Patch Gets To Know Alix Northrup

MARIETTA, OH — Alix Northrup is a freelance illustrator, graphic designer, hand-letterer, and will be putting her art up all over Marietta. In the next couple of weeks, a full-color mural will be installed downtown that says ‘Rooted in Kindness’ and ‘Good Things Grow Here.’ Northrup designed it, and she says it’ll be very colorful and floral.

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The vinyl mural will be put on the side of the Mid-Ohio Valley Employment building at the intersection of Front and Butler Streets. “It’ll be a really nice bright spot, I hope people enjoy taking photos in front of it.”

Northrup is a newer addition to the public art committee. “We’re dedicated to enhancing downtown with more art.” The public art committee is made up of local artists, and others in the community who want to see a more beautiful Marietta. “We meet and discuss ways to inject more art into the Mid-Ohio Valley.” This will be done through murals, but not murals alone. “We’re looking to do more three-dimensional sculptural pieces.” They also pair businesses with artists to try and figure out collaborations that fit.

While Northrup designed this mural, she says the idea for it was a collaboration itself. “It’s a positive and uplifting message.” The idea was to give off a certain vibe to people visiting Marietta, and something that local people could get behind. “This is the kind of message that we want to put out there, and it’s going to be awesome.”

Northrup says she was picked to paint the mural partly because she’s on the public art committee. “It really an easy kind of jump for us. To kick off one of our first murals with me being involved in it.” This isn’t a new committee, but there are a lot of changes going on behind the scenes. “We’re really trying to figure out how we can progress with this more. Get some more momentum behind it.”

She says they have a lot more projects in the works. “I don’t want to let the cat out of the bag before they happen.” There are murals slated to start this summer. “It might take a while to get the funds, so while we do have them scheduled for this year they may not all happen this year.” All in all, they have three or four projects they’re currently working toward.

Anyone looking to help out donating time or money can reach out to the committee here.

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