Westside Cohort

Facilitated By

Instructors

Ash D Pierce

Ashley is a Columbus based mixed media artist and muralist. She creates work that causes the viewer to pause and look closer both through technique and imagery. She is passionate about mentoring other artists and enjoys sharing her work and experience with others.

From 2007 until June 2020, Pierce filled various roles including Studio Director, Marketing Director and Art Facilitator at a non-profit organization in Central Ohio serving adults with physical and developmental disabilities. Her work has been shown in exhibitions nationally including Chicago and New York and she was a featured artist at the Hickory Museum of Art in North Carolina.

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Dan Gerdeman

Dan makes art all the time! He teaches Advanced Drawing, Film and Animation, and AP Studio art at Hilliard Davidson High School. He also teaches workshops in Animation, film making, cartooning/graphic novels, and silkscreening.

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Team Mural

“With Love Comes Growth”

Each ARtsway project and partnership is unique. We approached Franklinton Board of Trade (FBOT) Executive Director Trent Smith for help identifying a possible mural location in Franklinton, and in the process, realized that the building his organization rents from Franklinton Development Association (FDA) had everything we were looking for.

Embodying the same spirit of collaboration that has been central to ARtsway since day one, Trent, FDA Executive Director Eric Skidmore, and their respective staffs embraced the program and its many needs without hesitation despite the inconveniences it caused them. We are incredibly grateful for both organizations’ willingness to help, and indebted to them for giving our Westside Cohort its temporary home base for 2023.

“With Love Comes Growth” was a student-led project from start to finish. Students met with and collected requirements from the clients (Eric and Trent), and under the guidance of instructors Ash and Dan, created the concept design that ultimately became the mural, which included each student’s individual flower designs. Students then made the mural a reality with assistance from Ash, Dan, and a few Hilltop Arts Collective volunteers.

Upon completion, Trent pointed out that his employees spend their workdays beautifying Franklinton, so to have beauty added to the building they call home in a community-led way held special meaning. We’re pleased that ARtsway could add vibrancy to a block already buzzing with community activity.

A massive thank you goes to Ash and Dan who took all project challenges in stride while seamlessly facilitating an outstanding program. Excellent job! And of course, ARtsway students were absolute sponges, and learned from Ash, Dan, and guest instructors with enthusiasm while creating some impressive work of their own.