Places to go and things to see by Gypsy Bev

Posts tagged ‘Zanesville Museum of Art’

Yan Sun Art Museum & Gallery Features Ohio

Yan Sun and Hong Yin at Ohio’s recognition of the 250th Anniversary of the United States.

Yan Sun’s paintings come from inspirations he receives from nature, people, and historic sites. He captures nature in a beautiful symphony of colors whether he is painting the harbor, a horse, or a landscape. Visit Yan Sun Art Museum & Gallery in Zanesville to learn more about his work.

Serving the community has become foremost in his plans. He feels there are many excellent artists with a wide variety of styles and talents here in Ohio. Many of his paintings show Ohio people, places, and events.

Hong Yin’s “Lakeside Glory” reflects her joy in painting landscapes.

Over the years, his artwork has received many awards in national and international juried exhibitions too numerous to list. Recently, Yan Sun and his wife, Hong Yin – a talented artist in her own right – were selected by the America 250-Ohio Commission to have five of their paintings on display in Columbus as part of the 250th Anniversary of the United States of America. These artworks showcase the wonders of Ohio and include:

New Philadelphia

Yan Sun and Hong Yin with “Courthouse of Guernsey County”

Courthouse of Guernsey County

The Wonder of Longaberger

John Glenn American Hero

This Ohio landscape “Winter Farm” won the Governor’s Award for an Ohio landscape. The farm can be seen along Route 40 west of Cambridge.

Hometown Ohio Landscape

Art provides him opportunity to share his inner vision. “My artworks are composed of three main issues: Life, Time, and Space. Life means being alive, the life of the artist, and the life of all humans. Time means moments in real time, as well as psychic time to bridge past and present. Space is not only real space, but psychic, illusionary, and unlimited space.”


“Ballerina at the Back Stage” was inspired from a performance at Pritchard Laughlin Civic Center.

His best paintings are visualizations of his true feelings. They are made up of “Reality, dreams, transients, and eternity.” He likes to examine and visualize his dreams, thoughts, and emotions. His special love for music and dancing appears in many of his paintings as he remembers those wonderful days when he was 14-24 years old dancing in the ballet.

This self-portrait is called “Past and Present.”

Yan Sun was a professor in China in those early days. After he wrote several papers on the History of Art, his work became known internationally. That brought him in 1989 to the United States, where he received his Master of Fine Arts degree at Texas A&M University Commerce in Dallas.

After graduation in 1997, Yan Sun applied to several colleges for a teaching position. When he arrived at Muskingum University, he found the people were so warm and friendly that he felt welcomed. So he agreed to stay for one year. His love for the area has continued and he now is in his 28th year there as Professor of Art and Director of the Louis Palmer Art Gallery.

Visit Yan Sun Art Museum & Gallery in downtown Zanesville.

In 2014, one of his most rewarding ventures began when he co-founded Yan Sun Art Museum & Gallery at 604 Main Street in downtown Zanesville. They have breathed new life into the 1929 Art Deco building by displaying a great collection of artworks created by talented artists. “We want to create a place for our community to enjoy artworks by talents near and far,” said Yan Sun.

Jianmin Dou, Hong Yin’s father, painted this peaceful scene.

This beautiful building has several floors that are well used. One floor displays the art of Yan Sun, Hong Yin, and her father, Jianmin Dou, who was a renowned Chinese professor and artist. This is where displays for First Friday can be found. A large conference room can be found on the second level while the third floor contains a special permanent collection of paintings by various artists.

His painting of First Presbyterian Church withstood the derecho in 2012.

Each month, a different themed art exhibit always provides something new for you to see. On the First Friday of every month the gallery is open to the public from 5 pm – 8 pm. There is no charge for admission. Otherwise, they are open by appointment and can be contacted at yan.sun.art.gallery@gmail.com.

Some of those interesting themes this past year included:

October – An Artistic Tribute to Autumn

November – Let Art Spark Joy This Season

December – Local Holiday Gathering

January – Local Charms Unveiled in Art

One First Friday theme featured “A Day in Tibet.”

A First Friday exhibit one February featured a Journey to Tibet, which was near the region where they grew up. It included paintings that showed the rich culture and spirituality of the Tibetan people.

Salt Fork Arts & Crafts Festival is pleased to have Yan Sun as one of their judges.

Also available are private lessons, and painting workshops with Yan Sun as the instructor. Here’s a great opportunity to bring alive the artistic abilities hiding inside you! The Salt Fork Arts & Crafts Festival is also pleased to have Yan Sun as one of their judges.

“The Splendor of Y-Bridge” captures the spirit of this historical structure.

In recognition of the contributions of Yan Sun to their museum and its community, Zanesville Museum of Art named a special gallery the “Yan Sun Diverse Cultures Gallery.” His paintings are collected by many museums and organizations throughout the United States.

The spirit of this young girl is featured in “Childhood, Girl and Her Dog.”

In the future, Yan Sun would like to focus on the lives of residents in the area to capture their feelings and spirits in his paintings. He enjoys hearing the stories behind the emotions that make them the person they are at this time of their life.

“Summer at the Lake” was inspired by a visit to Salt Fork Lake.

When Yan Sun is not teaching or painting, he enjoys fishing for relaxation, and travel to learn more about the beautiful world that God has created.

“The Splendor of Mendenhall Glacier” was captured after a visit to Alaska.

For more information about the Yan Sun Art Museum & Gallery visit their website www.yansun.us or visit their Facebook page for updates. Plan a visit soon to see the fantastic art works presented. First Friday of each month is the perfect time to step inside and enjoy the beautiful building as well as the creative paintings.

Explore Constantly Changing Zanesville Museum of Art

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The sculpture, “Outlook”, attracts attention to the Zanesville Museum of Art

“Outlook”, a large scale sculpture, greets visitors on the front lawn of the Zanesville Museum of Art. This eye-catching, bright red metal sculpture was created by David Black, professor at Ohio State for 30 years.

His connection to Zanesville happened long ago when his creative side focused on ceramics. He’d drive from Columbus to Roseville for the perfect clay he needed. His awards for ceramics and sculptures create an extensive list.

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Three floors containing over 7000 creative works of art can be found at the museum.

Inside the Zanesville Museum of Art, you’ll find a wide variety of treasures that span 5,000 years. Around every corner and in every room, different special displays pull you along. And they are changing constantly! Their mission is to ignite human imagination and understanding through the visual arts.

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This bronze bust of Raymond Thomas, who contributed his pottery collection to the museum, was made by local sculptor, Alan Cottrill.

This project began back in 1936 when it was called Zanesville Art Institute being located in downtown Zanesville. Established by Mr. and Mrs. Edward Ayers, their personal collections of paintings, sculpture, glass and ceramics became the foundation for the museum.

In 1975, more room was needed and it moved to its present location on Military Road. There are over 7,000 objects in 18 varied galleries on three floors with items you would only expect to see in a much larger city. They are quite proud of their museum and rightfully so.

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This Roseville Pottery display is one of many pottery exhibits throughout the museum.

The museum is well-known for its pottery collections as Zanesville was once the pottery capital of the world. So it follows that this would be the perfect place for pottery display by local companies including: Owens, Roseville and Weller. Displays show the progression of their works in an excellent timeline. Many consider pottery to be the heart of the museum.

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The Madame Alexander Doll Collection contains over 600 dolls.

The Madame Alexander Doll Company has a magnificent Americana Collection of dolls being shown at the Zanesville Museum of Art. Here you’ll find everything from dolls depicting nursery rhymes to those wearing dresses of the first ladies. Over 600 dolls make it a spot young ladies like to spend time.

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This colorful ceramic “Tree of Life” Candelabrum celebrates a Mexican religious holiday.

Two special art displays are being featured through January 7, 2017. The Carl E. Eriksson Collection features original paintings and sketches by The Eight. This group of eight artists drew people from all walks of life. They made a difference in the world of art by moving from traditional to realistic scenes featuring scenes of every day life.

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“Every Family Has a Black Shell” by Marilyn Stocker won the Award of Distinction.

The second is a juried exhibition by Southeastern Ohio Watermedia Society. The art work is outstanding here and many local artists are featured. There is also a section for displaying student art, featuring different schools each month.

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An Italian Votive “Sculpture of a Foot” dates back to 400 – 200 B.C.

The oldest items can be found in two places. In the Sculpture Gallery, two Roman sculptures date before 200 B.C. The Greek sculptures contain a votive, which looks like a foot, that also dates before 200 B.C.

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Original furnishings from a 1690s home in England are the setting for the Old Masters Gallery.

But the favorite spot is the Ayers Collection in the English Panel Room. You step back in time to a dining room from 1690 in Hatton Garden, the home of Sir Christopher Hatton, Chancellor under Queen Elizabeth I. Even the wood paneling is original. In this room, you’ll find displayed in the Old Masters Gallery their finest works of art  by Picasso, Renoir, Matisse and more. All this at the Zanesville Museum of Art!

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Pottery and glass are featured collections from many local companies in the past and present.

The art museum is a great place for all ages to explore. Art Classes are scheduled twice a month for adults and children. These change monthly for chances to use various mediums of art. Check their schedule for the latest information at Zanesville Museum of Art .

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Zanesville displays beautifully decorated seven foot vases throughout the city.

ZMA Concert Series presents live entertainment in the museum galleries each month at no charge to the public. Sounds like the Zanesville Museum of Art has something for everyone that has an interest in the arts.

Every artist will be drawn to this impressive museum time after time as exhibits change six times each year. That makes it easier to have something everyone enjoys.

The world is but a canvas to our imagination. ~Henry David Thoreau

The Zanesville Museum of Art is located at 620 Military Road in Zanesville, Ohio. Take Exit 153 off I-70 north to Maple Avenue. In about two miles turn right on Military Road. The museum will be on the right hand side. Watch for the large red sculpture.