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Creating Connections Through Public Art: Meet Paige
Public Art has the power to bring people, histories, and ideas together. Through paid opportunities and hands‑on creative work, 1001 Colors supports young artists as they explore what it means to contribute to public space, collaborate with professionals, and imagine creative careers.
Paige, a 1001 Colors Apprentice, worked on a public art installation designed by artist Rebecca Nava Soto that will be installed at the Duke Energy Convention Center. The project is one of three 1001 Colors works heading to the space and reflects a larger theme of convergence.
Hear directly from Paige in the video as she shares her experience working on this installation and what being a 1001 Colors Apprentice has meant to her.
The installation’s design is rooted in the idea of convergence, bringing together histories, cultures, and communities. As Paige shares, Rebecca Nava Soto’s concept draws from studies of the American cliffs and the genetic histories of Cincinnati’s population, including Native and Indigenous communities, weaving those narratives into a unified visual language.
“Rebecca really wanted us to put the theme of convergence into her design,” Paige explains. “She wanted to take the genetic history of all of the population of Cincinnati and turn it into a design that brings all of those histories and cultures together.”
Paige was drawn to the Apprentice Program through her interest in accessible public art. She describes how seeing art embedded into everyday spaces helped clarify what she could imagine for her own future.
“I realized I really wanted to continue creating work for accessible public art,” she says. “I loved the fact that there were these spaces where anybody could access and see these beautiful works of art, this immersion into our everyday lives.”
Working on the installation offered more than technical experience. Paige highlights the value of collaborating with artists and designers who have built careers centered on public projects, and the importance of understanding the intention behind each piece.
“All of these projects have so much meaning behind them,” she shares. “Whether it’s about our history as a city or our hopes for the future, that’s really special.”
The process itself was both challenging and rewarding. Paige describes the empowerment that comes from working through a project step by step and eventually seeing it take shape.
“It feels very overwhelming at the beginning,” she explains. “Then you work on it bit by bit, and suddenly you can start seeing it come together. That’s really inspiring and meaningful.”
For Paige, the opportunity also made the possibility of a creative career feel tangible. Learning directly from Rebecca Nava Soto and seeing a design move from concept to permanent installation reframed what art could look like as a profession.
“She really showed you that you can do this as your life if you want to,” Paige says. “You can make these large projects that live permanently in public spaces.”
Her experience reflects the heart of 1001 Colors’ youth programs: creating space for young artists to explore creativity, build professional skills, and contribute to work that benefits communities.
Support Rising Artists
Paige’s story is one of many made possible through community support. By investing in 1001 Colors’ Rising Artists, you help ensure young people have access to paid creative opportunities, mentorship, and real‑world public art experience.