ArtWorks is responsible for adding over 100 murals throughout Cincinnati – of which many are in the main part of the city. Thanks to Resa posting about street art in Toronto and Winnipeg, she has heightened my interest in these wonderful works of outdoor art that is in my city.
The one mural featured in this post first caught my attention several years ago when it I first saw the nearly completed version that was covered by scaffolding. Because I didn’t know much about why this mural was selected, its color and unique style caught my eye.
ArtWorks selected this design to be part of its Cincinnati Masters series – a collection of murals dedicated to the work of Cincinnati artists. Maybe in the future I’ll put them together into one post. To be honest, I didn’t know this artist – then again, I don’t claim to be knowledgeable about art. So, I decided to do this post in the style of a famous television game show – Jeopardy!
Answer: Born in Cincinnati, lived 1931-2004, graduated from the University of Cincinnati, and the Art Academy of Cincinnati
Answer: He moved to New York City where cartoon strips were his initial success, but after 5 years he decided to pursue painting
Answer: The Great American Nude series brought him fame in the art world
Answer: He became well-known for his American Pop Art, and a contemporary to Andy Warhol
Answer: He also developed his own techniques of using metals in metal-work sculptures; such as The Dropped Bra
Answer: His Still Life is another series – Still Life #60 is a collection of things a woman will wear – causing some to suggest these object take the place of a nude while suggesting her presence.
Answer: His mural is located at 811 Main Street in downtown Cincinnati
Question: Who was Tom Wesselmann?
Although this mural caught my attention, I’ve never heard of Tom Wesselmann … at least now I know. Thanks ArtWorks!
To see more posts about the ArtWorks murals in Cincinnati, click here. Meanwhile, here’s a short video featuring Wesselmann’s work … and don’t forget to visit Resa to see the urban art she has captured.
A Frank Angle 
Amazing work! I’ve painted some murals, but nothing bigger than a ceiling.
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Susie,
I still remember the first time I saw this one when it was shielded by the scaffolding … and I knew I wanted to see it again. … but I never knew it was a tribute to Wesselmann until recently. Meanwhile, the murals in this city are quite the undertaking, and they have captured my attention … therefore I am happy to capture and share.
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Love the art I’ve seen here tonight! Wesselmann is definitely a wonderful artist, and deserves to be in the streets! 😀 … and I mean that with all respect and sincerity! ⭐
PS TY for the link! 😀
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Resa,
I’m not surprised you enjoyed this one. Did you know of Wesselmann?
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Resa rocks and so do you! I love the art!
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Cindy,
Thanks … and a round of applause to Resa for getting me to capture the murals here.
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Cool, Frank. Thanks for sharing!
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Merril,
Definitely unique … so I’m glad you enjoyed it.
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Thank you for sharing, Frank. The Cinci murals are fascinating.
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John,
Enough murals here to make a delightful tour. 🙂 … so I’m trying to have my own cybertour.
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There you go. Very enjoyable. Liked the Jeopardy angle as well.
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Cheers to you being the first to comment on my use of Jeopardy. I came up with the idea because I had to research Tom Wesselmann.
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Ah. The value of research.
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Love the art tour of the murals. Adds pizazz when you’re strolling past, for sure.
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Renee,
Over 100 of these gems in the city … simply awesome!
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Tom Wesselmann is one of my painting heroes. Here are 6 of his quotes which I keep on my refrigerator:
1. “The challenge for an artist is always to find your own way of doing something.”
2. “The prime mission of my art, in the beginning, and continuing still, is to make figurative art as exciting as abstract art.”
3. “At first glance, my pictures seem well behaved, as if—that is a still life, O.K. But these things have such crazy give-and-take that I feel they get really very wild.”
4. “For many years, drawing, especially from the nude, was a desperate attempt to capture something significant of the beauty of the woman I was confronted with. It was always frustrating because the beauty of the woman is so elusive.”
5. “As pop art became linked with Coca-Cola and soup cans and road signs, I pulled back. It was becoming a subject matter and the subject was very limiting.”
6. “I can’t talk about Matisse without talking about myself. He is the painter I most idolized and I still do.”
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Tim,
It appears your refrigerator is almost as cluttered as your golf bag.
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Frank, the “Jeopardy” theme was art-fully done. Put me in a tour-taking mood!
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Bruce,
Glad you enjoyed my Jeopardy twist. It came about because I knew about the mural long before I even noticed the name Tom Wesselmann … which was then followed by the infamous question – Who is Tom Wesselmann? … Bingo! The idea hit!!!
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How wonderful that Resa has inspired you to post more about street art. You have introduced me to Tom Wesselmann through this post and for that I am so thankful!
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And I just read a bio on him that says “His lack of subtlety is part of what makes Wesselmann Wesselman” 😉 http://www.theartstory.org/artist-wesselmann-tom.htm
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Now that’s an interesting description … many thanks.
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Christy,
Whereas Resa captures informal street art, my captures have are more formal … but still outside. The organization (ArtWorks) is a story in itself, but one thing for sure, they are brought outdoor art to another level. Nonetheless, Resa’s posts served as the motivator for what I’ve found. It’s been fun, and more to come!
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I really like “Still Life# 60.” I am confident that if I lived in close proximity to these fantastic murals I would be uplifted each time I viewed them!
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Debra,
Glad you enjoy this series … and this particular mural. As I mentioned, this one caught my eye the first time I saw it when the scaffolding was still in place.
There are more for me to capture, so I’m anxious to find a nice day to head into the city for more photos of different murals. But going into winter, who knows when that day will arrive.
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