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SALEM – Some people use phones to make calls, play games or surf the web – Athena Nicholas used her phone to create an artistic collection of images that will now serve as her legacy for her children.
The 46-year-old Salem resident died the day she was supposed to make her debut at the Burchfield Homestead Museum to show and sell her artwork during the Salem Artisan Festival last month.
Instead, her show will go on from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Saturday at the office of attorney Frederic Naragon, with entry through the Sugartree Alley door between Broadway and Ellsworth. Her artistic photographs of nature and parts of Salem had already been printed and matted to be made available for purchase and Athena personally signed the back of each one.
A tribute to her dream of making it as an artist, the show will help raise funds for her final expenses and for her children, 19-year-old Kyle Hunt, 16-year-old Jimmy Rohr and 11-year-old Angelica Perkins. Kyle said she always loved working on her pictures.
“She loved nature,” he said, commenting that he sees her and remembers her everywhere he goes.
The photographs she created on her phone represent some of her favorite scenes, according to Angelica, who helped her get ready for the show. She liked sunsets, lakes, flowers and trees. The California native also loved the snow and was constantly taking photos of snow, Jimmy’s father, Tom Rohr, said. Some of the prints feature homes around Salem, including the Burchfield Homestead on Fourth Street.
Kyle said she also had some nice drawings and she was kind of hoping her art would take off. She couldn’t wait for the Salem Artisan Festival. Naragon and his Sugartree Alley bandmate Jeanne Wilson had been helping Athena prepare for the festival and Wilson said she was really, really excited.
They had both known Athena for a while. Taking photographs was her hobby and she helped design the band’s T-shirts and helped out. She even sang with the band a few times. A Janis Joplin fan, she liked to sing and enjoyed karaoke.
“She was very creative,” Angelica said.
At her dad’s house, Angelica said her mom painted the porch with a blue sky, white clouds and green grass and a sign which said “no stress zone.” She said she was a good mom and Wilson said she worshipped her children. She was very proud when Kyle graduated from Salem High School in 2015 and she talked about all three of them all the time.
Jimmy said his favorite thing was giving her hugs and giving her massages on her shoulders. He talked to her a lot and would send her hearts and smiley faces.
“We’re hoping we get a good turnout and some help,” Naragon said.
More than 100 prints will be available for purchase. Anyone who can’t make the show and wants to make a donation can make a check out to Frederic Naragon, agent, and send it to Naragon at P.O. Box 317, Salem, Ohio 44460.
“This was supposed to be a new beginning,” he said, referring to the Burchfield Homestead event.
Athena’s live-in boyfriend, 49-year-old Terry Strosnyder, has been charged with murder in her shooting death outside their Second Street residence on July 17.
Besides the show and sale of her artwork, another fundraiser on Saturday includes the Athena Nicholas Memorial Ride and Benefit. All vehicles are welcome from 9 to 10:30 a.m. for breakfast at Fernangles on Broadway. The memorial ride, which is $10 per person, leaves at 11 a.m. and goes to the Guilford Grille, the Redneck Riviera (Dew Drop Inn), the State Line, Rob’s Heritage Inn for dinner at 4 p.m. and a raffle, then to the Powerhouse Cafe (Side Door) for a raffle and DJ from 7 p.m. to close.
Participants are asked to bring a school item for Jimmy and Angelica. All proceeds will go to funeral expenses and to the children.