Viaduct Mural Celebration
By Scott Shaffer, Winchester Indiana News-Gazette Writer
A group of art students at Mississinawa Valley Schools have been given the unusual opportunity to leave a lasting mark on their hometown. Visiting artist, Timothy Wells, and the Mississinawa High School art teacher, Ashley Austerman, worked along with students throughout the year to design and create artwork that will be permanently displayed in Union City.
A mural about the past, present, and future of Union City that goes from day to night and country to the city was unveiled during a ceremony on Friday, June 4. The mural is located on the railroad overpass on the East side of Union City just around the corner from Keen’s Auto Sales. The street was closed off as students, parents, and others mingled as they looked at the new artwork. The Union City, Ohio Fire Department grilled free burgers and hot dogs for guests to enjoy. Sarah and Allen Lay’s Kona Ice of Troy, Ohio was also on hand with a variety of tasty flavors of shaved ice to cool off guests.
The mural was printed and installed by Wintrow Signs of Greenville, Ohio owned by Joe and Laura Wintrow. The mural was pieced together digitally as COVID-19 restrictions prevented the students ability to work directly at the site.
In October elementary students were asked about things that made them think about Union City. this list of things was then taken to middle-school students who came up with some ideas of how to feature these things. the high school students then created 50 drawings that were pieced together to create the mural. The student artists whose work is featured most prominently in the mural are Olivia Davis, Brianna Fennig, Caitlyn Haines, Karissa Hampshire, Cynthia Morgan, Josclyn Pollit, Michael Rammel, Lilly Severance, Emma Wagner, and Sara Yount.
Wells is collaborating with the students in the Mississinawa Valley Art Department for 100 days through a grant received from the Ohio Arts Council. One of the goals is to help the community create public art such as the mural.
Wells is a photographer and has his Master of Fine Arts Degree from Wayne State University in Detroit. His emphasis is in photography and installation art. He has been teaching at the college level for over 10 years and has done photography summer camps for students ages 9 to 18 for the last three years. He currently teaches photography at Edison. He teaches digital, traditional (film), and alternative processes (processes from the mid-1800s to today.) Wells will help to develop a photography program at Mississinawa Valley Schools.
In support of this grant, the Darke County Endowment for the Arts awarded Mississinawa Valley Schools a grant to buy cameras for the art department. The cameras will be vital to supporting the grant and the photography program following the completion of the grant and will serve students’ needs well into the foreseeable future.
The mural features many Union City landmarks and even the Police K-9 Bruno. Bruno’s handler, Officer Mark Ater was given the original piece of art featuring Bruno. Another student designed piece of art was installed on the other side of the overpass that features the school mascot, the blackhawk, and logo over the lyrics of the school’s fight song.
“A lot of people have done a lot of work to make this possible,” said Austerman. “We’ve gotten a lot of support from the community and various organizations and businesses,” she continued. “I would especially like to thank Chianne Teadrow, for all of her hard work helping me out on this,” added Austerman.
PHOTO CAPTION: Union City Indiana Mayor Chad Spence and Union City Ohio Mayor Duane Pouder pose in front of the newly installed mural. (Photo Credit: Robert Worth Jr.)