I didn’t realize how extensive the Permanent Collection is!
– Rebecca Eschliman
Initiated in 1992, the Permanent Collection represents the artistic heritage of the Village of Yellow Springs. The Permanent Collection’s Mission is to represent Yellow Springs Artists through the preservation of their art by collecting, exhibiting and storing works that demonstrate the ideals, passions and creativity of our community- now, and in the future. The works shown above are by Sumayah Chappelle, Cindy Butler-Jones and Fran Lasalle.
How many pieces of art are there?
There are over 200 pieces in YSAC’s permanent collection (one piece, by Eddie Eckenrode, is on loan from Sam Eckenrode). Artwork was originally acquired through donations by Yellow Springs artists who exhibited at the John Bryan Community Gallery. A few of the artists have more than one piece in the collection, mostly in different mediums. We have work by 89 artists. Nancy Howell-Koehler’s Photographic Survey of Yellow Springs of 58 photos makes up a third of the collection. A slideshow featuring much of the collection is below.
Who are the artists?
Artists in the Permanent Collection are almost completely local, though a few have donated to us that have a different kind of tie to Yellow Springs. Artists include:
Amy Blount Achor (photography) | Alan Macbeth (portrait) |
Anna Arbor (watercolor) | Mitzy Manny (pastels) |
Kathy Austin (Japanese brush & ink) | Sam Martineau (painting) |
Jennifer Bachelder & Ron Hundt (mixed media) | Brian Maughan (plaster sculpture) |
Axel Bahnsen (book of photography) | Celise McKee (mixed media) |
Ann Bain (paste and paper) | Kathleen McMillan (watercolor; oil painting) |
David Battle (theater poster) | Nancy Mellon (acrylics) |
Corrine Bayraktaroglu (mixed media) | Nevin Mercede (photo-collage books; photography) |
Sue Brezine (watercolor) | Sithemobile Nxumalo Mgombane (mixed media) |
Marianne Britton (textiles) | Richard Miller (painting) |
Ira Beryl Bruckner (oil painting) | Sharon Mohler (ceramics) |
Anna Burke (acrylic painting) | Kathy Verner Moulton (book; textiles; print) |
Cindy Butler-Jones (ceramics) | Pierre Nagley (colored pencil) |
Julia Cady (Bolar and Vinyl Tubing) | Migiwa Orimo (oils) |
Mary J. Cargan (watercolor) | Glenn Owen (acrylic) |
Carolion (watercolor) | Robert Parker (photography) |
Mary W. Chapman (ceramics) | Sue T. Parker (photography) |
Sumayah Chappelle (acrylics) | Robert Paschell (prints) |
Deborah Chlebek (oil painting) | Margaret Petrie (paper mache and mixed media) |
Dianne Collinson (ceramics) | Kathryn Pitstick (linolium cut) |
Dawn Cooksey (music CD) | Anthony Powers (oils, acrylic, latex & ink) |
Mary B. Cooper (watercolor) | W. Alan Raney (acrylics) |
Paul Cooper (pastels) | Alice Robrish (ceramics) |
Mary Cover (ceramics; oil painting) | Jessica Roller (acrylics) |
Patti Dallas (interview DVD) | Jim Rose (wood & textile marionette) |
Dennie Eagleson (photography) | Libby Rudolf (watercolor) |
E. Eckenrode (oil pastel; print reproduction; painting; print, acrylic) | Steve Rumbaugh (acrylics) |
Melina Elum (photography) | Karen Russell (textiles) |
Theresa Flannery (marker & crayon) | Teresa Schalnat-Bashaw (oil painting) |
Evelyn Fleck (ceramics) | Uta Schenck (oil painting) |
Michael Fleishman (acrylic & oil pastel) | Teri Schoch (painting) |
Gerry Fogerty (textiles) | Alexandra Scott (chap book) |
John Ford (photomicrography) | Sherraid Scott (etching/aquatint) |
Gregory Frank (painting) | Sharon Shaver (acrylics) |
Susan Gartner (photography; DVD) | Kathleen Shay (painting) |
Pam Geisel (textiles) | Karen Shirley (pen and ink) |
Stan Goldberg (photography) | Ken Simon (mixed media) |
Talitha Greene (acrylics; CDs of photographs) | Maxine Skuba (textiles) |
Rod Hatfield (video) | Johanna Smith (mosaic) |
Travis Hawkes (DVD) | Roger Smith (oil painting) |
Deb Henderson (lady’s costume & hat; books) | Scott Stolsenberg (photography) |
Beth Hertz (acrylic; metal sculpture) | Sarah Strong (woodblock print) |
Patricia High (mixed media) | R. Stuckman (ceramics) |
Beth Holyoke (ceramics) | Theresa Thinness (photography) |
Fred Honchell (watercolor) | Tom Till (mixed media) |
Deborah Housh (acrylics) | Buck Truitt (oil painting) |
Matt Housh, Jessica Kinser & Ryan Henry (music CD) | Holly Underwood (textiles) |
Nancy Howell-Koehler (photography) | Grace A. Valey (oil painting) |
Jean Barlow Hudson (novel; poetry books) | Tom Verdon |
John Barlow Hudson (photograph of sculpture) | Barbara Walker (watercolor and oil pastel) |
Ron Hundt (wood sculpture) | Robert Whitmore (woodblock print) |
Irwin Inman (photographic book; photography) | David Willis (photography) |
Jafagirls (public installations 2007-2011) | Naomi Witt (gouache) |
Katherine Kadish (pastels) | Lisa Wolters (ceramics) |
Sondy Kai (upcycled aluminum & steel) | Paula Womacks (ceramics; pastels) |
Julie Karlson (pastels) | Women's History Project (book) |
Bette Kelley (textiles, beading) | Jonatha & Harold Wright (storytelling DVD) |
Linda Kelsey-Jones (photo collage & fiber) | Jonatha & Harold Wright, & Sherraid Scott (book) |
Christine Klinger (oil painting) | Aaron Zaremsky (photography) |
Ernest Koerlin (painting) | Robin Zimmerman (textiles) |
Gail Kort (pen & ink) | |
Rajan Kose (photography) | |
Evelyn LaMers (watercolor) | |
Fran LaSalle (textiles) | |
Catherine Lynne Lehman (painting) | |
Luciana Lieff (photography) | |
Locked In Group 1: Jennifer Bachelder, Travis Hawkes, Ron Hundt & Pierre Nagley (mixed media) | |
Locked In Group 2: Nathaniel Foley, Brandon Lowery, Jesse Thayer (mixed media) | |
Steve Lord (photography) | List Updated 10/2022 |
What mediums are represented?
Photography, oil painting, watercolors, textiles, pottery, books, pastels, wood, mixed media, paper mache, collage, music, storytelling, DVDs of interviews and events and more are represented in YSAC’s permanent collection.
Where is the collection?
YSAC is proud to partner with the Yellow Springs Arts & Culture Commission to display rotating shows from the Permanent Collection at The John Bryan Community Gallery. The Gallery is on the second floor of the John Bryan Community Center at 100 Dayton Street. The rotating Permanent Collection shows can be viewed during their normal hours of operation.
YSAC also partners with Antioch University Midwest (AUM) for displaying other portions of the collection which can be viewed during AUM’s general operating hours Monday – Friday from 8:30 am – 5:00 pm and Saturday from 8:30 am – 3:00 pm.
Ernest Koerlin’s oil painting “Untitled Forest”, 52 x 72, is in the Hallway on the first floor in the John Bryan Center and Kathleen Shay’s oil painting “untitled” 68 x 68, is at the YSAC Community Multi-Use Art Space.
The 3D portion of the Permanent Collection is in storage. We plan to display these pieces once they can be displayed safely and securely.
Curators and Stewards
Active members of the Arts Council founded the project and YSAC continues to maintain the collection. The original curators were Anna Arbor, Barbara Walker, Margrit Petrie and Steve Rumbaugh. Anna continued to curate the collection for many years. Deb Housh curated the collection for a couple of years before it passed on to the current curator, Nancy Mellon, who is also the current YSAC Gallery Coordinator.
In 2015, a Permanent Collection Stewardship Committee was created to oversee the collection. The purpose of the Stewardship Committee is to protect the future of the collection, grow the collection, keep historical records of the collection and the artists who created the art, and to help the Village of Yellow Springs know about its artists—past and present—and grow to love the art in their collection through information about, stories, interactive art games, tours, and Local Art History Events. The 10-member Committee includes local artists and the curator.
Growth
The Permanent Collection is still alive and growing as new works continue to be donated. New generations of artists and art collectors continue to gift the people of Yellow Springs with works of local art to be included in this historical legacy for the Village. We welcome performance DVDs, Music CDs and written materials in addition to visual art. Due to limited storage and Gallery Space in 2018, we made the decision that we can only accept one piece of art to represent each artist. If you have a piece to donate, please contact the YSAC at 937-768-8644 or ysartscouncil@gmail.com.