“These people are so humble. … My goodness! Millions of dollars have been poured into Licking County by folks who could have chosen to live anywhere, Instead, they’re choosing to invest in a community. It’s special, for sure, that we have people who are highly interested in providing a brighter future for us all.”
Look up. While the meticulously placed bricks in downtown Newark’s sidewalks and the treelined paths throughout Granville are beautiful, look up. The worry of the day might be heavy on your mind, and your thoughts might be a million miles away from where you stand; maybe in a different city, maybe in a different decade. But in the moment, you’re here. You’re in Licking County, passing warm, welcoming residents and adventurous, daring visitors. You’re passing stunning and thought-provoking art, crafted right here by artists who were influenced by the beauty that exists around you, waiting to be noticed.
But when we talk about the arts in the county, we don’t just mean recent art, like the provocative billboard installations seen in 2017 from Denison University, the Licking County Foundation and the Ohio Arts Council. We don’t just mean the historic and incredible Louis Sullivan Bank Building, which stands tall and proud, even as it undergoes vital renovations. We mean all of it; the passionate performances that grace Pataskala’s Sterling Theater stage, the works that adorn the Bryn Du Art Center walls. Even the Newark Earthworks, created by indigenous peoples more than a thousand years ago, which command awe, introspection and respect.
Licking County native Jake McCoy decided to pull inspiration from the journeys of those indigenous peoples for his own journey. But to start things off, who could turn down some energy to begin the day? So, McCoy started at the Coffee Shack Coffee Roasters & Cafe LLC, the delightfully cozy coffee shop where you feel more like you’re walking into mom’s kitchen than a local coffee joint. But coffee doesn’t sit well on an empty stomach, so next McCoy and friend Haylee Ayers set out for McKenna’s Market in Newark. No matter the excuse, there’s always time for a good deli sandwich and locally made treats.
With lunch taken care of, it’s time to head to a place that’s been frequented by Licking County visitors and residents since long before the region was ever called Licking County. The unique opportunities to get away without leaving the county aren’t lost on McCoy, who enjoys kayaking whenever he finds the time. With the dazzling Licking River just a short drive away from most Licking County residents’ homes, kayaking is the perfect way to practice the art of looking up. “We are blessed to have some scenic creeks and rivers here in Licking County. You can certainly attain the peaceful tranquility that nature provides without being hours away from home,” McCoy says. “Quite often, we take for granted those things that are so close to us.”
The couple set off on a portion of the south fork of the Licking River, dropping their kayak at River View Park. The river, which stretches through the entire county, is serene as you float under train trestles, fallen trees and high cliffs. The sun shines through the leaves above you, creating mesmerizing shadows on the water and your skin. The soothing sounds of rustling trees and rushing water blanket you, and your trance is only broken by the occasional bird taking flight. For just a moment, you feel you’re the only person on earth.
For just a moment, you feel like you’ve discovered some unknown world. For a moment, those indigenous peoples of the Hopewell culture don’t seem so foreign after all. Though the people of the Hopewell culture have been gone for quite some time, there are residents today who still pay homage to their scientific and artistic ingenuity, as some of the earliest devotees of science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics.
Just stop by one of the Flint Ridge Knap-Ins and see for yourself. You might bump into McCoy himself as you watch expert knappers create arrowheads just as indigenous peoples once did more than 2,000 years ago. So, after pulling their kayak from the river and reacclimating to solid ground, McCoy and Ayers headed to the knap-in to create and learn. “It’s a special group of people. There is a wealth of knowledge that is held by the folks at the knap-in,” McCoy says. “They’re so willing and interested to share their skills by teaching folks to knap, and by passing on the history and the heritage of that world.”
McCoy is not new to the knap-in, so taking a look back into Licking County’s history before moving forward was the perfect way to begin winding down his journey. Though McCoy was born and raised in Licking County and now lives in the heart of Newark, he briefly lived in Kentucky then California. After about five years away from the county, he decided it was time to come home. He’s since been back for about three years and has been excited to watch the evolution happening around him.
McCoy and Ayers next headed off to do a different form of creating. Ayers, a professional photographer; and McCoy, a professional musician; are no strangers to forging art, but this time they used not a camera nor a guitar, but plants and soil. Off to Wilson’s Garden Center, they went to design succulent arrangements. Testing out a new art at Wilson’s is comfortable, especially for McCoy, who has known the owners for a long while.
McCoy and Ayers chose their color schemes, plants, soil, and planters to curate a piece of living art. And though the two are both artistically motivated, creating doesn’t require some innate talent or natural gift. It just takes the simple act of caring and looking for help. And in Licking County, everyone is willing to help. You’ve just got to – you guessed it – look up. “These fields where people could spend their whole lives attaining knowledge and insight to what works well and, again, they were just very generous and willing to share their knowledge,” McCoy says. “It’s just great whenever you’re dealing with some kind of specialty class like this – plants or flint knapping – I think that the folks who pulled that knowledge get really excited when they have folks that are interested in learning.” McCoy says he doesn’t just see this willingness to share knowledge in the arts community. He sees it in seasoned professionals in every community throughout the county, and that’s certainly something special.
