Alumna’s art studio celebrates 20 years of bringing color, joy, opportunity to Athens
Patty Mitchell, founder and executive director of Passion Works Studio, is all smiles in the collaborative community arts center she opened 20 years ago. Photo by Max Catalano
There are few moments in life that define us—that confirm the path we are on, that inspire the vision for our future and that, ultimately, determine our contribution to the world.
For Patty Mitchell, BFA ’87, MFA ’91, one of her defining moments came 30 years ago when, as an Ohio University undergraduate, she was a resident volunteer at what was then known as the Athens Mental Health Center, now known as The Ridges. It was a moment that not only defined her future but the future of the spirit of Athens. It was a moment that, 10 years later, fueled the opening of Passion Works Studio, a collaborative community art center designed to bring color, joy and opportunity to the OHIO and Athens communities.
“I saw the power of creating and connecting early on,” Mitchell said of her experience at the mental health center where in exchange for room and board she engaged in activities with the center’s residents. “I saw people literally coming to life when they were a part of something. It’s all about connection, purpose and belonging. If we have those three things, we thrive.”
Determined to stay in Athens after graduation, Mitchell taught at the University, then became an artist-in-residence with the Ohio Arts Council. Through an Ohio Arts Council grant, Mitchell started an experimental art studio at Atco, Athens County’s sheltered workshop that served as a supportive work environment for people with developmental disabilities.
Mitchell’s art studio programming brought spontaneity, creativity and a sense of community to the workshop. In 1998, Passion Works Studio was established. Today, the studio is located, appropriately, near the heart of Athens, in the former Magic Video space on East State Street.
Stephanie Robinson, production manager and volunteer coordinator at Passion Works Studio, works with one of the center’s artists, Dar Whitlatch. Photo by Max Catalano
“We started making art, and I fell in love with it,” Mitchell said. “That was 20 years ago.”
Passion Works Studio provides a venue for individuals of all abilities to work side by side in the creation of art and fellowship. Some artists, Mitchell said, have frequented the studio for the past 20 years, but there are always new individuals as well, including the countless Ohio University students who have experienced the power of Passion Works over the years.
According to Mitchell, OHIO students collaborate with the center’s artists on everything from puppet-making and creating art to producing some of the studio’s several products that feature those pieces of art. A new OHIO student organization, Students with Passion Works, seeks to support the mission of the center by maintaining involvement with the studio and its artists. And, today the center is even hosting a few Ohio University classes, including a printmaking course and service-learning course.
“I love our community and how we have these natural supports for each other and celebrate each other’s successes,” Mitchell said. “We partner with other nonprofits. We partner with the University. We’re stronger together, and that is our wealth down here. It’s how we create a culture that we want to live in.”
It’s a culture that can be seen throughout the OHIO and Athens communities—in everything from the fountain outside the Athens Community Center and the winning float in this year’s Homecoming Parade to the thousands of Passion Flowers that can be found in homes, offices and businesses around world. Deemed the official flower of Athens, approximately 27,000 Passion Flowers have been sold over the years, including through The Bobcat Store, the official online store of the OHIO Alumni Association, which sells OHIO-themed Passion Flowers.
And, it’s a culture that is rippling far beyond Athens as Mitchell and Susan Dlouhy, Passion Works’ operations director, have traveled the country assisting organizations in setting up programs similar to the studio’s model.
“Our mission is world domination through love and thinking differently,” Mitchell said. “We are dedicated to helping anybody or any organization interested in turning any institutional space into creative spaces and community-centric places.”
As Passion Works Studio rounds out its 20th year, Ohio University’s Kennedy Museum of Art, located at The Ridges, is celebrating the occasion with an exhibit titled, “A Story of Flying: 20 Years of Passion Works.” The exhibit, which runs through Dec. 16, brings the story of Passion Works back to the place where Mitchell first imagined it.
“(Patty) has dedicated herself to Athens and making it her home,” said Dlouhy. “As a result, she’s transformed the community with all of the work she had done.”