Meet Timothy Wells | Artist and Public Art Activist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Timothy Wells and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Timothy, can you talk to us a bit about the social impact of your business?
My career has evolved to currently working with community leaders to bring public art to strengthen their communities.

Community leaders are tasked to make their communities more enticing to current residents, encourage new businesses and workers to locate there, and promote tourism. Juggling those tasks is a complex jigsaw puzzle. My goal is to add public arts as a key piece to their puzzle.

A recent study by the Americans for the Arts, released in the fall of 2023, showed “In Ohio, arts and culture is a $23.9billion industry—3.2% of the state economy—and supports 158,206 jobs (bigger than utilities, education, and
agriculture).” https://aep6.americansforthearts.org/, https://cultureworks.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/10-Reasons-to-Support-the-Arts-in-Dayton-Region-in-2024.pdf

In 2023, I worked with Main Street Greenville on their mural project. In 2022, a group of citizens wanted to add murals to downtown. I joined their committee to help them define and deliver a mural program. I worked with the Mural Committee to write a grant from the Ohio Arts Council, and develop strategies, designs, locations, and community support for murals.

The Mural Committee is an incredible team of dedicated people who won’t take “no” for an answer. In a few short months, we added seven murals on power boxes downtown featuring artwork from the high school art students and two larger murals. The first one, a 50 foot by 20 foot mural based on a 1952 large letter postcard was installed in October and a 20 foot by 15 foot contemporary design based on Annie Oakley (Greenville is the Annie Oakley Capital) was installed in November. Mural Committee members met with business owners to secure permission to add artwork to their walls, met with government leaders to pave the way for permitting the installation of murals, and anyone else in the community needed to make the murals a reality.

From a few small, faded, historic murals to nine bright colorful murals, downtown Greenville now has bright splashes of color on most every corner and bright, and colorful murals celebrating their community and history. The murals have been a welcomed addition to downtown, bringing pride to the community, The Mural Committee has plans for two additional murals in the Spring of 2024 and planning on continuing to add more murals in the years to come.

I work with Troy Main Street on their Sculptures on the Square program. On odd-numbered years, sidewalks of downtown Troy host sculptures from sculptors across the US and Canada. In 2023, Troy hosted 25 sculptures based on the theme “Wind and Water”. Sculptures on the Square regularly brings residents and tourists to downtown Troy for a public art exhibit open 24/7.

I am the editor and creative director of Art Around Town Dayton – an email newsletter and social media presence providing information about the visual arts in and around Dayton. Artists and venues have free access to share their upcoming events, classes, workshops, exhibitions, or just studio posts and followers of the arts have a means of finding out what is going on.

Coming from over 15 years as a project manager and strategic planner in corporate America, I bring an understanding of project and team management, and working with all sectors of an organization to break through the red tape to get projects done.

As an exhibiting artist, curator, art exhibition juror, and educator for twenty years including seven years working in the public art sector, I understand the role and importance of the arts and bringing the arts to the community.

Working with teams of dedicated community leaders to develop and bring the arts to their communities has been exciting and rewarding. Seeing people of all ages rush up to take a selfie with a sculpture or mural always brings a smile to my face – knowing I helped bring happiness and excitement to people and communities.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
After my career in the cubicle jungle, I went back to school to obtain my Master of Fine Arts in studio arts from Wayne State University in Detroit.

When people think of artist, the stereotype of the artist toiling in their studios and hoping to show their artwork in prestigious galleries and museums is how most people think of artist comes to mind.

Once I started exploring other opportunities, I discovered there are many ways to be an artist and have a career. Working with sculptors from around the US on Troy’s Sculptures on the Square project, I’ve met artists who are as dedicated to their art as the stereotype but they are making art for outside – sidewalks, lawns, gardens, and more. I’ve worked with artists who spend long hot days painting murals on walls. The job of artist is well beyond the artist sitting in their studio painting flowers.

What sets me apart? I guess it’s my ability to be an artist as well as an activist, project manager, and liaison linking the arts and the stakeholders.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I work in many communities driving hundreds of miles each week. Greenville is the community I’m spending most of time recently, so let’s spend the day in Greenville.

Greenville is a town full of history, art, and nature. It’s a small rural conservative community that relies heavily on agriculture and industry.

I’d start by taking my friend on a drive through the country. Just outside of town, we’ll see farm after farm after farm. We’ll probably be delayed a bit behind large farm equipment or horse-drawn buggies sharing the road.

Since they are here for a week, we’ll spend at least one clear night out in the country looking at the stars. There isn’t much light pollution out here.

We’d go to Maid Rite at least once for a loose meat sandwich. Once a staple across the midwest, there aren’t many Maid Rites still around. While the drive through is a fun experience, we’d have to get out to check the gum wall (the exterior of the building is covered with wads of chewing gum that have been accumulating for decades.)

We’d go through City Park and walk across the swinging bridge and then across the road to visit the peacocks. And then down the street to see the sculpture of Little Turtle, the Native American Chief who signed the Treaty of Green Ville, opening up the west to expansion.

Since we’re on an art tour, we’ll stop by the Darke County Visitors Center downtown and get a Darke County Art Trail map (or pick one up from the many locations around town they are available) and start crossing off the locations on the map.

I’d show them the power box murals and the two large murals we just installed in 2023. I’d arrange to get us into St Clair Memorial Hall to see the amazing architecture and stained glass windows in the atrium.

Gum Wall – check
St Clair Memorial Hall – check
Little Turtle – check

After eating our Maid Rites, we’d walk over to the Garst Museum and Annie Oakley Center, stopping by to visit the sculpture of Jim Buchy, a local politician, businessman, and Grandfather of Ohio agriculture that was unveiled in the fall of 2023.

Buchy Bench sculpture – check

A quick drive out to Shawnee Prairie Preserve to see the sculpture of Tecumseh and a walk through their park,.

Tecumseh – check

Since my friend likes to bake, we’ll then head over to Bear’s Mill. An operating grist mill built in 1849 and pick up some flour ground on site. And take a tour of the four floors of the mill and be fascinated by the engineering and design from 1849. The submerged water wheel powers a series of belts and pulleys that turn the stones and the many belts used to move the grain up and down and through the building. Even the pulley to lift the bags of grain up to the top floor is powered by water.

Dinner time, we head to Merchant House.

Other adventures during the week will be renting a canoe from Bish Discovery Center and float down to Bear’s Mill on Greenville Creek. Another day we’d rent bikes from Bish Discovery Center and ride along the bike trail (passing by the Buchy Bench again. Heck we’d better stop for more Maid Rites too!)

Once we’ve had our fill of Maid Rites, Jim’s Drive In, a classic drive in with delivery to your car window or outdoor seating at picnic tables, is known for their Spanish Dog and house-made root beer.

Coffee at the Coffee Pot, visiting the many parks in the county, following the art trail map, visiting the shops and restaurants in town. If we’re really lucky, there will be races over at Eldorado Speedway. If we’re really lucky, the Great Darke County Fair will be going on.

Art, nature, history – Greenville, Ohio, and there’s enough to do for several relaxing days.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
There are so many people to recognize, I’m sure you’ll “play me off” if I go into the full list.

I’d like to start with Paul Amenta in Grand Rapids, Michigan, for introducing me to the idea that art doesn’t have to be hanging in a gallery and bringing it to the streets and woods.

All my colleagues over the years at Troy Main Street as we’ve grown and expanded the Sculptures on the Square program to being one of the leading sculpture programs in the US.

Ashley Austerman, the art teacher at Mississinawa Valley Public Schools in Union City, Ohio, for bringing me into the classroom and community on an Ohio Arts Council grant to work with her in the classroom and the community on public art projects.

The Main Street Greenville Mural Committee for being such an amazing team of “go getters” and “get it done” in bringing the murals to life.

Darke County Center for the Arts for the opportunity to help develop the Darke County Art Trail, as we document and create public art experiences throughout Darke County.

My friends and family who have watched and supported my growth over the years from a photographer exhibiting prints in galleries to creating murals and experiences for communities.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/timothywellsartandlife

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/timothy-wells-mfa-5840a8271/

Other: https://timothywells.substack.com/

Image Credits
Photo taken by Timothy Wells, Troy Main Street Facebook page