DOWNLOAD OUR WISH LIST BELOW

The Department of Public Art (DPA) will sponsor the 4th Mural Fest at Floral Ave. Park in Johnson City on Saturday October 7th from 11-4 pm. The Village of Johnson City has given permission to paint murals on several structures at Floral Ave. Park and there will be several activities for children and adults. "Leaving behind permanent murals is important," said Peg Johnston of DPA, "and just as important is engaging people in the process of creating art in public places.”

Live painting of murals is an important feature of Mural Fest and this year master muralist Susan Champeny will teach mural planning and painting Oct. 1st from 12-4 pm. Champeny is a professional muralist and creates murals, mosaics, and sculptures from recycled materials. She completed a 3 sided mural called “Goin’ Fishing” on Jarvis St. in Binghamton in 2015, as well as a mural on cloth at Mural Fest 2016. Susan will be painting two murals at Floral Ave. Park this year and will teach people who want to paint with her all week long (times TBA). Bruce Grieg, a New Zealand artist who lives and paints in this area, will paint one side of the handball court. He is responsible for many of the local murals including Mohammed Ali and several murals in the Water St. Parking Ramp. The other half of the handball court will be painted by Judy Salton, local artist at the Cooperative Gallery, with an abstract theme. Both designs will attract selfies with their novel perspectives. Shawna Stevenson, an illustration major at Syracuse University, has designed a Flower Mural that she is painting with the help of BOCES Students.

This year Mural Fest will offer even more community engagement with art, guided by local artists. This year DPA will sponsor a mural workshop starting Sunday Oct. 1st and continuing through Mural Fest Oct. 7th for community members. The workshop will show participants how to plan a mural, including gridding the design, prepping the space, and then painting it throughout the week and finishing 5 murals at Mural Fest. Another workshop, led by Stephen Schweitzer will teach people how to use camera phones to document community events, also starting on Oct. 1st, 12-4. Children will have an entire Box City to paint and decorate as well as cardboard animals, and mask making for small children to paint and play with. All workshops are free.

Similarly, DPA is partnering with Southern Tier Solar Works to create solar lanterns for neighbors: At Mural Fest children and adults can build their own solar lantern.

To VOLUNTEER to paint or to help with children's activities sign in here.

Mural Fest has received support from Chenango Co Arts Council (DEC NYS Council on the Arts) and the Hoyt Foundation, Broome County Tourism Grant, Town of Union Community Development, Golden Paints, PPG Paints, Daniel’s Paints, and other sponsors as well as a Go Fund Me fundraising campaign (www.gofundme.com/MuralFest2017)  .

 

 

 

 

 

 

Public Art Workshops Mural Fest 2017 at Floral Ave. Park JC

October 7th, 2017 11 am – 4 pm

This year Mural Fest will offer even more community engagement with art, guided by artists. The Dept of Public has permission to paint murals on several structures at Floral Ave. Park in Johnson City. This year DPA will create workshops with community members led by experienced artists to plan a mural, including choosing a theme, gridding the design, choosing colors, prepping the space, and then painting it at Mural Fest. Similarly, DPA is partnering with Southern Tier Solar Works to create solar lanterns for neighbors: the workshop would come up with designs that use upcycled materials, learn how to assemble the solar lights, and gather materials for a table at Mural Fest where people could build their own solar lantern. Another idea is to create either a Box City or cardboard animals for small children to paint and play with at the previous Mural Fest at Cheri Lindsey Park.

"Leaving behind permanent murals is important," said Peg Johnston of DPA, "and just as important is engaging people in the process of creating art in public places. We are grateful to the Village of Johnson City for the opportunity to paint several structures at Floral Ave. Park."

Interested?  Stay in touch!  We will be announcing workshop details throughout the summer email us at DeptofPublicArt@gmail.com  to get our updates. Include your name, email, phone, and what you would be interested in.