OHIO FINDS

Oil painting representative of the magic realism art movement

Ohio native Paul Riba was part of an art movement that remains largely unfamiliar. Magic realism, a style used in both artwork and literature, portrays a realistic view of the world with magical elements tossed in, subtly chipping away at the wall between reality and fantasy.

These three landmark properties have long histories and expansive grounds that visitors can explore during regular hours or special events.

President Rutherford B. Hayes and first lady Lucy Webb Hayes believed in the restorative powers of nature. Walk the peaceful grounds of the couple’s tree-filled Fremont estate, which is also an accredited arboretum due to its mix of 100 types of woody plants and plant-related programs. There’s also a rose garden, wildflowers and an abundance of squirrels that delight younger visitors. A fun and educational Squirrel Doors hunt begins June 24 and teaches why the animals would choose a particular tree in the grove to use as shelter. Paved paths traverse the property for visitors, who can also tour the home and visit the on-site museum. Spiegel Grove, Fremont 43420, 419/332-2081, rbhayes.org

Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens • Akron

Former home to F.A. Seiberling, co-founder of the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co., Stan Hywet Hall’s name comes from the Old English for “stone quarry,” and one was once located where the property’s lagoon is today. The 70-acre grounds span restored historic gardens and the landmark Birch Tree Allee. The elegant estate also serves as a backdrop for outdoor yoga during the summer, an annual Father’s Day car show and performances by the Ohio Shakespeare Festival. No visit is complete without a tour of the 64,500-square-foot manor house the sixth-largest home open to the public in the U.S. 714 N. Portage Path, Akron 44303, 330/836-5533, stanhywet.org

Bryn Du Mansion • Granville

The grounds of Bryn Du Mansion span 52 acres, but 30 of them comprise the Great Lawn, which plays host to special events the public can attend. Purchased by the city of Granville in 2003, the estate was home to a string of families who renovated and added to the property, including its last owner, Dave Longaberger, founder of the Longaberger Co. The Bryn Du Art Show is held each March. In spring, the Great Lawn is the site of Taste of Granville. Summer brings polo matches that are open to the public. The matches are free, but some benefit charities and donations are appreciated. 537 Jones Rd., Granville 43023, 740/587-7053, bryndu.com

Lauren Patterson

Born in Cleveland in 1912, Riba studied at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and the Cleveland Institute of Art before teaching at the latter from 1949 to 1962. The timing of Riba’s early career coincided with the rise of magic realism, which first took root in Germany in the 1920s.

Riba was among a handful of American artists who concentrated on magic realism early in the movement, and the concept helped mold who he became as an artist. Its influence was evident in Riba’s later years, prior to his death in 1977. A 1975 newspaper feature on the artist described his work as “drawn from some inner source of whimsy and mystery.”

“Bells,” an oil-on-Masonite painting, depicts various types of bells suspended from a framework against a backdrop of blue sky and clouds. Richard “Jeff” Jeffers

$3,875 SOLD AT AUCTION