Monroe senior’s artwork raises money to benefit Regional Storm Water Collaborative

After learning about an opportunity to participate in an annual rain barrel art project benefiting the Save Local Waters Collaborative, Monroe senior Corinne Ohlman submitted her design titled "Real vs. Imagination" for consideration.

Corinne was one of 40 local artists whose design was chosen for the project, which she was then tasked with bringing to life over the course of two months. In March, the completed barrels were displayed at the Cincinnati Zoo and are now being auctioned off to benefit the zoo and The Regional Storm Water Collaborative, which is partnered with the City of Monroe, Ohio.

We sat down with Corinne to ask her about the inspiration behind her design and what motivated her to get involved in the contest.

What made you want to be a part of this project?

C: At first, I was a little skeptical about whether or not I could do it because I had so much going on already with school and sports, but when I looked more into it, I realized this was for a really good cause. I’ve always been told “You have a gift” and I thought maybe I should use it for something like this. I really like the idea of doing something good with my work.

What did you enjoy most about the process?

C: I think my favorite part was meeting all of the other artists and people involved. Once we were chosen, we were all brought together at the Cincinnati Zoo, and I found it really fascinating to see so many people working together for the same cause. I really enjoyed hearing others share more about their work and it was a really good learning experience.

Tell us a little more about your design. What inspired you, or what does it represent?

C: I chose sharks because they are my favorite animal, by far, and I love the ocean so much. It was really fitting too, because the project benefits water preservation. The whole idea behind it was that one side would be something that just comes from my brain, and the other side would be more realistic, more of what people expect to see. I always disliked the idea of being forced to separate styles, forms or concepts, so I said “What if I just mixed them and made something completely new?” Some people think it’s not OK to do that, and think “Oh, you can only specifically do pop art, or only realism.” I made it so that people would see that it’s OK to mix imagination with reality.

The Rain Barrel Art Project is designed to educate people on environmental issues like stormwater runoff, watersheds and water conservation. Rain barrels continue to grow in popularity across the country. However, one of their biggest drawbacks is their dull appearance. The Rain Barrel Art Project seeks to produce beautiful artistic rain barrels that have unique painted details that will make them more desirable and naturally promote their use.

To learn more about this effort or participate in the auction, visit www.savelocalwaters.org/auction.html.