Public Art Tour

Medium: Porcelain, Steel

Designed by Brenda Tarbell, and assembled by aritst David Tarbell with a team of youth apprentices, this ArtWorks project is a site specific piece, created for the Duke Energy Convention Center. The work is inspired by local artist Brenda Tarbell's memories of home that are tied to the natural world. This installation honors a deep sense of connection to Cincinnati, this place we call home, and to the places those who live here once called home. Magnolia flowers represent the people who came up from the south, serviceberries represent those from the surrounding hills in nearby Appalachia, and dogwood represents native Cincinnatians. The sculpture is hand made and exceptionally blends the delicacy of porcelain, and heavyness of steel.

The City of Cincinnati commissioned Charley Harper in 1970 to create the "Space Walk" murals that would hang above the doorways to Hall A in the newly-constructed convention center.

Made up of 30,000 colorful mosaic tiles, the murals are a rare abstract work by Harper. Speculation on Harper’s inspiration for "Space Walk" points to mid-century fascination with space travel and all things intergalactic – a significant deviation from his typically realistic and nature-oriented artwork.

Covered during a 1987 renovation of the convention center, the murals were recently brought back to life for hundreds of thousands of visitors to enjoy.

Medium: Frosted Vinyl/Glass

This series of vector art imagery was created by ArtWorks, a non-profit that employs teen apprentices and artists to create art that enhances the Greater Cincinnati Community. “Cincinnati Icons” visually explores the various architectural and cultural icons associated with the City of Cincinnati. Icon focal points emulate the likeness of particular locations throughout the city, while dynamic shapes and patterns transition the viewer through the installation which spans a staggering 500 feet. Additionally, quotes from the public truly express the love that exists for the city of Cincinnati. Each quote captures something that is uniquely loved about this great city. The subtle translucent imagery traverses the space, allowing the viewer to simultaneously experience the artwork and look out onto the thriving Duke Energy Convention Center.

Medium: Glass

This work of art was created by ArtWorks, a non-profit that employs teens and artists to create art that enhances the Greater Cincinnati community. This installation's colors and map-like patterns were inspired by the Ohio river and neighborhood street patterns as a means for people to connect with places, each other, with the past and with the future.

Medium: High-Grade Acrylic Paint/UV Coating

This colorful mural, which highlights the hands of the workers featured in the famous Union Terminal mosaic murals by Winold Reiss, was painted to mimic the look of real tile. The addition of new hands, those of two convention center employees, and one ArtWorks youth Apprentice, give nod to Cincinnati’s vibrant future.

Medium: Aluminum/Glass

The Humanity Outpost Marker is a large-scale, sculptural bike rack designed by Cincinnati artist Edward Casagrande and located in front of the Duke Energy Convention Center in downtown Cincinnati. The bike rack can accommodate up to 12 bicycles at one time and represents the collision between humanity, technology, and earth. The New Age-inspired elements at the top give this a lot of visibility, even from a distance.

Medium: Multi Media/Found Materials

This work of art was created by ArtWorks, a non-profit that employs teens and artists to create art that enhances the Greater Cincinnati community. This mural imagery was inspired by the history of the Ohio River, Over-the-Rhine neighborhood and significant Cincinnati visionaries: Harriet Beecher Stowe, Levi Coffin, Jenny Porter, Wendell Dabney, John Isom Gaines, Ludwig Hudepohl and Christian Moerlein. Song lyrics provided by Cincinnati musicians Jake Speed, Wild Carrot, Over the Rhine and Kim Taylor.

Medium: Multi Media

Created by ArtWorks, the Big Pig Gig is a public art project featuring hundreds of designs from Cincinnati artists. In support of the 2012 World Choir Games which were held in Cincinnati, ArtWorks developed the ‘Do-Re-Wee’ edition of the pig gig. This edition featured 100 pigs designed by local artists including Kim Shifflett’s Porkundstein. The fiber glass pigs’ designs included themes celebrating music, world cultures and of course, Cincinnati history.

Artist: Nicholas Moegly

Medium: Vinyl

Founded in 1788, Cincinnati has grown up on the banks of the Ohio River.  This relationship has fed its development for over 200 years.  The mural and illustration by Cincinnati illustrator and designer, Nicholas Moegly, captures the historic narrative of this booming river town.  Drawn from the mid-nineteenth century until present day, the urban landscape transitions from past to present.  From left to right, viewers can see the early industry of Cincinnati’s Canal days 1850-1900.  Continuing into the early twentieth century, larger modern buildings take shape, and as the illustration passes east of the iconic Roebling Bridge, Cincinnati’s present skyline can be seen.

“Cincinnati is a beautiful city, cheerful, thriving, & animated.  I have not often seen a place that commends itself so favourably & pleasantly to a stranger at first glance”, a quote by Charles Dickens, where the author describes his striking impression of the great city of Cincinnati.  These words float over the skyline and resonate as much today as when they were first spoken.

Produced by ArtWorks, a non-profit that employs teen apprentices and artist to create art that enhances the Greater Cincinnati Community, Riverfront Rise employed four apprentices, ages 14-16, to complete this project with the lead artist.

Roebling

Artist John and Marcia Koverman, Grace Masur, Abbey Smart

The John A. Roebling Suspension Bridge (precursor to his iconic Brooklyn Bridge) is among the region's most precious and lasting monuments.  This hand crafted tile mosaic features the Roebling bridge in a cold late winter's view; suggesting the majesty of its sweep as well as its enduring presence.

Created by Koverman Mosaic, of Cincinnati, this project was produced by ArtWorks, a non-profit that employs teen apprentices and artists to create art that enhances the Greater Cincinnati Community.

Riverwaves

Artist: Hayes Shanesy of Brush Factory

Designed and fabricated by local artisan Hayes Shanesy of Brush Factory, a Cincinnati design and woodworking shop, this cabinet combines artistry and function serving as a charging station for guests.

The design of the maple cabinet suggests the Ohio River.

The work features a subtle wood grain and color, as well as a pleasing chevron pattern to reinforce the feeling of water’s movement and flow. The work compliments the Roebling Bridge mosaic image. The functional art reflects a contemporary aesthetic through traditional craft. 

This work was produced by ArtWorks, a non-profit that employs teen apprentices and artists to create art that enhances the Greater Cincinnati Community.

Medium: Scratchboard

ArtWorks 12th project with the DECC.  ArtWorks will work with Cincinnati Artist (locally, regionally, nationally renowned) to produce an interior mural.  Designed and managed by James Pate, "Wall of Queens" honors the Queen City with 7 large scale portraits of proud women.

The light-reflecting mosaic murals, which were made using small glass pieces and tinted mortar in some 8,000 colors, depict scenes from Cincinnati’s manufacturing heritage, including Procter & Gamble, American Laundry, Cincinnati Milling and US Playing Card, among others.

Each mural is about 20 feet tall by 20 feet wide and 8 inches thick, and weighs 8 tons – or roughly 16,000 pounds.

The murals were produced in 1933 by famed art deco artist Winold Reiss. The artwork originally was located in the train concourse at Cincinnati Union Terminal until they were moved to the airport in 1973, a year before the train concourse was razed.

The murals were then located to two terminals at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG) until the terminals were scheduled for demolition.

The future of the “workers murals” was uncertain until December 2015 when Mayor Cranley announced, and City Council supported, a plan to save and relocate them to the convention center.

The move was made possible thanks to the help of the Kenton County Airport Board in Kentucky and the Convention Facilities Authority of Hamilton County (CFA) in Ohio. Under the deal, the Kenton County Airport Board paid to remove and transport the murals to Cincinnati, at a cost of $1.45 million.