Maureen O’Keefe, local portrait and figure painter being featured on PAC’s “Home Grown Art” series on March 30.
Submitted photos from Piqua Arts Council
A.J. Ganger, Director of Indian Nation Station, who will be featured on March 9 in Piqua Art Council’s “Home Grown Art” series.
Submitted photos from Piqua Arts Council
PIQUA — Piqua, Ohio – where creatives are not only born, but prosperous. Despite previous beliefs that artists can’t thrive in rural areas, there is an abundance of creatives who are able to flourish right here in Piqua — all while doing what they love and, most importantly, being who they are.
In 2021, Piqua Arts Council developed a series of interviews with 11 creatives from Piqua and its surrounding areas: “Home Grown Arts.” In these short documentaries, each artist shares a part of their story, illustrating how the arts have impacted their lives and shaped them into the individuals they are today. In March of this year, PAC will be releasing their second season of “Home Grown Arts,” featuring four local creatives.
Kicking off the series will be videographer, A.J. Ganger, on Thursday, March 9. Ganger currently serves as the Director of Indian Nation Station, the Public Access TV station for Piqua. He also works closely with the students of Piqua High School during their media classes, teaching them how to use a camera, working with Final Cut Pro, creating graphics and more.
Following Ganger, on March 16 will be Brett Poling, the Director and Conductor of the Piqua Civic Band. Poling has been an educator for more than 27 years, having taught music, choir and drama, as well as serving as the band director for several years.
On the evening of March 23 will be photographers Erik Ganger and Lily Stewart, featuring their business, Ganger Images. The modern style duo has pursued various photographic opportunities from the traditional wedding or senior photos, to product and lifestyle photos for Piqua’s own Winans Fine Chocolates + Coffees, to event photos at Piqua Community Foundation’s Pitch Piqua and more.
Closing out the second series of Home Grown Arts on March 30 is Maureen O’Keefe. The portrait and figure painter spends most of her time in her studio at the brand-new Piqua Arts & Innovation Center. As a painter, she has held various solo and group exhibitions, and received various local awards including the 2019 Individual Excellence Award from the Ohio Arts Council.
Videos will premiere at 6 p.m. on each Thursday in March to be released on Piqua Arts Council’s YouTube page: www.youtube.com/@piquaarts, as well as the Indian Nation Station YouTube page and Piqua Channel 5. Learn more about the Home Grown Arts series at www.PiquaArtsCouncil.org/home-grown-arts.
