The Columbus Collective is a group of museum experiences in one spot. Columbus native Allen M. Woodall, Jr began the museum with his own collection of antique lunch boxes. This year, they expanded to add an eighth museum section, a folk art museum, to their collective. The bright colors, quirky themes, and intriguing arrangements of natural materials draw in the curious eye, offering a feast for the imagination. “We need local folk art,” museum curator Kaitlynn Etheridge says.“The aim is to give local folk artists a platform and enrich the community by supporting them.”

In addition to the folk art museum, Columbus Collective Museums recently opened the Folk Art Junction, a gallery to buy, sell, and trade folk art. Featuring art by local artists such as Jarrod Turner, Ned Berry, Kaitlynn Etheridge, Purvish Young, Butch Anthony, and RA Miller, the gallery is one of its kind in Columbus. The museum also pays homage to the late Eddie Owens Martin with a display of the vehicle he drove and a beautiful portrait of him in their collection. Another display features work of Dave Drake, a potter from the 1800’s who lived much of his life enslaved. “When people think about folk art, they think of Dave Drake,” Kaitlynn says. The unique collection features some of his original pieces.