052826...R N FALLS MURAL 2...Newton Falls...05-28-26...Artist Chris "Chilly" Rodriguez of Toledo, Ohio puts the finishing touches on a mural he spray painted inside N. Falls HS...by R. Michael Semple

NEWTON FALLS — When students, staff and visitors to Newton Falls High School enter the gymnasium, they will be greeted by a new addition — a large mural of the school district’s tiger mascot surrounded by images of what the village is known for such as the covered bridge.

For four days this week, Toledo artist Chris “Chilly” Rodriguez created two large murals by working several 24-hour days.

One mural is in the gymnasium, and the other is in the commons/cafeteria area.

Chad Rankin, athletic director, said the building did not have a mural.

“I was concerned that school spirit in many places is not what it used to be. We redid the gym floor a couple of years ago, and I felt a mural would bring everything together,” he said.

The Newton Falls Board of Education approved Rodriguez doing the two murals for the school. The image of a tiger is included in both murals.

Rodriguez said he has done murals and other artwork in his hometown. Rankin said he contacted different artists about the vision the schools were looking for and he learned that Rodriguez had done artwork of a tiger on the side of the building where Tiger Den Pizza is located.

Rodriguez said he did that artwork in 2020.

“He was on board with our vision of what we wanted to do. He put his artistic touch on it,” Rankin said.

Rodriguez said the mural in the gym is 36 feet by 14 feet and the one in the commons area is even larger.

He said he began Memorial Day when there was no school for the holiday, spending two 24-hour days and then eight to 10 hours the last two days.

Rodriquez said he made sure to include images of what Newton Falls is known for such as the covered bridge, the falls, the water tower, fireworks in July and the 44444 zip code. Those images appear in the background with the tiger in the center in the gymnasium mural.

“I have done this for so long that it is not a challenge. It is hard work. I want to make sure what I am doing lives up to the client’s vision,” Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez, who has been an artist for 20 years, said he and many other artists worked on the largest mural in America in Toledo called “Glass City River Wall,” which is 140 feet tall. He said that mural is the second-largest in the world.

Rodriguez said he is a self-taught artist, having taken art classes in high school and had painted many train underpasses as a teenager. He is also a gallery owner.

Rankin had made a presentation to the board about the project and they supported it.

“Everyone was really excited. When we planned for this, we wanted something no other school has. I wanted this to be special for Newton Falls. He has captured that,” Rankin said.

Rodriguez said he wanted to have the modern-looking tiger jumping out of the wall like a three-dimensional image.

He said he has been through Newton Falls when he travels from Toledo to New York and stops at the pizza business where he did the tiger painting.

“I always enjoy getting to see people’s reaction to the art, whether it is me painting or the finished product and the joy it brings to others,” Rodriguez said.

He said he stays busy with projects throughout the year.

Rodriquez said he Googled Newton Falls and saw images of the covered bridge and the falls to get a feel for what the community is like.

He said he used 40 to 60 cans of paint for the project, as well as spray paint.

Rodriguez said everyone made him feel welcome and comfortable.

Superintendent Andreas Johansson said the walls were bare, so Rodriguez had blank canvases to work on.

“We felt having images not only in the gym but in the commons since most people come through the commons to go into the gym or auditorium for athletic and other events. The mural makes that space more inviting,” he said.

Johansson said the area is a gathering space for Veterans Day and other school events.

He said plans for the commons next year is to add furniture to make the area more like a lounge and display artwork.

“We want to take the opportunity to display art here in the hallways. We can have 6 feet by 4 feet fiberboards on wheels to display student artwork. It can be a roving art exhibition at all times. We can also use them as dividers,” Johansson said.

Rodriguez’s work can be seen at chillyrodriguez.com.