hen a reporter chastised the famous writer, Joan Didion, for using her “good china” and silver for everyday use, she instinctively replied, “Every day is all there is.”
If what Didion said is true (and it is), then it’s apparent that life is too short to not spend our time savoring fabulous wine in a home that radiates warmth. Gone are the days of reserving caviar for a special occasion when every day is one. Go out and catch that jazz band playing on a rather ordinary Sunday night. You won’t regret it.
Whether it’s surrounding yourself with beauty in your own home, investing in more thoughtful products for your first home (your skin), whipping up spontaneous scones, or treating yourself (or someone you love) to new arm candy, it’s vital to indulge in life’s little
luxuries whenever you can. After all, how we spend our days is how we spend our lives.
The notable interior designers, homemakers, small business owners, musicians, chef, and sommelier we’ve featured in our Homebodies issue understand that the finer things – in your home or your life in general – are meant to be enjoyed and celebrated every single day. They’ve committed to living to the fullest, and I hope their approach inspires you to do the same.
I know it did for me.
Editor-in-Chief, Refined
CONTRIBUTORS
AARON MASSEY
Photographer
CHEYN ROUX
Photographer
EMMA MORTELLARO
Photographer
JEN BROWN
Photographer
LEONARDO CARRIZO Photographer
ALEX LEWIS Writer
CAMILLE WITT Writer
CANAAN LENDELL Writer
JACK McLAUGHLIN Writer
JOHN M. CLARK Writer
MELINDA GREEN Writer
TAYLOR
DORRELL Writer
TORI SMITH
Lead DesignerRefined
ATLAS BIRO
Designer
BRYCE PATTERSON
Designer
REFLECTING
Diana Wang, owner of Fine Feather in Grandview, hopes to create a welcoming and approachable retail destination in which every product is clean, nurturing, and thoughtfully chosen.
Story by CAMILLE WITT
Photography by JEN BROWN
Design by TORI SMITH
WANG, owner of local CLEAN BEAUTY & WELLNESS shop, Fine Feather, finds the BALANCE between luxury, quality, and approachability
The body is our first home, and Diana Wang realizes how important it is to care for it.
I walk through the door of her clean beauty and wellness shop, Fine Feather, on a crisp Saturday morning to talk about all things wellness-related. Located right in the heart of Grandview at 1201 Grandview Ave., the shop is airy, light, and calm – which is precisely how you’re supposed to feel while embarking on your own wellness journey here. Sunlight pours in the large windows playfully
decorated with white, line-drawn illustrations by Julia Lipovsky and bathes Diana and me in its golden early morning rays.
Sitting poised in a plush velvet chair across from me, wearing a lightweight cotton t-shirt and flowy maxi skirt adorned with florals, it’s her skin that truly catches my attention. Throughout our entire conversation, I can’t stop noticing how dewy and hydrated it looks. Clearly, she knows what she’s doing, and as we dive deeper into our conversation, it’s completely evident that Diana knows what she’s talking about, too.
DIANA
She carries herself with a sense of meticulousness and artfulness as she explains her background in the culinary world, and how her initial passion for clean food led to her curiosity about the ingredients in her skincare and home products as well.
“When I moved from China to this country when I was seven years old in the early ‘90s, there was a huge diet culture. Everything was low fat, no fat, and was so focused on what these things don’t have—looking at them quantitatively as opposed to qualitatively. In the culture I come from, we just grew up knowing how to eat real food. Nobody counted calories,” Diana recalls.
During her pregnancy with her son, she became even more laser-focused on removing the toxins from as many areas of her life as possible, starting with her plate first and moving to her skincare routine next.
“I was not really a big beauty person; it was not a personal interest of mine,” she shares with me. The word ‘beauty’ almost seems to give her pause. For Diana, it’s about health. She continues, “When I started to really dig into clean, nontoxic products, it came from a place of ‘I want to take care of my skin, I need to take care of my skin, just like I take care of my teeth.’”
Diana would make special trips to Nashville in pursuit of stores that offered clean beauty products exclusively when it dawned on her that Columbus needed a clean beauty shop of its own – and that she could lead the way in opening one.
She prides herself on the the ability to walk into Fine Feather knowing everything on the shelves is good for you, paired with her tailored approach to each individual client, which is what she believes sets the shop apart from the rest in such a competitive marketplace.
The word that I like to use is HOMEOSTASIS; it just means BALANCE, and this is the
thing that I try to achieve... LOOKING for SKIN that is HEALTHY and
“I realized that I can feel very overwhelmed easily when I’m shopping. I feel like a lot of people are that way. If you feel overwhelmed and don’t know which of nine moisturizers is going to be the best and smartest choice for you, it’s easy just not to buy anything. And so, really, the solution to that is personalized guidance.”
Fine Feather offers an array of skincare products, but also elusive makeup brands, lavish bath care, elegant fragrances, paraben-free candles, and a wealth of other good-for-you items, all beautifully and mindfully displayed, that make taking care of yourself as intentional, and approachable, as ever.
“The word that I like to use is homeostasis; it just means balance, and this is the thing that I try to achieve with our customers and clients, looking for skin that is healthy and balanced,” she shares. “I really do think it’s important for everyone to have their own little wardrobe of products that they love, that they’re just like, ‘Wow, I notice the difference in a week, in a month, I know that my skin is healthier than it was before’ and I can’t even tell you how gratifying that is to me. It really drives what I do.”
Diana started removing toxins from her plate first, and her face next. She quickly realized there wasn’t a store in Columbus that offered clean beauty products exclusively — so she opened her own. VISIT FINE FEATHER in-person at 1201 Grandview Ave., or shop online at finefeathershop.com
Diana shares her love for this cleanser infused with seed oil and the benefits of the veggie from the inside out.
Snow on Fire Candle TATA HARPER Purifying Gel Cleanser
“It makes me think of a fireplace - Diana Wang
ALL THAT
JA Night with James Gaiters’ 3DEEP JAZZ Trio
Story by ALEX LEWIS
Photography by AARON
Design by TORI
ames Gaiters sits down at his drum set surrounded by candlelit cocktail tables and adults conversing with martinis in hand and even some typing away on their laptops. Together, with longtime friend and tenor saxophone player Edwin (Eddie) Bayard and bassist George DeLancey, Gaiters joins his 3DEEP Trio at the center of Parable, a local coffee shop and cocktail bar. Every Sunday night at this Downtown café, 3DEEP guides expectant fans and passive patrons on a musical traverse of classic jazz and contemporary compositions.
By the time 3DEEP begins playing, all eyes are on them. Laptops close. The conversations have stopped. Onlookers’ laughter and amazement are reserved for the trio’s most frenzied arrangements.
For the next three hours, Gaiters and his bandmates pass the rhythm around in waves of ferocity and sweetness. As they play, it’s easy to get mesmerized by the group’s synchronicity. Although it can feel like the music is unraveling into disarray at times, it’s all purposeful, and it remains connected—and the payoff is always satisfying as everyone gets their time to shine.
MASSEY
SMITH
While 3DEEP has been a staple at Parable since August 2023, Gaiters has played music in Ohio nearly all his life. The Zanesville native began playing drums at the age of four with the support of his mother, who was a concert pianist and church organist for Gaiters’ father, the pastor at Columbus’ Grace Apostolic Church. As he got older, Gaiters played in several school and local bands, opening himself to different music styles.
Although Gaiters sought to study architecture at The Ohio State University, he turned to music when he found his grades slipping. In search of an easy A, Gaiters decided to take drum lessons. When the faculty caught wind of his skills, he began playing in the university’s jazz ensemble. “The rest was history,” recalled Gaiters.
As a member of The Ohio State University Jazz Ensemble, Gaiters met Bayard on the first day of fall semester in 1995. “It’s always been Edwin and me,” said Gaiters. They bonded over their shared love for the music of Wynton Marsalis and his Young Lions movement, which marked a return to the traditions of classic jazz and pushing the limits of themselves.
SAX APPEAL
Tenor saxophonist and 1/3 of the 3DEEP trio, Eddie Bayard, passionately playing at one of Parable Café’s Sunday Jazz Nights, with bassist George DeLancey right behind him.
We appreciate when everybody’s in here and the GROOVE is there, the HARMONY’S there, and everybody can just ride. THAT’S A SUCCESSFUL NIGHT.
Gaiters and Bayard spent hours in a university practice room playing together and learning from each other. Bayard transferred to Ohio State from Berklee College of Music where he was exposed to music education Gaiters did not have. “He was able to teach me what I didn’t know about what it is I do,” he said. “He turned me onto everybody. I didn’t know artists by name like Sonny Rollins, Wayne Shorter, Clifford Brown, John Coltrane, or Charlie Parker.”
Gaiters simply wanted to play and proposed that they start a band. Bayard agreed, and they began as a quartet, joining with other members, including trumpet player and MoJazz recording artist Pharez Whitted. Later on, after years of touring and Gaiters taking an eight-year break from music, James and Eddie teamed up with George DeLancey in 2019.
DeLancey, who Gaiters described as “a whole lot younger” than him, grew up a half-hour from Gaiters’ hometown in Cambridge, Ohio. The Michigan State alum achieved success playing in New York’s jazz scene before moving back home. DeLancey heard about Gaiters and expressed interest in playing with him. Along with Bayard, their first time playing together was at Columbus’ Blu Note Jazz Café in September 2019.
Gaiters compares playing with Bayard and DeLancey to the familiarity of home. “Everybody already knows each other, and everybody knows what everybody wants to do, and everybody’s accommodating,” described Gaiters. It is this kinship, which allows them to immerse themselves in the music and led to the “3DEEP” moniker.
“We had a good gig one night, and we went off into some song, and it was deep,” remembered Gaiters. “We went real deep into the song. And Eddie was like, ‘We’re going three deep. We should call the band 3DEEP.’ And it just stuck.”
During live sets, Gaiters and his bandmates love when the audience gets as lost in the music as they do. “We appreciate when everybody’s in here and the groove is there, the harmony’s there, and everybody can just ride,” said Gaiters. “That’s a successful night.”
This holiday season, while you can catch 3DEEP at Parable Café on Sundays from 7 to 10 P.M., the trio is available to book for private events at your own business or home, and promises a night you will never forget—although you might lose track of time as a blissful passenger journeying into jazz.
FOLLOW @JAMESGAITERS on Instagram and visit jamesgaiters.com/contact to book 3DEEP for your own private event or learn more about upcoming shows.
HE’S GOT THE BEAT
James Gaiters began playing drums at the age of four, continuing into college as a member of The Ohio State University Jazz Ensemble. Now, he’s a key element in his own jazz ensemble.
HISTORY BUFFS
Mark Sweeney and Abigail McLean lovingly restored The Historic Lazarus House, located in Downtown Columbus, pouring countless hours into researching the home’s roots to honor and preserve its rich history.
(Re )
MAKING A HOME
Abigail and Mark put their HEART & SOUL into RENOVATING one of the OLDEST HOMES in Columbus, embracing every QUIRK, and ensuring its legacy lasts YEARS to come
Story
by
MELINDA GREEN
Photography by EMMA
MORTELLARO
Design by BRYCE
PATTERSON
As one might expect, the Lazarus House, a French Second Empire-style house designed and built shortly after the Civil War, has a rich history. The Lazarus family, who built it in 1879 in Downtown Columbus, only lived in it a short time. Since then, it’s been a private residence, a rooming house, a medical office, a political office, apartments, and possibly more that is lost to time.
Today, the roughly 7,500-square-foot home on East Town Street features
three living units, plus a rooftop patio, and an entirely renewed spirit, thanks to its current owners.
Abigail McLean and Mark Sweeney purchased and moved into the house in 2020. They began planning renovations during the COVID quarantine, while Abigail was simultaneously undergoing cancer treatment. Living alone on the second floor of the house with limited family contact, she attended architect and contractor meetings via FaceTime, while Mark and his sons lived on the first floor.
“[It was a] very strange arrangement, you know, for the short term, but we were willing to live through it to see a better, brighter future,” Mark recalled.
When Abigail’s treatment ended and renovations started later in 2021, the true scope of the project began to set in.
“I don’t think one ever knows what they’re getting into when they buy a century-plus-year-old home,”
Mark said. “We hoped that we would fall within a budget range. We more than doubled it.”
He continued, “There were between seven and nine layers of paint on every one of the eight fireplaces. It’s like one of those jawbreakers, like you’re in middle school. It’s like yellow, red, green, blue, you know?”
“Yeah, I think we had rose colored glasses on when we went through,” Abigail laughed.
“In gambling, there’s a term called ‘pot committed,’” Mark noted. “Like, when you’re already in for a penny, in for a pound, you may as well just keep the meter going. We would laugh to ourselves and say, ‘Well, it’s just money. We’ll make more tomorrow.’ With it being on the National Registry of Historic Places, we had an obligation to make this house the very best it could be, and we embraced the gamble.”
Mark admitted that this wasn’t easy. “...We don’t come from families where there’s money. We don’t have trust funds; we just happen to have a love for old buildings, specifically old houses. We did this almost to prove a point to the Average Joe that you can go find a beautiful home that maybe you don’t think you know is within your realm of possibility to afford, to fix up, to renovate, to rehab, to preserve. We wanted to show people that not only was it possible, but it was necessary.”
If we could preserve it, we did. And when we couldn’t PRESERVE SOMETHING, we did our best to SURROUND IT with things that look like they BELONGED THERE from the beginning.
Abigail agreed. “So when we found our first home, that was definitely something that we wanted: the original hardwood floors, the original windows,” she said. “A lot of things that I think some people see as a headache were the pieces that make it the heart of the home. They give it that unique character. It feels lived in. To me, that’s a sense of warmth that I don’t personally get in a new home.”
They spent countless hours researching the house’s past—after all, the Main Library is practically in their backyard. They poured over old newspapers, reading the vacation updates of society families, and learning about previous homeowners.
But a lot of that history is lost, thanks to the City Hall fire in 1921 that destroyed so many real estate records.
“We know that when it was the boarding house, they were renting out rooms, but we don’t know the configuration,” Abigail said. “We know that there was another stairway leading up to the third floor that was the servant’s quarters, but we don’t know what it looked like.”
Abigail explained, “If we could preserve it, we did. And when we couldn’t preserve something, we did our best to surround it with things that look like they belonged there from the beginning. We wanted to strike a nice balance of some elements that were a little bit more modern, to bring it up to date, but to keep as many of the historical elements as we could. In my head, anything that was not permanent to the house, the furniture, the decor, I could have more fun with that, and I could incorporate stuff that was not what you would see in a late 1800s home.”
HOME IS WHERE THE HE(ART) IS
The Historic Lazarus House boasts both vintage and contemporary art, mixing historical elements with a modern take.
ALL IN THE FAMILY
Mark, Abigail, and their family lounging in their home built in 1879. The family moved into The Historic Lazarus House in 2020, while Abigail was simultaneously undergoing cancer treatment. “We were willing to live through it to see a better, brighter future.“
“We won’t be here forever...but we’re the current STEWARDS making sure that the HOUSE LIVES ON for the next owner.”
And for the “more permanent” of architectural items, Abigail and Mark took inspiration from homes like those in Lafayette Square in St. Louis, Missouri, and applied that inspiration to their own. They, along with Greg Dutton Studio, who spearheaded the renovation, used premium materials like marble, even if those materials might show wear. To Abigail and Mark, that wear is character.
Although most of the renovations are complete, the couple admits they’ll never truly be finished. As Mark put it, “The house changes in the light. The house changes in the seasons. And so we’re ad libbing, you know, every season that goes along, adding new things that we think would accentuate the house.”
“We won’t be here forever,” Abigail emphasized, “but we’re the current stewards making sure that the house lives on for the next owner.”
Mark agreed. “It’s like that quote from Patek Philippe. They have this saying, ‘You don’t merely own a Patek Philippe. You’re looking after it for the next generation.’ And I take that same thought process into this house.”
ROOM WITH A VIEW
Mark, Abigail, and interior designer Greg Dutton Studio used premium materials like marble in their renovation, even if those materials might show wear. To Abigail and Mark, that wear is character.
GREG & LIZ DUTTON have swapped their microphones and guitars for sketch pads & measuring tapes, EMERGING as two of the MOST SOUGHT-AFTER interior designers IN TOWN
Story by SAV McKEE
Photography by LEONARDO CARRIZO
Design by TORI SMITH
BELMONT BEAUTY
The Duttons restored and renovated this 700 sq. ft. 1920s bungalow in rural Belmont County, Ohio. Photo courtesy of Erin Kelly.
Even before they became two of the most prominent interior designers in the city, Greg and Liz Dutton shared an affinity for putting their art all out on display – together.
“Actually, before we even dated, we worked together on set designs, photoshoots, and music videos. We’ve thought about how we come across to others, visually, even before all of this,” explained Liz, founder of Liz Dutton Interiors. She and her husband Greg, who founded Greg Dutton Studio, first crossed paths in a way only the most dynamic of duos could: Liz was the bassist for the Pittsburghbased indie folk band Lohio, while Greg was the singer and songwriter.
“What we did back then is inherent in what we do today – just now it’s with furniture instead of props,” Liz smiled.
it’s more of following a methodology rather than any trend. “When you grow up in a rural area, you get an appreciation for how things are made. You had to make things that were simple, but still worked well,” Greg explained. “That’s what I get most excited about – not necessarily ‘farmhouse decor,’ but rather, a certain way of doing things. That’s where we look at it differently [than interior design shows].”
Greg’s early fascination with barns left an indelible mark on his approach to architecture. “You go inside of a barn, and you see exactly the way it was built – there’s nothing covering up the beams or trusses or structure,” he reflected. “I was always obsessed with that.”
“I’ve always had a deep APPRECIATION for any CREATIVE endeavor – any chance to be expressive, pull something together, be part of a PRODUCTION – that’s just something I GRAVITATE towards.”
They’ve traded the stage for a stunning Downtown office. Greg’s microphone has been replaced by a sketching pencil, and Liz’s bass by a measuring tape. Just as their music was influenced by folk elements, their signature designs bear traces of that too – though decidedly distinct from any stereotypical “farmhouse chic” trend.
While architect and designer Greg drew much of his inspiration from his upbringing on an Ohio Valley cattle ranch, the Duttons’ projects are anything but the usual farmhouse designs seen on TV. For Greg,
He leaned into this childlike wonder, eventually attending architecture school, but his roots remained ever-present. “As I got older, I was still enamored by the way things were built in rural areas. It heavily influences what I do today,” he shared. In his 20s, he worked at an architecture firm, playing with his band Lohio on the side, which of course, is where he met Liz.
Years later, Greg founded Midland Architecture, and about 11 years ago, he started his own interior design firm here in Columbus, dubbed Greg Dutton Studio.
Liz’s path to the design world was less conventional. “I was actually in a soul sucking job that didn’t fulfill me,” she admitted. As Greg began taking on more and more creative projects, Liz was inspired to explore her own creative side. “We knew we wanted to collaborate again, but just in a new format,” explained Liz. “I never really questioned if I was good at it; I just dove in. The partnership came naturally.”
Liz Dutton’s recent renovation of Goldies Hair Co. in Grandview, featuring antique gilded mirrors, chic leather chairs, and soft, ambient lighting.
Photo courtesy of Lily Glass.
Her newfound talent came naturally, as well. “My mom’s a visual artist, my dad’s a theater actor, I was a musician for a very long time,” she said. “So at the end of the day, I’ve always had a deep appreciation for any creative endeavor – any chance to be expressive, pull something together, be part of a production – that’s just something I gravitate towards.”
Liz draws inspiration for these projects from conversations with Greg that have nothing to do with design at all, actually, but rather other art forms they enjoy together – books, films, music – which in turn, fuel their creativity. Greg noted he’s inspired by Liz’s fresh perspectives. His partner in design helps him approach problem-solving in new and unexpected ways.
It’s this shared creative vision that has led the Duttons to renovate not only their own early 1900s prairie-style home in Olde Towne East, but also numerous homes and businesses throughout Ohio and beyond. Together, they’ve restored historic properties like The Historic Lazarus House in Columbus, as well as a 1920s bungalow in rural Ohio, and they’ve designed notable commercial spaces for brands such as Buck Mason across several cities.
GOLDEN TOUCH
“We work with specific FEELINGS, not STYLES. Warmth, COMFORT, calm –our work is MEDITATIVE, in that SENSE.”
Individually, Liz helped design one of the hottest new restaurants in the Central Ohio scene right now. Gene’s, in Dublin, is cozy, charming, and unlike any other concept in town. The same can be said for her latest project, the renovation of Goldies Hair Co., a salon in Grandview, that features antique gilded mirrors, chic leather chairs, and soft, ambient lighting. Meanwhile, Greg continues to take on projects that highlight his architectural expertise, such as the Todd Snyder Liquor Store in New York City and even St. Mary’s Chapel in the Appalachian foothills.
Their secret to success? Leading with emotion.
Some may find it difficult to translate “feelings” into design, but it’s apparent that’s not the case for the Duttons. The various Pinterest-worthy mood boards around their office prove this. “We work with specific feelings, not styles,” Greg explained. “Warmth, comfort, calm – our work is meditative, in that sense.”
Liz matched Greg’s sentiment. During their initial meetings with clients, she said that feelings come first. “‘How do you want to feel in this space?’ we ask our clients.
People want environments that are welcoming and comfortable, where they’re not assaulted by the acoustics or harsh lighting, and we can create this comforting feeling through materials.”
Even homes, Greg believes, have feelings of their own. “Homes want to be a certain thing,” he said. “That might sound weird to say, but houses are built to be a certain style, and you must honor the house. The same goes with our clients. They have personalities, life experiences, and feelings, and we want to honor them, too.”
Aesthetically, the Duttons balance “pretty with a little gritty,” as Liz put it. “It needs to have texture and depth, but still needs to be pleasing to the eye.” Looking around their office – a space they designed together – that philosophy is evident. The earthy tones of the masculine leather sofa contrast with creamy white walls; raw wood surfaces are complemented by burnt orange chairs; not a single “overhead” light was on, but rather soft, large paper lanterns hanging from the exposed pipes on their ceilings.
COUNTER CULTURE
A kitchen in a Bexley home, designed by Greg Dutton. Photo courtesy of Coliena Rentmeester.
PUT IT IN NEUTRAL
Greg Dutton’s architectural and design work for the Buck Mason Easton storefront. Photo courtesy of Reid Rolls.
NO PLACE LIKE HOME
The Duttons’ residence, a reimagining of an early 1900s Prairie-style home in Olde Towne East, which Liz refers to as “American New” style. Photo courtesy of Lexi Ribar.
Sitting at a table with me, even their own outfits reflected the type of harmony they use in their designs: Liz, in a sleek, all-black ensemble, sitting next to Greg, in a simple white T-shirt and khakicolored work pants. Pretty, with a little bit of grit. Just as she said.
“There’s a piece of us in all of our designs,” Greg said. “We always want everything to be warm, grounded, and lived in. Nothing sterile.”
It took time and effort to get to the point where they are now, where clients come to them, seeking out the signature Dutton style and feeling. As their reputation grows, the Duttons’ work has caught the attention of national publications like CountryLiving, Dwell, Apartment Therapy, and House Beautiful, and their aesthetic is soughtafter by clients both locally and across the country. “We’re just like anyone who’s ever started a small business,” Greg said.
“Heads down, doing the work, hoping that the business does well, and hanging in there. So now, it’s nice that having been in Columbus for a bit, we’re working on stuff that people are recognizing and seeing. It’s been rewarding.”
With notoriety and their stamp around the city, and now nation, one might expect the Duttons to consider relocating their design studios to a
larger market – perhaps to New York City – where Liz had just returned from the day of this interview, or even Nashville, a city Greg frequently visits for projects. However, the couple is proudly doubling down on Columbus. “It’s fun to travel – it’s fun to go to all of these places and do projects there. But we want to be here,” Liz exclaimed. “We’re really entrenching ourselves and rooting here.”
POWER COUPLE
Greg & Liz Dutton in their Downtown Columbus office boasting creamy white walls, a vintage leather sofa, and an all around serene workspace.
IN THE MOOD
One of the first steps in the Duttons’ design process is creating a mood board. This is one of many displayed in their chic Downtown office. Photo courtesy of Liz Dutton.
GEN(E)IUS WORK
Liz Dutton helped design this space for one of the hottest new restaurants in the Central Ohio scene. Gene’s, in Dublin, is cozy, charming, and unlike any other concept in town.
Photo by Emma Mortellaro.
TIMELESS, NOT TRENDY, TIPS FROM THE DUTTONS:
01
TRY TO SOURCE the original, vintage version of an item you want, instead of mass-produced, cheaper alternatives. That’s money you can literally sit on and get back.
02
THINK TWICE ABOUT brass and black fixtures right now. Brass can always look amazing, but it’s been heavily used the past 5-10 years, which timestamps it. Nickel is a great alternative to brass and black.
03
AVOID DECOR
that’s just staged for a photograph on social media. Your home should be, and feel, lived in.
04 NOT EVERYTHING in a room should be a statement piece. Your decor should never be competing for attention.
“There’s so much hidden talent, amazing opportunities, and incredible taste in Columbus,” Liz continued. “There’s no real reason for us to go anywhere else to scratch our itch or get what we need from a professional or artistic standpoint.”
Not just in their words, but their projects show that they think our city is worth the investment – that Columbus is ready to stand alongside any other major city in terms of style and sophistication.
The Duttons explained that Columbus is already there, in terms of coolness, though. “It’s not this relationship where clients are coming to us and we’re like, ‘Let us elevate you’ – people come to us who live here and already have amazing taste and aspirations for what they want their space to be,” Greg clarified. “Every client comes with a dream, and we just help bring that dream to life.”
VIEW MORE of The Duttons’ projects by visiting duttonstudio.com and lizduttoninteriors.com
SOAK IT IN
Liz used a mix of traditional and folk Americana pieces to play up the historic and quaint composition of The Cottage. Things were kept exceedingly simple and unadorned, to feature the beautiful architectural details composed by Greg.
Photo courtesy of Erin Kelly.
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Words by SAV McKEE
Photography by EMMA MORTELLARO
Design by ATLAS BIRO
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This New Albany medspa focuses on enhancing your best features with a holistic, multimodal approach, ensuring you look and feel your best, inside and out. It’s unlike any other medspa you’ve stepped foot into, which is why 614 readers voted it as one of the best medspas in central Ohio.
“When I first had the idea of opening my own medspa, a leader at a conference told me, ‘If you’re going to be your own brand, be the Gucci,’” explained Kerie Vaagenes, master injector and co-owner of Reverse Aesthetics, alongside her husband, Dr. Petter Vaagenes. “So that’s exactly what I did.”
Reverse Aesthetics combines a luxury experience in an environment that’s both high-end yet inviting. While the chic ambiance (and master injectors who resemble models) could initially seem intimidating, the glass of champagne upon arrival instantly puts you at ease. Settle into the naturally lit waiting area, sink into the plush seating, and enjoy the soothing scent of candles as you take in the view of charming Downtown New Albany through their historic, floorto-ceiling windows.
DREAM TEAM
From left to right, Corey Thomas, Kerie Vaagenes, & Danielle Perkins
But being the “Gucci of MedSpas,” as Vaagenes put it, is about more than just a pretty space. The beautiful, curated office aesthetic reflects their commitment to precision and expertise in aesthetic medicine, as well.
“This is a hill I will die on,” laughed Corey Thomas, Reverse Aesthetics’ nurse practitioner and facial balancing expert. “We have the best group of injectors in Ohio. All of us are very unique in our techniques, but we’re all very skilled. We’re three of the best in the industry.”
Thomas, Vaagenes, and Danielle Perkins are the trusted team you want when it comes to taking care of something as important as your face and body. With combined decades of experience in hospitals and emergency rooms, they bring a depth of knowledge to aesthetic medicine that’s unmatched.
Anti-Aging Prevention Tips From the Reverse Aesthetics Experts:
• An exclusive, complimentary Care Plan (no face is the same!)
• Medical grade skin care from one of Reverse Aesthetics’ luxury brands, offered in-house
• Wrinkle relaxers masterfully injected, such as Botox, Dysport, and Jeuveau
• Collagen preservation treatments, such as microneedling, biostimulators, and Sculptra
They also stay ahead of the curve with continuous training in cutting-edge injecting and wellness techniques. “We’ve invested in training and education that elevates our practice every single day,” affirmed Thomas. Vaagenes added, “What we do on a daily basis can be dangerous if you’re not skilled. You have to know your anatomy – and we do. We’ve been trained to know every vessel, every artery, and every muscle in someone’s face. We’re all qualified, and we take this very seriously.”
Not only do they know their science, but they know their art, too. The three skilled injectors have an eye for facial balancing – an expertise not everyone can master. “You have to have an eye for it,” Vaagenes stressed. “You need to understand the science and anatomy behind it, but aesthetic medicine is ultimately an art.”
Thomas echoed this sentiment. “You have to have an aesthetic eye to be able to look at a face and say, ‘This is where you’re aging, and this is what you need.’”
This doesn’t always mean injecting a client with Botox or filler though. Each and every client is assessed individually, and their treatment plans are tailored to fit their needs. Sometimes, that means no injectables at all. “We offer a full spectrum of antiaging and volume replacements with biostimulators, collagen and elastin producing machines, and even microneedling,” Vaagenes said.
Clients are moving away from the “overdone” look, and Reverse Aesthetics fully embraces this. “For us, that’s not our vibe,” Vaagenes shared. “I always tell my clients, ‘Your face has my name on it – I’m not doing anything I wouldn’t be proud of.’ Less really is more.”
The medspa’s philosophy centers on building your own natural collagen in terms of anti-aging techniques. While they don’t shy away from injectables, they use filler as just the finishing touch–not the entire solution.
“It’s a marathon – not a sprint,” Thomas explained. “Some of our clients are working against five decades of aging, while others are just focused on early prevention.”
That’s where their tailored, individualized care plans really shine. Perkins explained that during a client’s complimentary consultation, she and her team create detailed 6-12 month treatment plans, outlining what needs to be done, when, and at what cost. “We give our clients time to absorb and digest the information and make their own decisions. And we work with everybody, no matter their budget,” Perkins said.
Upcoming Events: You’re Invited!
• Exclusive Men’s Night Event: November 21, 5-8pm
The team’s inclusive approach is something they take pride in. They see everyone from teenagers prepping for prom with facials, to 35-year-olds seeking preventative Botox and “Brotox,” to even those in their 70s opting for CO2 laser resurfacing.
“We’re in the business of giving men and women their confidence back,” Perkins emphasized. “That boost can change lives. If you feel good, you’re going to be happy.” Vaagenes added that this doesn’t always require aesthetic treatments. Sometimes, feeling good isn’t about your appearance, but what’s on the inside, too, which is why Reverse Aesthetics also offers hormone balancing, IV hydration, and even sexual health treatments. “There are many other ways to incorporate anti-aging prevention and wellness in general,” said Vaagenes.
With expert care, personalized attention, and a welcoming sense of luxury, Reverse Aesthetics helps clients feel empowered and confident in their own skin. Here, beauty and wellness intersect, creating results that leave a lasting impact – both physically and emotionally.
• Glowing & Grateful Holiday Soirée: December 13, 6-8pm GET YOUR CONFIDENCE BACK and book your own appointment at reverse-aesthetics.com
TRENDY MATRIM NY IN
Local EVENT and WEDDING venue expert BTTS identifies SIX WEDDING TRENDS for 2025
Story by JACK McLAUGHLIN
Design by TORI SMITH
2025 is right around the corner, and wedding trends for the coming year are all about creating meaningful, immersive, and beautifully personalized experiences. This year, we at BTTS have recognized a shift toward intentional, memorable moments, where couples embrace both bold expressions and refined simplicity. Here are the top six wedding trends we’re absolutely loving for 2025:
Florals are stepping beyond traditional bouquets and centerpieces, transforming wedding spaces into lush, vibrant experiences. Couples are opting for statement blooms in unexpected places: think oversized floral installations around entryways, arches, and even on dance floors. This year’s popular trend is using seasonal blooms with an array of textures and colors, adding an element of surprise. From suspended floral chandeliers to towering arrangements framing the altar, couples are turning flowers into focal points that awe and inspire.
TIP:
Go for large, impactful blooms and bold color palettes, such as jewel tones or sunset hues, to elevate the look. Working with a florist to choose blooms that are in season or a bit untraditional will also add fresh, natural beauty to the event.
BIG and BOLD Florals in UNEXPECTED MOMENTS 01 02 CONTENT for DAY-OF 03
Curated FOOD BAR Experiences
This year, couples are getting intentional with the culinary aspect of their celebration with curated food and bar experiences that tell a story. Couples are designing custom menus that reflect their favorite flavors, childhood memories, global travels and more. Creative food and drink stations are also on the rise.
TIP: Incorporate interactive experiences like sushi displays or specialty cocktails. A fun, late-night extravaganza or specialty desserts are always a great addition!
With social media playing an evergrowing role, many couples are hiring day-of content creators to capture their wedding in real-time for platforms like Instagram and TikTok. These professionals work alongside traditional photographers and videographers to curate live content, from behind-the-scenes moments to guest reactions.
TIP: Choose a content creator who aligns with your aesthetic and vision to ensure they capture your wedding authentically. Discuss preferred hashtags, key moments, and the kind of videos and stories you’d love to see in your feed.
04
UNIQUE Personal MOMENTS Inspired by the COUPLE’S JOURNEY
Couples in 2025 are infusing their unique love stories into the wedding experience, bringing special, personal moments to life by drawing inspiration from favorite memories, date nights, or shared passions. Think of nods to your journey together: maybe a custom cocktail inspired by your first date, a snack station with your go-to movie night treats, or incorporating your favorite travel spots into the decor or menu. Some couples are even setting up a cozy corner with favorite games or a photo display of cherished moments from their journey together. These thoughtful touches create intimate, memorable moments and let guests
TIP: Incorporate a slight nod to a shared tradition, like a dessert from a favorite bakery or specialty cocktail inspired by your first date, as part of the evening’s activities. These details reflect the love and experiences you share, making the day feel uniquely "you."
LESS is MORE in DECOR
2025 is ushering in a "less is more" approach to wedding decor, with couples choosing refined simplicity over lavish setups. This trend focuses on quality over quantity, with intentional design choices such as minimalist tablescapes, natural elements, and soft color palettes. Couples are seeking out sustainable decor options, like repurposed flowers or eco-friendly materials, for a clean, serene aesthetic that aligns with their values. The goal is to create an ambiance that feels effortlessly chic and thoughtfully curated.
TIP: Consider choosing a few standout decor pieces, like statement lighting or delicate or textured linens, dramatic draping, or curves to add soft edges. Natural textures like wood, greenery, and stone can add an organic, grounded feel.
05 06
MULTI-day Wedding EXPERIENCES
For couples wanting to extend the celebration, multi-day wedding experiences are becoming popular in 2025. Instead of a single day, couples are designing weekends filled with activities that bring everyone together, such as welcome dinners, day-after brunches, or group excursions. These experiences allow guests to bond, explore the area, and create lasting memories with the couple. Couples even include surprise performances, group games, or wellness activities like yoga and spa mornings.
Include a welcome itinerary for guests, and feel free to incorporate some regional activities if you’re hosting a destination wedding. Balance planned events with downtime so everyone can unwind and enjoy the weekend at their own pace.
TO LEARN MORE about Columbus’ premier wedding and event venues, or to book your own event, visit btts.biz
CAVIAR COME
BACK
Story by SAV McKEE Design by ATLAS BIRO
First, it was for commoners – then, for kings. The history of caviar is both complex, yet expected, as with most current food trends.
Caviar was so inexpensive at one point that American taverns offered it for free, taking advantage of its saltiness to encourage thirsty patrons to drink more. Sturgeon, the primary source or caviar, thrived in American waters, leading colonists to view it as food just for the lower class and livestock.
In contrast, sturgeons from European waters were deemed “Royal Fish,” with caviar reserved for the elite by law. Americans became more aware of the allure of these prized, precious pearls, and the price of caviar increased as American industries started shipping their caviar overseas. What was once a common tavern staple transformed into an extravagant treat.
By the 1990s, sturgeon farms slowly began to emerge. In 1995, The Washington Post reported that “Caviar’s Back in the Mainstream,” often incorporated into upscale dishes like the Duck Foi Gras at The Four Seasons Hotel’s Garden Terrace, or as an accompaniment to the three-course dinners at The Ritz-Carlton Hotel’s Jockey Club. But despite its growing presence in the dining scene, caviar remained a special-occasion luxury, reserved for a night out at a five-star steakhouse.
Black gold is making its way back in the food scene, and COLO MARKET has helped pick FIVE SPECIAL CAVIARS that will keep you AHEAD OF THE CURVE
PRECIOUS PEARLS
The Osietra Caviar brilliantly sparkles with dark amber colors and golden hues. Originally hailing from the Treviso region of Italy, you can find it here in Columbus at COLO’s booth inside of the North Market locations.
Photo by Sav McKee.
But today, caviar is experiencing a major resurgence, becoming more casual and accessible. While it’s not as cheap as tavern peanuts anymore, “caviar bumps” – small dollops enjoyed directly from the hand – and adding it as a garnish to everyday foods such as potato chips, avocado toasts, deviled eggs, and even ice cream, have made it popular again. This “high-low” food trend, mixing upscale ingredients with casual fare, adds excitement to everyday meals.
“I prefer mine on Doritos,” laughed Ian Holmes, owner of COLO Market & Oyster Bar in the North Market. When I mentioned enjoying caviar on fresh oysters in Los Angeles, I expected him to favor a more traditional pairing too (perhaps on top of a filet). But he and his team at COLO delighted in using it atop the nacho cheese-flavored chips, or on their potato blinis with Vermont crème fraîche that they offer at their stand.
Justin Wotering, COLO’s Director of Operations and the seafood company’s own Caviar King, has selected five caviar tins for the upcoming holiday season, or to use for everyday enjoyment. Some mimic capers, others taste like crispy fish skin, and some are unlike anything you’ve experienced before. Whether you consider yourself a commoner or a king, you deserve a treat. Here are COLO’s top picks:
1 - PADDLEFISH CAVIAR (SPOONBILL) - Tennessee
$39.99/1 OZ.
These American sturgeons, sometimes called Spoonbill, are harvested in the wild from tributaries around the Mississippi and Tennessee Rivers. It’s rich, smooth, creamy, and almost has a nutty, caper-like finish. While not considered on the “high-end” side of caviar, it’s one of the best choices.
4
5
2 - SIBERIAN SUPREMEPoland/Romania
$59.99/1 OZ.
Hailing from Warmia, a north-eastern part of Poland, this Siberian Caviar comes from mature sturgeons that are bred in a region known as the “green lungs of Poland.” They’re subtle and mild, with a touch of salt.
3 - GIAVERI OSIETRA - Italy
$89.99/1 OZ.
This caviar quite literally shimmers and is considered one of the more visually striking caviars, with dark amber colors and golden hues. Giaveri is the oldest caviar sturgeon farm in the world, located in the Treviso region of Italy. Their caviar is buttery, crisp, and clean. You can feel each individual egg pop in your mouth.
4 - SNAKE RIVER WHITE STURGEON - Idaho
$97.99/1 OZ.
Known for its exceptionally large grains and firm texture, this caviar produced from Idaho white sturgeons are creamy, pure, and smooth, with a hint of butter. It’s a crowd favorite among the COLO staff for a reason.
5 - GIAVERI BELUGA - Italy
$199.99/1 OZ.
One of the most sought-after caviars in the entire world, and you can find it right here in Columbus at COLO. The luxury caviar is made from the eggs of beluga sturgeon, native to the Caspian Sea, and the result is large, firm, creamy grains combined with a little bit of sweetness on the palate. 2
FIND ALL OF THESE CAVIARS, potato blinis, crème fraîche, plus oysters, tinned fish, and fresh fish, all at COLO Market & Oyster Bar, located at North Market Downtown and North Market Bridge Park
NOTES TASTING WITH GREG STOKES
Words by CANAAN LENDELL
A locally and GLOBALLY RENOWNED SOMMELIER shares his journey through the wild world of wine, DEMYSTIFIES the COMPLEXITIES of the SACRED DRINK, and offers expert tips for the upcoming holiday season
Photography by CHEYN ROUX
Design by ATLAS BIRO
Greg Stokes, Master Sommelier who passed his exam with the top score in the entire country. He now owns the local wine stores The Bottle Shop and Accent Wine.
For a subject often permeated by a fog of insider terms and knowledge that borders on esoteric, Greg Stokes seems determined to cut through. I sat down with the sommelier – owner of local wine bars Accent Wine and The Bottle Shop – to trace his journey, discuss wine epistemology and trends, and solicit some recommendations for holiday hosts and guests alike
CANAAN LENDELL: You’ve transitioned from sommelier and beverage director, to the owner of multiple storefronts. How did you end up here?
GREG STOKES: I got my start out of college working in restaurants, which is where I really fell in love with wine. I took the sommelier
program, which I thought was just a class, and ended up passing the first examination. That was when I realized my excitement at just how vast the subject was.
I soon found myself running the beverage program for Till Dynamic Fare, and then working for a wine importer. In 2017, I passed the advanced sommelier examination with the top score in the country. That fast-tracked me to take the master sommelier examination, which I have been working on since.
I helped open Veritas downtown, where we were lucky enough to be listed in 2019 by Wine Enthusiast as one of the 100 best wine restaurants in America. Everything was going great, then COVID.
SEEING RED
We decided to liquidate the whole wine cellar of Veritas. We kept buying more wine and selling it, buying it and selling it. By the end of quarantine, we had done so much in wine sales that we opened a brick and mortar locationAccent (located at 49 N. High St.). This opened in September of 21, and then not long after the opportunity presented itself to purchase The Bottle Shop.
CL: Has owning your own space, where you’re free of the limitations of menu pairings, changed your relationship to the wines and clients?
GS: Yes and no. At Veritas I was given a wide-range of latitude to create a cutting-edge program, to tell the stories we wanted to tell. My goal has always been to offer Columbus access to world-renowned wines lacking previous exposure here. Retail, really, is just a continuation of what we started at Veritas.
CL: When The Bottle Shop first opened in 2015, it was one of the first to focus on the natural/biodynamic niche in Columbus. This, of course, was at least a decade after it had been cool in NYC. How do you take stock of the situation, and where would you like to move wine?
GS: It’s about creating curiosity. People have read about this natural wine thing, they’ve gone to NYC and had it, and they come back asking questions. It’s our job to help people explore that in a curated way.
In the larger trend, the natural wine conversation is maturing. People who actually weren’t very good at it, just using the natural wine moniker to sell bottles, are falling out of the market. Those that are good are getting better. Five/ten years ago, the funkier the better. There were deeplyflawed wines on the market, but people just called them ‘natural.’ There’s less tolerance now. Natural wines are becoming less about a specific flavor profile, and more about wanting a responsiblyfarmed, additive free beverage. Those seem to me signs of a more mature market.
The Syrah by Halcon Estates is one of Greg's top picks for a chic red wine this holiday season. It has notes of pine sap, toasted black pepper oils, black plum, turned soil, black tea, and cherry pits.
I want people to know that wine is just a beverage –if YOU CAN’T HAVE FUN with it, there’s NO POINT.
CL: Any rules or advice for the overworked holiday host in charge of buying the wine?
GS: My general rule is 2.5 glasses per person, knowing that there are 4-5 glasses per bottle. You know your guests best, adjust accordingly, but that’s the formula I use to calculate for something like a wedding.
The white wine of the year seems to be Sancerre. Availability has been spotty due to poor harvests, so go to a local shop you trust and see what they recommend. Another one I’ve been excited about is Chardonnay from Willamette Valley, Oregon. Renowned for its Pinot Noirs, in recent years the Chardonnays have been overtaking it. Bright and fresh – check them out if you’re sick of oaky/buttery Chardonnays.
Reds can be hard to coordinate, because people’s tastes are all over the board. If somebody wants to drink Cabernet, they’re going to bring it. So for me, especially at Thanksgiving, it’s Beaujolais. For the cooler temps, a more full-bodied Beaujolais from Fleurie or Morgon is apt. Jean Foillard is an excellent producer out of Morgon. Also, a lot of Grenache.
Like a Pinot Noir, but more full-bodied. Richer, rounder, with a soft finish - you can have it with almost anything. “A Tribute to Grace” is a great one.
For an N/A option, for the holidays especially, my favorite is Copenhagen Sparkling Tea. Created by a Danish sommelier, it’s made from French luxury teas. It’s such a sophisticated, grown up beverage, perfect for special occasions.
Another question I get all the time is what to bring as a guest. Always bubbles. Everyone can get into a glass of Champagne, and you never need to worry about whether it will pair. Champagne Laherte Freres, a small grower-producer, doing things organically and sustainably – a real crowd-pleaser. A favorite sparkling wine for the money - Pierre Sparr, “Cremant D’Alsace Sparkling Rose.”
CL: Parting words?
GS: Wine can be really intimidating, snooty, exclusionary. I want people to know that wine is just a beverage - if you can’t have fun with it, there’s no point.
STAY AWHILE
Stokes opened Accent Wine at 49 N. High St. with the intent of making wine more accessible and fun. Try some of the most delicious wines in the world without any of the pretentiousness usually associated with bottle shops.
Photo courtesy of Greg Stokes.
LIQUID ASSETS
A collection of rare reds found at Greg Stoke’s local wine store, The Bottle Shop.
CARROT CAKE CHEF CLOUSE’S
SCONES
Award-winning LOCAL pastry chef, AARON CLOUSE, shares his EXCLUSIVE, and DECADENT, CARROT CAKE scone RECIPE with us
Photography courtesy of AARON CLOUSE & AUTUMN SPITLER
Design by ATLAS BIRO
Known for his innovative and beautiful pastries, Chef Aaron Clouse chose to share with us a dessert that he’s always loved – one that evokes nostalgia for him, and reminds him of the warmth of late fall and winter – when his home is filled with scents of baked pecans, roasted carrots, and toasted cinnamon.
Chef Clouse, the Executive Pastry Chef for Littleton’s Market, has been featured on various Food Network competition shows, and although he can’t really share his secret recipe for success, he can share the recipe to one of his best-selling desserts.
You can find these decadent Carrot Cake Scones at Littleton’s Market in Upper Arlington, or during a trip to North Market Downtown, at the new Littleton’s Bakery Chef Clouse helped open there recently. Or, just maybe, you can make these Carrot Cake Scones yourself. We can’t promise they’ll be as good at Chef Clouse’s, but here’s exactly how he does it:
CHEF CLOUSE’S SECRET SCONE RECIPE
YIELDS 8 SCONES
DRY INGREDIENTS
400g All-Purpose Flour
100g White Sugar
8g Salt
17g Baking Powder
6g Ground Cinnamon
6g Ground Ginger
WET INGREDIENTS
150g Heavy Cream
2 Whole Eggs
10g Vanilla Extract
INSTRUCTIONS
CREAM CHEESE ICING
225g Cream Cheese
100g Butter, softened
10g Vanilla Extract
460g Confectioners’ Sugar
ADD-INS
212g Shredded Carrot
90g Diced Dried Pineapple
75g Crushed Toasted Pecans
140g Butter, cold and diced into small cubes
1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. In a large bowl, whisk flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, and ginger.
3. Add cold, diced butter and mix until coated in flour.
4. Stir in shredded carrots, dried pineapple, and toasted pecans; toss to coat. Create a “well” in the mixture on the table.
5. Pour heavy cream, eggs, and vanilla into the well, mixing lightly until just combined.
6. Form the dough into an 8-inch diameter circle, about 1 inch thick.
7. Cut into 8 portions and space them on a wax paper-lined sheet tray.
8. Brush with heavy cream and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for about 18 minutes until golden brown.
9. Once cooled, whip cream cheese and butter until smooth. Gradually mix in powdered sugar until fully incorporated.
10. Whip icing on high for 1 minute, then pipe onto scones.
11. Garnish with candied pineapple, pecans, and a sprinkle of cinnamon.
MENDING THE PAST
The exhibition Remembered Light simultaneously spotlights destruction of the past while focusing on the importance of a peaceful and prosperous future.
PEACE by PIECE
The Remembered Light EXHIBIT pieces together GLASS FRAGMENTS from buildings destroyed in World War II, reminding us that WORLD PEACE IS ESSENTIAL
Story by JOHN M. CLARK
Photography by EMMA MORTELLARO
Design by BRYCE PATTERSON
Artist Armelle LeRoux watched intently as the old man finished removing small handfuls of colored glass from 25 envelopes and separated each neat, little mound from the others with red ribbon.
The year was 1999, and the man, Retired Army Chaplain Frederick McDonald, had waited 44 years for this moment.
From Coventry, England; to Verdun, France; Bastogne, Belgium; Wiesbaden, Germany and beyond, McDonald had found himself in the waning days of World War II following a path of destruction through Europe, seeking suitable locations where weary, young American GI’s could gather and worship.
The devastation was everywhere, with many of the region’s most revered churches and synagogues reduced to rubble – their magnificent stained glass windows lying in ruin. Some of the buildings could be used for makeshift services; others were too dangerous to enter. But wherever McDonald found the broken shell of a house of God, he felt compelled to save a few shards of window glass, which he then mailed back home to his mother on the West Coast.
It was these little envelopes of glass, along with a mutual acquaintance, that brought LeRoux and McDonald together at his apartment in a San Francisco retirement community. At 91, McDonald felt an urgency to complete his vision. But would LeRoux share his excitement?
BUT NOT DEFEATED
“I remember him telling me,” said LeRoux, “that he was interested in combining all of the pieces into one large memorial window. But as we talked, the more I realized he had actually captured 25 individual stories and the chronology and details to support those 25 stories. We needed to create more than one window.” McDonald tentatively agreed.
He allowed LeRoux to borrow two of his precious envelopes, to see if she could make her vision for these very tangible memories align with his own. When she returned a few weeks later to show him the results, McDonald simply smiled and said, “Let’s do it.”
That was the start of a unique collaboration that would involve 13 glass artists over a three-year period to produce an exhibit that would travel the country over the next 20+ years. Remembered Light: Glass Fragments from World War II is open to the public at the National Veterans Memorial and Museum in Columbus, where it will remain on display through January.
“So, I took all of the envelopes,” LeRoux said, “and he wrote a little narrative for each house of worship he had visited.” The results were completely new art pieces, marrying McDonald’s words to new works with the original shards, new glass, enamel, wood, blown glass and more.
Though she had been chosen to create works from all 25 envelopes, LeRoux said she eventually had a change of heart. “I began to realize,” she said, “that this was not about me. This was about the young men who fought for our freedom.”
LeRoux began to seek World War II veterans who were also artists to complete about half of the new
pieces. And in a very special turn, she recalled an old friend of hers. “She was about five years old in 1942 when a force of about 1,000 British bombers struck the city of Cologne,” she said. The city was destroyed. But the twin spires of the 800-year-old cathedral, though badly damaged, remained standing.
LeRoux turned to her friend to mem-orialize the city and its indomitable landmark. The result was a 24” x 35” framed artwork – silkscreened and painted, with enameled and leaded blown glass. The piece also includes 23 shards McDonald collected at the site some 80 years ago.
That McDonald even collected these stained glass pieces was a surprise to many family members, including a grand-nephew from San Francisco who came to know the chaplain only after his retirement from the service.
PICKING UP
THE PIECES
U.S. Army Episcopal Chaplain Frederick McDonald collected and preserved glass remnants from desecrated sanctuary sites during his travels to Europe. These would later be used to create the
in
BROKEN
The exhibition features a collection of twenty-five artworks created with broken glass shards collected from war-ravaged European cathedrals, synagogues, and chapels during World War II. You can visit Remembered Light at Columbus’ own National Veterans Memorial and Museum until January 26.
featured works
Remembered Light.
Photo courtesy of The National WWII Museum.
Shards collected from the Liebfrauenkirche (Church of Our Lady) destroyed in Trier, Germany, depicting an actual replica of a historical photo taken of McDonald standing over a fallen statue.
“I got to know him much better,” said Bruce McDonald, “and I loved learning what a maverick he was. He never brought up the church. He loved plays and fine dinners and movies. He had all these menus from restaurants he had visited around the world.”
Once Bruce discovered the story of his grand-uncle’s glass collection, his admiration only grew. “I learned,” he said, “that my uncle had actually visited Germany in 1933, when he was in his early 30s, and later spoke positively about Hitler and what he was doing there.”
“I think he came to be very ashamed of that. He had allowed Hitler to make a fool of him. And he wanted to make amends,” added Bruce, who said it then made perfect sense for his grand-uncle to collect these pieces of glass and share their story with the world.
Bruce and LeRoux were among a dozen or so invited dignitaries who attended Remembered Light’s opening ceremony at the National Veterans Memorial and
Museum on September 13th. Others included additional relatives of the late chaplain, who died in 2002, and those who are working to create a special exhibit wing for the collection at the Presidio Interfaith Center in San Francisco. Once the exhibit leaves Columbus in late January, San Francisco will become its permanent home.
Museum personnel say they are lucky to have had the opportunity to display McDonald’s collection and LeRoux’s artwork in Columbus. Andy Cloyd is the museum’s director. “It’s just such an honor to have something of this magnitude here,” he said. “To think that something as small as a tiny piece of glass can address something as big and important as world war and world peace. It’s just amazing. We love seeing what a huge impact it can have on the many people who visit our museum.”
FOR DETAILS ON VISITING the exhibit, visit nationalvmm.org
Story by SAV MCKEE
Photography courtesy of HELEN WINNEMORE’S
Design by TORI SMITH and BRYCE PATTERSON
In 1938, Helen Winnemore opened “The Afternoon Shop” in her Grandview home. However, as her collection of handcrafted works from artists grew, she found herself in need of a larger space—a place not only to display the beautiful, artisan goods, but also to share them with the community she held so dear. While she hadn’t initially intended to open a store, she eventually established her own shop at the corner of Parsons Avenue and Broad Street.
A
curated HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE featuring the DECADES old German
Village STAPLE, HELEN WINNEMORE’S
Winnemore regularly attended traveling art shows, carefully curating a selection of American crafts that enchanted her Columbus clientele. In 1966, she relocated her shop to a charming green house on the corner of Kossuth and Mohawk in German Village.
Today, Helen Winnemore’s, located at 150 E. Kossuth St., remains a beloved Columbus institution. Winnemore championed many emerging artists who later gained recognition in the world of fine craft. Julie and John Jenkins, the current owners of this quaint German Village storefront, continue to uphold her legacy, focusing on American-made artisan goods such as the ones featured below, ensuring they preserve the spirit of Helen’s vision.
TERRAFIRMA CERAMICS
Assortment | $41.50 - $212.50
Founded by Ellen Evans in 1980, Terrafirma Ceramics is based in New York City, with each piece entirely handmade from stoneware and porcelain at their studio. After being shaped by hand, several layers of porcelain clay are then poured on the top surface to create a white background. The surface of the pottery is then painted through lace or fabric laid on top of each piece to add color and a unique surface texture to the delicate porcelain. When each piece is then fired at high temperatures, the stoneware and porcelain become vitrified (transformed into glass), meaning they are highly resilient to everyday use, will not soak up liquids, and are completely food and dishwasher safe.
BLENKO GLASS COMPANY
Classic Water Bottle in Tangerine | $82.50
Blenko’s Classic Water Bottle design was first introduced in 1938—the exact same year Helen Winnemore’s was founded. It has been produced at their factory, by hand, almost non-stop since that very first year. At the time, the bottle’s design was made to fit into the narrow door shelves of the relatively new “electric icebox,” which today is known as a refrigerator. The water bottle’s narrow shape with two pouring spouts and center indentation made for easy handling and fits well in those early refrigerator doors. It works just as well today, over 80 years later.
PATRICIA LOCKE JEWELRY
Ovation Necklace in Pacific | $459
Self taught, Chicago-based Patricia Locke had never worked with her hands or taken an art class prior to undertaking what would become her life’s work in jewelry design, beginning in 1971. Her collections blend the depth of fine art with a modern sense of fashion, and are immediately recognizable for their distinctive asymmetry, vibrant multi-metal combinations, and elegant use of positivenegative space.
DAVIN & KESLER
Solid Ebony Money Clip |
The Money Clip’s silver plated brass frame and hand-finished Ebony hardwood uses a spring mechanism to keep bills slim and in order. Thomas Davin and Mary Kesler have been woodworking together since 1979, collaborating out of a nineteenth century mill overlooking Dorset Mill Pond in Rhode Island. Mary and Tom utilize the beauty of their surroundings to create objects that are simple yet elegant in design. Their woodcrafts are both serviceable and handsome. With minimal care, they can be appreciated for years to come.
BEEHIVE HANDMADE
Measuring Spoon Set in
Pewter
| $64.50
Beehive Handmade’s pure and simple Pewter Measuring Spoons are an homage to the beauty of the pewter material. For anyone who appreciates honest materials, and inspired, classic design, these minimal measuring spoons are perfect in a thoughtful, authentic home. Inspired by the design of old kitchenware and home decor items they found at estate sales since 1999, Jim Dowd and Sandra Bonazoli are dedicated to making beautiful items that are both functional and decorative.
VISIT HELEN WINNEMORE’S at 150 E. Kossuth St., or shop online at helenwinnemores.com
RIGHT
Story by TAYLOR DORRELL
DAVID KIM embraces tradition & ANALOG through his luxury vintage WATCH business, proving that TIMELESS DESIGN and exceptional quality NEVER go out of STYLE
During WWI, as many as three hundred young women painted wrist watch dials at a plant in Orange, New Jersey. Seated at long benches, the women engaging in the meticulous and low-paying job were treated like they would be at any other job when it came to concerns of health and safety at the time – that is, hardly at all. Supervisors encouraged the workers to use their mouths to help point the brushes, and they often painted their nails with the unscented paint. Were the contents of the paint containers something like oil or acrylic, perhaps there would be no justification for this tangential introduction—there would still be sanitation concerns to be sure, just not ones that are a matter of life and death —but considering the contents were not
exclusively oil or acrylic, and instead included the radioactive chemical element with a lifespan of thousands of years known as radium, the workers developed severe health complications and eventually, after a prolonged legal battle, were able to shut the plant down.
In the 1960s, however, watch manufacturers began using tritium, which is still radioactive, but safely so. “Since the watch is considered slightly radioactive, [watchmakers] legally had to denote that at the bottom [with T < 25],” David Kim, the founder of a local vintage watch dealer, told me. It was this history, one that carries with it both radioactive deaths and the changing of labor law, that inspired Kim to name his business 25 Dials.
The new world of watch selling in the internet age with its ambitious and somewhat assertive discipline has inspired young entrepreneurs to “flip” otherwise aging devices. There exists today a wave of entrepreneur content creators across the country, a surge of young merchants desperate to make profits with haste and do so with a degree of public pageantry. Kim, however, is not one of them.
Photography by JEN BROWN
Design by TORI SMITH
KEEPER OF TIME
David Kim, owner of the luxury watch shop 25 Dials, with his collection of vintage Rolex and Cartier watches.
Unique vintage offerings from 25 Dials, whose name is an ode to the slightly radioactive substance found (safely) in many of the pieces.
With the overstimulating spectacle of the internet with its bombardment of images, commodities, and sex, also comes its reverse image, a desire for a slowness, a return to physical media, a return to the real. For Kim, the charm of the vintage watch business is in the analog and the personal connections to the devices. It shouldn’t be surprising that in addition to a watch business, Kim has co-founded a coffee shop downtown (Kape Coffee). There is an authenticity and elegant modesty to Kim and his disciplinary entrepreneurship, one that matches the regional courtesies of the Midwest and the wider cultural rejection of the social media zeitgeist.
Even with the craving for the analog, it’s increasingly difficult to escape cyberspace—a reality understood by 25 Dials, which sells almost all of their merchandise
through Instagram. In that virtual space, vintage Rolex’s with diamond dials are beautifully, and irresistibly, captured. Pictures of 1960s Cartiers with leather bands lay next to cigars and espresso cups.
Nonetheless, the virtual eye candy has to look good on the physical wrist, too. They operated at an in-person location in a co-working space in the Short North before making the move to a storefront in front of Gateway just south of OSU’s campus, with plans to open in the following months. “We’re going to make it a big lounge,” Kim assured me, “so customers can come in and not feel the pressure of needing to be transactional – just be able to sit down, have coffee, talk about watches then if they want to move on and look at watches, we have a room in the back where we are just strictly for transactional purposes.”
Customers can come in and not FEEL THE PRESSURE of NEEDING to be transactional just BE ABLE to sit DOWN, have COFFEE, talk ABOUT WATCHES.
I’ve had only one wrist watch in my adult life, an unassuming mechanical watch gifted to me as a birthday present from my girlfriend who, sympathetic to my desire for a portable time-keeping device and a niche fascination with Soviet-made commodities, found a 1960s Russian watch on eBay for $30.
“What’s the name brand?” Kim asked. I explained its origins and name, Pobeda, or Victory, allegedly christened by Stalin himself after the defeat of the
Nazis in WWII. Kim looked at the watch and grinned. “You want to know something funny? So my first ever vintage watch that I bought was off of eBay for $30 – it was this brand.” And so it goes, the often roundabout ways that a small clock can connect complete strangers.
DISCOVER YOUR NEXT piece of arm candy at 25dials.com, or make a private appointment at their new studio, located at 1589 N. High St.
