Paintings celebrate state

The exhibit will be at the Salem Community Center from Saturday through Aug. 23.
By MATT BIXENSTINE
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
SALEM -- When Richard Canfield returns to the region with which he shares his last name, he does not expect to find himself greeted with red carpet.
Canfield is a descendent of Judson Canfield, one of the area's original settlers in 1798 and the individual after whom Canfield Township and city were named.
"I found that out three years ago, but it doesn't get me into the [Canfield] Fair for free," said Canfield, jokingly.
Today Canfield, 56 and living in Columbus, remains proud of his heritage. Only now, the landscape artist is making a name for himself -- in and of itself.
Canfield is spearheading "The Land We Call Ohio," a traveling art exhibit commemorating Ohio's Bicentennial. The exhibit consists of an oil painting representing each of the state's 88 counties. It will be on public display Saturday to Aug. 23 at the Salem Community Center, 1098 N. Ellsworth Ave., in Salem in conjunction with the Salem Preservation Society.
"All 88 paintings are only making a couple stops together, so we're fortunate to have the complete show," said Eric Green, executive director of the community center.
On oak walls
Each of the renderings of historical monuments, scenic wonders, city skylines or other noteworthy visages will arrive in Salem on movable oak walls after having opened at the Ohio Historical Center in Columbus earlier this summer.
"It's a fabulous exhibit and a great opportunity to get an interesting perspective on the history of Ohio," said Kathy Hoke, spokeswoman for the Ohio Historical Society, which is headquartered at the center.
"People come [to the center] specifically for the exhibit," she said. "They seem to linger to really take it in and thoroughly enjoy it. I think Salem will be the same way."
Canfield's inspiration arose in 2001 after he spoke with Dan Woodson, an artist who had orchestrated a similar project in Indiana for the new millennium.
The project took off when Canfield consulted John Hoberg, a professional documentary videographer.
"I was excited about the project and when I told John, he was equally excited," Canfield said. "I didn't really have a time frame until John said, 'You know, next year's the Bicentennial.'"
Six artists in group
Canfield and Hoberg then approached a group of five artists to join Canfield as the charter members of the Ohio Plein-Aire Society, an organization formed to produce the paintings. Together, the six artists would brave the elements to capture the best of each county.
Among Canfield's paintings were Lanterman's Mill (Mahoning), the Cherry Valley Coke Ovens (Columbiana) and the County Courthouse (Trumbull).
Carol Potter, director of marketing and public relations at Mill Creek MetroParks, suggested the Lanterman's Mill site to Canfield, who recalled playing in the creek below the mill's waterfall as a child.
"Richard came and explained the project," Potter said. "I thought it was appropriate since Lanterman's Mill is an icon for Mahoning County."
At first Canfield was hesitant since Lanterman's Mill has been depicted many times before from the nearby bridge. But after literally stumbling down the hillside, he managed to find a unique angle of the mill and falls for his picture.
Art teacher's praise
Jim Traveline, Canfield's art teacher at North Lima High in the late 1960s, has seen the exhibit in Columbus. He said the work is indicative of his former student's artistic abilities.
"I'd say Dick's one of the more memorable and certainly one of the most talented students I had," said Traveline, who is now retired in Marion. "I didn't really have to teach him much."
After it leaves Salem, the exhibit will be displayed in its entirety at sites in Cleveland and Cincinnati before clusters of the group are sent to various parts of the state. All the paintings will be auctioned off Dec. 6 at the Apple Tree Auction in Newark, with half the profit benefiting OHS.
Hard-copy books, videos and limited-edition prints of the paintings are available for purchase through Paint Ohio LLC, an organization formed to assist the project's funding. Canfield said these products make the project unique.
"The state has wonderful [Bicentennial] projects like the bell and barn paintings," Canfield said. "But what we're hoping to do with our project is have some keepsakes to leave behind that people at every level can enjoy."
mbixenstine@vindy.com