The Ripple of Ralph features a modern portrait of the late great Ralph V. Haile, Jr. Haile was a banker in Cincinnati for over 20 years who always felt the strong desire to give back to the community he loved, Covington. He was paramount in the creation of the Covington Urban Redevelopment Effort (CURE), which helped lay the groundwork for Old Town Plaza, Mainstrasse and the revitalization of the Licking Riverside neighborhood. Haile, along with his wife Carol Ann, had a great love for the arts and bold and beautiful things.  

Christian Dallas, the designer of the mural, wanted to make sure to incorporate the Hailes’ love and joy for the region they adored. You can find a simplified map of the Cincinnati region in the background. Modern radiating lines surround Haile’s silhouette, helps separate him from the background and aid in the goal of making him pop off the wall. A more detailed map was overlaid onto Ralph’s jacket, creating a pattern, representing him wearing his heart on his sleeve. Haile’s signature bow tie was a must. 

The entire composition is framed inside the shape of the wall to help the painting interact and blend with its surroundings. The title, “The Ripple of Ralph” is meant to reference the “ripple effect”. What Haile did for this community 40 years ago, created a positive ripple that can still be seen and felt today.   

This project was created for BLINK, illuminated by ArtsWave in 2019. The light projection showing during BLINK was by Brave Berlin.