WAPAKONETA, OH (WLIO) - The beginning phase of the new Artist Avenue was celebrated Thursday afternoon with the unveiling of a mural that represents the spirit of Wapakoneta.
"Beauty of Diversity," a painting of colorful koi, is now on display at the corner of Auglaize and Willipie Streets in downtown Wapakoneta. Riverside Art Center and local businesses on the street hope to fill the walls on both sides with rotating pieces created by local artists.
The project aims to further beautify the downtown area and add to its charm as a tourist destination. The large painting of a koi pond is a tribute to the artist, Terri Lynne Blosser's late mother Linda Blosser, who volunteer a lot of her time to support local art and improve the city.
"My mom was involved for decades with everything, whether it was art, whether it was the school, she received a lot of awards from different groups in Wapak. We grew up with exchange students from all over the world. She was very interested in diversity and embracing different people," Terri Lynne Blosser said of her mother.
She also says the piece represents that no matter how different people look, much like the fish portrayed in her work, they're all in the same pond at the end of the day.
