By Cecil Giltz
Lifetimes staff writer
Robert "Bob" Kirkpatrick, resident technician and house manager at "227 Place," recently unveiled his mural, "227 Sunrise," which hangs in the living room of the Coleman Professional Services' supported living facility in Ravenna.
According to the artist, he invested nearly 80 hours of actual painting brushwork in the piece, including two months of drying and down time.
Although he has been drawing for as long as he can remember, his first mural was painted on the floor of the Small Arms Workshop of the U.S. Army base at Fort Knox, Ky., where he was stationed after joining the Army at age 24.
After he grew up in Warrensville Heights, the military afforded Kirkpatrick the opportunity to travel the world, taking him from Kentucky and Hawaii to Japan, Saudi Arabia and Iraq.
As a combat veteran he served in Desert Storm and was decorated with several medals, including the National Defense Service Medal, Kuwait Liberation Medal, and the Southwest Asia Service Medal with a Bronze Service Star.
After his honorable discharge from the service, he returned stateside to a variety of jobs. Inspired by the works of Robert Wyland, marine painter, and the landscape painting television instruction of Bob Ross, Kirkpatrick began taking his painting seriously.
"I paint in oils exclusively because I mix many of my colors right on the canvases. The long drying time allows for effective blending of colors for highlights and shadows," he said. "My styles include surrealism, expressionism and impressionism."
He has shown his work in several local art shows through Coleman Professional Services and the Portage County "Jail Diversion" program. He also attended Charlen Satrom's "Brush With Adventure" seminars offered by McKay Bricker Gallery and Framing in Kent and displayed his work at the seminar show.
The recent mural unveiling and reception attracted several Coleman Professional Services team members, including Nelson Burns, president and chief executive officer; Sandy Meyers, vice president and chief clinical officer; Bob Stokes, vice president and chief operating officer; Dave Holland, director of operations; Edith Todd, psychologist/therapist; Elizabeth Reynolds, chief officer of residential services; Shon Edmison; Cara Michalak; Deb Carl; Theresa Moffett; Sally Kandel, board president and associate vice president at Kent State University; and Chris Olson, Coleman Residential Services health and safety team leader.
During Kirkpatrick's remarks, he gave special thanks for the encouragement and support of Reynolds and Olson, as well as Connie Sisco, Portage County Jail inmate services coordinator, and Cindy Blevins of Portage Metropolitan Housing Authority.
Holland and Stokes were thanked for getting his paintings hung and making housing repairs in time for the reception.
Also attending were Matt Slater, manager of the Freedom House Program, and Ryan Everett of Freedom House.
As the resident technician with Coleman Residential Services, Kirkpatrick assists residents in their day-to-day living skills as well as insuring and maintaining a stable, safe, stress-free environment for the clients and the process of their rehabilitation. He makes sure that the house meets the weekly health and safety inspections Coleman conducts.
His job as house manager with PMHA, the landlord, includes basic maintenance and upkeep of the house and property and making sure that the house meets PMHA health and safety standards.
Coleman Residential Services, a division of Coleman Professional Services, provides safe, affordable, well-maintained, quality housing, along with access to mental health and substance abuse services, for Portage County residents with severe and persistent mental illness. The goal for the residents is to achieve recovery and full independence in living.
Coleman works with landlords, such as PMHA, to place additional people in apartments and housing not owned by Coleman.
Kirkpatrick said to the gathering, "My purpose in donating my artwork is to thank PMHA for its assistance and to help bring awareness to the community of the need for public support for the mental health programs being offered through Coleman Professional Services. It is also in support of Coleman's ongoing mission to provide assistance to people with mental illness who are in need."
Kirkpatrick had several of his works on display in addition to the mural. He also encouraged one of the residents at 227 Place to show some of his computer artwork.