It is said that if you do what you love, you won’t work a day. It sure seems to be true with Anissa DiLeo! This reporter visited with Anissa while she was working, and she was having a blast. To be honest, we both were. Anissa is a multi-media artist. We met up when she was adding her flair to the window of Glass Act-Stained Glass and Art Studio on West Broad St. In Newton Falls. Owner Ron Stoner commissioned her to paint the pillar between his studio and the barbershop next door. That pillar is a pictorial history of Newton Falls; the base is flowers reminiscent of the hanging flowers that adorn downtown Newton Falls every Spring and Summer, the downtown Falls, the Water Tower, the Covered Bridge. It is topped by the historic Community Center building which is one of only 10 former USO buildings from World War 2 left standing.
Ron was so happy with her work that he asked her back to paint the window to his studio. If you like the Peanuts, and seriously who doesn’t, you must stop by! She has created a scene that would make Charles Schultz proud! Schroeder, Lucy and Charlie Brown converse in front of a snow-covered pine in the first panel. The center panel features Sally looking on as Woodstock and Snoopy enjoy a moment of each other’s company on his decorated doghouse. The third panel features Peppermint Patty ice-skating. Of course, the famous Charlie Brown Christmas tree is prominent with a star on top! The entire scene is backlit by a full moon shining brightly. One can almost hear Schroeder on his piano, playing the famous Peanut’s Theme Song as you enjoy the painting. Stop on down and do a selfie or two; you won’t regret it!
How does one choose a career in art? What gets someone interested in art in the first place? With Anissa, it started with a seventh-grade English class field trip to the local art museum with her teacher, Cindy Eicher, from Bellwood, PA. Anissa liked it so much that she made her mom, Cindi Kies from Tipton, PA take her back. From there, her mom signed Anissa up for oil painting classes. While young Anissa was watching the oil painting teacher, Cindy Raybold from Altoona, PA, paint, she told her mom that she wanted to do that! Shout out to her teachers and her mom for encouraging her. Ironically, the influences were all Cindi/Cindy!
She is currently teaching in Mahoning and Columbiana Counties. She and her husband bought a building in January of 2025 and are renovating it into a working studio. She, being a mosaic artist, is looking forward to having a full mosaic studio with room for additional areas of fine arts studies. She utilizes used tile and glass for that aspect of her art. She also intends to have drawing, painting and sculpture classes as well as mosaic workshops for teens and adults. Her building is in a DORA (Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area), and in proximity to many delicious coffee and drink offerings that she hopes to have Make It-Take-It activities during open hours. Her business, Studio of Fine Arts (SOFA) is located at 145 Lundy in Salem.
She enjoys both the creation of art and sharing art with others through her teaching. She just finished up a Teen Art School for Homeschool Art. It is important to her to make art accessible to everyone. She likes to teach in groups; she says it helps people not get caught up and frustrated because they can socialize and help each other process the experience.
Funny story on how she met Ron. One of her students, Hannah, and her mom Sylvia, have a travel blog called Hitting the Highway with Hannah. Sylvia brought Hannah to one of Ron’s stained-glass classes. Sylvia knew that Anissa had to meet him. So…they met and have been collaborating since.
Anissa has a digital presence. You can follow Art by Anissa DiLeo on Facebook. She also has artbyanissadileo on Instagram, and artbyanissadileo.com. She also has a Facebook page for SOFA, so be sure to also follow The Studio of Fine Arts by Anissa DiLeo.
Being retired, this reporter gets to poke around at her leisure and share with the Weekly Villager. It is a wonderful thing. So, when Ethel gets done with her stained-glass classes she is starting this month…mosaic class is next! Why don’t you join in the fun?
