Oh, The Things You'll Do and See at the Ohio State Fair Fine Arts Exhibition!

I will never forget the feeling. That "It's fair day!" feeling. When I was younger, I would sit anxiously in the family van with wide eyes and a watering mouth, bouncing with anticipation for the rides, the horses, the corndogs and cotton candy; all the while wondering why it was taking so long to park the car!

I still get that same feeling today. However, today I am anticipating something even better than candy and corndogs. Today I look forward to what The Ohio State Fair's best kept secret has to offer. I look forward to the Ohio State Fair Fine Arts Exhibition! Rain or shine, (and we all know, here in Columbus, there has been plenty of both) whether its a comfortable 80 or a blazing 100 degrees outside, on Wednesday morning when its seems you have the entire fair to explore all for yourself, or Saturday afternoon when it seems everyone in Ohio has had the same idea all at once; you can count on the The Cox Fine Arts Center to be a haven from the elements of the fair. And this year's exhibition is better than ever.

Of course, we have welcomed back the fine arts exhibition "regulars" such as the professional and amateur art exhibits, Kid's Tour -N- More, featuring crossword puzzle activities and the ever popular Recycling Mural,and Mural demonstration by Andrew Neyer,(which will both be displayed in window space outside our building next year) The Wexner Center for the Arts Short Film/ Video Showcase, and Desdemona's Body Art, who presented a body painting demonstration. We have also had visits from exhibition entertainment favorites such as Mixed Bag with the Recreational Folk Dancers of Columbus, and the musical styling of Blue Level.

New this year were the Carole E. Kerber- Status Dude and Status Dudette, Loosely Strung, the music of Brian Griffin, John Lafollette, ICC Outreach performances, The Capitol Barbershop Quartet, Hand Quilting by Sarah Brown and El Ritmo Flamenco Dance Ensemble. We were also very excited to introduce the Ohio State Fair Fine Arts Exhibition's very first Short Film Division and Fashion Show, featuring the elegant designs of Legair Brand, Ltd. We also invited Olinda Jansupka as part of our Community Street Art Program. Finally, we were pleased to announce the addition of our Outdoor Performance Space near the East entrance of the Cox Fine Arts Center.

Acknowledgements from Pam O'Loughlin, Ohio State Fair Fine Arts Director:

Thank you does not begin to describe the great appreciation we have for all who have Helped to make this exhibition possible.
Ken Emerick, Kathy Singorino, and the Ohio Arts Council, for your continued support of the exhibition and your tireless efforts to help Ohio artists, we are always grateful. Thank you so much for being there when I needed you most and for introducing Tim Rietenbach to our exhibition. To Tim Rietenbach and Annegreth Nill , thank you for you major contribution in making the show one of the best yet. Please know that your diversity and as well as your collaboration are not taken lightly, and I can't thank you enough for your time, and compliance jurying this year's show. Thank you both!
Melissa Vogley Woods, we miss you! It was a pleasure to have you back as a juror. Your enthusiasm and experience made quite the difference. Thank you so much!
Thank you to the more than 300 artists who submitted more than 800 artworks. The willingness to submit your work to the exhibition is what makes this show so successful. If you were not chosen to participate this year, we encourage you to keep trying, as every year is a new opportunity.
To Virgil Strickler, General Manager, and the Ohio Expositions Commission, thank you for all of your support of the Fine Arts and Ohio's artists.
Deborah, thank you for your guidance and leadership. And, thank you, Mary Ann, for being so calm and comforting when everything around us gets crazy. I appreciate you both.
I'd like to give a special thank you to Luis for helping to keep us standing, and to the maintenance crew for the beautiful landscaping. Joe, Dilly, and all the guys who made our outdoor performance patio, you are awesome! Thank you all.
I, as director, am committed to producing the best art exhibition possible. I will continue to strive to be a support for artists from every part of the state of Ohio, with the support of the Ohio Expositions Commission and the Ohio Arts Council. On behalf of us all, thank YOU!

A big thank you to all the Fine Arts staff, assistant director, Chaz O'Neil, Deja, Mariella, Marquis, Alyssa, Cody, Gabbi, Meagan, Shanelle, Kate, Linda, and Nicholas, You all are the best!

Sincerely,

Pam

As you can see, there is so much to see and do at the Ohio State Fair Fine Arts Exhibition. Be sure to visit during YOUR trip to the Ohio State Fair! See you next year!