The Public Arts Commission advises and makes recommendations to City Council and the City Manager regarding the appropriation, funding, selection, acquisition, maintenance, and the thoughtful placement of public art throughout the community.
The Commission is charged with creating a public art plan for Council to adopt and advises about mechanisms for implementation of a public art program that enriches the visual and aesthetic environment of primarily public spaces within the community. The Commission’s goal is to provide the value of public art and enrich the lives of Hilliard residents and visitors.
The Commission consists of six members who are appointed by Council to serve two-year terms, plus one Council representative.
Commission member since 2017
Background
Daniel is a fine artist who was instrumental in convincing City Council to form the Hilliard Public Arts Commission and a public art code that would allow artists to create works in the City of Hilliard. In 2017, Hilliard City Council formed the Hilliard Public Arts Commission. She was asked to chair the PAC.
She is proud of the City of Hilliard for taking the steps to demonstrate that it values public art. It creates positive economic impact by bringing people here to see the art while exposing them to local businesses. She believes that art gives us some identity and makes people aware of our history. It improves our quality of life.
Hilliard community service
As a PAC member, she has helped facilitate three murals and 18 wrapped traffic boxes with sunflower themes for the city.
Personal
Daniel has been married for 42 years to her high-school sweetheart. They have lived in Old Hilliard for 39 years. They have three children who attended Hilliard City Schools. She now has five grandchildren. She has been a certified professional midwife for 36 years.
Background
Christy Farnbauch is the CEO of Management Resources Company, a woman-owned, EDGE and BBB certified firm that delivers high-performance social science research and organizational development services for government agencies and nonprofit organizations across sectors. Formerly, she served as the Executive Director of The Contemporary Theatre of Ohio. She is a highly respected leader in Ohio’s arts and cultural sector, as well as nationwide.
Her professional journey has included managing grant programs and special initiatives for the Ohio Arts Council, building community partnerships to support Hilliard City Schools, leading a first-of-its-kind national study of jazz audiences, and serving as executive director of an association for women business owners. She founded a consulting business in 2006 to support nonprofits and small businesses with strategic planning, board development, and fundraising. Farnbauch holds degrees from Otterbein University in music performance and business administration.
Community Service
For 10 years, Farnbauch was an active community volunteer on levy committees for Hilliard Schools. Later, as the Business and Community Partnership Coordinator for the school district, Farnbauch participated in Leadership Hilliard, where she took a leadership role in managing a community project in collaboration with Dan Gerdeman and his art students at Hilliard Davidson High School to create and install public art at the beginning of the Heritage Rail Trail. This may have been the first “official” public art in Hilliard.
Farnbauch served as a member, including Board President of the Hilliard Education Foundation for 9 years. Prior to joining the Hilliard Public Arts Commission, her most recent community service was as a founder and treasurer for TEDxHilliard prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Personal
Christy Farnbauch and her husband, Eric, have been Hilliard residents for more than twenty years. Their two grown sons graduated from Hilliard Davidson High School. In her free time, Christy Farnbauch can be found making music with the Brass Band of Columbus, reading, traveling, practicing yoga at Mat Happy Studio in Hilliard, or spending time with her family.
Commission Member since 2024
Background:
Sarita Gara graduated from The Ohio State University in 2021 with a double major in political science and English. Through online programs of study, she has since acquired certifications in writing and library services, and she is currently pursuing work in these realms. She also possesses a background in music performance, which has led her to work with many local musicians over the years.
Hilliard community service:
Gara was born and raised in Hilliard, and she moved back to the area one year after completing her bachelor’s degree at OSU. Having led a high school string quartet that performed at Hilliard nursing homes and other locations, she is happy to again play a role in bringing art to her hometown.
Personal:
Gara enjoys reading, writing, and supporting local artists. She also enjoys staying active by going to the climbing gym.
Commission member since 2021
Background
Kent has spent 20 years in the performing arts, touring his comedy and magic show around the world. He feels fortunate to have been able to perform in almost every state in the U.S. and 16 different countries. He is happy to contribute his artistic visions and love for Hilliard to the Public Arts Commission.
Hilliard community service
He joined the Hilliard Public Arts Commission in 2021 and enjoys seeing the fruits of its labor around the city, including the outstanding murals and decorated traffic boxes.
Personal
In addition to touring with his show, he enjoys wildlife photography, traveling, and hosting an award-winning podcast called “The Internet Says It’s True.”
Background
Jon Parker-Jones has been a dedicated member of the Hilliard community for over 30 years, residing in Hilliard with his wife Kathy. Appointed in January 2022, he actively contributes his insights and passion for the arts as a valued member of the Hilliard Public Arts Commission.
Community Service
Beyond his commitment to public art, Jon Parker-Jones has also demonstrated a deep-seated dedication to public education. He is a veteran instrumental music teacher in Upper Arlington City Schools, sharing his expertise and fostering a love for music in countless students. This passion for education extends to his long-standing service as a Board Trustee of the Hilliard Education Foundation since 2012. In this role, Jon Parker-Jones has championed innovation and scholarship within public education. His dedication to educational advancement is also evident in his service on the Board of the Upper Arlington Education Foundation. He’s further demonstrated his commitment by volunteering his time and energy to multiple school levy campaigns within Hilliard City Schools and Upper Arlington City Schools.
Personal
Having raised their two sons in Hilliard, Jon Parker-Jones and Kathy have deep roots in the community. Jon Parker-Jones’s involvement with the Hilliard Public Arts Commission and his extensive work with both the Hilliard and Upper Arlington Education Foundations underscore his fervent commitment to public service and his desire to foster strong connections within the community.
Commission Member since 2024
Background:
Justin has degrees in architecture, design, and software development and has worked in a range of artistic fields from film production, web development, advertising, and architecture. He has also volunteers in community theater, building sets, sound design, and running sound for performances.
Hilliard community service:
He joined the Hilliard Public Arts Commission in 2024 and is eager to help get new works commissioned and displayed.
Personal:
Justin is an avid cyclist, kayaker, carpenter, and mechanic who enjoys creating and modifying anything and everything. He’s currently rebuilding the engine on a 1970’s motorcycle and is learning to program micro-controllers for use in future art projects.
Commission member since 2017
Background
Rehbeck is an elementary art teacher in Hilliard with a bachelor’s degree in art education from Bowling Green State University and a master’s in curriculum and instruction from Otterbein College.
Hilliard community service
She enjoys participating in growing the arts opportunities in Hilliard with her membership on the Public Arts Commission and as a Hilliard Arts Council board member.
Personal
She and her husband, Matt, have lived in Hilliard for 25 years. They have raised their children here and enjoy all that Hilliard has to offer.
Background
A graduate of The Ohio State University, Tina Cottone holds a Bachelor of Arts in English and previously worked as a project manager in educational publishing. Her professional experience in planning, collaboration, and stakeholder engagement supports her ability to represent Hilliard’s increasingly diverse population and to advance initiatives that meet community needs.
Community service
Since joining Hilliard City Council in 2022, Tina Cottone has supported adoption of the 2023 Community Plan, helped advance the Renewable Energy and Energy Aggregation ballot initiative, and championed the development of The Well and the TruePointe project. Her work also includes help developing funding guidelines for the local nonprofit grant program, establishing thoughtful guardrails for development in the Big Darby area, prioritizing small/clean businesses, and researching diverse housing options to meet the needs of a growing population.
Tina Cottone has been instrumental in strengthening community partnerships that support older adults. She collaborates with Focus Hilliard and the Norwich Fire Department, who provide critical services to seniors, and partnered with Hilliard City Schools to foster initiatives such as Older Adults Volunteering in Schools, a program that connects older adults and elementary students in meaningful, mutually enriching ways. Tina Cottone was instrumental in securing the designation as an AARP Age-Friendly City for Hilliard.
Her commitment to helping older adults thrive is a defining focus of her public service. Tina Cottone was instrumental in the establishment of the Aging in Place Committee and led years of research that resulted in the creation of Home in Hilliard in May 2024. Home in Hilliard is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing essential services that support independent living for older adults. Through housing innovation and community-driven solutions, she continues to help ensure Hilliard remains a welcoming place for residents of all ages.
Personal
Tina Cottone currently serves as secretary of her homeowner’s association and as chair of the nonprofit Home in Hilliard. In her free time, she participates in two book clubs, enjoys walking Hilliard’s trails and spending time at The Well, appreciates public art, and loves gardening, cooking, baking, and modern dance. She and her husband, Rick Adams, have lived in Hilliard since 2010.
Tina’s four-year term on City Council runs through December 2029.
Amanda Morris is the Recreation Program Manager with the Recreation and Parks Department for the City of Hilliard.
The Commission meets at 5 p.m. on the first Monday of each month at the Municipal Building, 3800 Municipal Way. Contact the commission with questions or for more information. All meetings are open to the public.
In 2020, Hilliard Public Arts Commission hired Curtis Goldstein to create its first public art project. This 50-foot-wide mural, located on Center Street, features a train, which pays homage to Hilliard’s history as a railroad stop in the mid-1800s. Other components, such as the sunflowers and grain silos, are symbols of Hilliard’s agricultural roots.
Goldstein is an arts and design professional who explores human experience from multiple angles—as biological creature, as builder and inventor, as history and memory maker, as collaborator and cohabiter. He has a history of working in the fine art industry, skilled in collage, contemporary art, printmaking, art education, and painting. Goldstein graduated from the University of Cincinnati with a master of fine arts degree and from The Ohio State University with a bachelor of fine arts degree.
Goldstein said, “A strong component of my artwork involves raising awareness of history, the environment, and building a stronger sense of community through the arts. Throughout Ohio and beyond, I have had the pleasure and honor to be welcomed by neighborhoods and villages to create public artworks. I strongly believe that a successful community project requires listening to people, of a community, inspiring and education young people, and providing pleasure and thoughtful contemplation to all.”
About the Artist | Video of the dedication | ThisWeek Interview
The Hilliard Civic and Cultural Arts Center, 5425 Center Street, was selected as the site of a community mural, “Coloring The Path To Our Future,” created by artist Mandi Caskey, Hilliard City Schools teacher Amanda Schaeffer, and Schaeffer’s Art and Ecology students. The mural came about through an Ohio Arts Council grant to engage students in art beyond their classroom. The artwork was unveiled on May 3, 2020.
The Hilliard Arts Council provided funding for the wood base, paint, and brushes for the work. Community involvement also includes Sherwin Williams, which gave a deep discount for paint and supplies.
Video of dedication | HAC Website
Columbus-based artist Jeremy Jarvis put the finishing touches on his mural on December 30, 2021. Residents can see it on display on the side of the Hilliard Civic and Cultural Arts Center (HCCAC), near the Heritage Rail Trailhead in Downtown Hilliard. In September 2021, Jarvis was selected by the Hilliard Public Arts Commission (HPAC) to create an original mural on the south wall of the HCCAC, located at 5425 Center Street.
The theme is “gratitude” and depicts three individuals on a stage with hands of audience members clapping around an ornate border. Jarvis said the mural took more than 300 hours to complete over a three-month period.
“Gratitude” was designed to evoke a feeling of appreciation for the arts and the connection between the artist and the community, as well as a strong sentiment of gratitude, because without the community as the audience art has no place to grow and flourish.
The mural design depicts three artists who have just completed a performance in a theater setting. They share a look of satisfaction, joy and gratitude as they realize they have perfectly executed their art in exactly the way they had hoped, dreamed, and rehearsed. They radiate with a glowing sense of accomplishment and feel a strong connection to the audience.
They are shown expressing these feelings through their eyes and hand gestures. The woman on the left is hand-signing the words “thank you.” The girl in the center is holding a bouquet of flowers that she has been given for her exceptional performance. The man on the right holds his hands over his heart to communicate his strong feelings of thankfulness to the audience.
The members of the audience are shown through their hands near the bottom of the design. Their appreciation is illustrated through their thunderous applause and the showering of flowers and rose pedals. The audience symbolizes the community and all people who open themselves up to appreciate and invest in the arts.
Jarvis is an artist from Westerville. He grew up in Michigan. He attended The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, then attended the Columbus College of Art and Design, where he attained his BFA in Fine Art. Jarvis now creates art nationwide through his company Jarvis Art Studio, based in Columbus. To see more about Jeremy and his artwork, go to jarvisartstudio.com.
Eighteen metal street-side traffic boxes have been covered in artworks featuring sunflowers. The artworks consist of vinyl graphics designed to cover the boxes, which contain wiring and equipment that control traffic signals.
The artists each brought a distinct style to the artwork, but each kept the required sunflower theme in mind in their designs.
Artists selected were Maureen Clark of Columbus; Amber Apel of Hilliard; Mimi Ferrari-Ninde of Hilliard; Samuel Dixon of Silver Springs, Maryland; Juan Daza of Hilliard; Jennifer Geiger of Kingsport, Tennessee; Erin Birum of Columbus; Abeer Abo-Shihata of Hilliard; Noelle Hampton, Hilliard; Carol Gregory, Columbus; Miranda Gray, Columbus; Karen Lowry, Urbana; Lori Engler, Columbus; Martha Thomas Columbus; Collaboration of Westerwood Artists, Columbus; Katie Hofacker, Columbus; Donna Estep, Galloway; and Greg Strouse, Hilliard.
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These mobile murals at the Clyde “Butch” Seidle Community Pool were created by Hilliard Middle and High School students.
The art, created in partnership with teachers and students at Hilliard City Schools, changes each summer.
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