"Ohio: The Law, the Land & the People"
On Tuesday, June 3rd 2008, The Supreme Court of Ohio hosted a Reception, titled “Ohio: The Law, the Land and the People”, from 5:00-7:00 p.m. to acknowledge and celebrate the contributors and contemporary artists whose work is at the Ohio Judicial Center. In a statement issued by the Public Information Office of The Supreme Court of Ohio,
“The Reception marked the official launch of an effort to raise awareness of the art, and thank the collection’s benefactors.”
Chief Justice Thomas J. Moyer invited me to make comments on behalf of the artists as a part of the planned activities for the event. I arrived at 4:30 p.m. and met several of the contemporary artists who have work in the Supreme Court Building. We each posed for a photograph with Chief Justice Moyer in the Courtroom.
The actual Reception began with remarks by Chief Justice Moyer who spoke of the importance of public art. In a press release prepared by the Public Information Office of The Supreme Court of Ohio, Chief Justice Moyer made the following statement:
“Since moving into the Ohio Judicial Center four years ago, the court has acquired a large collection of new public art that reflects the work of the judiciary, and builds on the impressive existing collection of original art throughout the refurbished building. This collection further joins two disciplines that on their face may appear quite different, art and law, but at their roots are aimed at the same goal, finding truth.”
I spoke after he gave his remarks, and I spoke of the value of public art, and I acknowledged the contribution of the many contemporary artists who have created work for the Ohio Judicial Center. I was also invited to offer a few brief comments for the press release and I made the following statement:
“Speaking on behalf of the many talented artists who have created work for the Ohio Judicial Center, we are thankful for the opportunity that was given to us to help celebrate this historical building, and add to its beauty and aesthetics. It is our hope that our artwork, which depicts the rich heritage of the state of Ohio, will bring joy and inspiration to all who visit the Ohio Judicial Center.”
Following our speeches, guests enjoyed catered hors d’oeuvres and beverages in the Grand Concourse, and the self-guided tours began. The areas of the building open to guests for the evening included the 1st floor, the Visitor Education Center, the area that includes the reflecting pools, and several additional areas of the building where artwork is on display.
The contemporary artists who were honored include the following individuals: Ron Anderson, Dale Chihuly (with Lino Tagliapietra & Ben Moore), Malcolm Cochran, Debra Dawson, Paul Emory, Paul Hamilton, Nicholas Hill, Frank Hunter, M. Katharine Hurley, Katherine Kadish, Kojo Kamau, Joe Lombardo, Abdi Roble, Aminah Robinson, Rudolph Scheffler, Andrew F. Scott, and Rebecca Taft. The event was well-attended with approximately 250 or so guests in attendance.
The contributors were acknowledged early in the evening by Chief Justice Moyer, and include: Sheldon Taft, Denny Ramey of the Ohio State Bar Association, Linda Thompson Kohli of the Ohio State Bar Foundation, James O’Donnell who is a photographer, William Laidlaw, and Justice Herb Brown.
The Public Information Office of The Supreme Court of Ohio issued the following statement as a part of their press release:
“The collection includes more than 160 pieces of contemporary art and historic maps dating to the mid-17th century. Many of the pieces depict Ohio subjects from Hocking Hills landscapes to portraits of past Supreme Court Justices to photographs of Ohio’s 88 county courthouses.
The artwork reinforces the art and architecture of the former 1930’s-era Ohio Departments Building that was restored and opened in 2004 as the first building in the state’s history devoted solely to the judicial branch. Some of this original art includes murals, relief sculptures and mosaics depicting scenes and people from Ohio history, important Ohio industries and other subjects.”
Much of the art housed in the Ohio Judicial Center, was made possible by the support of the Ohio State Bar Association, The Ohio State Bar Foundation, and other art patrons. The printed program that was made available to all guests includes the following comments in the “Introduction & Welcome” section:
“…Both the law and art are fundamentally aimed at bringing order from disorder. The law does this for society, forming the very bedrock of civilization. Art does this in the physical realm, forming the basis of beauty…”All religions, arts, and sciences are branches of the same tree,” Albert Einstein once said. “All these aspirations are directed toward ennobling man’s life, lifting it from the sphere of mere physical existence and leading the individual towards freedom…”
I attended this event with my wife and business partner, Robin Anderson. Robin worked closely with the Court Relations Program Manager to prepare my personal guest list, and to provide additional administrative support. We invited several of my art patrons, and a good number of people from the arts community to attend the Reception.
We both remarked at the close of the evening how pleased we were to have had the opportunity to speak informally at such an outstanding event, with representatives from the Columbus Museum of Art, the Wexner Center for the Arts, The King Arts Complex, several local arts galleries, The O.S.U. Faculty Club, Experience Columbus, The German Village Society, Greater Columbus Arts Council, Ohio Arts Council, and to speak with many of my fellow artists and art patrons.
My artwork consists of six, 4-by-8-foot oil paintings that depict the evolution of law in Western civilization. The paintings are on the 11th floor in the Rule of Law Gallery, and the series is entitled “The History of the Rule of Law”. The artwork was commissioned by the Ohio State Bar Association, and is on permanent loan to the Supreme Court of Ohio.
Robin and I spent the last hour of the evening on the 11th floor, speaking with guests who came to view my oil paintings. I always enjoy sharing my artwork with the community, and it is a pleasure to hear questions about my paintings, and to share information about the artwork.
We also had the good fortune to meet two gentlemen from a local art gallery who invited me to exhibit several of my German Village plein air landscapes in a current exhibit at the Columbus Historical Society’s Gallery.
It was an extraordinary evening and I do feel that events of this nature that bring artists and art lovers together benefit all. I look forward to many more events of this type. There is an increased focus on the arts in Ohio, and I would love to see many more Receptions in our future to celebrate the artwork of our many talented local artists.
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Ron Anderson
Ron Anderson Studio, LLC
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