This is the first guest commentary here at the Short North Blog.  Maria Galloway, owner of pm gallery and current president of the board of the SNBA is kicking us off!

Spring in the Short North

Prop the door open and catch the breeze, the aromas wafting from the restaurants and the roar of motorcycles.  At the corner of Buttles and North High it seems as though everyone is eating Jeni’s ice cream.  A sure sign of spring is the new seasonal flavors like Meyer Lemon Blueberry and Rhubarb Rose’.

Spring fashions adorn the windows at Rowe (in their new expanded space), Ladybird and a bit farther up the street - Undone, Voodoo Denim and Jinny.  The al fresco dining is in full swing with crowds at Union, Haiku, and La Fogata.

I love walking home in the evening this time of year. The lilacs fill the alley with their heady perfume. The daffodils in the park make me smile. The planter beds on High Street are newly planted with petunias, sweet potato vine and grasses. They have a ways to go to fill in, but I enjoy the formal spacing of the freshly planted. In a couple of months they will be lush and full and wild.

This is the time of year when anticipation of the year’s festivals begins. The June Gallery Hop almost always coincides with the downtown Arts Festival. Then in quick succession we have Comfest, the Gay Pride Parade, the DooDah Parade and the July Gallery Hop! Plus weddings in the park, graduations, and fashion photographers using the neighborhood as a backdrop. After the long winter is it so wonderful to see color and bustling activity return to the street.

This is wedding season at pm gallery. We get the anti-registry people. The people who want to get a memorable gift, not just plate #7 out of a 48 piece set. And it must work, because after 30 wedding seasons, we have only had one return. Funny thing is we have a gift registry, too. It is a What You See Is What You Get registry, since we have so many one of a kind items. I photograph the items and put them on our website. It is great for out-of-towners.

The slide into summer has begun. The air conditioner will be on soon and the noise of the street will be muted as we close the door against the heat. The colors will deepen and the days will lengthen. Buttles Avenue is my sundial.  The sun will be setting at the end of the street and the light and heat will fill the gallery. I am in no hurry for that to happen. Spring here, in the Short North, is full of change, evolution and fun. I am enjoying that.

Shop Dogs of the Short North

You see them at every turn: Logan, the black & white spotted German pointer at pm gallery; Sam, the uniquely blended Dalmatian + Harlequin Great Dane at Cookware Sorcerer; Rocky the three-legged Maltese and Hudson the Morky (Maltese / Yorki mix) at Rowe fashion boutique; and the list goes on. They are the Shop Dogs of the Short North, and they are as unique and varied as the shops they inhabit.
They may get up and greet you at the door. They may snooze behind the counter. They may sit in the front window and watch passersby. But if you’re a regular to the district, you know them by name and you seek them out.

Shop Dogs are symbolic of the unique spirit of the Short North. Bohemian. Individual. Family. In a nutshell, they speak to the essence of what makes the District so different from mega-malls and other more “structured” concepts … the Short North thrives on the freedom to create the experience each business owner desires. Unique, one-of-a-kind experiences that encompass the ambiance, the service, the products offered and even the staff on hand!

Meet the Shop Dogs of the Short North in a special series spotlighting a couple pups a day.

This Easter, we’re inviting our friends to bring their four-legged companions down for a bit of fun.

Short North Easter “Beg” Hunt

Saturday, April 11, 2009 from Noon - 4:00PM

Step 1: Register In Advance

Deadline is Friday, April 10, 5:00PM
Contact Three Dog Bakery • Phone: 614.221.3647 • Email: threedog@threedogcolumbus.com

Please provide the following information:
Your name • Your pet’s name • Type of pet (cat or dog) • Your ZIP code

Step 2: Start Your Journey

Check in at Three Dog Bakery (611 N. High Street)
When you check in you will be automatically registered for the
Easter “Beg” Hunt Grand Prize valued at $150 - $200
Pick up your Easter “Beg” Hunt map of stops
Pets are encouraged to bring their own special Easter basket,
but we will also provide bags decorated by the first grade students
of Gables Elementary School.

Step 3: Have Fun Touring the District

Using your map, trek out through the district and collect Easter eggs filled with all natural treats. There will be approximately a dozen stops.

Step 4: Win Cool Prizes

Check your Easter eggs for special prizes from from our great partners, including:

Three Dog Bakery, Posh Pets, Mahan Gallery, Rowe, pm gallery, The Lamp Shade, Rose Bredl, Cookware Sorcerer (via Sherrie Gallerie), Huntington Bank, Loot, Baker’s Acres Concrete Jungle, Milk Bar, ROWE, Starbucks, Huntington Bank, Yoga On High, Marcella’s, and Cup O’ Joe.

Look for some of our Shop Dog buddies along the way…

Torso - Scott Rousku
Names: Gigi and Louie
Breeds: Gigi is a Bichon Frise. Louie is a Cotton de Tulear.

Take 2 Apparel -Charlie Gray/ Hallie Gorman
Names: Brooklyn/Bennigan
Breeds: Brooklyn is a Corgi. Ben is…something else; he’s a Schnauzer/Border/Terrier Mix.

Three Dog Bakery - Susan and Doug Oilar
Names: Sadie and Solomon
Breed: They’re both Great Danes.

ARMS Properties - Rajesh Lahoti
Names: Scout and CJ
Breeds: Miniature American Eskimo and Lab/Collie Mix

Segway - Jared Cavileer
Name: Bogart Tiberius Cavileer
Breed: Newfoundland

Tigertree - Josh and Niki Cagle
Names: Rufus and June
Breeds: The rescue told us Rufus was a Schnauzer/Poodle Mix, but then we got June, who we know is a Schnauzer/Poodle Mix, and we’ve decided that Rufus is definitely not that.

ROWE - Maren Roth
Names: Rocky Wisco Roth and Hudson Roth
Breeds: Rocky is a Maltese. Hudson is a Morki (Maltese/Yorkie Mix)

Cookware Sorcerer - Nancy Haitz
Name: Sam
Breed: Dalmatian/Harlequin Great Dane

Collier West - Suzi West
Name: Tchotcke, pronounced Chotch-chkey
Breed: Toy Schnoodle (Schnauzer/Poodle Mix)

pm gallery - Maria Galloway
Name: Logan Galloway
Breed: We call him a German Shorthair Pointer Mix.

Short North Business Association - John Angelo
Name: Puck
Breed: Australian Sheppard/Golden Retriever Mix

Rose Bredl - Mary Ernst McColgan
Name: Savannah
Breed: Black Lab/German Sheppard Mix

Rigsby’s Kitchen (Office) - Kent and Tasi Rigsby
Names: LuLu and Mick Jagger
Breeds: Lu is a Standard Poodle, and Mick is a Miniature Poodle

Sevell + Sevell - Amanda Badgley and Steve and Beverly Sevell
Names: Bella and Cassius
Breeds: Bella is a Yellow English Labrador. Cassius is an All-American Solid Gold Dog.

If you are a visual artist, know a visual artist, or know someone who knows someone who knows a visual artist… then this message is for you!

The Short North Arts District is inviting artists to participate in Art al Fresco 2009 (August 15). Artists have until May 22 to submit proposals. Applications are available online at shortnorth.org or by request from CallForArtists@shortnorth.org.

Art al Fresco made its debut on Saturday, August 16, 2008 in the heart of the Arts District, and by every measure, it was a smash success. Upwards of 75 visual and performing artists converged on the district to be a part of the event, which also included special exhibitions at a number of Short North galleries. Over 5,000 guests showed up, touring High Street, cameras in hand, to experience dozens of public art installations and scores of live art performances. The Columbus Dispatch enthusiastically proclaimed: “Bohemians on the Loose!” GCAC even nominated the event for its annual Artistic Excellence Award.

Last year’s best of show accolade went to Ben LaPlaca, Clint Davidson and Scott Williams for their mural depicting the issue of the dwindling honey bee population (at right). A review of last year’s winners can be found at shortnorth.org

A wonderful collection of images from the event is posted on our Facebook page: Short North Arts District.

Kudos to my fellow development committee members for the hard work they have already invested to make 2009 an even bigger success: Joe Baer of ZenGenius, Judy Basso of the Wood Companies, Kristin Meyer of The Art Exchange, Michelle Brandt of Kathryn Gallery, Maria Galloway of pm gallery, Rhonda Bartoe Tucker of Studios on High, Sean Cooper of the Ohio Art League, Christie Nohle of Urban Gardener, Sherrie Hawk of Sherrie Gallerie, Carmen Owens of Surly Girl, Suzie Simpson of Stonewall Columbus, Juli Rogers of r design & printing, and Morgan Baughman of the SNBA.

Following is more information about the event:

Short North Arts District
2nd annual Art al Fresco
presented by The Wood Companies
Saturday • August 15

A day-long event celebrating Columbus’ artistic spirit. Visual and performing artists from across the city unite to share their talents. The entire Short North becomes both a gallery and a stage.

The goal: inspire, engage and amuse visitors while spotlighting the power of public art. In all, over 100 exhibitions, installations and performances will be showcased.

Art al Fresco features three unique components:
The Usual Suspects

A broad range of artwork on display in the galleries and non-traditional venues throughout the district.

Unexpected Guests
Up to 50 artists will create temporary public art installations in surprising outdoor venues: parks, courtyards, rooftops, even the sides of buildings. Most of the installations will exist for only a day, but some will be on display for a month or longer.

PeeP Show
From freeze modeling to celebrity impersonations, from actors to dancers, performing artists will take over merchants’ display windows throughout the district. Under the arches, street performers will settle into the many alcoves to entertain passersby.

Art al Fresco is an event of the Short North Arts District. For more info, please email CallForArtists@shortnorth.org.

In retrospect, I probably sounded a bit like a pickup artist at the February Hop. I spent a few hours touching base with visitors, asking them a variety of questions… innocuous little tidbits like:

Where ya in from?

What’s been your favorite stop so far?

Come here often?

You can find out a lot that way. For example, the Short North is probably the number one place locals bring out of town guests… particularly if it’s a Hop. Or, that about half of our visitors have never walked north of 1st Avenue. These folks are missing some amazing destinations that have blossomed “way up in yonderland.” More on that later. Or, Saturday’s a-ha moment: visitors WANT to find the galleries, but they need help.

Maybe we (the district) take it for granted that everyone knows where everything is. After all, we all know where Rivet and Terra and Lindsay galleries are located. Right? So when we say “come visit the galleries during Gallery Hop,” it seems like a sincere enough invitation. And that the galleries are distributed over a mile-long stretch shouldn’t seem daunting. Right? Wrong. The reality, as I found on Saturday, is that thousands and thousands of visitors make their way for a monthly sojourn they thoroughly enjoy… but have no idea they haven’t quite maximized.

Well no more! The Short North is too much of a treasure to not explore it completely. Beginning with the March Hop, we will introduce the Gallery Hop Gallery Locator. This pocket fold map will be available online at shortnorth.org, at galleries, and at a variety of shops and restaurants. I’m very excited about its addition to the Hop experience. It will undoubtedly impact the experience (in a very good way) for many, many people.

Additionally, the district is in the process of designing way-finding kiosks that will help even the seasoned expert uncover heretofore overlooked district nuances. Look for more on that front in April/May.

And in the spirit of moving things right along, below is a roster of the galleries you’ll want to add to your March Hop experience. The list is organized from north, around High and Fifth, to south, across from the Convention Center. How many have you visited in the last 6 months?

Rivet • 1200 N. High (near Fifth and High)

Rebecca Ibel Gallery • 1055 N. High (at 3rd and High)

Roy G Biv Gallery • 997 N. High (at 2nd and High)

Lindsay Gallery • 986 N. High (near 2nd and High)

Ohio Art League • 954 N. High (near 2nd and High)

KIACA Gallery • 937 N. High (near 1st and High)

pm gallery • 726 N. High (at Buttles and High)

Mahan Gallery • 717 N. High (near Buttles and High)

Marcia Evans Art Consulting and Gallery • 8 E. Lincoln (Lincoln and High)

Palnik Cartoon Studio • 14 E. Lincoln (Lincoln and High)

Sharon Weiss Gallery • 20 E. Lincoln (Lincoln and High)

Sherrie Gallerie • 694 N. High (near Brickel and High)

Studios On High Gallery • 686 N. High (near Brickel and High)

The Art Exchange • 17 E. Brickel (at Brickel and High)

Kathryn Gallery • 642 N. High (at Russell and High)

Terra Gallery • 8 E. Poplar (at Poplar and High)

Elements of Art / Art Space • 507 N. High (near Swan and High)