For muralistJyl Dittbenner ’97, Manchester, N.H. is not only her home, but also her canvas. From electrical boxes to alleyways, Dittbenner’s vibrant and colorful murals have transformed the city’s blank spaces. The Rex Theatre, Cat Alley, and the Bridge Street bridge are just a few places to spot her work around town.
“Art has always been a part of my life,” Dittbenner says. “There’s something in me saying that I have to do it.”
Some of her favorite childhood memories involve sitting at the kitchen table drawing with her best friend.
After graduating from Saint Anselm, Dittbenner went on to earn her master's degree in education from the College of Notre Dame and then taught math at Catholic schools for 16 years. Even then, she infused art projects into her lesson plans. In 2016, she answered the call to art by painting a diner scene on the electrical box on Granite Street.
“I saw public art and wanted to be a part of it,” she says.
In a conscious choice to make time for her art, Dittbenner left the teaching profession for a career that allowed for more flexibility. Now, as a technical trainer at Cirtronics in Milford, N.H., she has more time and mental space to pursue her creative endeavors. Plus, her latest project is a mural of a nature scene painted on the shed at Cirtronics.
While her murals are some of her more popular pieces, Dittbenner has a passion for art in all its forms. She has committed to drawing every day, and enrolled in a welding class as well. She has two welded sculptures on display currently—one in the popular Meredith Sculpture walk in Meredith, N.H., and another in Peterborough.
“Murals are a huge way of bringing something to a lot of people at once—everyone can feel it,” she says.
A Manchester native, Dittbenner draws upon her hometown for inspiration. Her most recent mural, what she calls her “dream project,” has transformed the pillars on the bridge near Arms Park to tell the story of the past, present, and future of the Manchester Millyard. Her painting represents the everyday worker—a medical student and a businesswoman—to champion the Millyard’s evolution into the technological age.
Dittbenner can often be found sketching in bookstores and coffee shops around Manchester. Her recent coloring book titled The Colors of Manchester reflects her connection to her hometown. The book is currently on display at the Bookery on Elm Street in Manchester, one of Dittbenner’s favorite drawing spots.
Given her love of the city, it was no surprise that Dittbenner chose to study at Saint Anselm. A Fine Arts major at the college, she took as many studio art courses as she could to hone her craft. She credits the Hilltop as the place where she learned the importance of self-expression through her art. Dittbenner has several visions for future projects, such as a painted statue series around the city, or another wall of the Rex Theatre. “I’m always looking around to find the next great space for a painting,” she says.