“Proud to serve those who serve.”
These are the words painted onto the latest mural by Scott Hagan, “The Barn Artist”.
Previously, America 250-Ohio has joined forces with Hagan to create stunning barn murals at various locations around Ohio. Examples include the mural on the Rice Farm and the mural in Fremont. The latter is part of the Sandusky County Barn Mural Trail and you can read about it here.
Who is The Barn Artist?
Beyond his work with America 250-Ohio, Hagan has a long history of painting barn murals for a variety of other causes. Each of his pieces has been unique; for example, he has done murals of historical figures, places and symbols. Click to see Hagan’s entire collection of past murals.
Now comes the latest unique addition to the Barn Artist’s portfolio of American history murals.
The Latest Addition: American Nitrile
This time, we’re excited to share that Hagan has taken on an all-new project for American Nitrile, a manufacturer and provider of medical and lab globes for use in settings related to healthcare, government and industry. A shortage of these essential items during the pandemic led to the company’s inception.
American Nitrile unveiled the mural at their 2nd Annual Smokin’ Hot Wing and Music Fest, held earlier this month on Saturday, September 14, 2024. American Nitrile chose Wing Fest for the unveiling since it is a community event where Columbus residents can come together to celebrate and have fun.
Todd Kleismit (left and top right), Grove City Mayor Ike Stage (top right) and Grove City Junior ROTC (bottom right) at Wing Fest.
It’s one of American Nitrile’s ongoing philanthropic efforts in community support and corporate responsibility. Their gloves are already one way they practice this, ensuring less waste during production. The gloves are for medical first responders, and they provide this critical PPE to veteran hospitals across the country. It’s for this reason they recognize the struggles many veterans have, and why their goal with the mural is to honor veterans by bringing attention to the service and sacrifices they have given.
“We really want to give back,” says American Nitrile’s Founder and CEO Jacob Block, as he explains how the company takes pride in the mural and how the proceeds go to charities for veterans.
American Nitrile’s overarching goal is to bring jobs to Ohio, highly valuing their US-based production. That’s why they emphasize their appreciation for America and its veterans in anticipation of the country’s 250th anniversary
The mural depicts an open pair of hands with an American Flag in the middle. The sleeves are camouflage, alluding to the importance of military service. The mural’s words, “Proud to serve those who serve.” clearly express the meaning of the piece. On either side of the hands are the logos of American Nitrile and America 250-Ohio.
Hagan masterfully transformed the initial concept into a beautiful, large-scale mural that could never be done justice without seeing it in-person for yourself.
You can find the mural at American Nitrile’s headquarters in Grove City, Columbus, located at 3500 Southwest Blvd. Make sure to look out for it if you’re ever driving by!
The mural is the third in a series of America 250-Ohio barn and public murals painted by Scott Hagan to celebrate this milestone. To learn more about Hagan and find his other murals, such as his work for the Ohio Bicentennial, take a look at his website at barnartist.com or find him on Facebook.