Morgan County Community of the Arts: Bringing Creativity to Morgan County

Submitted by the Morgan County Community of the Arts

The Morgan County Community of the Arts is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting the arts in Morgan County. When the Howard Chandler Christy Art Guild disbanded in 2006, Dr. Richard Wetzel and Don Mason founded the MCCA to carry on artistic endeavors in Morgan County.

Dr. Richard Wetzel was from Chesterhill in Morgan County, Ohio, and was a Professor

Emeritus of music history at Ohio University in Athens, Ohio, until his death in 2023. Dr.

Wetzel’s passion lay in classical music, which he wanted to be accessible to residents

of Morgan County. Dr. Wetzel recruited Dr. Jose Rocha from OU to teach violin and

other string instruments to the people of Morgan County, which led to the creation of a

group called ARCO Strings- ARCO is an Italian term meaning “with the bow,” urging

string players to use their bow instead of plucking their strings.

ARCO Strings held classes in the basement of the Church of Gospel Ministry in

McConnelsville, where they still practice today, with a current class of 17 members

across all ages. The group has semi-annual recitals at the church, which are free and

open to the public, where they perform seasonal and classical music. ARCO Strings has

also performed at Morris Hardware on Main Street in McConnelsville and hopes to

expand more in the future.

Don Mason is from Cleveland, Ohio, but has been a longtime resident of Morgan

County. Mason is a true artistic visionary, specializing in abstract watercolor depictions

of daily life. Mason is dedicated to inspiring people to pursue art, even those who

wouldn’t normally consider themselves artistic. One of these endeavors is the Art in the

Alley project, where MCCA provides a blank canvas and acrylic paints to those willing to

try painting. These creations are displayed in the alley and garden surrounding the

Evelyn True Button House and the alley behind Morris Hardware in McConnelsville.

There are no limits to engage in this project- participants ranged from ages 2 to 92! The

artwork hangs for six weeks, perfectly placed in downtown McConnelsville and available

for purchase afterward.

The primary fundraising for MCCA is window painting for small businesses in

McConnelsville, typically for holidays or big events like the Honey Hop. These window

paintings are big projects that bring all members of MCCA together, supported by

Morgan County’s local businesses.

Outside of fundraising and art activities, MCCA is supporting other community

endeavors. MCCA has partnered with local nonprofit Morgan Community Support and

Solutions to sponsor three interns over three years, resulting in murals at the

McConnelsville Community Garden and alley next to Morris Hardware. MCCA also

sponsored a monetary prize of $175 for the Fine Arts category at the Morgan County

Fair’s Floral Hall display.

Other community art endeavors include collaborating with Old Bridge Brewing Company

to use their event space for monthly instructional Paint and Sip workshops. Themes

range from watercolor and wool felting to Zentangle art and paint-your-pet portraits!

The main objective of the MCCA is still the same mission of the founders, Dr. Richard

Wetzel and Don Mason: promote the love of art to everybody in Morgan County through

accessibility and acceptance. MCCA believes everybody holds an artistic gift, and they

aim to provide a safe space to create and express without judgment.

MCCA couldn’t carry out this mission without the help of the people and small

businesses of Morgan County, including Morris Hardware, Kate Love Simpson Library,

Galen Finley, the Church of Gospel Ministry, and Old Bridge Brewing Company.