 Gloria
Cox (L), President and CEO of SW Resources, in Parkersburg,
awards Gloria Hughes (R).
|
Jean Och moved just 5 miles, going from Bridgeport to Wheeling,
but she traveled a scenic route, landing on Mars, among meteors,
in New Mexico and beyond. The Wheeling muralist has fulfilled
her childhood dream of being an artist, and turned her talent
into a community contribution that is larger than life.
“Since I was 5, all I wanted to be was an artist,”
she says, but Jean attended nursing school, became a registered
nurse, married and had four children before the dream came true.
One of her nursing instructors encouraged her interest, making
sure she could take drawing lessons and each holiday season, Jean
would paint pictures on all the patients’ mirrors. But,
when the family transferred to Wheeling, “We lived close
to Steiffel Art Center, and I started taking art lessons.”
She attended Wheeling Jesuit for two years, taking only art classes.
“Art was my pleasure, and I have continued it all my life.
I had always tried to do some painting, because I saw the world
through different eyes when I was painting. There is something
magical about it.”
Jean has created her own magic on a grand scale with her murals
on walls all over Wheeling. At the Challenger Center, Jean first
created a 20-feet-by-10-feet mural of Mars. A second mural, like
an overlay, added meteors and celestial bodies. The third is a
representation of mission control. She met and became friends
with Colombia crewmember, Dr. Joe Allen, and was the natural choice
to paint his tribute, a 40-feet-by-12-feet high hallway mural
that included a life-size portrait of Dr. Allen in his space suit.
The project took nearly a year to complete. She says, “It
was quite a project for someone who was 72!”
When her parents died, Jean honored them with an expansive mural
on the rotunda of the YWCA featuring wreaths of flowers and two
9-foot angels.
She paints her murals at home, with acrylics, on canvas that
is usually stapled to the wall on her porch. Each section is 6
feet by 10 feet. She rolls them up and transports them like area
rugs. They are wallpapered in place with a paste. Once the entire
piece is applied to the wall, she blends the parts together.
Jean designed an unusual mural to hang at Kings Daughter Hospital.
“It is like 15 small quilts in a hexagon, each part represents
a department of the hospital.” The piece covers about 35
feet.
She donates one of her pieces – a sculpture, painting,
ceramic piece or painted furniture – for each Wheeling symphony
auction. She does the same for Ohio Valley Hospital.
Jean paints on fabric and canvas with watercolors and oils and
works in ceramics and pastels. She used to make jewelry, selling
it to pay for visits to the New Mexico artist colonies and the
wide open spaces of the western states.
At 74, she remains a working artist, but more importantly, she
is a sharing artist. She teaches a class in her home covering
the various media. “There are about 10 women. They were
always interested in art but never had the time to pursue it.
Watching their progress has been the most amazing thing.”
Jean says, “Art has made my life full and filled it with
interesting people. I’m happy to be able to share it. I
don’t have money but I donate what’s been given to
me.”
Contact Jean Och at 304-277-3879..
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