Brothers Nick and Tony Mannira, graduates from Winton Woods High School, are sharing their artistic talent with people across the Cincinnati area through their involvement with Artworks, a unique program that gives teens from the Greater Cincinnati area the opportunity to work, learn, and earn money in summer- and after- school jobs as apprentice artists.

Nick, who graduated from Winton Woods High School in 2009, is starting his ninth ArtWorks project this summer. “It is the only ‘job’ he has ever known,” said his mom Eileen Mannira of Greenhills. This summer Nick will be working on a mural at the corner of Central Parkway and Vine downtown. In the past he’s worked on murals in Bond Hill, Roselawn, Northside, downtown Cincinnati, Carthage, Lower Price Hill, and the Children’s Hospital Hopple Street Health Center.  

Tony, who graduated in 2008 from Scarlet Oaks and Winton Woods High School, will be working on his fourth ArtWorks project this summer. He’s involved in a project called Room to Room, which is creating custom art for installation in 32 bedroom suites in the new wing of the Ronald McDonald House of Cincinnati. The artwork was created to help make the rooms a bright, happy home for visiting families with children receiving treatment at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital.   

Last summer Tony worked on The Outdoor Museum, a gallery of 30 billboard-sized, vinyl artworks that started in April and May in Eden Park, and is currently at the Theodore M. Berry International Friendship Park from June 13 - July 26. The Outdoor Museum will move to Mt. Airy Forest from August 15 - September 27. “It was pretty amazing walking around Eden Park’s Mirror Lake and seeing Tony’s name on the three of the large art billboards,” said Eileen Mannira.

Tony is currently a sophomore at Ohio University, where he is working on double majors in Graphic Design and Digital Media: Electronic Art, Animation, and Gaming. He is on the OU Dean’s List for the 2008/09 school year.  This fall Nick Mannira will be attending the Cleveland Institute of Art, which is located on the campus of and affiliated with Case Western University. He will be majoring in Illustration.

For more information on ArtWorks, so to www.artworkscincinnati.org.