In the heart of Grove City, art lovers and the culturally curious are being treated to a showcase of James Mateer's creative legacy, as City Hall Council Chamber transforms into a temporary gallery for The Art Concern's current exhibition. According to a social media post from the Grove City Ohio Government, the January and February featured artist is none other than the late James Mateer (1930-2011), whose oeuvre includes detailed colored pencil pieces and bold block prints that have won him accolades and signature membership in the Colored Pencil Society of America.
Mateer's educational background is as impressive as his art, he honed his skills at the distinguished Cleveland Institute of Art before earning advanced degrees in art education from Case Western Reserve University and teaching high school art, he later served as an adjunct professor at Baldwin-Wallace College, which is near Cleveland, during all this time, he continued to craft his own artwork, earning recognition in both local and national artistic circles. The Grove City exhibition offers an intimate look at two of Mateer's printing blocks in the City Hall lobby, where visitors can see the woodblock and linocut alongside the linocut's vulture print take shape in the Council Chamber space.
Art aficionados keen to acquire a slice of Mateer's vision will be pleased to find that all works on display are available for purchase. The exhibition is open to visitors Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., until February 27. Should the confines of standard business hours prove restricting, prospective viewers can reach out to Tami Kelly, Clerk of Council, via email at [email protected] or by phone at 614-277-3065 for a chance to see the display outside those times.
