MANSFIELD — Mayor Tim Theaker has nominated seven residents to form the Mansfield Public Arts Commission, a group which could help accomplish one of the central goals found in the Mansfield Rising downtown investment plan.
City Council is expected to act on the nominations at its next meeting on July 20.
The appointments, which begin Aug. 1, have varying lengths of service, led by three-year terms for Maura Teynor from Richland County Foundation, Jennifer Kime from Downtown Mansfield, Inc., and Lee Tasseff from Destination Mansfield-Richland County.
Nominated for two-year terms are Jennifer Pennell from the Mid-Ohio Educational Service Center and Braxton Daniels III from Studio 45.
Susan Gentile from the Mansfield Arts Center and Patrick Clinage from the Richland Area Chamber & Economic Development were nominated for one-year terms on the commission.
The Richland County Foundation last year provided a grant to the Richland County Development Group’s Mansfield Arts Sector to sponsor matching grants for public arts projects downtown.
That led to the creation of a vetting committee, which worked to review artists and potential art projects.
“We are so fortunate to have a community abundantly rich in arts,” Kime said. “In the last decade, we’ve seen steadily increasing interest in more public art throughout the community.
“With the establishment of the commission, the process for creating public art can be simplified. We’ve looked at what other cities have done across the country and one thing is consistent: where there is a process, there is growth. The commission takes away the uncertainty regarding the how,” Kime said.
Kime said the initial goals for the new arts commission are process-related.
“Let’s streamline the connections between the city, artists, and property owners so that more public art can be created and open opportunities for both artists and property owners who are interested in creating public art,” Kime said.
“Personally, I will know we have been successful if we are able to see growth in the diversity of public art throughout the community, in terms of the artists, style of art, locations, and property owners participating,” Kime said.
Tasseff said the public discussion surrounding the development of public art in the city has helped to spur its actual creation.
“Before (Mansfield Rising), it wasn’t talked about too much,” he said.
“I think (downtown public art) will add vibrancy to people’s first impressions,” Tasseff said. “It’s something you will notice.”
The leader of local travel and tourism efforts, Tasseff said his organization would work to promote successful public art efforts just as it does The Shawshank Trail, the Wine & Ale Trail and Haunted Mansfield.
“Once more art is created, we can help connect the dots,” he said. “We can help turn it into an attraction.”
Teynor said forming the commission “solidifies the whole downtown arts process.”
“I am very ecstatic about it,” she said. “(Public art) adds to the value of where you live and I am ready to move forward with some of the projects artists have summitted and getting together with other members of the commission,” Teynor said.
Daniel, who worked with Richland Source in 2019 on a project to simulate what public art could look like on otherwise empty walls, said he hoped the commission could help to bring life and culture to the city.
“Our city has so much potential and character and I think with a little effort, cooperation and dedication that we can do so much for Mansfield,” the well-known local artist said.
