Checking in with the Columbia Museum of Art

Columbia Museum of Art

Columbia Museum of Art

The Columbia Museum of Art is a cornerstone of the Midlands’ cultural scene and has anchored the efforts to revitalize Columbia’s Main Street since opening its current space there in 1998. It seeks to “[redefine] the modern museum as the bustling social hub of our community.”

A multi-year renovation project that’s nearing completion is going a long way to that end. The plan calls for the addition of gallery space, adapting unused space for use as high-end event space, and adding a new entrance along Main Street, among other things. This morning, The Hub takes a quick look at some of the recent progress that will be shown off at an exhibition opening later this week.


Jane Peterson, American, 1876-1965
Boats on the Nile, Dawn, 1905-1915
Oil on canvas, 19 x 24 ¾ in. (48.3 x 62.9 cm).
Eskenazi Museum of Art, Indiana University; Morton and Marie Bradley Memorial Collection, 98.49. Photograph by: Kevin Montague.

Jane Peterson is the quintessential American impressionist — well-schooled in her craft and well-traveled, open to the possibilities of a changing world. Her work reveals the vibrancy of the early 20th century and mirrors the concerns of a rapidly changing art world. Jane Peterson: At Home and Abroad opens this week at the museum and runs through July 22. (Hours and admission available here.)

Peterson explored the innovative painting techniques of her time, and her style moved from impressionist to fauvist, from realism to a modernist abstraction. The variety of works in this exhibition demonstrates Peterson’s artistic journey and offers a glimpse of her private life. Get a sense of the independent woman, artist, and traveler whose works are displayed in museums around the world.

With the new exhibition as a backdrop, the museum will christen its new, second-floor event space Thursday night with an opening reception for “At Home and Abroad.” ColaDaily.com got a look at the 5,500 square-foot space from Special Events Manager Mario Guevara.