A mural commissioned by Grow Greater Greenfield (G3) is being painted in Greenfield’s historic downtown on the north side of the Merchants National Bank Building on Washington Street.
G3 applied for a grant from the Ohio Arts Council through the Arts Resiliency Initiative in November of 2021 and was recently awarded $15,000 for the project.
The theme of the mural, being painted by local muralist Pamela M. Kellough, is “Welcome to Historic Greenfield.” It will feature green fields and the banks of Paint Creek which represent the earliest days of settlers coming to Greenfield.
“Of course, during the application process, we met with Pam several times and came up with an idea for a mural and moved forward,” said G3 President Marleen Van Dyke. “It’s in the works, and it’s even further along this week. I would anticipate that it’s complete by the end of next week.”
Kellough is well known in southern Ohio and has been creating art for more than 30 years. She specializes in interior and exterior murals and has painted murals locally in Bainbridge, Frankfort, Hillsboro, West Union and Manchester. She was nominated for the Distinguished Citizen award from the Ohio Art Education Association and was recently notified that she was chosen as one of eight winners in the state of Ohio.
“People love murals, and it is in our downtown,” said Van Dyke. “It’s visible from the main intersection, and it’s kind of promoting what the village council is working toward — that people see Greenfield as a place to get outdoors between our bike paths and Felson Park where you can put your kayak in and out.”
“There’s a lot of stuff in the works with the park system and walking paths and bike trails, so that’s kind of what this mural is trying to promote,” she added.
The grant money will cover a large portion of the costs associated with the mural, but Van Dyke said she hopes the organization can raise an additional $5,000. “We had to rent a lift, which is expensive, so that’s why we are asking for donations,” she said.
She said any person or organization interested in donating to the project can drop off checks or cash at Community Savings Bank at 355 Jefferson St. in Greenfield. Checks can be mailed to G3, P.O. Box 5, Greenfield, Ohio 45123. Donations can also be sent through PayPal through a link on the Grow Greater Greenfield Facebook page.
G3 is a nonprofit organization that exists to promote Greenfield with the main focus on the historic downtown area. The organization has been operating since 2010 by organizing events, clean up days, and supporting the efforts of the Greenfield Village Council.
“We’re planning on starting a mural fund because we have ideas for a second and third mural,” said Van Dyke.
Reach John Hackley at 937-402-2571.
