Project Jericho sheds light on Main Street in Springfield

Never mind flashlights, lamps or spotlights. Poetry, photography and watercolor art will do the shining in this case.

Project Jericho’s Light on Main will showcase the artistic skills of 30 students inspired by several people and places they visited on West Main Street in downtown Springfield.

The work will be on display 5-6 p.m. Thursday, April 27 at United Senior Services, 125 W, Main St. The event will lead to the creation of a mural on the Clark County Solid Waste District’s building, located at 1602 W. Main St., in May.

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The public is invited to the event and admission is free.

Project Jericho’s Kristi Limes and Lauren Houser took the students to visit Main Street and they came away with artistic inspiration and some gained new appreciation of the town.

“They’re very struck by people in the community,” said Limes. “One of the girls left after interviewing employees at the Turner Foundation and said she never knew they had this many resources.”

The poets used the idea of how light can be brought into darkness, while the photographers took shots of the people they met and water color artists painted Main Street buildings with their own personal touches.

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They’ve spent several Saturday mornings since January, some even dedicated enough to ride their bikes to the Project Jericho office to craft their works.

Such dedication has impressed Limes.

The watercolor artists who put their own concepts on buildings such as the soup kitchen, Lagonda National Bank, and C & N Industrial Contractors.

Yellow Springs High sophomore Audree Speaks said she was never confident in her art before and is now. This is Springfield High student David Ritz’ first time painting and he plans to continue it as a hobby.

Chad Arnold, a Northwestern junior, added a heavy metal album font as a personal touch to his painting of Mobile Dogs, the Main Street business he chose.

“It’s cool other people will see my art, not just my mom,” Arnold said. “This has made me want to go out and find more buildings in town.”

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Shelby Byers is doing double duty: she’ll narrate a video as well as show her art at the Light on Main event and likes the freedom to express herself.

“We all do our own thing,” the Springfield High freshman said. “It’s important. Things have the ability to change.”

The light theme will continue on the mural project, led by a professional artist, which will start May 1 and be unveiled in a public celebration on May 24.

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