OHuddle unveils 'Odyssey Mural,' a 600-foot augmented reality art project in Wooster

A ribbon cutting on Aug. 25 celebrated the launch of OHuddle’s newest community project: a 600-foot augmented reality mural in downtown Wooster.

Located on the back of the historic Newberry Building at 149 E. Liberty St., the "Odyssey Mural: The Art of Mentorship" is hard to miss — especially for those standing on the steps of the Wooster Post Office. At more than half the length of a city block, the mural is one of fewer than five AR murals in the entire state of Ohio and is part of the America 250-Ohio: Statewide Mural Recognition Program.

The project was spearheaded by OHuddle mentees, who not only created the patterns, but also helped shape the digital animations that bring the mural to life. Viewers are invited to scan the QR code on the accompanying plaque and hover their phone cameras over the artwork to see it animate in real time.

“Every child deserves adults celebrating their talent,” OHuddle Executive Director Sara Reith said. “We think of the mural as a sort of community fridge where mentee art is continually featured and recognized. The animations will evolve over time as new mentees contribute their work.”

The mural was made possible through sponsorships from the Ohio Arts Council and the Wayne County Community Foundation, as well as the collaborative efforts of numerous in-kind community partners such as the Wayne Center for the Arts and Main Street Wooster. More than 300 hours of mentorship were invested in the project, connecting young artists with seasoned mentors, professional designers and tech experts.

Aniyah Odenkirk, a seventh grade artist from Triway, participated in the ribbon cutting. Of her contribution to the project, she said, “Participating in the mural was a lot of fun. I also got to spend time with other friends from OHuddle.”

The mural space is hosted by the Rose Company, designed by Wild Daughters and coded for AR functionality by College of Wooster students through an AMRE project.

Wooster Chamber President Samira Zimmerly began the ceremony with a call to action for volunteer adult mentors.

“One of the most impactful things you can do in the community is to dedicate time to our youth,” she said.

Main Street Wooster Executive Director Shannon Waller represented the mural as the endcap of the emerging Wooster Arts District. Richard Storck, the AMRE team, Reith, artist Crystal Madrilejos and Mayor Bob Reynolds secured the ribbon, cut by building owner Mike Rose.

Following the ribbon cutting, the public was invited to experience the mural firsthand, access OHuddle mentor Seo Conrad’s food truck and visit the Lyric Theater for a free ticket to the Disney movie “Soul.” This mentor-themed film was sponsored by the Andrus Family Youth Service Project to celebrate the local youth whose creativity made the mural possible.

Organizers said the mural represents more than public art; it’s a living, growing testament to the power of mentorship and creative community partnerships.

One youth artist said, “It’s pretty cool; I’m famous now.”

A video preview of the project is available online, offering a glimpse into the artwork and the stories behind them. Visit www.ohuddle.org/mural for more information and details about how to become a mentor.