“Paint a Mural Camp” brings community together through art

“Murals bring art right out into the public domain and involve people who may not always think about the environment they live in and what can be done in and for it and themselves and their neighbors.”

Joe Prescher, the artist behind the Oxford Hive Mural on High Street, is hosting the “Paint a Mural Camp” from Aug. 4-8. At 1:30 p.m., in the Art Education Room at The Oxford Community Arts Center (OCAC), Prescher will help kids between the ages of 9 and 15 train their artistic skills.

During each three-hour session, Prescher aims to teach students about the history of murals and their long-term significance.

“Mural work is a fantastic way for artwork to help create community and enliven the local  culture,” Prescher said. “It’s a very fun way to engage and express on a community level.”

The camp will begin with basic drawing and design. These drawings and designs will then be transferred to an image that will be placed on a wall in the Dance Studio at OCAC. Here, the campers will focus on painting over the design on the wall for the remainder of the camp.

Prescher has been teaching at OCAC for around 12 years, where he holds drawing workshops. 

“I came here in 2011 and I’ve been trying to get some public art in this town,” Prescher said.

Prescher is an Oxford resident and was recognized as Citizen of the Year in 2024, largely because of his artistic work in Oxford and around Southwestern Ohio.

Prescher is currently working on a mural at the 4-H facility in Liberty, Indiana and is an active supporter and artist at the OCAC.