Power of the Arts, in partnership with WRTA, will be showcasing local artists’ work on WRTA buses in April and May. Local artist-judges chose winning images from among submissions to Go Art!, a public-art project.
A public reception for artists, sponsors, the media and public will be held at 5 p.m. on Thursday, April 11 at Main Library in Youngstown. Winning artwork will be displayed at the library until April 26. Artists will receive a $100 honorarium per project.
Coordinator Karen Schubert said the idea for Go Art! was inspired by the Kent State Wick Poetry Center’s “Traveling Stanzas” project, which began with graphically designed poems installed on the inside of buses and bus shelters.
“I love the idea of a huge, rolling gallery, bringing locally-created art to us as we move through our days,” said Schubert. “We also want to make WRTA buses, a critical part of our public infrastructure, more visible. It will just all be so freaking beautiful.”
Over 100 artworks were submitted by 40 area artists, in many styles and mediums, including printmaking, computer-generated art, painting, pencil drawing and photography. Artists submitted directly to specific contests and finalists were chosen in a blind judging. Sponsors selected the winning images from a group of finalists.
Sponsors are comprised of a variety of non-profit and for-profit entities, and sponsorships varied in size and price. Artwork will travel throughout Mahoning and Trumbull counties and there will be 21 designs on buses.
The list of sponsors and winners include:
Cultivate, “Dawn on the Farm” by Rebecca Nieminen.
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, “Orange is My Color” by Venise Abell.
Easterseals, “pARTy Time” by Chelsea Mortiz.
Jet Creative, “Play It, Sing It, Feel It” by Hannah Barone.
Lit Youngstown, “Writers” by Dave Buehrle.
Mahoning County Land Bank, “Sunflower Field” by Pattie Conti.
Mahoning Career and Technical Center, “The Mr. Beat Show” by Chris Yambar.
McKinley Memorial Museum, “McKinley” by George Nelson.
Public Library of Youngstown & Mahoning County, “Captivated” by Kari McCollum.
SMARTS, “Southside Soup” by Daniel Rauschenbach.
Alexis Smith, D.O., “Radial” by Aislinn Janek.
Soap Gallery, “A Long Climb” by Nicole Nicholson Murray
Stambaugh Auditorium, “Stambaugh Auditorium” by Daniel Rauschenbach
TIMBRE, one panel, and Youngstown Area Jewish Federation, two panels, designed by Akiva Academy students Fallon Blackshire, Jaylen Cade, O’Mari Garner, Fiona McCormick, Jensen McKelvey, Kamari McQueen, Taniya Phillips, Naomi Sargent, Selah Sargent, Cameron Silverman, Tomiyah Smith, My-Kayla Stewart, Trey Stewart, Sam Traficant, Mila Waskin, Mara Vargo, and Rhaleigh Zalac.
Trumbull New Theatre, “Fairtime” by George Nelson.
Youngstown CityScape, “West Federal” by Daniel Rauschenbach.
Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corporation, “Changing History” by Lauryn Gintert
YWCA of the Mahoning Valley, “Memories” by Venise Abell.
Power of the Arts Board President Terry Cloonan said he was enthusiastic about the participating artists. “Power of the Arts seeks to champion art-making throughout the community, so we are very pleased to feature the work of some of our incredibly talented community members – retired citizens, YSU graduates, faculty and students, K-12 students, and adults with disabilities.”
Purple Cat client Chelsea Mortiz drew the image selected by Easterseals. CEO Tim Nelson said the “party” theme of Chelsea’s piece fits well as they celebrate the 100th anniversary of Easterseals this year. Purple Cat program director Amy Rigby, who helped Chelsea enter the competition, said everyone at the Purple Cat was very excited.
Alexis Smith, D.O., co-medical director at the Joanie Abdu Comprehensive Breast Care Center, said she interpreted her sponsored painting by Aislinn Janek “as rising up out of the darkness into the light, which is what we are trying to do with raising awareness” of breast cancer.
Photographer Pattie Conti said she was “beyond excited” to learn that her photograph had been selected by the Mahoning County Land Bank. “I have never entered a photo of mine in a contest before. It is a hobby that I really enjoy,” she said.
Suzanne Winnick, an organizer for both the Easterseals and Youngstown Jewish Federation sponsorships, said she appreciated the cooperative nature of the project, bringing together sponsors, artists and public transportation. “I think Go Art! has been a terrific collaboration for us,” she said.
Power of the Arts would like to thank numerous community partners for making the project possible: Tony Armeni, The Bacon Foundation, Rebecca Davis, the McDonough Museum of Art, George Peffer, Judy Solomon, Dean Soroka, Suzanne Winick.
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