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1001 Colors Apprentice Ellie on Growth, Voice, and Public Art
Since 1996, 1001 Colors (formerly ArtWorks) has played a meaningful role in shaping Cincinnati’s creative landscape.
Through paid opportunities, mentorship, and hands‑on public art projects, we have supported more than 3,500 professional artists and 4,200 young people ages 14–24, helping them build skills, confidence, and pathways into creative careers.
Our approach invests directly in the local creative economy. By pairing professional artists with diverse teams of youth, 1001 Colors creates real jobs while supporting the development of essential 21st‑century skills, from collaboration and communication to problem‑solving and leadership. The result is public art that reflects both artistic excellence and community connection.
Hear directly from Ellie, a returning 1001 Colors Apprentice, as she reflects on her experience contributing to a large‑scale public art project and what it meant to see her voice, and the voices of other young artists, reflected in the work.
Last summer, Ellie was part of the team that helped bring Numbers and Trees: Cincinnati Cottonwoods, a mural by artist Charles Gaines, to life. Working alongside professional artists and peers, she gained real‑world experience contributing to a large‑scale public artwork while learning what it means to collaborate, problem‑solve, and show up as a creative professional.
“The mural behind me was a whole different kind of journey,” Ellie shares. “It was intense and challenging, inspiring, and unforgettable. It taught me intention, how every gray half‑inch line I painted mattered.”
Working within Charles Gaines’ grid‑based system offered Ellie insight into how art, structure, and meaning intersect. As she explains in the video, Gaines’ work uses structure not just as a visual tool, but as a way to examine systems.
“His work reveals how structure can either uphold justice or hide injustice,” she says.
Being trusted with a project of that scale made a lasting impression. For Ellie, the experience affirmed that young artists have a voice and that their work can belong to something larger than themselves.
“Being trusted with a project of this scale and importance showed me that my voice, and the voices of many other youth like me, are being heard,” she reflects. “It doesn’t just belong to me or to 1001 Colors. It belongs to this wonderful neighborhood of Walnut Hills.”
The mural reflects the heart, culture, and future of the community it lives in. Knowing her work might uplift someone else, especially another young artist, is what Ellie describes as truly empowering.
This year, Ellie returns to 1001 Colors to continue building her skills and deepen her impact through public art. Her experience reflects the purpose of 1001 Colors’ youth programs: creating space for young people to learn by doing, contribute meaningfully to their communities, and see their creativity take shape in public spaces across the city.
Support Rising Artists
Stories like Ellie’s are made possible by a community that believes in creativity as a pathway to opportunity. By contributing to 1001 Colors’ Rising Artists, you help ensure young people have access to paid creative jobs, mentorship, and transformative experiences that prepare them for successful careers in the arts and beyond.