FINDLAY, Ohio — The city of Findlay has eight brand new community murals all across town - and this Saturday, you can see every mural yourself and meet the artists.
Awakening Minds Art studio started up a community mural initiative over the summer.
In total, eight local artists came together to create eight new murals at various businesses and locations around Findlay.
Along with helping to beautify the community, the goal of the initiative was to promote connections with interactive murals.
"We wanted to celebrate inclusivity. So many of these murals are at different heights so that people of all ages, whether you're in a wheelchair or not, you can be celebrating them as well," said Emily Sullivan, development director at Awakening Minds.
One of the murals at JuJu Beadz on Tiffin Ave was painted by Laura Flickinger.
She was thrilled to create this inspirational piece in her former neighborhood, hoping to inspire mental health wellness in those who see it.
"'Grow Positive Thoughts' means let's inspire one another to be positive, let's be there for one another and create that sense of community," said Flickinger of the words painted on her mural.
Awakening Minds Art is hosting a self guided tour of the mural on Oct 16.
For $25 you will receive a map of all these new murals and the previously existing ones in town as well.
"At some of the murals as well as the winery, we will have some of the artists there. So you can meet them and talk to people, again bringing that connection and collaborative element," said Sullivan
The hope is this initiative can begin inspiring more artists to continue to create more public art around town.
"We hope that people love the public art here and want to do something of their own," said Sullivan.
She says there are two more murals in the works for the spring.
The self-guided mural tour runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., followed by a mural celebration party at Gillig Winery from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
