I began working on the Artists at Work in the Mahoning Valley project four years ago. The impetus for the project was and is the desire to contribute to the Mahoning Valley region’s development of a new economic development and growth narrative that dispels the myths of an area defined by its past industrial heritage As the Valley moves forward in the fields of clean energy, 3-D printing, education, the arts and technology, it became apparent that there is a story to be told about our creative economy. Artists and arts organizations across all disciplines have been integral in our development. 

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This photography project, which has a visual arts focus, is a collection of portraits of regional artists in their studio or wherever they do their work. Photographed by me over the last several years. I began this body of work to illustrate the wealth of talented, hardworking, creative artists who reside in the Mahoning Valley. I discovered the artists that are included in this project through regional gallery openings and in conjunction with regional artist groups including the Random Acts of Artists, Trumbull Art Gallery, SOAP Gallery, Trumbull Area Artists, and the Fine Arts Council of Trumbull County. Within each portrait session, the artists I worked with would suggest other artists and the project gained momentum.
                                                                                          Tony Nicholas