Over the past decade, Marietta has embraced public art installations through the Marietta Main Street Public Art Committee (PAC), whose goal is to enhance and enliven downtown Marietta’s public spaces through the visual arts. First through sculptures like the Found Object Bench on Putnam Street and the Love Lock Tree near the Harbor, then through vinyl murals like the Pearl of Appalachia and Rooted in Kindness Murals along Butler Street, and now through painted murals like the Collaborative Murals in the alleyway and the Ohio River Tunnel mural, the Public Art Committee has invested over $36,000 through 12 projects since 2016.

To help fund future installations, the PAC has partnered with local artists to turn some of their murals into fun, vinyl stickers! Here at Clutch Collective, we have six sticker designs for sale - 100% of the profits benefiting the Public Art Committee. Scroll down to learn more about the murals connected to each sticker!

Collaborative Murals

The Collaborative Mural project was completed in 2020 and can be found in the alleyway between the 100 blocks of Front and Second Streets. 15 local artists came together to create something vibrant, imaginative, and downright delightful in the hidden spaces of downtown Marietta. The resulting explosion of color and design begins with rolling hills of green that run alongside the alley and then duck under the lower level of the parking garage, where brick walls became a blank canvas for creative expression. What was once an unassuming alleyway primarily used for parking is now an epicenter for local, public art.

The day of collaborative mural painting was coordinated by Marietta Main Street’s Public Art Committee and sponsored by Clutch MOV and Just A Jar Design Press. Bobby Rosenstock, Chair of the Public Art Committee and co-owner of Just A Jar, said the idea for the event was sparked from a conversation with the building owner, Greta Guimond.

Artists from Marietta and Parkersburg gathered on a sunny Saturday morning for a full day of painting, riffing, and fun. Participating artists include Beth Nash, Erin Zerbe, Hailey Bennett, Geoff Schenkel, Mason Beuhring, Kat Hendrickson, Meg Rataiczak, Zeb Dye, Savannah King, Emma Romanowski, Sara Rosenstock, Bobby Rosenstock, Alix Northrup, Sarah Arnold, and Greta Guimond.

The “M” sticker was designed by Mason Beuhring, inspired by his contribution to the collaborative mural. The “Support Your Local Artist” sticker was designed by Alix Northrup and though it doesn’t directly relate to the collaborative mural, it does embody its mission. Alix designed the rolling hills and sunrise portion of the mural that is most visible from Front Street.

You can read more about the mural process and see the final pictures of the mural by Michelle Waters here: Collaborative Mural Project

Ohio River Tunnel Mural

The Ohio River Tunnel mural was hand-painted inside the tunnel along the bike path, where the path crosses underneath the Putnam Street Bridge. Nearly a dozen artists worked together to transform the tunnel along the bike path into an underwater dreamscape. Coordinated by the Marietta Main Street Public Art Committee and designed by local artists Bobby Rosenstock, Beth Nash, Hailey Bennett, and Julie Zickefoose, the hand-painted mural wraps around the tunnel’s entire interior, stretching the width of the bridge. Against a backdrop of bright teal, native fish and other aquatic creatures that call the Ohio River home now gracefully swim along its walls.

All in all, eleven artists participated in bringing the mural to life. Bennett, Nash, Rosenstock, and Zickefoose received help from Leah Seaman, Liam Thompson, Abigail Litman, Bonie Bolen, Jolene Powell, Savannah King, and Sarah Arnold.

The impact on the community was immediate. Even before the painting was complete, onlookers peeked inside to admire the artists’ work. Residents of all ages seemed to appreciate the vision and execution of this large-scale collaboration.

The River Otter sticker is a photograph of one of two playful river otters painted in the tunnel by Julie and Liam Zickefoose. The Fish sticker is a photograph of the Northern Bluegill painted by Hailey Bennett.

You can read more about the mural process and see the final pictures of the mural by Michelle Waters here: Ohio River Tunnel Mural

Rooted in Kindness Mural

The Rooted in Kindness Mural was designed by local artist and illustrator Alix Northrup in partnership with the Public Art Committee and was installed in 2021 on the corner of Front and Butler Streets. A vinyl mural, the work was installed by Jordana Bungard and Jerome Griffin over a ten-hour period.

The mural was commissioned by the Public Art Committee, of which Northrup is a member, in an effort to install a downtown mural with an uplifting message that was connected to the Marietta community but could be appreciated by a broader audience.

Northrup said her aim with this mural was to create a feeling of positivity and a sense of pride for the town. “I really wanted it to reflect the community through both the message and the symbolic nature of the floral illustration elements,” she said. “Dandelions can hold a lot of meaning; the concept of making wishes by blowing on their seeds is nostalgic and creates a feeling of hope and joy and additionally they can represent perseverance prosperity and tenacity since they can thrive in difficult conditions. Mostly though, I just hope it creates a bright spot for downtown businesses, locals and tourists to enjoy.”

The “Rooted in Kindness” and “Good Things Grow Here” stickers are both digital adaptations of the mural design by Alix Northup.

You can read more about the mural process and see the final pictures of the mural by Sarah Arnold here: Rooted in Kindness Mural

In 2014, Sarah Arnold, owner of Clutch Collective, was a founding member and chair of Marietta Main Street’s Public Art Committee. Sarah remains active as a committee volunteer and co-chair.