The American canals of the early 19th century were, as canal expert William H. Shank has written, “amazing” and “nostalgic” and “romantic.” They also were rapidly run out of business
For decades, Ron Ettelman of Mountville has split his time between being a working artist and running a framing business and gallery with his wife and fellow artist, Virginia.
Ettelman continues to create the paintings and mixed-media works of the sort that have been exhibited in galleries throughout Lancaster County.
But, at age 78 and recovering from spinal fusion surgery, Ettelman says he realized it was time to retire from the framing business after more than four decades.
The building on Mountvilleâs Main Street that housed the business has been sold, Ettelman says, which means he no longer has the space to store and display many of his original works.