Today we’d like to introduce you to Jennifer Acus-Smith
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
My background in art is a BA and Masters degree in art education from Miami University, with a concentration in painting and printmaking. I was an art teacher for several years after graduation, then began working as Education Coordinator at the Fitton Center in Hamilton in 2008. I also managed a custom art business with my husband, specializing in pet portraiture, for many years. I currently manage the StreetSpark Mural Program and also co-own a mural business called Bright Wall Collective, founded in 2017.
StreetSpark (started in 2015) is a program initiated through a City of Hamilton committee tasked to further the arts identity of the city. As a team, we decided that murals would be an excellent way to do that. We drafted a plan and created a test mural to walk through the process. We then began making murals along the High/Main corridor that runs through the more populated downtown area and have expanded to neighborhood murals and utility boxes. We have a local selection committee that helps score and select the murals that we paint. Since 2015, StreetSpark artists have created 20 murals, 17 utility boxes and wraps for 6 Butler County buses.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
When we were a brand new program, we had to navigate many questions and concerns along the way. It was important to establish a solid, well-thought plan that worked for everyone in the city. Often times, public art programs and artists need to work with groups who are not always well-versed in the arts (city officials, city council, engineers, traffic directors, etc.) so it was important that we clearly communicated our mission and respected theirs at the same time. We all grew to learn each others’ languages and found ways to support what each group was trying to accomplish. For example, we have worked well with the Traffic Engineering Department to paint a total of 17 utility boxes in Hamilton. The department struggled with frequent graffiti and overheating of the dark colored boxes. Adding lighter colored artwork to the boxes has decreased the overheating and deterred graffiti while employing artists through our program. It truly takes a village to build a successful public art program!
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I identify with all of the above roles! As an administrator for the program, I work with site owners, designers, artists and city employees behind the scenes to make the murals a reality. It’s my job to attend to the details, support artists and make connections where they are needed. Each project is unique and has its own special needs, which keeps things interesting for me. I have met a variety of fascinating people and am able to witness so many artists working their magic on massive walls.
I also work on the artist side of the public art world. I co-own Bright Wall Collective where I both manage the projects and design/paint the murals with a team of painters. Working in this field in many different roles has strengthened my abilities and helped me to see the perspective of others through the process. I love the challenge that each new wall presents!
In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
This industry is constantly changing simply because its led by artists. Artists respond in so many different ways and bring new styles constantly. We release a Call to Artists for our murals each year and I am constantly amazed by the variety of artwork represented in those applications. I can’t predict where we will be in 5-10 years, but I hope we will continue to see artists responding authentically to the world around them. Public art can bring us beauty in our usual surroundings and can also effectively ask us to question our reality with their images.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.fittoncenter.org/streetspark
- Instagram: @streetsparkart
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/streetsparkart
