DOWNTOWN WADSWORTH REVAMPS WITH TWO MURALS

BY DREW BOWERMAN

Jhonattan Arango, a 40-year-old artist who specializes in murals and studio arts, worked alongside his wife, Samantha, during the summer and fall of 2022 in Downtown Wadsworth. In different areas, the couple created two murals on the sides of Wadsworth’s buildings.

Even though Arango currently lives in West Palm Beach, Florida, his career in art did not begin in the United States. Before moving to the United States. Arango lived in Cuba where he discovered his passion for art.

“I was born in Cuba and got an early start with the arts in a few forms: literature, painting, and performing arts,” Arango said. “I got to the States when I was 13 and everything changed.”

Although his life in Cuba initially nurtured his artistic tendencies, he was forced to focus on other priorities, when moving to the United States.

“I painted a little along high school, but then joined the Navy as a medic for five years,” Arango said. “I went back to school for Graphic Design when I was 28 or so.”

After attending school for Graphic Design, Arango quickly shifted his mindset toward fulfilling his life goals. Rather than fixating on survival in the job market of Union City, New Jersey, which is where he originally immigrated to after departing from Cuba, he decided to refocus on a career in art.

“Fortunately, I entered my 30s with the determination to use the relatively short amount of time I have on this Earth to do what I love,” Arango said.

With his rediscovered love for art, Arango began painting murals across the country with his wife. In Ohio, their artwork has flourished through the murals that they have painted in Wadsworth.

“The two [murals] at Wadsworth are my only murals in Ohio so far,” Arango said.

Originally, Main Street Wadsworth put out a request for artists on a nationwide scale. Arango and his wife, after having responded to this request, were selected to collaborate on Wadsworth’s murals.

“Though initially selected for one mural, we ended up doing both, which was great because we got to do something we hadn’t done before: we created two sequential murals,” Arango said.

Jhonattan Arango and his wife, Samantha Arango posing together at their home in Florida. Photo courtesy of Jhonattan Arango.

Beginning with the first mural,

Arango and his wife utilized the function of triangles as the most fundamental method of representing reality.

“The first one, located in the parking lot behind Sonnets and titled, ‘Music is…,’ features local legend and ‘Godfather of Free Jazz,’ Albert Ayler, and takes its name from his song, ‘Music is the Healing Force of the Universe’,” Arango said.

After Main Street Wadsworth discussed their intentions of renovating this parking lot; into a music venue, Arango and his wife decided to design the piece to incorporate an underrated musician, colorful features of music, along with natural elements of flora. These intricate designs, however, were not only a two-person effort.

“This mural had a community component where over 300 people painted over the course of a day during October’s First Friday event,” Arango said.

Beyond this, the couple completed a second mural, which cohesively corresponds with the messages presented in the first mural regarding the significance of universal law.

“The second mural, located at 124 Lyman and titled, ‘..the Healing Force,’ is a continuation of ‘Music is…’ and together they make up the phrase, ‘Music is the Healing Force’,” Arango said.

This mural depicts a 17-foot cardinal that flies around local flora, which Arango feels can be interpreted in a variety of ways.

Over the course of creating these complex murals, Arango and his wife, discovered their appreciation for the experiences that they gained in Ohio.

“It was wonderful to stay in Wadsworth for those two months, witness the fall, and see so many beautiful country sights,” Arango said.

If interested in Arango’s pieces, look to www.artofanon.com and @art_of_anon on Instagram.