23-05-2025
Local artists aim to inspire with new downtown mural
DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) — Courthouse Square in downtown Dayton has some new artwork thanks to collaboration between area artists and the Downtown Dayton Partnership.
The project happened over eight days and began with the Downtown Dayton Partnership hiring Atalie Gagnet to design the piece.
Gagnet says the piece was inspired by poetry from Dayton's Poet Laureate, Sierra Leone. The artist then went to work on building out her team. Her first teammate on the project being frequent collaborator Jenny Ustick.
Mural project brings new art to downtown Dayton
'I wanted to bring in Jenny and suggested we collaborate with local poet laureate Sierra Leone who enlisted other poets to join her in a poetry piece to inspire the design.'
The project was completed pretty quickly thanks to additional support from Maggie Leadman, Stephen Slaughter, Sean France, Jim Gagnet and Matt Lynch. The team navigated weather impacts (hi rain) and logistical issues to bring the piece to life.
The work put into the project — including at least one 5 a.m. painting session where the only light available was from headlamps — was worth it for a number of reasons.
'Aside from the important message painted and the inspirational poem, courthouse square needed more love,' Gagnet says.
The poem written in the mural reads: 'Peace is a verb. First to be sought within, then to be actively shared with others.'
'Downtown Dayton needs more public art,' Gagnet continues. 'The city getting ready for visitors showed us that, that city beautification is powerful to instill pride. The piece has a strong message that I hope will inspire.'
Of course, the project was worth it too because it was an opportunity for Gagnet and company to work together again. When asked what she learned about herself during the process of completing the mural, Gagnet's answer was simple.
'We were reminded how well we complement each other, sharpening our problem solving skills.'A lot of effort went into representing the themes relevant in the epigraph.
'There are frequent references to growth, and to nurturing, often calling upon images of the natural world as metaphor. The design takes this into consideration in its palette of blues and greens.
'There are a few elements symbolically and graphically relevant to NATO itself, as well as the Dayton Peace Museum.'
She says that the origami doves tie back to the Dayton community and the city's role in the Peace Accords.
'The repeated, mirrored dove forms signify sharing and connecting, while the centered, symmetrical design underscores the importance of seeking peace within,' Ustick adds.
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