SEI artists collaborate on a new mural
Rodney Fuller with one of the three paintings still in process that will be part of a new mural in downtown New Philadelphia. Fuller and a number of other artists have been involved with the project.
A new collaboration between artist Jon Stucky and Starlight Enterprises Inc. will feature three paintings done by Starlight artists in the design of a new mural in downtown New Philadelphia.
A grant from the Ohio Arts Council is funding the project, which includes the opportunity for the individual paintings to travel to different locations around the county. The grant was written by local artist Jon Stucky and Jeannine Kennedy, director of the Tuscarawas County Center for the Arts.
Stucky has collaborated on other projects with the Starlight artists, starting with one on Ashwood Lane in New Philadelphia. In the past the Starlight artists have helped by contributing pattern work to the design.
“This time I met with them in January, and we talked about it, and we came up with a tropical theme. So I had them all draw out tropical flowers. We’re actually using the drawings they’ve done. We’ve blown the drawings up bigger and incorporated them into the paintings on canvas,” Stucky said. “And then (the painting designs) will also be on the walls. It’s a much larger scale work because normally they come in after there’s a big section of color and they put in smaller stuff. I wanted to make their work more prominent.”
The painting designs are flowers, which the SEI artists have painted in some of the murals with the signature angel figures Stucky enjoys painting.
“We’ve dropped the flowers with the angel figures that we did on the very first mural. It’s like a true collaboration between everything we’ve done since the beginning of that very first one,” Stucky said.
The new mural will be on the south side of the building that houses Mustard’s @ The Wine Rack and the Mini-Shop Drive-Thru. The businesses are owned by Tony and Rachel Montero.
“They have just offered the wall. This is not an advertisement for their business. This is just a piece of art,” Stucky said.
The Monteros also provided a wall along the alley last year for a starburst mural Stucky and Starlight completed.
Stucky enjoys collaborating with Starlight and is impressed with the art program Starlight has developed for individuals with developmental disabilities.
“I love what they do. They inspire me. I love that they have that facility in this county. I’m always trying to help promote and raise money to keep that accessible to that part of our community,” Stucky said. “It’s very rare, especially with a community our size, that we have that kind of program available. But I think it’s really important. It’s something you find in much bigger cities but rarely in a small community like ours.”
The Starlight artists not only consider Stucky a mentor, but also a friend. Artist Rodney Fuller said he enjoys working with Stucky, and their friendship has helped him learn. Fuller has learned new techniques from Stucky that he applies to his own projects.
Art life coach Carrie Herbert said since the collaborations with Stucky, Fuller has been inspired by the opportunity to work on larger pieces like the ones they are working on now for the new mural. Fuller’s paintings now have distinctive style.
Fuller expresses himself through art.
“I can look at pieces and say that’s Rodney’s piece because I know how he paints,” Herbert said.
Herbert and art life coach Kelly McMillen operate the art studio at New Towne Mall.
“With Rodney, what is really cool is that he looks at something and puts his own interpretation on it,” said Tracy Aubihl, community connections manager for Starlight. “He really has raw talent — a raw, innate talent that he has as an artistic person that he is able to create and see a vision that you and I and other people might not be able to see.”
One can see the influence of Stucky in some of the paintings Fuller creates.
“We can’t say enough about Jon. It’s opened up their creativity beyond what they see. They can interpret things, and there’s a whole world out there that they didn’t realize,” Aubihl said.
Reviewers for the State DODD stopped by the New Towne Mall studio recently, and they were impressed with the way the Starlight program has used art to allow their individuals to contribute to their community including the murals around New Philadelphia and at the Tuscarawas County Fairgrounds, their shop at Alley Cats, and selling paintings at the county office building and Cleveland Clinic Union Hospital in addition to their studio.
“(The reviewer) took pictures of everything and the street art,” Aubihl said. “(The Starlight artists) are leaving a permanent mark in the community with the street art and creativity wise. That was just amazing to them. That’s a huge breakthrough.”
The reviewers said in an exit interview that art is one of the things the Starlight program is a leader in.
Aubihl said the reviewers purchased some art before they left.
“They didn’t buy it because it was made by artists with disabilities. They bought it because this was great art,” Aubihl said. “That says a lot upon itself. They weren’t just making a donation; they were saying I like this art.”
The Starlight art program has been active for the last two decades with different artistic opportunities.
“However, in the most recent years, we have evolved more as a community partner. We have always partnered with the Tuscarawas County Center for the Arts with Jeannine Kennedy, and that has been a wonderful opportunity for us to showcase art,” said Cassie Elvin, CEO at SEI. “And now community partners such as Jon Stucky have absolutely evolved our art program to be a substantial community partner in the arts.”
The program focuses on individuals’ own strengths.
“We don’t want to focus on disabilities. We’re focusing on the talents and the abilities,” Elvin said.
Elvin is pleased with the opportunities the New Towne Mall studio affords them.
“It’s been a very positive thing for us. It’s not sheltered as part of the community. It’s in the community, and they’re also getting to express their talents and aspirations,” Elvin said.
In addition to art, the studio and store provide the artists an opportunity to provide customer service, helping customers with their selections and making transactions using a Square account.
All the artists enjoy the benefits of working at the mall. It offers an opportunity to meet people, get lunch and even do some shopping.
In addition to paintings, the art studio offers a variety of gifts including soaps and decorative wooden items. The studio is located opposite of the mall’s food court. Hours at the Starlight Art Studio in New Towne Mall are Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.