Be a part of 'Pieces of Sandusky'

Editor's note: Darian Shepherd is a local artist who works under his business brand, UNDRSTR — pronounced like "under-star" — which specializes in merchandising and design services. He's overseen some community-focused art projects and brought attention to one happening next week: SANDUSKY — As summer winds down and we head into fall, we're gearing up for another live session, and I wanted to make the community more aware of the project. It's called "Pieces of Sandusky," a growing, community-driven mosaic mural project that was officially approved by Sandusky's public arts and culture commission earlier this year. This large-scale public art piece will consist of 200 individual hand-painted panels, each created by local artists, students and residents. The mural is a visual celebration of Sandusky's identity, memories and spirit — told through the eyes of the people who call it home. The vision "Pieces of Sandusky" is a collective expression of our shoreline city. The completed mural will stretch 8-by-16 and feature: • A stylized map and silhouette of the city • A bold "Sandusky" skyline title • Up to 200 panels painted by residents, capturing personal stories, imagery and symbolism It aims to inspire civic pride, creative collaboration and local arts leadership. The ultimate goal is to build bridges between artists, students and residents with the greater hope of laying the foundation for more long-term creative initiatives through the Sandusky Bay Arts Collective. Want to go? We're attaching our next live painting session to the last Sandusky Sunset Celebration from 8:20-9:20 p.m. on Wednesday at Jackson Street Pier in downtown Sandusky. I'll be out there from 7:30-9:30 p.m. so people can stop by and create anytime between then. We're inviting local artists, youth and creatives of all levels to join us and paint live on site or take home a panel to complete and return. All supplies are provided, and participants are guided through the vision of the mural with light technique instruction. So far, we've completed about 50 panels, many of which were painted during the Beats by the Bay Festival in May. But we're still looking to involve more local creatives and partners to help finish this special piece of Sandusky history. What's next? As we move into the fall, I plan to partner with Sandusky Schools, offering students a chance to contribute to the mural, especially in the bottom section of the piece, symbolizing "We Are the Future of the City." This project is a chance to highlight the power of young voices and foster long-term creative mentorship.