News photo by Darby Hinkley. Salem Gannicus holds up his drawing in front of his angel wings above the Alpena mural.
ALPENA — Salem Gannicus has been drawing since he was three years old and now shares his artwork with the community in the form of murals. He is painting a new mural at All Saints Center of Charity.
The mural depicts angel wings over downtown Alpena. It is painted in such a way that visitors can stand in the center of the mural and it will look like they have angel wings.
The 39-year-old artist enjoys his work. It distracts him from his worries and gives him a feeling of calm.
“It relieves a lot of stress,” Gannicus said. “It distracts me from other things.”
He said art and music were his favorite stress relievers.
News photo by Darby Hinkley Salem Gannicus paints part of the angel wings over Alpena in his mural at the All Saints Center of Charity in Alpena.
Gannicus moved here from Ann Arbor two months ago and is currently living at the Sunrise Mission homeless shelter.
Gannicus explained that he had always wanted to paint this type of mural.
“It’s something new,” he said last week. “Something I’ve always wanted to do. I just want to get my art out there.”
He found inspiration looking at all the other murals around Alpena.
“I was walking around Alpena and saw that there were murals everywhere,” Gannicus said. “I just want to make an impression.”
News photo by Darby Hinkley Salem Gannicus drew this depiction of a female warrior, one of many drawings in the pamphlet he carries with him.
He said he painted a mural in an alley full of murals in downtown Ann Arbor.
Through drawing and painting he can express himself creatively and has the feeling of having achieved something and pursuing a goal.
“It’s time consuming, but what I like about it is the dedication,” Gannicus said. “You can’t rush it… you have to be precise.”
Gannicus was inspired to draw because his late father was also an artist.
Center of Charity director Christina Kihn said Gannicus has talent and they would like to help him share it with the community.
News photo by Darby Hinkley. Here is a colorful drawing of a Salem Gannicus fighter, one of many in the pamphlet he carries.
“He showed us his booklet and also brought pictures of his artwork on his phone, and they were just incredible,” Kihn said. “He does such a great job.”
She added that the staff and volunteers at the Center of Charity are helping Gannicus navigate his housing situation and also providing him with opportunities to explore his creative talents.
“We hope he can follow his passion,” said Kihn. “We will use any help we can give him to achieve his goal.”
Kihn explained that the center is open to people who want to come in and create artwork that they can then hang on the walls in the community room.
She hopes that Gannicus’ artwork on the wall will inspire others to use their own creativity.
News photo by Darby Hinkley Salem Gannicus puts a lot of detail and emotion into his drawings, as seen here in a man with two faces.
“Every day, people face stress throughout the day,” Kihn said. “We don’t know their circumstances. They’re not always homeless when they come to us… This is a safe place where they can sit and know that they’re encouraged and that we celebrate what they do. They can really relax and be themselves.”
She added that art is a way to relieve stress and brighten the day.
“Art seems to be a really good outlet for people to express their inner feelings,” Kihn said. “Life is so stressful. We’re here to help relieve some of that stress or at least take a breather for the day or the week… You never know what someone is going through.”
She explained that the Center of Charity helps people solve the problems they are currently facing, be it housing problems, domestic violence, financial difficulties or other problems.
The Center of Charity is located at 322 W. Chisholm St. behind St. Bernard Church. For more information, call 989-884-1060.
News photo by Darby Hinkley. This drawing by Salem Gannicus is half the creepy face of a crazy doll and half the face of a man.
News photo by Darby Hinkley Salem Gannicus is still working on the angel wings mural over Alpena at the All Saints Center of Charity. When completed, the mural will feature many notable downtown buildings and the Alpena Water Tower.
News photo by Darby Hinkley Salem Gannicus paints gold angel wings on his mural at the Center of Charity.
