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| Sharon Weiss: An eye for quality and a love of art |
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 Maybe it's in her blood. Sharon Weiss, owner of Sharon Weiss Gallery has been collecting antiques all her life. For her, the thrill of the hunt was inspired by her mother, who also loved collecting.
Sharon truly has an eye for interesting, unique pieces. Her favorite style is Americana, but within her walls, you can find a bit of everything. And not only does her gallery feature antiques. It also holds a plethora of treasures including contemporary art by Ohio artists. She exhibits all mediums but mainly concentrates on pastels, oils, watercolors, prints, and sculpture. The paintings feature many colorful landscape and still-life scenes.
For Sharon, art and antiques go hand-in-hand. She loves displaying art in a more casual setting, surrounded by antique furniture and accessories so that customers can get an idea of what a piece may look like in their home.
She explains why she took the risk of opening her own gallery: "One day in 1994, I happened to be coming into the Short North. I've always loved it here. There was this little room on Poplar, and it said 'For Rent' in big letters. So, my significant other, Roger Petry, and I turned the corner and went in. The painters were just finishing up the walls, and I said to Roger, 'Now, how adorable is this space, and wouldn't it be fun to sell antiques and art?'"
Roger prompted Sharon to quit her job as a parenting director. "I said, 'You know what? I think I can do this.' And so I did, and it's been wonderful," she says. Seven years ago, Sharon moved the shop to its present location at 20 East Lincoln. She says, "Every year I pinch myself because I'm still here doing what I love."
Sharon clearly understands the pressures of her job. As a representative of the artists she displays, she knows that she must make every effort to herald their talents: "They're not here during the day when the store is open. So, they're trusting me to show their work and to speak to the public about them. Their livelihood is in my hands. It's quite an awesome responsibility."
The mission statement of Sharon Weiss Gallery states, "The goal of the gallery has remained constant for thirteen years: to give passionate artists a place to exhibit and provide an inviting gallery space, where the community can become passionate about the artists and the art they create." Though she has allowed many artists to get their feet in the door, Sharon humbly says that she doesn't take credit for the success of any artist in her gallery. She simply gives them a place to display.
Sharon�s ability to scout out quality is apparent. This year, two of her 33 artists (Daniel Ferlan and ____) were named in The Columbus Dispatch's "Best Visual Arts Events" article.
Stop by to take a peek at Sharon's treasures. Each Hop the gallery allows visitors to watch artists making their works. During the January Gallery Hop, the Sharon Weiss Gallery will be showcasing paintings by Rick Akers, Marc Lincewicz, and David Jewell. Sculptor Nina Menduni may also make a guest appearance.
by Morgan Baughman
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Posted on Monday, January 21, 2008.
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