Columbus certainly has its share of captivating art galleries, but none have quite the same intrigue as the Lyle Gallery, at 615 E. Town St. This space radiates warmth and a feeling of comfort and home.
That’s no accident. Owners Tim Knapp and Damon Dalrymple also happen to live at the location. The couple bought the 4,400-square-foot home from Bill and Ruth Lantz in late 2006 because they recognized the natural aesthetics of the rare, French second-empire design.
“This house looks like an art gallery. It’s beautiful. The house itself – its bones and architecture – is a work of art itself,” Dalrymple says.
It was purchased for the sole purpose of turning part of it into an art gallery – a longtime goal of Knapp’s. Although the couple has an extensive collection spanning from 20-plus years, they keep it to themselves, and instead use their home mostly to exhibit living artists from throughout the area.
Because the space is so intimately theirs, they roll out the red carpet with each exhibit, minding every meticulous detail.
“This gallery is about others’ work,” Dalrymple says. “We want the best presentation for them and we change the house around for every show. Every show has a distinctly different design and set up.”
For example, the couple brought in a piano for their recent The Collage of Women Artists exhibit, simply because they believed it fit in perfectly with the work being displayed.
“This artist spends 40 hours painting this picture and when she’s done, she goes over it with a magnifying glass,” Knapp says. “We have to do justice to her work. If we don’t, we shouldn’t bother doing this.”
Knapp and Dalrymple are scrupulous about more than just their exhibition props. They opened the gallery July 14, 2007 – Bastille Day – because it’s a French house. Their first exhibit featured French artists. For each exhibit, the opening begins promptly at 6:15 p.m., to coincide with the address, 615 E. Town St. The openings are fully catered and artists are on hand to discuss each piece.
“It’s our home, so we have to go all out,” Knapp says. “You wouldn’t want to make a bad impression in your own home.”
The impression of the Lyle Gallery/home is extraordinary. Paintings monopolize the walls, sculpting fills the nooks. There is art literally everywhere you look; everywhere your eye wanders, from the bathrooms to the kitchen to the hallways. Every bit of this house is an art gallery.
While now fully invested in this adventure, both still maintain their day jobs. Knapp works at the Franklin County Board of Mental Retardation and Dalrymple works as a chemist and is part owner of Studio 35, in Clintonville. They each readily admit they’re obsessed with art, though Knapp has been at it a bit longer.
“(Knapp) does everything larger than life,” Dalrymple says. “It’s the reason the gallery is now just sort of everywhere throughout the house instead of on the first floor, where we originally wanted it. But we love it and have fun with it, so it worked out just fine.”
They named the gallery after Knapp’s grandfather, Lyle Trego, who lives in Chillicothe. Knapp’s grandparents were the catalyst for his hobby.
“One day they gave me $5 to go see what I could get at a yard sale and I bought a piece of folk art. Since then, I jumped in with both feet, buying art anywhere I could,” Knapp says. “I threw myself into learning as much as I could about art, obsessing about it, really. It’s like a safari, to discover new artists and appreciate their work.”
Although the couple’s plate is clearly full, they have exhibitions booked through November. They are going forward with plans to renovate the carriage house and open it for an artist-in-residence program. They also frequently donate their home for fundraising events for organizations such the Make-a-Wish Foundation and the Columbus AIDS Task Force.
“There really is no balance between our living situation and the gallery,” Dalrymple says. “It can be very weird and takes some getting used to. But it’s worth it because we see so many different works and our collection is always changing. It’s an addiction.”
“It is an addiction because you just can’t ever get tired of looking at great art,” Knapp adds. “And we get to look at it all the time.”
Alicia Kelso is editor of CityScene.
Save the Date
Showing at the Lyle Gallery beginning March 8 is the work of Anastasia Horowitz.
Horowitz earned her bachelor of fine arts degree at Ohio State and went on to work with an international accounting firm in Los Angeles.
She found her way back to the easel post-retirement and has developed versatile approaches in her oil painting, silverpoint and graphic work. Her work hangs in private collections throughout North and South America.
Beginning April 12 will be an exhibit featuring the work of Ousia Guild. Gallery hours are noon to 6 p.m., Friday and noon to 4 p.m., Saturday and Sunday. Appointments also are welcome. For more information, visit www.lylegallery.com.