When she learned artist Meg Saligman was visiting her SUNY Jamestown Community College drawing class, Jackie Hitchcock took to the internet to research the acclaimed muralist for talking points to bring to the discussion. First was a YouTube video produced by Modern Hero that featured Saligman, followed by a tap over to Facebook which revealed that Hitchcock and Saligman, both Olean, N.Y. natives, had a few mutual friends.
When the two met in class and began talking, the connection grew.
“I asked the students why are they in the art class,” Saligman remembered. “Jackie said when I was young I had this really wonderful neighbor. She was a painter and played the piano. She just spoke so beautifully about her.”
at the "Heart of Olean Mural" site.
Saligman asked Hitchcock who the neighbor was.
“She said Marcia Barry, who was my mother’s best friend and a dear friend of mine (as well as an active participant in the Olean art community) — to the point that I cried right there,” Saligman said. “We had this sort of connection.”
Beyond that, Saligman said: “Jackie was well informed, sitting in the front of the class, and really presented as if she had interest."
And now?
“She’s one of the team leaders,” Saligman said. “She’s here working full-time on the artist team.”
From taking an introductory drawing class this spring to playing a key role this summer in producing a large-scale mural, under the tutelage of one of the world’s best at it, Hitchcock’s art journey has accelerated quickly.
Hitchcock is one of approximately 25 paid and volunteer artists contributing to Saligman’s mural. The installation is underway this summer on the exterior of JCC’s Cattaraugus County Campus Library & Liberal Arts Center building
Serving as a project intern, Hitchcock does a little bit of everything. Her days consist of operating boom lifts, mixing paints, painting the wall with brushes and sprayers, solving technical difficulties, supervising members of the team, and contributing to mural social media efforts.
As a mother to a 3-year old, she also has a natural tendency to make sure team members stay hydrated and coated with sunscreen.
“Jackie is extremely competent, dedicated, and talented,” Saligman said. “She brings the grit that keeps us all going. She makes it happen.”
Hitchcock is in her third stint as a JCC student since she graduated from Olean High School in 2014. She helped manage a ski shop in Ellicottville and a local pool store before returning to college last year.
Hitchcock was inspired by her daughter to return to JCC.
“She pushed me,” she said. “She’s starting school in the fall. I thought it would be good to go back to school together.”
Hitchcock is on pace to earn a degree in Individual Studies next spring.
“I want to do more art and music-related things,” she said. “I’m almost exhausting all the limits that I have at JCC. I’ve gotten involved with everything. It’s great to experience (college) here in our hometown. I didn’t think it had a lot of that to offer. Getting this experience from that small drawing class has been really wonderful. We’ll see where the wind takes me.”
Richard Minard, Hitchcock’s drawing class instructor, described the student as “very outgoing and very open” who went above and beyond to learn about art and improve her craft.
“She’s a talented artist,” Minard added.
Hitchcock is part of a team of artists made up of college and high school students, retirees, business owners, and teachers. They work in groups of four to six from sun up to sun down seven days a week when weather permits.
Saligman said that type of commitment is necessary to complete a mural of this size on time.
completed this fall.
In addition to the main crew, Hitchcock and Saligman estimated that close to 1,000 have also contributed to the mural during community paint days.
“At points in time we had four generations at the same time painting, which has been super special,” Hitchcock said.
“The community is really enjoying it,” she added. “We have had a lot of people coming to take a look and stop by. It’s really eye-opening to me how many people are in support and want to be involved. One of the artists was here by himself and he heard a group of young kids say I didn’t realize Olean was getting cool. Olean was already cool. It’s just getting cooler.”
The mural is taking form slowly but surely. The north side facing the Olean Center Mall is nearly finished. Saligman said the project is on schedule to be completed by early fall and dedicated at the October 7 StrOlean event.
With a sense of pride, Hitchcock said she envisions telling her grown-up daughter stories of how she contributed to such a landmark piece of artwork in their community.
She’s looking forward to seeing the completed mural,” but I’m also sad,” she said. “I don’t want it to end. It’s so fun. As much as I’m excited for the reveal at the end, it’s going to be bittersweet.”