Whether you are looking for a family outing (especially once school is out - yikes) or to share the  city with out-of-town guests or simply to fill your art-loving bucket, there are a plethora of options downtown in December and early January. From the Columbus Museum of Art to Ohio State’s Urban Arts Space, Angela Meleca Gallery, Hawk Galleries, Mac Worthington Gallery and more, there are sure to be several exhibits you won’t want to miss.

So get out your calendars and find time to fit in one, two or more gallery visits before time runs out.

Christmas Party at Mac's
December 16, 6 - 9 p.m.
Mac Worthington Gallery
Enjoy champagne cocktails, hors d'oeuvres prepared by Chef Jorge Vales & Dock 580, and live entertainment by Steve Fisher. You can RSVP here.

Department of Art, Bachelor of Fine Arts Senior Projects
Now through December 17
Reception: December 17, 5 - 7 p.m.
Urban Arts Space
An exhibition featuring the work of graduating art majors from The Ohio State University. The artists developed the work from a range of media and approaches during their courses of study at Ohio State. 

CYA L8R
Now through December 17
Reception: December 17, 5 - 7 p.m.
City Center Gallery
Pattern, color and art are reflective of the time they are created, visually capturing the mood and spirit of an era. In CYA L8R, Claire Smith and Dana Lynn Harper present contemporary sculpture and assemblage works using neon and pastel colors, memphis-style patterns and slick surfaces. By taking patterns, colors, forms and surfaces from their 90's childhoods, the artists' work borders on the humorous and absurd but channels a sense of playfulness and sentimentality. 

Robert Buck: Exposure
Now through December 23
Angela Meleca Gallery
The new works presented in this exhibition are a continuation of a series first created by Buck for an exhibition in October 2009, which were inspired in part by the introduction of the iPhone and its rear-facing camera. Those paintings, perhaps too prescient, a year ahead of the launch of the iPhone 4 and its LED flash, were placed in storage and remained there until early 2016 when Angela Meleca asked to see them. The result of that studio viewing roused Buck to revisit the work, culminating into "Exposure," a show of new "iPaintings." 

Exhibit: One Million Dollar Boat
Now through December 31
Hawk Galleries
One of the world's foremost glass artists, Bertil Vallien will be presenting his One Million Dollar Boat at Hawk Galleries, after a brief stint at SOFA CHICAGO. It is the largest, most expensive and mysterious sculpture ever created at Kosta Boda, a truly an epic art piece, valued at $1 million. Founded in 1742, Kosta Boda celebrates its 275th anniversary next year. Bertil Vallien's masterpiece Passage was created to honor Sweden's oldest glassworks and pay homage to its 53-year partnership with the artist by providing an opportunity for him to create his legacy piece. With this project, Bertil Vallien is portraying the mythology of the history of the world, from birth to death. 

Exhibit: The Sun Placed in the Abyss
Now through January 7, 2017
Columbus Museum of Art
The Sun Placed in the Abyss brings together the work of more than 50 contemporary artists who, since 1970, have explored the essential relationship between photography and the sun. Delving into the historical, social, and technological conditions of photography, this dynamic exhibition highlights our enduring interest in our closest star. 

Watercolor Ohio 2016: 38th Annual Juried Exhibition
Now through January 7, 2017
Ohio Arts Council's Riffe Gallery
The Ohio Arts Council's Riffe Gallery presents Watercolor Ohio 2016: 39th Annual Juried Exhibition, a broad and diverse display of watercolor and its modern applications. Click here for more information on special events, including demonstrations and workshops. 

Tenth Annual Ohio Online Visual Artists Registry (OOVAR) Juried Art Show
Now through January 7, 2017
Main Library, Carnegie Gallery
OOVAR is an online database that showcases the work of more than 1,200 artists from around the world. The show features original works by Ohio artists and is a joint project of the Ohio Arts Council's Individual Artist Program, Columbus Metropolitan Library and the Friends of the Library. 

Think Outside the Brick: The Creative Art of Lego
Now through February 26, 2017
Columbus Museum of Art
The holiday season signals the return of a celebration of the creative potential of LEGO® bricks. Think Outside the Brick is a collaborative project with the Ohio LEGO User's Group (OhioLUG). An enormous model of Columbus features the return of familiar landmarks and imaginative creations. OhioLUG will also build LEGO models of Pokémon that will be installed in several locations around the Museum.