#PeopleofNEI: Tobias Studios, creating places for people to interact

Stephen J. Bailey | Wednesday, September 16, 2020
Northeast Indiana is evolving. These are the people shaping its future. #PeopleofNEI

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Tobias Studios is one of the artists that are working on a mural during the Make It Your Own Mural Fest in northeast Indiana. This wife and husband team (Kara and Jerrod Tobias) are from northeast Indiana. Their family stays active not just through their art but in day to day life throughout the region. “We have been together for 19 years and have been making art together for the last five years. We co-own Tobias Studios and only work on murals,” says Jerrod. Kara adds, “I like doing murals because of the people. I have had people that watched us paint for weeks, and you just become buddies. When you get to know people and have relationships, you feel like family when you leave. We will always come back to these places and feel comfortable. This art becomes a part of their lives and it can be passed down. We love talking to people of all ages while we paint. It is my favorite part.” Jerrod has similar enthusiasm for their work. He says, “I became interested in murals in art school as a way to make money and engage with community at the same time. It felt like a no-brainer. I was more interested in the experience than the money. We both grew up in the Hoagland, Indiana area and now have three kids that we are raising in southwest Fort Wayne. We love northeast Indiana. We especially love the Albion area where we are painting this mural because it is by Chain O’ Lakes State Park where we have always come as a family. We have enjoyed art camps there with our kids and they have told us it has been some of their best memories. The diversity of nature is what sets it apart from other small towns. There is that Hoosier hospitality but it is surrounded by this unique landscape. You can enjoy the land or grab a beer and meet some nice people. It’s the best of both worlds. Public art sets the stage for people to interact with others. It’s authentic and real just like northeast Indiana.” #PeopleofNEI

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Read more articles by Stephen J. Bailey.

Stephen J. Bailey is a Fort Wayne native and the owner of PH Digital that was founded in 2006. Based out of the Anthony Wayne Building in downtown Fort Wayne, he specializes in web development, SEO development, social media management, and digital marketing campaigns with numerous companies in northeast Indiana. Stephen loves road trips, sushi, his pups, and spending time on our three rivers.

Related Tags

#PeopleofNEI, Activities, Arts and Culture, Community Engagement, COVID19, Creative Placemaking, Emerging Leaders, Events, Lifestyle, Talent, Talent Attraction, Talent Development, Tourism 
Angola, Downtown (46802), Dupont (46825), Fort Wayne, Georgetown (46815), South East (46803, 46806), Southwest (46804, 46814), The 05 (46805), The 07 (46807), Waynedale, Wells Street/Nebraska 

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