Artists gather at Garage Bar to help create mural

A group of artists worked on paintings that will be combined to make a stylistically diverse mural.

The soundtrack switching from Notorious B.I.G. to Dire Straits felt appropriate for a group of artists working on creating a stylistically diverse mural.

The fourteen artists were gathered Nov. 17 at Garage Bar, 37825 Vine St. in Willoughby, to work individually on paintings that will ultimately be combined into the mural with the hope of being hung in Downtown Willoughby.

The idea for the mural came from Garage Bar bartender and event planner Rita Antolick. She assigned Willoughby-related themes to the participating artists and let them interpret the themes whoever they wanted through their painting.

Sarah Beans decided to take a more abstract approach to her theme of “nightlife.” Beans owns War Paint Studios in Willowick where she always has to make perfect tattoos, she said. This project allowed her to mix things up.

“Basically the idea is to have artists from one end of the spectrum to the other,” Antolick said.

Antolick - who is also one of the artists contributing to the process - described her work as colorful, so she also wanted black and white work. She wanted a mixture of realistic and abstract.

She used Facebook as her scouting tool, advertising and asking for recommendations. She looked through portfolios of artists who expressed interest in the project.

Colin Gonzalez found out about the project after being tagged in a Facebook post. The Collinwoodbased artist said he’s never been involved in a project like this.

“I love seeing the different styles coming together,” he said.

Antolick has worked with the Willoughby Arts Collaborative on the project. The nine-person board formed this year as an initiative by first-year mayor Bob Fiala. Board member Pat Carroll Bonander was on hand watching the artists work.

“It’s so wonderful seeing all these young artists doing something for themselves and for Willoughby,” she said. “It refreshing for me to see this.”

She said it was great seeing young artists working on the project.

“That’s what we need: young people getting involved,” she said.

Amanda Wascovich of Northfield said she has previously painted murals in Twinsburg. She said the work helps create a sense of pride in the community. It can always liven up an area.

“People don’t like looking at basic brick,” she said. “It makes the space more friendly and inviting.”

The finished mural will be unveiled Dec. 1, but the location is still to be decided.

“It’s going to be beautiful, I can’t wait to see the end result,” Antolick said.

ANDREW CASS — THE NEWS-HERALD Artist Colin Gonzalez works on his painting Nov. 17at Garage Bar in Willoughby as part of a collaborative art project that will be turned into a mural.