Artworks Murals in Cincinnati

I just love that our city is getting so artsy! This past weekend I took a friend on an urban hike through downtown Cincinnati, focusing on the murals painted by Artworks, a local non-profit organization founded in 1996. Their mission statement is to empower and inspire the creative community to transform everyday environments through employment, apprenticeships, education, community partnerships, and civic engagement. One of the ways they are accomplishing their mission is through what they call "public art"... building murals, free standing sculptures, unique bike racks, and they have even started turning the Metro bus shelters into artwork canvases.

The history of the mural program started in 2007 when former Mayor Mark Mallory visited Philadelphia and was introduced to their mural program, which in 30 years completed over 3,000 murals. He was so impressed that he challenged Artworks to create a mural in each of Cincinnati's 52 neighborhoods. The Artworks' website now boosts that 36 neighborhoods have at least one mural, some have many, and they are still working to get the remaining 16 their own masterpiece. To date, 90 murals have been completed. Here are my top six favorites from the downtown area (the write-ups are copied from the Artwork's website):

Number 6: Cincinnati's Table. Bit crazy, if you ask me. I love the snail along the bottom.

This mural boasts a surreal composition, made up of delicacies, food, and fantastical imagery. Inspired by Dutch still life’s, the mural is full of over-the-top detail and pays tribute to the culinary arts! Flying pigs complete the scene, bringing Cincinnati’s Table to life.
In partnership with Jean-Robert’s Table and Budig Realty, LLC

Project Manager: Scott DonaldsonLocation: 713 Vine Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202

Number 5: The Golden Muse. I thought this was beautifully done, very graceful.

This mural features a figurine from an 18th century mantle clock in the Taft Museum of Art’s collection.  Encompassing the entire wall, the figure becomes a mythological music muse as the notes to Aaron Copland’s Fanfare for the Common Man (written for the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and originally performed at Music Hall in 1942) fly off the page and into the sky. This mural was created as a part of the Taft’s 80^th Anniversary Celebration, “Art for All.”

Project Manager: Tim Parsley
Location: 28 West 13th Street Cincinnati, OH 45202

Number 4: Homecoming (Bluebirds). I love all of Charley Harper's works! This picture looks crooked to me but the building actually sits on a hill so I was having a hard time lining this up... I think the birds are straight, bit of an optical illusion the way they split the picture to allow the center of the building to show through.

Charley Harper, one of Cincinnati’s most accomplished and celebrated artists, studied and taught at the Art Academy of Cincinnati. It was there he met his wife Edie and they continued to make Cincinnati their home, starting a family and sharing an art studio. Charley’s favorite subject was the natural world and he worked in a style he called ‘minimal realism’. This particular work is based on Homecoming (Bluebirds), a painting done in his minimal,geometric style and is symbolic, depicting two bluebirds – male and female – returning home.
 In partnership with Charley Harper Art Studios and Court St Executive Suites.

Designer: Charley Harper
Project Manager: Jenny Ustick
Location: 119 East Court Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202

Number 3: Ice Cream Daydream. That is my friend Chrisula in the picture, She said this one was a favorite for her too. Love the crazy colors.. mighty bright!!!

This fantastical mural brings youthful energy and vibrancy to the district of Over-the-Rhine. A love for color and candy awaken the imagination where a diamond sun rains strawberries on a dessert-filled garden. Thanks to Eden Floral Boutique.

Project Manager: Amanda Checco
Location: 33 East 12th Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202

Number 2: Energy and Grace. This mural just stood out from blocks away. It is huge and very, very blue. It just made me feel happy... like dancing and swirling :)

In Partnership with Art Academy of Cincinnati. Since moving to Over-the-Rhine in 2005, the Art Academy of Cincinnati has been essential to the neighborhood’s transformation. To celebrate the school’s commitment to reviving this historic community, ArtWorks turned a painting by one of its professors, native Cincinnatian and internationally acclaimed abstract artist Kim Krause, into a mural. This is ArtWorks first abstract mural, and its vibrant colors and whimsical movement capture the energy and momentum in Over-the-Rhine.

Designer: Kim Krause
Project Manager: Nathan Weikert
Location: 16 E. 12th Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202

Number 1: Martha, the Last Passenger Pigeon. This is my favorite of them all. The image invokes movement to me, and I love the artistic workmanship, very realistic. I believe they truly captured the beauty of these birds.

In Partnership with Cincinnati Nature Center. Martha, the last passenger pigeon, lived out her last days at the Cincinnati Zoo. Despite efforts to save what was once the most numerous bird species in America, Martha died in 1914. Almost one hundred years later, Cincinnati remains committed to wildlife preservation thanks to local organizations like the zoo and Cincinnati Nature Center, and wildlife artist and conservationist John A. Ruthven, dubbed the 20th Century Audubon. This mural reproduces an original masterpiece by Mr. Ruthven that shows Martha and her flock soaring over the historic Bird Run at the Cincinnati Zoo, and serves as a daily reminder to downtown residents, workers and visitors of the importance of wildlife conservation and the reality of extinction.
Designer: John A. Ruthven
Project Manager: Tim Parsley
Location: 15 E. Eighth St, Cincinnati, OH 45202
To see a time lapse video of the making of this mural, click: Creation of the Martha mural

Winter is Here!!!

Overnight, my world has turned white. This was the view from my balcony this morning. 

Forget white Christmas, looks like we are in for a white Thanksgiving!

American Gothic

The famous painting, American Gothic, has been on display at the Cincinnati Art Museum for several weeks and I managed to squeeze in a visit during its final showing.

American Gothic is an oil painting, done in 1930, by American artist Grant Wood (1891-1942). I've seen many reproductions of this image and never took much mind of it. Now that I have seen the original piece, I'm still not sure why it warrants such acclaim. I learned from my visit that this painting was placed on exhibition at the Art Institute of Chicago and won the artist $300, after which was purchased by the Friends of American Art for permanent inclusion into the institute's collection. Then, as we say today, it went viral.

Here are a few words from the artist about his masterpiece:

I just love the Cincinnati Art Museum. They always have wonderful traveling exhibits, even if they are not my preferred style of artwork, along with an amazing permanent collection. Every time I visit the museum to see the featured exhibit, I also revisit my favorites.

Vincent van Gogh, Undergrowth with Two Figures, oil on canvas, 1890. 

This is the plaque summation for this piece:
Ghosts seem to move through van Gogh's forest. The Dutch Post-Impressionist artist, who expresses nature's abundance with his improvised brushwork, strong colors, and an emotion that was raw and visible, here seems to presage his own death, which occurred a week after he finished the painting.

I learned that in May 1890, van Gogh moved to a small village north of Paris and, prior to his suicide in July, painted nearly one canvas a day. How odd! I would love to see a few of the other paintings from that time. Sounds like an artistic genius, madly spinning out of control. What a sad ending. I look at this painting a little differently, knowing that the artist took his own life one week after completing it. Really makes me wonder about the human spirit and its precious, intricate, and ever-so delicate existence.

 

Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park

Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park has got to be the most unique park I have ever visited. It is an outdoor museum consisting of huge metal/stone/marble sculptures spread across over 300 acres of beautifully landscaped countryside. It is located in Hamilton, OH, just north of Cincinnati. There are roads you can drive around to see the sculptures, you can rent an art (golf) cart, or you can just head out on foot, which is what I did. Walking the hills was a great way to burn a few calories, plus I was able to get up close to these enormous structures. 

This sculpture is Abracadabra by Alexander Liberman. It was huge and could be seen from several vantage points in the park, definitely one of my favorites. Alexander Liberman was born in Russia in 1912, relocated to New York in 1941, joined the staff of Conde Nast, and eventually became the Art Director. He began his career as a painter and a photographer, turning to sculpture in the 1950’s. Pyramid Hill has three of his works, each constructed of welded, painted steel. 

I think it is odd how artwork can create an emotion in the observer; inspiration, wonderment, unease, bafflement. Abracadabra created, for me, a sense of energy and happiness; probably because of its sheer size and fanciful angles and curves. I really enjoyed walking across the fields and seeing these monstrous creations... kind of gave you a focal point as you were trucking up the hillside.

Pyramid Hill began in 1987 when Harry T. Wilks (1925-2014) purchased 40 acres of land to be used as his private residence. He bought several adjoining parcels of land as they became available. He later developed a non-profit foundation and donated the land for the creation of a public park.  He wanted to ensure the land would be unavailable for private development after his passing, thereby preserving it as a single parcel for the enjoyment of future generations. Needing a focal point for his park, he began visiting sculptures and purchasing pieces of art to be displayed throughout the grounds. The park thereby became a collection of sculptures and had its grand opening in 1996. It has been growing ever since and has acquired national and international attention.

These are a few of the other works that really caught my attention.

The Web by Brian Monaghan

Adam’s First Breath by Sam McKinney, a local artist from Lexington, KY. 

Midnight Serenade Pose 2 by Pokey Park. I just love the whimsical ones!

Pattern IV by Greg John. 

Euclid’s Cross by Michael Dunbar. 

This sculpture was a tribute to Euclid, 

the father of geometry and weighs in at 12 tons.

A side note, on my way home from the park I saw signs for local produce and followed them to a lovely farm where I purchased apples and blueberry cider. Just chit-chatting with the farmer, the conversation came around to why I was up in his neck of the woods. I told him I was on my way home from the visiting the sculpture park and he said, in as country of an accent as you can imagine, “that guy’s got more money than he’s got sense”. He then went on to tell me that he had never been to the park and the only sculpture he’s ever seen was the one at the front entrance… and that was weird enough for him… he didn't need to go inside to see anything else. The guy really made me laugh. I love country farms as much as I love art museums, but for some reason, the farmers and the artists exist in different worlds, even if they live less than a mile away from one another other.