Gallery Luminaria is both a brick-and-mortar art gallery, located in historic downtown Zanesville, Ohio, and an online web store. Each primarily showcases the original art of Ron Cole and Erin France, but we also curate special collections, such as the life's work of Zanesville native and master sculptor Kenneth Brown and we sponsor local aspiring professional artists.
Gallery Luminaria was founded by Ron Cole in 2016 as an offshoot of his original online art business, Cole's Aircraft Aviation Art, which he founded in Los Angeles, California in 2005. Prior to focusing mainly upon the aviation art genre', Cole worked in LA as an industrial designer and special effects model maker in the Hollywood film industry. Cole designed many now-collectible playsets for Mattel's Hot Wheels and Barbie lines, and worked on films such as Harry Potter, Madagascar, The Aviator, and Terminator III. Before his career took off in California, Ron Cole had, in 1993, been involved with the 'Branch Davidian' tragedy near Waco, Texas - an experience that would heavily influence the rest of his life. He moved to Zanesville Ohio in 2012. Between 2015 and 2016, his Cole's Aircraft online retail art store had seen its sales increase more than 120% - beyond his capability as a sole proprietor to meet the demand for his work (more than 600 products at the time). In early 2017 Cole partnered with Erin France, a local artist and businesswoman, with whom he rebranded Cole's Aircraft and Gallery Luminaria, opened a new gallery in June 2017 and launched a new web store later that same month.
Erin France graduated from Capital University with degrees in Television Production, Marketing, and Public Relations. Besides running Gallery Luminaria with Ron Cole and being the business manager and PR representative for Cole's Aircraft, France is an executive manager for the WHIZ Media Group in Zanesville, Ohio, and an accomplished mixed media sculptor and artist.
In June 2017, Ron and Erin acquired a large wholesale custom framing and art company, its 2500 square-foot warehouse of equipment, and began construction of a large building to house their ever-expanding art business.
The Gallery Luminaria online web store currently offers over 800 unique products from several artists and craftsman, with more being added regularly. The 2000 square-foot Gallery Luminaria art gallery is located at 53 North 4th Street in downtown Zanesville, Ohio. The location is a major congregation point in the area's First Friday Art Walk, offers special exhibits for the occasions, homemade light fare, wine and drinks (Ohio's famous Raven's Glenn Winery often participates), and live musical attractions on a custom-built stage. Regular gallery hours are limited, presently, to Thursday and Friday from 5 until 7 PM. Special events are common, and announced well in advance through the gallery's Facebook Page, and are often covered by local media.
Gallery Luminaria continues the sponsorship program initiated by Ron Cole in 2015, to provide support and exposure for local aspiring professional artists, craftsmen, and photographers. Benefits include online exposure in addition to gallery space and assistance with marketing. The program is completely non-profit and all proceeds, subtracting the cost of materials and printing, remain with the sponsored participants.
Feel free to contact Ron Cole via phone at: 740.319.9211 with feedback or questions. Current customers with enquiries regarding orders placed through our web store are encouraged to text (please, no phone calls) Erin France at: 740.819.3716. All emails may be send to: ColesAircraft@yahoo.com - addressed to either Ron Cole or Erin France.
Enjoy all that we have created! It's only the beginning.
A Visit to Gallery Luminaria (Video)