kinder weaving and learning
making patterns
strengthening
knotting
stretching
pulling
fine motor work
color blending
open-ended
each person giving something
one dancing ballet as others wove
collaborating to create something new
feeling the value and joy of public art.
—
“in the tapestry of life, we’re all connected.
each one of us is a gift to those around us helping each other be who we are,
weaving a perfect picture together.”
-anita mooriani
Ann Arbor has innumerable large- and small-scale murals already, but they have new company as the result of a crowdfunded project to bring art to walls and alleys around town.
In July, the Ann Arbor Art Center (A2AC) raised more than $50,000 to commission 10 murals around the city. The fundraiser was through Patronicity, and once the goal was met, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) matched the donations to double the money available to the mural artists. At the onset of the project, 10 artists paired with local business owners on the sites of their future murals. In October, two additional murals were announced, raising the total to 12. This initiative is part of the ongoing A2AC Art in Public program that aims to make art “accessible and equitable to everyone,” relying on community-based donations.
Since the Art Center helped crowdfund two other public murals in the recent past, those have been added to the A2AC Murals Map, which features a walking tour of all the works. Currently, 13 murals are finished, with the 14th debuting sometime in 2021.
“one can speak poetry just by arranging colors well.”
-vincent van gogh
In the municipal center of Newport Beach, California, sits a local oddity that is equal parts controversial, cuddly, adorable, and absurd.
The sculpture, dubbed “Bunnyhenge,” consists of 14 large white bunnies arranged in a circle, with two even larger 8-foot-tall bunnies found nearby. While these oversized stone bunnies sit stoically staring at each other with their colorful beady eyes, the town around them has become divided over their existence.
When it was first installed in 2013, the sculpture was initially very popular, especially with children (creepy as some others may find a circle of giant bunnies to be). But the public artwork also cost the city $221,000, or nearly $14,000 per bunny, which outraged many residents. One candidate for city council—who was later elected—even declared that “we need to blow up the bunnies!”
Despite the threats, the bunnies have made it nearly five years, and can still be found strangely and stoically gathered in the park by City Hall.
—
“read to your bunny often and your bunny will read to you.”
-rosemary wells, american author and illustrator of childrens’ books,
including the ‘max and ruby series’
—
credits: leira, atlas obscura
more love please.
—
image credit: elephant journal
Karen Schaefer took her turn at painting the Rock in Ann Arbor’s George Washington Park, announcing her conclusion about the boulder that was put on the spot in the 1930s. Schaefer wrote her master’s degree thesis on the Rock, (Objects that communicate).
all kinds of people with all kinds of agendas paint the rock in this decades-old tradition in ann arbor. the chat below was found on my community website and i especially loved how s.a. was at the ready with his how-to directions and a bit of historical support.
G.A. Does anyone know how much paint is required to paint a message on “The Rock” at Hill and Washtenaw?
P. L. Funny, my husband and I were just talking about this when we drove by it the other day.
S. A. Old gallon of house paint for the base, one old mop or broom, go to Denny’s down the road, come back and it’s dry for the message.
T. S. Can’t believe that no one has commented that is is illegal and vandalism…
S. A. Even Al Gallup, the living son of the Gallup who placed it there in honor of Washington, is okay with it.
‘passion is one great force that unleashes creativity,
because if you’re passionate about something,
then you’re more willing to take risks.’
—yo-yo ma
curbside museum
a small and quirky museum hidden is inside a fence
in canmore, alberta, canada
curbside museum is an unassuming curiosity in the mountain town of canmore, canada. the tiny museum is always packed with intricate little exhibits that rotate every so often. each exhibit is incredibly detailed, their contents all stuffing the glass showcase to the brim with a delightfully unexpected assortment of items.
this tiny museum is hidden within a hole in a fence that lines a busy street. the gilded frame is the only hint that this particular stretch of fence holds more than first meets the eye. you could easily walk right past it if you weren’t paying attention.
you’ll find subjects ranging from common scenes to those that transcend into the realm of fantasy. some of the showcases take on a more serious, factual tone, though many exhibits do indeed have an element of whimsy and charm.
the museum is a fun addition to the town and adds a moment of joy for any pedestrians who stop and take a peek. it’s a reward for eagled-eyed passersby who take the time to notice their surroundings. the museum is free and is open day and night.
“a museum should not just be a place for fancy paintings
but should be a place where we can
communicate our lives through our everyday objects.”
-orhan pamuk
—
credits: curbside museum, atlas obscura.com, city of canmore, alberta
public love art
—
“never regret anything you have done with a sincere affection; nothing is lost that is born of the heart.”
-basil rathbone
public art found in the dequindre cut, detroit, mi.
(artist unknown)
—
science is about unravelling nature.
n. r. narayana murth
i never cease to be amazed, when walking around my city, by the surprising displays of art i encounter. they can be found in places of all kinds, and in every form imaginable. i’m always struck by the time and care that people have taken to express themselves, to share their creative spirits, and to put their visions out there, to be met with a smile or scorn, making our space somehow the better for it, and to open random strangers’ minds and eyes to new experiences. these beauties and the people who create them, from the simple to the sublime, all for the sake of self-expression and the joy of knowing others may cross paths with them , are treasures, each in their own distinct way.
a rabbit peeks out from a front yard filled with vine and picket fence
a wall covered in gum, once painted over, and coming to life once again with new color,
ever-evolving with the contributions of passers-by
a sidewalk, redrawn with chalk each day, into a new design, by a mother, purely for the delight of others
a pink balloon, placed by a child, to make her tree more beautiful, in hope the fairies will come
a mural on an underpass, painted by a teen who i have known to be a gifted artist since he was in pre-school
and has no idea how talented he really is
a dead tree stump given a second chance at beauty with the addition of color and life
poetry painted on an alley ceiling – look to the stars for inspiration
—–
The critic has to educate the public; the artist has to educate the critic. Oscar Wilde
An intellectual says a simple thing in a hard way. An artist says a hard thing in a simple way. Charles Bukowski
I didn't have my glasses on.... 