, general manager at the Boat House, says the first wasn’t exactly planned: During an exceptionally cold day in December 2022, a pipe burst and flooded the building, resulting in about 10 months of repairs. The team took the opportunity to lighten up the space. “The designers went with kind of a touch of the Cape Cod look,” Reynoso says of the white wooden walls.

Later renovations included raising the entranceway ceiling, opening the kitchen and integrating food stations—including a raw bar—into the dining room. The goal, Rossman says, is “bringing the action to the guests as they’re sitting there.”

Much of that action comes from the new menu, which features signature cocktails like the Ghosted—a tequila drink flavored with habanero and served with a chamoy popsicle—and the Paid Vacation, presented with an electric daisy that can be bitten to change the profile of the drink (and maybe give your tongue a tingle). For mains, Reynoso recommends the shrimp and grits, a dish he describes as “a flavor bomb.”

Further refinements and plans for weekend brunch service are in the works, and private event space remains available. No matter when you go, an escape awaits you. ◆

PHOTO BY TIM JOHNSON

Spicy Tuna with Paid Vacation cocktail

HISTORIC

STADIUM

Jeff Smith

The sound of The Beatles flows up the stairs leading to cartoonist Jeff Smith’s second floor studio in German Village. White walls hold racks of Smith’s media collection, ranging from the Marx Brothers to Marvel films, classic books and modern graphic novels, all highlighted by natural light.

In between all the pop culture references are stuffed characters of Bone, the lovable amorphous character Smith started drawing when he was around 5 years old. Smith, inspired by Bugs Bunny and other cartoons, wanted to create his own character. Smith credits diverse influences such as Mel Brooks movies, the

mysterious white whale in Moby Dick and Joseph Conrad’s classic The Hero With a Thousand Faces for plot and thematic inspiration.

“It’s a game, a puzzle,” Smith says about coming up with his complex plots. Smith is currently working on a series of graphic novels about early hominids, which explains the replicas of fossilized skulls on display in his studio.

Smith is also preparing for the Cartoon Crossroads Columbus festival, which is occurring across various locations in Columbus Sept 18-21.

For more information, visit cartoon crossroadscolumbus.org. ◆

A stuffed animal of Jeff Smith’s character Bone

Jeff Smith with his drawings

Jeff Smith

Beatles memorabilia

Photos by Tim Johnson

Fossilized skull replica

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PHOTOGRAPHED IN NEW YORK CITY

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