Work on a new collaborative mural in Belpre has begun

Last weekend, volunteers gathered at the Barclay Street Tunnel near Belpre High School ready to paint. Their mission? To create a colorful new mural as part of the Brighten Belpre Mural Project, which is a collaborative effort to enhance community spaces through art installations.

Reed Byers is one of the coordinators for Brighten Belpre. For him, this mural means bringing the community together to do something positive – through supporting arts and culture, and in turn, economic development.

“With the explosion of murals in Marietta and Downtown Parkersburg (GoodSpace, the CVB, Wood County Society, the Floodwall, etc.) I felt like it was Belpre’s turn to brighten their community,” said Byers. “Downtown MOV has so much potential and it’s vital we continue to attract and retain citizens locally. I thought this would be a great way to continue to support the collaborative arts efforts happening in the Mid-Ohio Valley.”

I’ve always wanted to do something with this tunnel by the school. So when Reed contacted me about wanting to do a mural, I jumped at the opportunity.

Chad Stevens

More than a dozen volunteers participated on Saturday, April 23^rd, after the tunnel’s surface had been prepped the previous week. Marvin Edwards, owner of Maka Mia Pizza in Parkersburg, provided lunch for everyone on site.

“It’s a beautiful day to make some art!” said Chad Stevens on Saturday. “I’ve always wanted to do something with this tunnel by the school. So when Reed contacted me about wanting to do a mural, I jumped at the opportunity.”

Stevens said students at Belpre High School were asked to come up with possible designs, which were then shared with the community for input. Organizers chose the design the community most responded to, featuring bright sunflowers against blue skies.

“The design is by Katie Woodford, a 10^th grader at BHS,” said Stevens. “She would be here painting today, but she has softball games,” he said. Stevens said he plans to bring groups of students back to paint once the mural is underway. “The community is definitely excited to see this busy little tunnel brighten up!”

I’d like to see more art events like this all over the area. It’s also helping to build up the local art community, which makes me feel incredibly supported as an artist.

Rebekah Williamson

Organizers reached out to community organizations and residents for support in covering materials and preparation costs. Donations came in from the Belpre Rotary Club, Belpre Women’s Club, Mario and Kelli Coon, Bob Rauch, Jennifer Buzzard, Mayor Mike Lorentz, Connie Miller, Fire Chief Tony Cronin, and the Belpre Police Department. Edward Escandon generously donated his time, resources, and expertise to help prepare the tunnel for painting. Local artist Rebekah Williamson also helped extensively with prep work.

Williamson said she became involved after talking with Byers and Stevens about their shared desire to make public art spaces a more common theme in the Mid-Ohio Valley. “This mural benefits the community by making it more beautiful and the whole process has engaged young artists and is bringing people in the community together with a common goal,” she said.

“I’d like to see more art events like this all over the area. It’s also helping to build up the local art community, which makes me feel incredibly supported as an artist,” she said.

Work continues on the mural this Saturday, April 30^th, beginning at 9:00 am. Those interested in painting are welcome to meet at the Barclay Street Tunnel to join in the fun.

“I love community projects,” said Williamson. “I brought four friends with me and the connections that were made between all of us who were there have opened doors for grant research/writing, future community projects, and a real sense of camaraderie as we all painted, sang, and laughed together. I’ve enjoyed every moment.”

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At the corner of Eight and Market Streets in downtown Parkersburg, the Parkersburg Art Center (PAC) stands as the oldest continuous cultural agency in West Virginia. Chartered in 1938, the PAC supports local and regional artists, provides educational experiences, and showcases the work of talented artists in its skillfully curated galleries. Last month the agency added another level of artful offerings, with its newly expanded gift shop. The PAC 713 Market, adjacent to the Art Center, recently opened after extensive renovations and already features nearly seventy artists. Some of the rapid growth is due to the influx of artists from the Riverside Artists Gallery in Marietta, which closed at the end of last year.

The Riverside Artists Gallery was a mainstay in downtown Marietta for 23 years, operating as a cooperative business that allowed artists to become members. There were various factors contributing to the closure of the Gallery, leaving the active members without a home for their art. With the PAC 713 Market opening, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to welcome some of the Riverside Artists, an opportunity that has proven mutually beneficial.

Jennifer Carpenter, the gift shop manager, explained that the move has been a positive one. “We were grateful that the Riverside artists chose to join us at PAC 713 Market, and that we had the space to accommodate them,” she said. The work of potential new artists is juried for selection, and Carpenter said they will continue to accept applications as long as there is space available. “It’s important to promote and support our local and regional artists,” said Carpenter, a sentiment that is reinforced by Jessie Siefert, Managing Director of the Parkersburg Art Center. Siefert is excited about the growth of the gift shop and the quality of art being offered. “We are a community art organization, and the new space allows us to meet our mission of supporting working artists and helping them grow.”

Not only do I have the opportunity to continue sharing my art with the community, but I also have the opportunity to collaborate with new artists.

Betsy Cook

Virginia Killian, Siefert’s mother, is a founding member of the Riverside Artists Gallery and creates pieces in various styles and mediums. She joined the artists who made the move across the river and her work is now available in the renovated space. The makeover resulted in a spacious venue with generous lighting and curated displays. Original paintings and prints adorn the walls, and glass cases feature hand-crafted jewelry and accessories. Racks and shelves offer a smorgasbord of items from note cards to pottery, textiles to art tiles and so much more.

One of the larger displays features the work of Betsy Cook, who creates home and garden décor using iron that she often embellishes with glass or wood. Cook was a member of the Riverside Artists Gallery for 18 years and is happy to have a new home for her art. She shared her optimism about the future and the prospect of new relationships. “Not only do I have the opportunity to continue sharing my art with the community, but I also have the opportunity to collaborate with new artists,” she said. Other Riverside artists who have made the transition from Marietta to PAC 713 Market include origami artist and painter Akemi Matsumoto, fiber artist Tracy Leibaugh, watercolor artist Lynda Rhodes and jewelry artist Scott Bookman.

The gift shop will occasionally host unique exhibits within the space, beginning with the Garden Party show on May 6^th. The event will highlight new artwork and crafts reflecting the spirit of the season, and many of the PAC 713 Market artists will be on hand to meet visitors. Live music will be provided by Dan Canterbury and from 5:00 to 7:00 PM the shop will be blooming with color and creativity.  Refreshments will be available and the event is free and open to the community.

Hours of operation for the PAC 713 Market coincide with the Parkersburg Art Center hours, which are 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM Tuesday through Saturday. The gift shop space is separated from the gallery space by the framing workshop, allowing visitors to enjoy the exhibits of the PAC, shop for unique art, and even make arrangements for framing, all under one roof. The Parkersburg Art Center is a bustling hub of the MOV art community, offering outstanding exhibits, educational field trips, and classes and workshops for all ages and skill levels. Their website provides detailed information about upcoming events, featured artists, and class schedules.

When Riverside Artists Gallery closed its doors in Marietta, the local art community grieved the loss and patrons missed the bright spot of unique creativity on Second Street. But thanks to the welcoming staff and resident artists of the PAC 713 Market, a group of talented artists has found a new home to showcase their work. Although the gift shop just opened last month, it’s already earned praise for the diverse offerings representing so many local and regional artists. The addition of new artists and continued growth will ensure the Parkersburg Art Center and PAC 713 Market will remain an important cultural hub for years to come.

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Ice Sculptor Tyson Whistler Prepares for Marietta’s Ice Festival

After much anticipation, the  Marietta Ice Festival  returns this Saturday, January 15^th as part of Marietta Main Street’s winter schedule. Now a standalone event sponsored by We Lov Pets in Marietta, the Ice Festival features expertly carved ice sculptures on display throughout downtown and a live carving at the Armory on Front Street. While much coordination goes into putting on this event each year, its success centers on the artistic vision and creation of one local artist.

Tyson Whistler began carving ice over sixteen years ago, teaching himself new techniques and using each sculpture as a learning experience. He started by purchasing a few blocks of ice a year to carve for holidays and special events. Now, he has his own freezer, block-making machine, an arsenal of saws, tools, and bits, along with his own business: Whistler Ice Works.

A few years ago, Whistler made an investment in professional equipment to create a more workable ‘ice shop’, opening up a world of opportunities. Since then, he has worked on improving his precision and quality to ensure his work always leaves an impression.

The success of the sculptures is becoming a little more well-known each year, and this past year commissions were becoming so consistent that I decided to make a business out of it.

“In July of 2021, I officially started my website for Whistler Ice Works!” said Whistler. “The success of the sculptures is becoming a little more well-known each year, and this past year commissions were becoming so consistent that I decided to make a business out of it.” Whistler Ice Works creates customized ice for corporate and private parties, restaurants, events – any event where a custom ice sculpture, luge, or craft ice can be utilized to create a wow factor for guests.

Despite the growth of his business and increasing list of commissions, Whistler says he always looks forward to the Marietta Ice Festival each year – an event he helped dream up back in 2016.

“The Ice Festival is a unique day in Marietta where our community can come enjoy our downtown area and travel up and down the blocks finding a different styled sculpture at each location,” he said. “I look forward to the new challenge of ideas each year. Though many sponsors just want their logo carved, I try to incorporate new designs into them along with new, different sculptures I haven’t before attempted.”

This will be the sixth year that Tyson has created most, if not all, of the ice sculptures for the Ice Festival, formerly the Fire and Ice Festival held the First Friday in January. Each sculpture begins as a 300 lb. block of ice that will eventually be chiseled and carved down into its final form. To map out his designs, Whistler uses a projector to draw a template for each piece on tracing paper that is sized and frozen onto the ice before carving, allowing him to move more quickly. This technique also allows Whistler to create more elaborate designs, especially those requiring more than one block of ice.

“Each sculpture has its parts of difficulty,” said Whistler. “The weather is the most frustrating aspect of the whole event. The week after Christmas we had 60s, rain, and humidity, followed by 30s and 20s for a few days, then back to rain and temperatures in the mid 40s.”  Whistler said he most enjoys carving in temperatures around the 20s and 30s as the ice carves smoothly and doesn’t turn into slush when detailing. “The most challenging is always the live sculpture. Carving in front of a crowd outside the comforts of my home carving garage; mistakes can’t be made, and again the weather forces plan adjustments,” he said. 

Any carving with feathers or scales always is a crowd pleaser!

Of the twenty designs for this year’s festival, Whistler has a hard time choosing just one favorite. “A mermaid was brought up earlier this year from a friend, I thought that was a cool idea and put it on the design list. I’m excited to try this one out but carving human form is very difficult,” he said. “I’m also very excited about the owl and dragon – the owl came out so beautiful and I will be starting the dragon later this week. Any carving with feathers or scales always is a crowd pleaser!”

Each year, Whistler begins producing ice in October as it takes 2 ½ days to produce one 300 lb. clear carving block. Often, more than 20 blocks are needed, assuming there are no breaks. Carving starts three weeks prior to the event date. The week-of is non-stop carving, detailing, and transporting. “Transporting the ice is the most stressful part of it all, and is where most of the breaks can happen,” said Whistler.

Despite the stress that comes with working with an unpredictable medium, Whistler said he enjoys working with ice over more permanent materials, like wood. He appreciates the way the ice captures and reflects light and the way it transforms as it melts, glistening as it returns to its liquid form and ultimately, back to the earth.

While many professional sculptors now use CNC milling machines for most of their carving process, Whistler strives to achieve the same polished look and complex designs using only hand-operated tools. It’s hard work, but he’s up to the challenge and uses each opportunity to further develop his skills.

The Ice Festival has attracted many to our community in the month of January, each year we meet and look for ways to make the event more of a festival than an art show.

“I have used new tools and knowledge quite a bit this year,” said Whistler. “With the amount of logos requested this year, my goal was to make them bigger and taller while still using one block of ice for each sculpture. Many sculptures will be fused together onsite at each location. For this to work, each piece must be perfectly level and the weather must cooperate.”

New to the festival this year are a number of interactive ice sculptures. “The Ice Festival has attracted many to our community in the month of January, each year we meet and look for ways to make the event more of a festival than an art show,” said Whistler. “This year we have added an ice photo wall where you can get your picture taken through the ice wall, a 3 foot interactive ice chess set, and a hand-built wooden Skeeball machine where one can throw ice balls instead of Skeeballs and try your aim at sinking a bullseye.”

Carving so many sculptures is a big job for one person, but Whistler continues to rise to the challenge each year. “It’s awesome to have the opportunity to put on a unique display of art throughout downtown and give the community an opportunity to see something they may never have seen before with a medium that is very mesmerizing.”

Nineteen pre-carved ice sculptures will be on display throughout downtown from 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Saturday, January 15^th, each a unique design inspired by the sponsoring business or an important cause. Visitors can admire several on the Armory Lawn. In addition to the pieces carved in advance, Whistler will do a live carving on the Armory Lawn throughout the afternoon, sponsored by We Lov Pets.

I feel like we are so lucky to have this wonderful event in our backyard and our goal is to be on board and help this event grow!

“We Lov Pets had a sculpture last year at the Ice Festival and we were hooked!” said Adam Johnson, General Manager of We Lov Pets in Marietta. “I was absolutely blown away at the skill level of Tyson. I feel like we are so lucky to have this wonderful event in our backyard and our goal is to be on board and help this event grow!”

After Saturday, Whistler will be back to work, carving for a brand new Ice Festival taking place in Gallipolis, OH next month. Inspired by Marietta’s growing festival, Gallipolis contacted Whistler to have him assist in establishing a similar event in their community.

“We have many outside visitors come into town each year just for the festival,” said Whistler. “David Moore with Gallia-Vinton Educational Services Center from Gallipolis area enjoyed our show so much he wanted to bring an ice show to his home town for his community. We met this summer and discussed some options, and after a meeting with the board the event was set!”

The Gallipolis Ice Show will feature ten sculptures including one live sculpture demonstration on February 19th, 2022.

Clutch MOV is proud to be the official Media Sponsor of this year’s Marietta Ice Festival, and one of Tyson’s incredible sculptures! Head downtown this Saturday to see our ice sculpture, seen above as Tyson carves finishing touches, in front of our new shop at 152 Front Street. Tag your photos of this year’s Ice Festival with #livelovemov to share with us!

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GoodSpace Murals Installed New Mural in Downtown Parkersburg

This month, the corner of 8^th and Market Streets in Downtown Parkersburg came to life with the installation of a vibrant new mural. Designed by Greta McLain of GoodSpace Murals in collaboration with the Parkersburg community, the colorful collage includes images of local landmarks and people inspired by local residents. Stretching out alongside the Parkersburg Art Center, the mural is over 50 feet wide and 30 feet tall – but even more impressive than its size is the fact that more than 300 members of the community participated in its evolution.

“The mural represents the people of our community and what we aspire to be,” said Jessie Siefert, managing and education director at the Parkersburg Art Center, who first had the dream to bring GoodSpace Murals to Parkersburg. “There are references to our arts district, river history and historical buildings, but also elements that reflect our culture like the quilts, heritage textiles, and rainbow flag. The colors are warm and embracing – just as this community can be.”

Getting to know Parkersburg

This community-wide arts effort kicked off this summer with a brainstorming and listening lunch hosted by the Arts Collaborative of the MOV, housed under WVU Parkersburg. McLain, muralist, owner and artistic director of GoodSpace Murals, asked the community to respond to a series of questions reflecting on what they love most about their city and their hopes and dreams for Parkersburg’s future. McLain said this dialogue was key and part of GoodSpace Mural’s deep community engagement process.

“We don’t come in with any preconceived ideas, or we try not to, before doing a project,” said McLain. In addition to the community event, McLain and her team had preliminary conversations with a variety of local stakeholders, organized by Senta Goudy, Dean for Civic Engagement and Innovation at WVU Parkersburg, and Siefert, asking the same questions: what do you love about Parkersburg, what are your hopes and dreams for Parkersburg, and what would you like to change about Parkersburg?

We wanted this to be about the arts and our history but we did not want the mural just to represent one artist or even a committee, we wanted it to reflect the community as a whole and look towards a future that engages all.

“We had conversations with the Rotary Club, with the Zion Baptist Church, with local historians, with local youth and college students, and community members, and the board of the Art Center and the Actors Guild – so many people,” said McLain.

“Greta’s process involves interviewing people throughout the community and drilling down what is meaningful and important to them: what their aspirations are for the future and what elements of the past are worth celebrating and building upon,” said Siefert. “We wanted this to be about the arts and our history but we did not want the mural just to represent one artist or even a committee, we wanted it to reflect the community as a whole and look towards a future that engages all.”

Pen to Paper, Paint to Wall

From those conversations, McLain and her team developed their first mock up and presented it to a panel of engaged stakeholders. “I received a lot of feedback and there were a lot of things to edit – which is so amazing, because it really indicates that the folks hiring us to work with them were really engaged in this process and really wanted it to be right.”

After much back and forth, McLain and her team landed on their sketch and arrived back in Parkersburg mid-September with panels projected and pre-marked as a giant paint-by-number.

We also got to build these relationships and have this shared time that is now embedded in this mural.

“We use an indirect mural technique in which the whole mural is painted on synthetic canvas first and then installed like permanent wallpaper,” said McLain. “Our painting technique or style is kind of like an impressionistic, brushy, handmade kind of painted style that requires an underpainting. So we invited the community to attend these different community paint parties and open studio time to come and lay down that base for us.”

McLain said over 300 people came through to help paint over 2,200 square feet of mural in just one week and it was great to see the community take ownership of the project. “We also got to build these relationships and have this shared time that is now embedded in this mural.”

From there, McLain completed the overpainting in the studio set up in the annex building next to the Actors Guild. Once painting was complete, they installed each panel – all 88 of them – as if it was wallpaper and painted over it, so that no seams show through.

McLain said the paint-by-number technique hits a sweet spot in that the process encourages some level of coordination between participants, and can be somewhat of a challenge to complete, but also allows for those not interested in socializing to participate – and participants can’t mess it up, they can only help the process, which turns out to be really fun.

It felt like the community really embraced and gave magic to this community process and to what this mural could be that was so much more than a visual.

Participation from the community exceeded McLain’s expectations, which she attributes in part to the strong relationships and networks between arts organizations in Parkersburg. “In our very first paint party, we had over 150 people, which really spoke to the work of this core group of arts organizations, who have been doing such great work, that people heard about the paint party and without knowing what to expect, trusted the organizations to come out and get involved.”

Apart from painting, the team also experienced the support from the community throughout the project in other ways. From meals being provided, to folks checking in and asking if they needed anything and passersby cheering on from their cars, McLain said it was beautiful and not their experience in every place.

“It felt like the community really embraced and gave magic to this community process and to what this mural could be that was so much more than a visual.”

A portrait of Parkersburg

The mural itself is full of movement, music, life, and laughter. It is impossible not to smile while appreciating the art. While some of the imagery is easily recognizable, such as the red-bricked façade of the Blennerhassett Hotel, others are more abstract and representational. Color and pattern swirl around the smiling figures, friendly dogs, buildings, and butterflies.

It was amazing to hear about the strength of the community theater and the Art Center, and how Parkersburg is harnessing that in city planning.

Listening to the community’s reflections, McLain said it was apparent how strong the arts are in the vision for where Parkersburg is going. “It was amazing to hear about the strength of the community theater and the Art Center, and how Parkersburg is harnessing that in city planning and seeing the power of art to revitalize a town,” she said. “There is also this feeling of pride and history. I heard a lot about pieces of history that were unseen or under celebrated.”

One example is the Sumner School. Established in January of 1862, the Sumner High School in Parkersburg was the first free school south of the Mason-Dixon Line and was established two years before West Virginia had a public school system. Sumner School once served the entire Parkersburg black community, grades 1-12, before closing in 1955.

“I had conversations with community members that actually attended the school,” said McLain. “It’s an incredible piece of history and it’s located right in Parkersburg. Through research, we actually found some murals in Kansas that showed the school because it’s a celebrated piece of African American History. It’s right here in Parkersburg and not everyone knows about it.” The Sumner School can be seen in the mural embedded on the shirt of the central figure.

McLain also heard from members of the community a desire for there to be more cultural and ethnic diversity in the town, and that some communities of color did not always feel welcomed or considered. “I also heard from a lot of youth that they don’t see themselves spending their early 20s and 30s in a place like Parkersburg, like Parkersburg is a good place to raise a family, but there are a lot of people that feel like there’s nothing for them to do, there’s no hip youth theme here, or it could be bigger.”

It feels like Parkersburg is this beautiful jewel of potential. I love it.

She also said that everyone she spoke with commented on how drugs have ravaged West Virginia and the Mid-Ohio Valley region, and the desire to shift how the community is seen so that it can heal and move in a different direction.

“So I wanted to lift up this vision of where Parkersburg can go. And through the making of it, I met so many hip, fun people that are really embedded in creating that vision and it feels like Parkersburg is this beautiful jewel of potential. I love it.”

The mural both reflects the city as it is, and nods to its potential to become even more. This balance between reality and aspiration is one that McLain values very much.

“It’s really important that people see themselves in the wall and can identify and say, ‘oh, that person’s like me, or there’s a dog like mine’ – there has to be an invitation in.” If it’s too future forward, there’s not an invitation or an opportunity to claim that we are seeing this future together and that we are all invited together.”

McLain said that even though the mural reflects some of the community’s aspirations, there is nothing depicted in the mural that does not already exist in Parkersburg. Each element is rooted what residents today experience in the city.

“I met the owners of Los Agaves and got to experience how they see their rich and diverse Latin American community there because they’re so small that they all know each other, but they’re all from these different places,” said McLain, which inspired the Latin American embroidery in the mural. “I met a young boy on the plane from Parkersburg who looks just like that big boy that I painted on the mural. So even though the mural is somewhat future leaning, all of these pieces are already present and could just continue to grow.”

A welcome addition downtown

Now complete, the mural is proudly on display on the side of the Parkersburg Art Center, welcoming locals and visitors to Market Street and the heart of downtown. Local artist Kat Hendrickson participated in painting the mural panels and said she is thrilled with the way the mural came together.

Joining the painting parties made me feel like I was part of something big, working on a community project to enhance the beauty of downtown Parkersburg.

“The finished mural is very beautiful,” said Hendrickson. “I love the vibrant colors and details. It really brightened up the street and I believe it will attract many visitors.”

She said painting the mural was a great opportunity to meet and collaborate with other community members and the incredible GoodSpace team. “Joining the painting parties made me feel like I was part of something big, working on a community project to enhance the beauty of downtown Parkersburg. As a local artist, it was a great experience to work on a group painting project with people from various ages and backgrounds. I met a lot of new friends and enjoyed every minute we worked together.”

Summer Webb-Sundstrom also participated in the creation of the mural. “This beautiful mural is just what downtown Parkersburg needs right now!” she said. “It has added so much beauty, color, and life to downtown. I hope it inspires everyone to get out and enjoy everything our downtown community has to offer.”

For Siefert, the mural contributes to the vibrancy of Market Street and connects with other arts efforts happening downtown.

“With the formation of the Arts Collaborative of the MOV and the current group of non-profit arts leaders coming together, we are all focused on a renaissance of this district,” she said. “Together we are better! Anticipating the Discovery World Children’s Museum opening late next fall has also helped to fuel this fire. There has always been a lot of love and creative energy in this community. We are just working hard as a group to let that shine.”

We were tired physically but emotionally and spiritually we felt really lifted by the whole project.

McLain described her experience in Parkersburg as a beautiful trust fall. “There’s this sense when you go to a community that you’re not from, you’re not sure if that will enhance the project or if that will limit what the project can be.”

GoodSpace Murals strives to go in listening and creating space for the community to share, rather than dictate or lead in generating ideas. “Giving people space and authority to tell their stories and then engaging with local artists and inviting them to come and work with us has been the model that we lean into but it’s not going to work unless people lean back towards us. If the community and the community organizers don’t also lean in, it’s not going to be the same.”

Parkersburg leaned in, she said. “Everybody leaned in and we got so swooped up. Our team is all women, and we are up there doing physical work 13 to 15 hours every single day and the power of that lean and the power of the community supporting us really made it feel seamless for our team,” she said. “We were tired physically but emotionally and spiritually we felt really lifted by the whole project.”

The official dedication of the GoodSpace Mural will take place on Saturday, October 16th at 6:00 pm at the Parkersburg Art Center. Greta McLain and the GoodSpace team will be present. All are welcome to attend!

The post GoodSpace Mural Paints a Portrait of Parkersburg appeared first on Clutch MOV.

The oldest independent fair in Ohio celebrated its 150^th year with a commemorative mural painted by recent Marietta College graduate and full-time artist, Leah Seaman. The mural celebrates many of the fair’s most popular and prominent features, from the Roundhouse building and fair rides to the tractor pull and the many animals showed by the local agricultural community each year, and graces the side of the sheep and goat barn.

“For 150 years now, the Barlow Fair has provided entertainment and connection for the greater Washington County community in this way, and the Fair Board really wanted to celebrate such actions through this project,” said Seaman.

Seaman said local artist Bobby Rosenstock connected her with the fair board. “He asked if I was interested in a last-minute project that needed to be finished by the beginning of the fair.” She accepted, connected with the Fair Board, and got to work.

This week-long project was an incredibly fun learning experience that taught me so much about myself, the mural industry, and working with corrugate metal.

“This week-long project was an incredibly fun learning experience that taught me so much about myself, the mural industry, and working with corrugate metal,” said Seaman. “I had never worked on such a large-scale mural before and I definitely had never worked with corrugated metal before, so I was going in blind from the beginning.”

The mural is a whopping 16’ wide by 13’ tall. Seaman spent much of her time perched on a ladder or scaffolding to reach the upper third of the mural – but her most challenging obstacle, was the weather.

“I unfortunately lost a day and a half of work due to rain, but still worked around weather challenges with the help of a make-shift tent that the fair members helped me construct to protect the piece from the brunt of the rain.”

Seaman also had assistance from her parents, who drove over four hours to help her make up for lost time, painting whatever she asked of them and providing much needed support and encouragement.

Doors have already opened that exceeded my greatest hopes for my artistic career, including this mural opportunity.

“I have come out of this project not only with an invaluable understanding of working on corrugated metal, but also a better idea of my productivity capabilities as an artist, and a better idea of how to work around the unruly whims of Mother Nature!”

As a recently graduated full-time artist, Seaman said any expectations or doubts she may have had entering into the industry have almost been almost entirely washed away by her new reality.

“Over the past four months, I have experienced such a massive outpouring of love, support, and encouragement from friends and strangers alike that I very rarely have moments to question my decision to become a full-time artist,” she said. “Doors have already opened that exceeded my greatest hopes for my artistic career, including this mural opportunity.”

Seaman said she now finds herself in the wonderful position of having to figure out how to stem the flow of opportunity so that she doesn’t work herself to the brink of burnout. “Which is incredibly difficult when I want to say yes to every project people bring to me!” If her first four months are any indication of the future, Seaman is beyond excited to see what the next year has in store for her.

With time and patience, I have the opportunity to watch my creations unfold into something I am truly proud of.

As a muralist, Seaman said the most rewarding part of what she does is getting to surprise herself and those around her. “When I start on a project, large or small, there are always moments where it seems impossible for anything beautiful to come from my efforts,” she said. “The sketches, crooked lines, and dripping paint seem to put into question my competence as a creator. But with time and patience, I have the opportunity to watch my creations unfold into something I am truly proud of, and I always seem to surprise myself and my audience at how successful these works can turn out to be! I enjoy that surprise and that progression.”

As an artist, she values having the honor and opportunity to make art accessible and available to people from all walks of life. “It is one of my life’s goals to ensure that almost everyone can afford to have a masterpiece of some kind in their home, regardless of the image or the medium,” said Seaman. “Art should not just belong to the upper 1% of humanity, but to all of us, so that it might bring more joy to our lives.” Seaman takes great pride in being a conduit for this notion.

To date, much of Seaman’s work is comprised of commissioned projects. But she’s looking forward to finding a balance and having more time to hone her own, personal style. “I tend to lean towards more politically active messaging that touches on subject matter near and dear to my heart,” she said. “I use a more realistic style, with dramatic highlights and shadows and vibrant color combinations. I am still so new to discovering my own style and voice, that I don’t yet know what story I will be telling the world with my craft.”

She hopes to be able to learn more about herself over the next few years and create bodies of work that speak to truths to that which she is most passionate. “I hope to start vital conversations with my work that will encourage people to consider new perspectives, examine their own understandings of the world, and challenge notions they may have grown up believing as gospel truth.”

Right now, Seaman is in Naples, New York working on her next big project – a 30’ x 8’ mural for Fruition Seeds. As this mural will also be painted on a corrugated metal surface, Seaman said she was thankful for the opportunity to practice her technique with the Barlow Fair mural. Those interested in following along with Seaman’s progress can follow her art accounts on Instagram and Facebook, or check out her newly-launched website.

The post New Mural Commemorates Barlow Fair’s 150th Anniversary appeared first on Clutch MOV.

New Mural Comes to Life Beneath the Putnam Street Bridge

Underneath the Putnam Street Bridge, nearly a dozen artists have been hard at work transforming the tunnel along the bike path into an underwater dreamscape. Coordinated by the Marietta Main Street Public Art Committee and designed by four talented local artists, the hand-painted mural wraps around the tunnel’s entire interior, stretching the width of the bridge. Against a backdrop of bright teal, native fish and other aquatic creatures that call the Ohio River home now gracefully swim along its walls.

The impact on the community was immediate. Even before the painting was complete, onlookers peeked inside to admire the artists’ work. Residents of all ages seemed to appreciate the vision and execution of this large-scale collaboration.

“I can’t wait to take my kids down to see it and take pictures, it turned out beautifully!” said Morgan Morrow, commenting on a post of the finished mural. “Good job to everyone who brought this to life!”

Many Months in the Making

While painting the mural lasted less than a week, this collaborative project was many months in the making. In 2020, the Public Art Committee created strategic goals for 2021 and one of those was to enhance a public space downtown.

“Since the bike tunnel is such a high traffic area, part of the Marietta River Trail, and downtown, we selected that location to parallel our other investments in outdoor recreation,” said Cristie Thomas, Executive Director of Marietta Main Street.

We wanted the design of the tunnel to connect directly to its location in our town.

Cristie Thomas

Bobby Rosenstock, Chair of the Public Art Committee and owner of Just A Jar Design Press, put forward a proposal to paint the tunnel in partnership with three additional local artists, each with unique but complementary styles and experience painting native wildlife. Hailey Bennett, Beth Nash, and Julie Zickefoose worked with Rosenstock on the master design.

The Public Art Committee submitted an initial proposal to Marietta City Administration requesting their support for the project, which allowed Marietta Main Street to request grant funding from the Ohio Arts Council (OAC).

“Once we had a final mural design and learned about funding from the OAC, we once again submitted a request to Marietta City Administration for both approval of the mural design and partnership in bringing the mural to life,” said Thomas.

The project was funded partially by the Ohio Arts Council, with remaining costs being covered by donations made to the Public Art Committee through various efforts including sales of the MOV Coloring Books, t-shirts, and direct gifts. The project also received in-kind support from the Marietta Noon Rotary Club, who assisted in priming the tunnel and preparing the walls for painting.

“The bike tunnel is a high traffic area in downtown Marietta – from locals using it for exercise to families bringing children to explore the river trail to tourists taking in the breathtaking views of our confluence, the tunnel is visible, utilized, and in some ways a representation of our community,” said Thomas. “We wanted the design of the tunnel to connect directly to its location in our town; by featuring depictions of plants and creatures in the Ohio River, folks become directly connected to one of the many reasons why Marietta is a stand out city.”

I wanted to play off of how it could visually engulf you as you pass through it and thought that a river scene would be a great way to create that effect.

Bobby Rosenstock

Thomas said they hope to see the tunnel utilized as an outdoor classroom of sorts, too, enhancing the experiences of families and area schools as they connect youth to the outdoors and local culture and heritage.

Eleven Artists, Four Days, One Mural

“Painting the tunnel was always at the top of the Art Committee’s list,” said Rosenstock. “I wanted to play off of how it could visually engulf you as you pass through it and thought that a river scene would be a great way to create that effect. We also wanted it to be educational so the four artists that designed the mural spent a morning with Michael Schramm of the Ohio River Islands National Wildlife Refuge in Williamstown, learning about the flora and fauna found in the rivers here.”

Rosenstock said Schramm showed them the tanks and mussels, answering questions they had about the river and its wildlife. The artists made a list of native fish and critters to include in the mural and divvied up the list.

We wanted to accurately portray all of the fish, but we also wanted showcase the unique artistic style of each individual artist.

Bobby Rosenstock

“As a group, we decided we wanted to accurately portray all of the fish, but we also wanted showcase the unique artistic style of each individual artist,” said Rosenstock. “So while some of us toiled over getting certain portrayals perfect, others stylized and exaggerated features and colors.”

While the larger creatures were blocked out, he said they left plenty of room for artists to create in the moment and collaborate – which is exactly what happened.

“While we were working on our own individual fish, we bounced around offering feedback to each other, sometimes painting together or adding on elements. A collaborative project like this is quite a beautiful thing to be a part of, students, teachers, professionals and amateurs working side by side, all learning from each other, being inspired by each other, pushing each other,” Rosenstock said.

Leah Seaman, a fine artist and recent graduate of Marietta College, drove in from her home and studio in Philippi, WV to help with the mural early this week, painting alongside several of her past professors.

“I think projects like this are a wonderful way to connect to the arts community. Especially as a new artist, it can be intimidating to get established in a world where everyone already knows everyone and all the artists are already best friends,” said Seaman. “So projects like this connect the really experienced artists with the up and coming generation in the community.”

I’m really grateful for it because it just gets me connected into this community a little bit more in a way that I wouldn’t have been before.

Leah Seaman

Aside from the obvious benefits to the community, Seaman said it was a great learning opportunity, too. “It’s a wonderful opportunity for well-seasoned and brand new artists to just learn from each other and collaborate and build those networks that are going to help these new artists for generations to come,” she said. “I’m really grateful for it because it just gets me connected into this community a little bit more in a way that I wouldn’t have been before.”

Julie Zickefoose, a well-known author, artist and naturalist, has been painting in watercolors since she was 12, but said this was her first time painting in acrylics and her first time painting at this scale.

“Oh I’m enjoying it, but it’s not without its challenges,” she said. “When you’re painting like this, you can’t really see what it looks like. You basically have to be jumping back and making sure this is what you want to do.”

Zickefoose, who normally works alone, said she was excited to work alongside other local artists. “I totally love Bobby’s folk art, more primitive style, I just adore it,” she said. “It’s great fun to see semi-realistic right next to a more fanciful Bobby thing, and that was what I was excited about with this – the chance to work with Bobby, and Beth, and Hailey, it’s just great.”

Zickefoose’s son Liam Thompson, a senior at WVU studying art and graphic design, helped her with one of two otters swimming gracefully in the center of the tunnel. She said she has loved the chance to bring her son and have him get a taste of what it’s like to collaborate with other artists.

It makes me think that I have the potential to do all these amazing things that are being done right in my hometown.

Liam Thompson

“Seeing the new murals, like by over where Twisted Sister used to be, this tunnel mural, and everything popping up around Marietta with a lot of young artists, it makes me think that I have the potential to do all these amazing things that are being done right in my hometown,” said Thompson. “If they can do it, why can’t I? And I think that’s something that everybody should take with them – every young artist should realize that they have the potential to do something really great.”

Creativity Blossoms through Collaboration

Zickefoose, Nash, and Bennett said the scale of this project was initially intimidating. “We were all pretty scared, Bobby was scared,” said Zickefoose. “But it’s been amazing, actually, I love it. It’s very fun. And now I want to do more murals!”

Bennett said this project exceeded her expectations, both in speed and final result. “I thought it was going to be more difficult – the collaborative aspect – but it’s been really easy, especially with all of our volunteers,” she said.

Bennett said she enjoyed the scale, and prefers working in acrylics. “I like doing a lot layers, and how quickly it dries.” She painted a Northern Bluegill, Northern Map Turtle, and an incredible Small Mouth Bass, among other things. “The Small Mouth Bass turned out way better than I expected,” she said.

Nash, who painted the vibrant Spotted Gar and Redhorse Sucker among many other things, worked quickly throughout the week. “I’m really happy,” she said. “It’s fun, it’s very lively. I think it really brightens the tunnel.”

I feel really lucky to have been able to spend the week creating something with such an awesome group of people.

Bobby Rosenstock

For both Nash and Bennett, this project was the second collaborative mural project they have participated in, the first being the mural series in the Alleyway between Front and Second Streets completed last fall. Nash said she enjoys ‘painting big’ and doing big things, and that this was a great group for collaboration.

Of the fish she painted, the Spotted Gar is her favorite. “I like my Gar. I’ve seen them on the Little Muskingum River before when I’ve been kayaking. They’re a cool fish. They kind of look scary in real life.”

All in all, eleven artists participated in bringing the mural to life. Bennett, Nash, Rosenstock, and Zickefoose received help from Leah Seaman, Liam Thompson, Abigail Litman, Bonie Bolen, Jolene Powell, Savannah King, and Sarah Arnold. Despite hot weather and long hours, the team enjoyed their time together painting, and credited much of the experience to Rosenstock’s thoughtful coordination.

“We have a wonderful artistic community, thanks in large part to Bobby,” said Zickefoose. “He’s marshalled so many people and made them feel at home,” noting that if Bobby asked her to jump, she’d ask how high.

“Honestly, it was just so much fun to be hanging out with everyone, listening to music, painting, talking,” said Rosenstock. “I feel really lucky to have been able to spend the week creating something with such an awesome group of people. It’s hard to judge your own art, we sure had fun making it, and hope the community likes it.”

The post Local Artists Add Splash of Color on River Trail appeared first on Clutch MOV.

Aliens have overtaken the art wing at Parkersburg High School (PHS), but judging by the other murals around them, they seem to be there in peace and love. Operating under a grant from the state, PHS students brightened the hallways in the art wing of the campus under the direction of art teacher Emma Romanowski. Romanowski applied for the state grant which was geared towards exciting students about science, technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM) electives. Romanowski’s approved grant allowed 16  students five days to complete 10 murals under her guidance. 

“I’m hoping that this program helps kids get the confidence to be able to paint around the school and paint for teachers because there’s support around the building – every single department has at least one or two teachers who were like ‘hey, paint something in my room,’” Romanowski said. “So I’m hoping that this is kind of a segue into being able to paint more around the school and like a catalyst to get them involved with the flood wall mural that’s going on and the art center mural. There are so many opportunities.”

Romanowski cites the Parkersburg art boom as one of the main reasons that she decided to pursue the grant noting the experiential learning that she can provide in this situation will give them the confidence to start creating art for the project. 

Half of the things that we know about cultures that have long since passed are their art, their pottery, their tools, and their cave paintings.

“Art is a universal concept for people and that’s important for high school students to understand because it does change your worldview. One of my favorite quotes ever, loosely goes ‘after civilizations crumble, art is all that’s left.’ Half of the things that we know about cultures that have long since passed are their art, their pottery, their tools, and their cave paintings,” Romanowski said. 

Romanowski, a 2010 graduate of PHS, believes in the long standing traditions of the high school. As a high school basketball player, she remembers her coach walking their team through the halls of the field house where it’s lined with photographs of past state championship teams and notable athletes. 

“It felt so haunting and almost alive in itself. I want to build that with art. If we can get that concept of students pouring themselves into the walls – pouring themselves into actually creating something here, then I really hope that they echo that when they get older. No matter where they go, it’s kind of like blowing the seeds of a dandelion – if you can foster that notion of the universal construct while they’re here, then, as they go they kind of just sow the seeds of creation. If you can do that, you can literally change the country and it starts in the hallway here, treating each other like they’re treating each other. It’s just beautiful,” she said. 

For her, the project is a piece that will allow the students autonomy over their space. As a high school student, things often remain prescribed, but this project allows them the ability to have a say in their space.

What I want is for them to walk through this hallway and kind of shed the nine to five dreary white walls and be able to be like, ‘Whoa, okay I can breathe again.’

“You kind of pour yourself into everything that you do when you create, and by pouring yourself into the literal walls of this school, I think it kind of gives kids a connection,” Romanowski said. “What I want is for them to walk through this hallway and kind of shed the nine to five dreary white walls and be able to be like, ‘Whoa, okay I can breathe again.’ Then, I think the color will just slowly, infectiously spread to the rest of the building.”

Romanowski remained hands-off as much as possible during the week, letting the students be the driving force behind the project while maintaining the state guidelines of nothing political, nothing religious, and nothing that is copyrighted. All mural designs must be original content. 

“At the beginning of the week, I gathered everyone and said ‘Hey, we’re gonna pretend like this is a client so that you know how to speak to people. Your client gave you an open concept: you can do what you want, as long as it falls within these guidelines.’ It wasn’t planned, but it’s all peace, love, and outer space in this hallway. Basically I’ve been a gofer all week which is the role I wanted to have during this program,’ she said.

The hallway, previously described as “institutional” is now full of original art pieces that liven up the space. Ella Wells, a rising junior, is one of the students who chose to participate in the project. For Wells, school has always been a place of stress and an opportunity like this allowed her to become excited for school again and for the coming year. 

Because of the quarantine, it’s been hard getting back to talking to people, and this has been a wonderful experience of getting back out there feeling like I’m part of something.

“Recently, I’ve lost a lot of motivation for painting, which I’ve really missed. So whenever I heard about this idea with Miss Romanowski, I thought it was a great way to get out of my shell and meet more people. Because of the quarantine, it’s been hard getting back to talking to people, and this has been a wonderful experience of getting back out there feeling like I’m part of something,” Wells said.

Wells, the designer behind the desert-influenced space-themed mural, chose her inspiration after seeing the others and wanting to help create cohesion in the hallway. 

“I’m really into UFOs. I thought it would be really cool to have a UFO in the art hallway. I have a bracelet, which I’m wearing, that’s a rainbow UFO. I knew I wanted to do something inspired by that,” Wells said. “So I went on Pinterest and I found this cool inspiration of this tie dye ray coming out of the UFO. I knew instantly I wanted to do something like that, but at first I found it very difficult to make the tie dye. I realized I was relying too much on someone else’s creativity. I wasn’t using my own. So I just kind of said, ‘Let’s go for this,’ and I made it my own and I really like it.”

Wells’ participation and growth within the program is exactly what Romanowski envisioned when she applied for the grant. For her, the focus is on growing and strengthening the art presences in the community as a placemaking activity. 

By letting people do public art, it gives them ownership to the town. I think that’s incredibly important, because we’ve seen how it’s revived the town already.

“If you think about the kind of art revival that’s going on in Parkersburg, you have to focus on younger students if you want that to continue. People are leaking out of West Virginia, and not just Parkersburg, but leaking out of West Virginia,” Romanowski said. “I chose to come back, but I think that a lot more people would have stayed and invested in the community if they would have had a place. By letting people do public art, it gives them ownership to the town. I think that’s incredibly important, because we’ve seen how it’s revived the town already.”

Rising senior and Big Red Marching Band Drum Major, Courtney Rather, jokingly mentioned that she chose to participate because the program gave her permission to do what she had wanted to do for a long time already – draw on the walls. Rather’s mural bridges the gap, both physically and artistically, between the art hallway and the band hallway featuring flowers leading into a rainbow and a music staff that becomes musical notes. Her work is part of a collaborative effort between herself and several other band students who chose to participate in the project. 

“Art is important to high school students because high school and middle school, specifically, is a very vulnerable part of teenage life. We have a lot of emotions; a lot of built up things and creativity is one of the greatest ways to just get everything in your head out, which is why I personally like to do all sorts of arts. So music, painting, drawing – all of that is something that really just helps me get through life way easier,” Rather said.

Watching the students take the project from start to finish has been the best part for Romanowski. While the program starts at 11 a.m, she had students who wanted to come in at 8 a.m. and that drive surprised her and inspired her. 

“They’re not only just gung ho about getting it up on the walls, but they’re gung ho about helping each other. The amount of people who were walking down the hall, and they’ll say, ‘hey, can you hand me some blue?’ Then they mix up blue and hand it up. It’s an insular community and I’m just blown away,” she said. 

The post Paint the Halls: New Murals at PHS appeared first on Clutch MOV.

Soon, the bare bricks of the downtown Parkersburg area will be brought to life with the broad brushstrokes reflecting a community purpose, cause, and effort. Parkersburg placemaking swung into full gear at The GoodSpace Murals and Lunch on June 30. Community members from across the town gathered to listen to local music and share ideas concerning the GoodSpace Murals that will eventually splash across the sides of The Art Center and The Actors Guild. 

The project is a result of The Downtown Arts Collaborative – a series of arts groups in the Mid-Ohio Valley that is housed under WVU Parkersburg. For President Chris Gilmer, the arts are an important part of the community and one that he is hopeful to see expand throughout the Mid-Ohio Valley.

“Community is the most important word in ‘Community College.’ We have to be of and for the community we serve and it’s an honor to be. We can’t be a hidden gem or an underused resource, it’s our responsibility to step forward and not only feed the workforce development needs, but also the mission oriented service,” President Gilmer said. 

Greta McLain is the muralist bringing this opportunity to the community. She is the owner and artistic director of GoodSpace murals which has completed placemaking pieces all across the United States. Great painted her first mural at nine years old. After that, she decided that painting with her friends and bringing people together through art was the only thing that she wanted to do. After studying it in college, she formed a career by using it to create positive social change through GoodSpace. 

“So I think it’s really important for us to feel like we have power in our communities and power in the direction that things are going. One of the things that I hear about, about shifts and the possibility or the threat of gentrification, is people feel like the development in the direction of their communities is out of their hands,” McLain said. “So there’s something really powerful about inviting everybody in and saying, ‘I want us all; we’re all going to paint together, we’re all going to talk together. Your voice is just as important as this other person’s voice and it is just important as this other person’s. We cannot be a community unless we’re all together, and then a mural can represent the power of the collective, and it can also show who actually lives here and be a way for people to feel like they’re telling their own stories.”

McLain developed three questions that she asked the community to answer while they were at the event:

• What do you love about Parkersburg?
• What are you dreams/hopes for the future of Parkersburg? What would you like to see happen here?
• What would you like to change about Parkersburg?

McLain developed these questions with Senta Goudy of WVU Parkersburg and Jessie Siefert of The Parkersburg Art Center. The team hoped that the questions would be simple enough to get straightforward answers, but profound enough to signal true feelings. The goal was to create a definition, a problem, and a solution from the answers to these questions.

“So the definition is what we love about Parkersburg and what Parkersburg is now. Then the challenge would be like, ‘what do we want to change?’ So then people can look around and do something that unites us: being able to critique our home, and not having somebody else critique our home. When we critique our own home, we’re saying we’re going to change,” McLain said. 

The murals will be a completely community drive project down to the painting and installation. McLain believes in the power of communities coming together to complete these projects.

“We’re using an indirect mural technique called ‘the parachute cloth technique.’ And what we do is invite everyone to paint on as synthetic canvas, and then once it’s painted, we actually glue it up on the wall with a matte medium. So it’s kind of like paint on paint on paint, but it will get installed like permanent wallpaper. Then, we paint over the seams and we seal it, and at the end of the day it will have the appearance of being painted directly on the wall,” McLain said. 

In placemaking, the design of public spaces hinges heavily on the use of local assets and talent to create spaces that feel like they belong to the community, often promoting health and well-being.

“It is a visual representation of the intangible and the tangible world that is around us and they’re things that people can unite around, and share a common vision around and this one is going to be especially important because it’s going to be one that’s not done for the community, it’s going to be one that is done by us. And we’re all more invested in the things that we feel like we own and participate in,” President Gilmer said.

Downtown PKB, another organization working toward creating intentional spaces in the Parkersburg area through strategic initiatives, is focusing on creating more public art in the downtown space. 

“Anytime there’s a project like this, we want to be involved in helping them get the word out about it or helping them to try and fundraise for it whenever we can. This is activating the space and creating uniqueness. We see people down here all the time with our selfie stations interacting –  guests from the hotel (The Blennerhassett) will come out and stand in front of that big banner over there and get their photo taken. It’s a placemaking activity, but it’s bringing back life,” Downtown PKB Executive Director Wendy Shriver said. 

The project is slated to begin painting soon with the final installation happening with an anticipated finishing date of three months. For those interested in participating in the process, the Arts Collaborative of the Mid-Ohio Valley’s Facebook page will have the most up-to-date information. 

The post Downtown PKB Welcomes GoodSpace Murals appeared first on Clutch MOV.

Really Cheap Geeks Are Brightening Up the Parkersburg, One Wall at a Time

Even before the outer walls were covered in bright, colorful murals, the unmistakable building at the confluence of Emerson, Dudley, and West Virginia Avenues in Parkersburg was something of a local landmark. With its curving façade and glass block windows, you truly can’t miss it.

“A lot of people drive by,” said Edward Escandon, owner of Really Cheap Geeks and the building in question. “When I was a kid it was kind of an iconic building.”

It was, in part, this iconic status that would eventually motivate Escandon to transform his store into one of the Mid-Ohio Valley’s newest, most colorful and ever-evolving pieces of public art. Born and raised in Parkersburg, Escandon left the area after college. Bouncing around the country and spending time on both coasts, he ultimately found himself living in South America when he felt the pull to return to West Virginia 12 years ago.

“I never thought I would come back,” he said. “But like a lot of people in my generation, my parents are still here, and getting older…and then I just stayed. But now I love it again.”

It was after returning to the MOV that Escandon opened Really Cheap Geeks, originally working out of his basement repairing computers and smart phones. Ten years ago, he moved into the space on Emerson. At that time, much of the space was an antique store owned by local attorney and auctioneer Rock Wilson; Escandon occupied just one small table. Customers could browse the shelves full of vintage treasures while waiting for their iPhone glass to be replaced.

I realized there was no better way to have the place stand out than to cover the walls with art.

Eventually, the business expanded and with it, Escandon’s ideas of what could be done with his very unique building. “I realized there was no better way to have the place stand out than to cover the walls with art,” he said.

In the time since he began the mural project, Escandon has worked with several local artists. He’s already swapped out some of the art on his building and intends to keep doing so every few years in the future, hopefully attracting new and different styles of art. Though the mural work up to this point has been completed mostly by professionals, Escandon has also considered expanding to street or graffiti artists in the future.

One artist featured prominently at Really Cheap Geeks is painter Daniel Debellis. Originally from Salisbury, North Carolina, Debellis had a long and troubled journey to the Mid-Ohio Valley. As a child, Debellis spent many years in the foster care system. His young adulthood was spent in and out of prison; it was one of these stents behind bars when the self taught artist took up drawing. Ultimately, Debellis wound up in California, homeless and on the street. With supplies he’d found in a dumpster, he began decorating the signs he put out asking for help.

“I thought, ‘maybe if I make my signs look cool I’ll get better feedback,’ Debellis said. “It kind of made people respond to me differently.”

Debellis’ art would ultimately prove life-changing as folks began offering to purchase his signs and, eventually, other pieces. “My 3^rd painting I sold was for $800 on a piece of cardboard, and this CEO framed it and hung it in his office,” he said. “[The experience] gave me a reason to live. I just grew this hunger to paint.”

Daniel paints straight from the heart – he’s an incredibly open and honest person and that comes through in his art.

After reconnecting with his birth mother, Debellis came to West Virginia around three years ago to help her with recovery after a surgery. It was here that Debellis made the decision to dedicate himself full time to his art. Debellis had set up shop painting on a grassy patch outside a local Wal-Mart when he attracted the attention of Edward Escandon.

“Daniel paints straight from the heart – he’s an incredibly open and honest person and that comes through in his art…he’s a fighter, and he’s a joyful person,” Escandon said.

Escandon approached Debellis about possibly working on a mural but Debellis, having been disappointed in the past by other opportunities that never came to fruition, was hesitant. Escandon was eventually able to lure him to the shop after purchasing one of his paintings, and again pitched the idea of a mural. Though he’d never taken on a project of such scale, Debellis went for it. “I had no clue what I was going to do. I was nervous. But I got in there, I turned my music on, and I let my mind go…I always go in with a blank mind and whatever comes out, comes out. It’s my way of expressing myself.”

Two additional sides of Escandon’s shop are currently occupied by artist and Parkersburg High School teacher Emma Romanowski. Born and raised in the area, Romanowski attended PHS herself, joking with her art teacher Steven Morningstar (a distinguished local artist himself) that he couldn’t retire until she came back to take his job. Six years ago, after studying graphic design and education at West Liberty University, she did just that.

Her style is very illustrative. I love the way that her figures have individual life.

Romanowski is not new to large scale projects, having previously worked on both a “selfie station” in downtown Parkersburg and 14 total murals at Boxer’s Bed & Biscuits in Belpre. She then approached Escandon with samples of her work and ideas of what she could bring to his building. “Emma is so professional,” Escandon said. “Her style is very illustrative. I love the way that her figures have individual life.”

In stark contrast to Debellis’ free-wheeling style, Romanowski took a more analytical approach. “With murals I really like to sketch in a sketchbook, then color it in photoshop, get feedback, do corrections digitally, and then project it on the wall,” she said. Romanowski worked largely at night, getting help from some of her PHS students and fellow teacher Randi Wilson. “I actually had to have a couple of police block off the road,” she said, laughing.

Romanowski and Escandon share a passion for expanding public art in the Mid-Ohio Valley, one that goes beyond the walls of Really Cheap Geeks. Escandon is the driving force behind plans to paint the Parkersburg flood wall. He’s also been in contact with other businesses near his about possibly expanding the mural project down the street. “We want to carpet this city in murals,” he said.

For her part, Romanowski is hoping to start a mural club with her PHS art students. She’s also in the planning stages of a project involving the parking meters in downtown Parkersburg, and potentially the steps leading to Quincy Hill park.

“It’s so nice to come back to the area I grew up and see art just…blooming,” she said. “It reinforces my decision to stay here and try to make things better.”

Check out Really Cheap Geeks at: Really Cheap Geeks

See more of Daniel Debellis’ work at: Daniel Debellis Fine Art

The post Really Cheap Geeks Are Brightening Up the City appeared first on Clutch MOV.

Green, the color of envy, paints the walls. Large gold letters reminiscent of traditional knuckle tattoos sprawl across the door and windows spelling out the name of the shop. Meg Rataiczak, owner of Lady Envy Tattoo, opened those doors in early December of 2020, but her love for tattooing and her path toward owning her own business started long before that. 

However, Meg will be the first to admit that she didn’t have career plans to grow up and become a tattoo artist. Originally, luck landed Meg in a tattooing apprenticeship while she was attending college studying fine art and graphic design. However, she quickly fell in love with the art while she was learning. 

“It was entirely fate and circumstance that I started tattooing, but I fell in love with it very quickly. I have no idea what I would be doing if I weren’t tattooing right now. I have always kept an open mind and didn’t tie myself to anything, so it’s hard to say where I would be without tattooing,” Meg said. “I draw, paint, and create graphics a lot outside of tattooing. I also work with stained glass when I can find the time. Any art project I can get my hands on, I will.”

As Meg grew as a tattoo artist, she made invaluable connections with other artists in other cities which helped her to start to form ideas for how her shop would look in the future.

“Getting to watch and learn what others were doing has helped me shape what I want my shop to operate like. Also, Instagram has always been a huge help to me as far as making connections and marketing my own work as well,” she said. 

I am so honored to be asked to put my art on people’s bodies for the rest of their lives and I am grateful every day to know that so many people want my work on their bodies.

Those connections continue into her clients too. Other than being able to make a living on her art, the connection she has with clients who respect her opinions and artistic background help her to grow as an artist. 

“Return clients are my biggest reward. Artistic freedom with tattoos is another big reward for me. I am so honored to be asked to put my art on people’s bodies for the rest of their lives and I am grateful every day to know that so many people want my work on their bodies,” she said.  

Thinking about the experience of being tattooed or pierced, Meg decided to open her own shop in Marietta. For Meg and the other artists in her shop (two other tattoo artists and one piercer), client experience is paramount. They work diligently to make sure their clients feel safe, heard, and comfortable. 

“I needed to have a better environment for myself in order to do the same for my clients. Again, being tattooed is an experience, and I wanted to make sure my clients have a great one. Also, artistically, I have flourished since opening my own shop. Environment is everything,” Meg said. 

After opening, there has been no shortage of people who want something by Meg tattooed on their bodies.

“Meg has always exceeded all of my expectations when it comes to her work. I’ve gone to her since her apprenticeship, and she’s literally never let me down. Her art is always unique, beautiful, and fun,” said Kyleigh Hawes, Parkersburg resident. 

Meg chose to name the shop something that felt classy and strong and settled on Lady Envy Tattoo. She went through an entire notebook filled with names, but always returned to that one. After she decided on the name, her business grew rapidly.

I am very grateful to be working with three other people who care so much about treating their clients so respectfully.

“At first I expected it to be just myself, but before I could even open, I had gained two other coworkers who also needed a change of environment. Recently, we have even made room for a third artist who sought the same thing we did. I am very grateful to be working with three other people who care so much about treating their clients so respectfully,” she said. 

Meg’s vision for her business continues to strengthen with each passing day. Meg believes that they have created a beautiful, safe space for their clients and has a deep pride for everyone who has contributed to that atmosphere. However, there are always challenges in success.

“Learning to say no has been the most challenging thing as a tattoo artist. Sometimes potential clients and the artist they reach out to don’t click, and that’s ok. Knowing that and recognizing it, as well as communicating it politely, is a really important step in making sure each client’s experience is as great as it can be,” Meg said.

Again, Meg returns to the client experience as the cornerstone for her business. 

“The amount of clients who have specifically told us that they feel much more comfortable and relaxing in our new shop has been far more than I expected. That was my entire goal, but I didn’t fully realize how important it was until I started getting so much positive feedback,” she said. 

I feel more appreciated, respected, and represented as an artist than I ever have in my entirely artistic career.

The positive feedback continues into Lady Envy’s support in the general community as well. Lady Envy makes a point to support local business through art projects like t-shirt designs, printing locally, and hiring local artists for projects that they can’t complete on their own. Meg also credits Marietta Main Street’s Public Art Committee with helping Lady Envy to reach out to other artists and locals with whom they trade and commission work. 

“The support and growth I have seen since moving to Marietta in 2014 is astounding. Downtown is flourishing, and I feel more appreciated, respected, and represented as an artist than I ever have in my entirely artistic career. The locals here are all about helping their neighbors, and that kind of support and community is the reason I love living here,” she said.  

When Meg transitioned from her previous studio to opening her own she relied on the support of the community and her clients to get her to where she is today.

“While opening my own shop, I was very grateful and impacted by how supportive all of my friends, family, and clients were. They were patient until I got up and running again, and I had a very large number of people offer to help us paint, find services,  and clean to help get us up and running even faster,” Meg said. 

Keeping the shop up and running in a manner that supports the happiness of all involved is important to Meg and how she structures her business model. 

“Everyone at my shop operates separately, and we share a space. I am not their boss, they don’t have ranks, we all just share a building and encourage one another. We all work how we choose is best for our lives and mental health. Everyone being happy and healthy is inspiring to me,” Meg said. 

Going forward, Meg has big goals for her shop and how she plans to manage it. Particularly, curating an artful space for the artists and the community.

Everyone that works at my shop right now creates art in several ways other than tattooing, and I’d really love to expand to add room for all of us to have access to art studios and bigger equipment.

“I see my business expanding, but not adding more workers. Rather I see it expanding to add room for other art forms. Everyone that works at my shop right now creates art in several ways other than tattooing, and I’d really love to expand to add room for all of us to have access to art studios and bigger equipment for making art like stained glass, pottery, vinyl printing, etc.,” she said. 

For those who want the experience at Lady Envy Tattoo, the shop is located at 432 2nd St. in Marietta. Online, they can be found on Facebook and their website.

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