November 3, 2023

Newport, PA—Perry County Council of the Arts (PCCA) is pleased to announce it has received $5,000 from the Partnership for Better Health to support a cooperative creative placemaking project between PCCA, the Perry County Economic Development Authority (PCEDA) and the Millerstown borough to install a work of public art that engages the local community and highlights key natural assets.

Millerstown community members and the students at Greenwood High School will work with ceramic artist Karen Beall to create and install a tile mosaic on the Grave Street underpass that connects downtown Millerstown to the river trail and Millerstown Community Park.

About Karen Beall
Karen Rich Beall was born and raised in West Palm Beach, Florida. After earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Ceramics from the University of Florida in 1986, Beall moved to New York City and worked as a studio assistant, wood restorer, and Circulation Director for Artforum Magazine while pursuing her own artwork. In 1992 Beall left New York to attend graduate school at the University of Tennessee, where she received her Master of Fine Arts degree in Sculpture in 1995. Beall then moved to Atlanta where she worked as the Public Art Assistant for the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games. She also worked for several years at the Fulton County Arts Council as the Public Art Coordinator. In 2002, Beall and husband Michael Pittari moved to Pennsylvania where Pittari accepted a full-time teaching position. Beall currently teaches Ceramics, Sculpture and Environmental Art as an adjunct instructor of art at Lebanon Valley College and lives in Mount Gretna with her husband, son, daughter, dog and two cats. She established krb ceramics in the summer of 2015. Her work can be seen at www.krbceramics.com.

About the Partnership for Better Health
The Partnership for Better Health is a nonprofit community foundation that works collaboratively with key stakeholders throughout all of Perry County and parts of Cumberland, Adams and Franklin Counties to positively influence the lives of our neighbors. In concert with local and regional organizations, we seek to promote responsible health practices and enhance access to affordable, quality health care for all. Through community investment, engagement and good stewardship, we foster sustainable solutions to some of today’s toughest health challenges. We are making a difference — together.

For more information on other programs & services provided by the Perry County Council of the Arts (PCCA), please call 717-567-7023 or visit www.perrycountyarts.org. PCCA receives state arts funding support through a grant from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, a state agency funded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency. Additional support comes from a growing list of members, and numerous corporations and private foundations throughout Central Pennsylvania.

September 6, 2023

Newport, PA—Perry County Council of the Arts (PCCA) is pleased to announce it has received $2,500 from the PPL Foundation to support a cooperative creative placemaking project between PCCA, the Perry County Economic Development Authority (PCEDA) and the county’s nine boroughs to install works of public art that engage the local community and highlight key assets, local history and culture.

New Buffalo will be getting a new buffalo! Designed and sculpted by Harrisburg-based artist Jason Lyons, the large-scale buffalo will be formed of found metal objects including, but not limited to fenders from tractors or other vehicles, car hoods, patinaed sheet metal, gears, engine parts, plow disks, bike or motorcycle chains, and more. To view a longer list, please visit perrycountyarts.org/public art. Community members interested in donating items may contact Lyons at 717-810-9876.

New Buffalo celebrates its Bicentennial this year and will hold a special event downtown on Saturday, September 30 from noon to 4 p.m. Jason Lyons and PCEDA will be present during the day to answer questions about the project.

About Jason Lyons
Some of my earliest memories are of trips out “Junk” hunting with my father and of spending summers traveling the art show circuits in the family’s red VW bus. This and a childhood spent in the outdoors have played a large part in influencing my inspirations and mediums I sculpt in. My formal education, as well as much of my daily life, revolves around art. I excel in areas that focus 3D sculpting from reclaimed objects consisting of primarily wood and metal, augmented with, well, whatever else I can find. To me, it is the organic nature of many of these man-made objects that serves as a natural inspiration for me and transforms themselves to the organic figures I create.

About the PPL Foundation
The PPL Foundation is an independent, nonprofit organization formed to support community initiatives in the areas served by PPL Corporation’s utilities. Through strategic partnerships, the PPL Foundation supports nonprofit organizations that are engaged in innovative and groundbreaking work to create vibrant, sustainable communities; advance diversity, equity and inclusion; and support children’s success from cradle to career in both Pennsylvania and Rhode Island. Learn more at pplcares.com.

For more information on other programs & services provided by the Perry County Council of the Arts (PCCA), please call 717-567-7023 or visit www.perrycountyarts.org. PCCA receives state arts funding support through a grant from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, a state agency funded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency. Additional support comes from a growing list of members, and numerous corporations and private foundations throughout Central Pennsylvania.

Desired items for possible inclusion in the buffalo sculpture:

Fenders from tractors or other vehicles
Tractor or car hoods hoods/other body parts
(just nicely patinaed old sheet metal)
Any kind of gears
Engine parts: crank shafts, pistons etc.
Old plow disks
Old harrows
Misc. field/farm equipment
Chrome hub caps or car bumpers
Hood ornaments or chrome body trim
Bicycle or motorcycle parts or frames for body structure
Bicycle rims
Vintage lawn furniture
Old bike or motorcycle chains (for hair on the Buffalo’s head)
Or even blades off chain saws

The Newport Veterans Mural is a co-creation of the Newport High School art class and visiting artist in residence Jon Laidacker of Philadelphia, with the support of art teacher Jessica Barlup and the Newport High School staff and administration, and through the Arts-in-Residency program of the Perry County Council of the Arts. PCCA is an Arts in Education Partner of the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts. Nearly 100 community members of all ages also helped paint the mural during Youth Art Day in 2017.

In the students’ own words, “we really tried to capture the essence of our veterans and their legacy….the watch is intended to signify the passage of time, as the overall theme of this piece is unifying the past, present, and future…The butterflies not only add an attractive appeal to the portraits, but are actually a symbol of eternal life as well as transformation. We were also attempting to tie in the rural aspects of our community in order to connect the mural to its viewer.” The items in the foreground and the uniform are meant to represent our military’s branches.

The models on the right are VFW Newport veteran Chris Gross and his two grandchildren. His granddaughter wears his uniform with love, respect, and admiration. The Newport students considered the children to represent themselves as students.

The man represented in the photo at left is William H. Saylor, who was killed in battle at Bouresches, France during World War I. The VFW post in Newport is named in his honor.

The mural was formally honored on Saturday, July 8, 2017.

We thank our generous financial supporters of this project:
Pennsylvania Council on the Arts
VFW Post 34 of Newport
Newport American Legion Post 177
The Lotus Fund of the Perry County Community Foundation, a regional foundation of the Foundation for Enhancing Communities, on behalf of Meredith and Matthew Schuler

Perry County Council of the Arts’ (PCCA) Quilt Mural Trail is a newly expanded loop of 29 8’x8’ painted quilts mounted on barns along Perry, Juniata and, NOW Mifflin, county roadways! Students from each county participated in this Arts-in-Education project, which began in 2012.

Six years in the making, the Quilt Mural Trail is a symbol of cultural identity, community pride and artistic exuberance, connecting the county to its rich history and folk art tradition. Under the mentorship of quilting artist-in-residence Denise Hoke, students participated in a cross-curricular initiative to create this community project. Combining history, geometry and art, the students researched, designed and painted each quilt with great care and pride.

Quilt Mural residencies were made possible by the Cultural Enrichment Fund, the Robert H. and Beverly Utley Fowler Family Foundation, the Perry County Community Foundation of the Foundation for Enhancing Communities, East Juniata, Greenwood, Juniata, Mifflin County, Newport, Susquenita and West Perry School Districts; the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts; Bella Vista Massage and Spa; Brookmere Winery; The Juniata Cultural Arts Committee, and Harriet Magee; and through the Educational Improvement Tax Credit Program: American Sentinel Insurance Co.; Davis Vision; Dumor, Inc.; PNC Bank; FNB Mifflintown (Pennian Bank); First National Bank of PA; Eichelbergers, Inc.; Orrstown Bank; Riverview Bank; United Concordia; Brookmere Winery and John and Laura Jean Podganjy.

Schools and community organizations who are interested in creating their own Quilt Murals are invited to contact PCCA at 717-567-7023 or pcca@perrycountyarts.org.

Download a Trail Map

Quilt Mural Trail maps are also available at the PCCA Gallery, One S. Second Street, Newport.

(Not currently on display)

About Art Uplifts

Enjoy an uplifting outdoor exhibit and slip away from the stress and worry. You’ll find encouraging artwork created by PCCA member artists and youth, printed on durable outdoor signs, and displayed on local greens and walking trails at parks.

• Developed by Perry County Council of the Arts in 2020 to safely display artwork and engage viewers in unexpected places.
• Presents inspiring imagery and uplifting messaging.
• Contributes to the stewardship of public parks.
• Generates awareness of local artists.
• Cultivates positive comments and conversations across social media.
• After the exhibit season, signs are gifted to the artists. Any unclaimed signs rotate to community and PCCA events.

About the Signs

• Each sign presents an original work of art on one side by student, adult and senior contributors.
• Featured artwork has been created by member artists of PCCA and by student artists from Perry County schools.
• The reverse side introduces the contributing artist, and includes a positive quote, poem or message.