Cameo Gallery in Columbus, Ohio
Glass collectors used to make a point of stopping here for cameo‑carved and etched pieces by Kelsey Murphy. The storefront kept the focus tight on glasswork and design, so a quick drop‑in often turned into a careful look at surface, color, and light.
Cameo Gallery operated as a High Street shop in the Short North arts corridor during the late 2000s, then closed in 2009. In its run, the space centered on Murphy’s cameo glass, with Erin Nelson involved on the ownership side, and occasionally showed related decorative art. It read less like a sprawling showroom and more like a working gallery for people who actually want to handle work, ask questions, and choose a piece with intention.
If you’re tracing the neighborhood’s art history, Cameo Gallery marks a very specific chapter when small, single‑artist storefronts dotted the Short North. It served shoppers who were looking for studio‑driven objects rather than wall‑to‑wall group shows, and it contributed to the district’s reputation for glass, ceramics, and fine craft alongside painting and photography.
Today the name comes up most often in conversations about that era of the Short North. It is a useful reference point if you collect cameo glass or are mapping the evolution of Columbus galleries from intimate specialty rooms to larger multi‑artist spaces. The legacy is straightforward: a focused destination where the draw was carved and etched glasswork you could see up close.
- Neighborhood: Short North Arts District
- Status: Closed in 2009
- Former focus: Cameo‑carved and etched glass by Kelsey Murphy, with Erin Nelson involved in ownership
- Former location: 772 N High St, Columbus, OH
If you’re planning a gallery circuit in Columbus now, use Cameo Gallery as a historical touchstone and check current Short North listings for open spaces showing glass and fine craft.
Published: September 9, 2026 · Reviewed by the Whats Up Columbus editorial team