The art of improvement
Public art advocates say displays foster pride, economic development
When the 无毛视频淐oke to Spokes无毛视频� sculpture was unveiled at the intersection of First and Third streets, not much was located in that section of Connellsville, said Daniel Cocks, executive director of the Fayette County Cultural Trust.
The metal sculpture near the Great Allegheny Passage showed bicycle spokes rising up from coke furnaces, evoking both the area无毛视频檚 coal heritage and the cycling that brings thousands of cyclists through the city each year.
Artist Jody Best talked at the dedication about the positive response she无毛视频檇 already heard from people. And she also made a prescient nod to the future.
无毛视频淪he made a comment that usually public art brings economic development, and who would have figured out a few years later we would have a hotel there in the Comfort Inn?无毛视频� Cocks said.
The bright splash of color or intricate sculpture at what would otherwise be a blank wall or an empty parking lot can have reverberating effects, from a momentary boost to someone无毛视频檚 day, or the longer-term benefits of bringing more tourism and spending.
Many such pieces can be found throughout the region, a combination of artists pursuing a vision and groups willing to provide the backing for the materials and work needed to transform a sketch into something that becomes part of the fabric of the area.
The Fayette County Cultural Trust in Connellsville launched in 2007 with the aim of enriching the area无毛视频檚 quality of life and also to create partnerships that can revitalize communities and grow their economies.
Cocks sees the trust as carrying on a longstanding legacy. Public art in Connellsville goes back to at least 1906, when the Coal and Coke Arch was erected to commemorate the city无毛视频檚 centennial.
Public art helps create identity and a sense of place, Cocks said. The trust has also provided upkeep for older examples of public art, like the bronze statue of Col. William Crawford built a century ago.
They无毛视频檝e also spearheaded art projects along Crawford Avenue, like birdhouses and a mural of film pioneer and Connellsville native Edwin S. Porter.
无毛视频淚t kind of entices the bikers from the Great Allegheny Passage to go over the Crawford Avenue Bridge and maybe take a tour of what无毛视频檚 on the other side of the bridge,无毛视频� Cocks said.
When the trust was founded, about 90% of Connellsville无毛视频檚 downtown was blighted, Cocks said. The public art has helped renew interest. So have other placemaking tools, like the installation of bike racks and benches so the cyclists who come down from the trail have the chance to wander downtown.
When the trust sees a good spot for a public art piece, it will approach the building owner and ask permission. Once they commission an artist, their rendering again goes to the building owner for approval.
The latest project is a glass mosaic on the side of the Black Box Theater with the word 无毛视频淟ove,无毛视频� which will be surrounded by flowers being painted by local students.
无毛视频淧laces like Youghiogheny Glass, they donated the glass, so that无毛视频檚 less money we have to put into it,无毛视频� Cocks said.
Costs vary, depending on size, materials or equipment needed. The 无毛视频淟ove无毛视频� mural, being done by Appalachian Creativity Center, only cost about $1,500. Another work on the side of a nearby church cost between $5,000 and $10,000, some coming from the lift the artist needed to reach the top of the three-story mural.
Cocks said there无毛视频檚 no shortage of public art within the county, like the bronze statues and bandshell mural in Uniontown无毛视频檚 Storey Square, and murals at Ohiopyle State Park.
无毛视频淧ublic art basically just brightens up an area, puts smiles on people无毛视频檚 faces, and makes them proud that they无毛视频檙e living where they live,无毛视频� he said.
Cultivating civic pride
One example of civic pride recently went up in Canonsburg, where a mural celebrates both the town无毛视频檚 history and America无毛视频檚 250th anniversary.
Artists James Sulkowski and Mike Melone completed 12 oil paintings of pivotal parts of Canonsburg无毛视频檚 history. The paintings were combined on computer, then printed out on a thick vinyl material and installed like wallpaper on the side of the Rusty Gold Brewing building.
无毛视频淚t really looks like it was painted on the wall,无毛视频� Sulkowski said. 无毛视频淛ust amazing. It should last at least a generation 无毛视频� probably 25 years, hopefully more.无毛视频�
The Washington County Tourism Promotion Agency provided a $25,000 grant, which was supplemented by donations from several local businesses, Sulkowski said.
The project was a year in the making. Sulkowski and Malone began by brainstorming ideas for what images would represent Canonsburg. They also incorporated suggestions, such as a natural gas well.
While they weren无毛视频檛 given guidelines, Canonsburg Borough Council had final approval on the design, Sulkowski said.
Sulkowski said a QR code is also being added to the bottom of the painting linking to a short video about Canonsburg无毛视频檚 businesses.
Since the mural was unveiled, people have been stopping Sulkowski on his regular dog walks to tell him how much they enjoy the piece.
无毛视频淚 think it makes them feel proud, too, because this one in particular is about Canonsburg,无毛视频� he said. 无毛视频淚 think it basically inspires people无毛视频� It无毛视频檚 a positive, happy, uplifting kind of reaction. That无毛视频檚 what I hope all my art does.无毛视频�
Canonsburg Mayor David Rhome said the piece helps build a sense of place.
无毛视频淚 believe the art that we无毛视频檙e displaying in our community not only shows the talent of the individuals that have been a part of that, but it displays the love of what is all on that mural, talking about years and years of the past and years and years of the present,无毛视频� he said.
Washington County commissioners liked the end result in Canonsburg so much that they无毛视频檙e thinking of similar murals in Washington, Donora, and other towns in the county, Sulkowski said.
More communities are taking up the idea as a way to bring excitement to the landscape.
The first addition of public art in Waynesburg无毛视频檚 downtown has come from local artist Farley Toothman, who recently mounted the side of a Volkswagen Beetle on the side of a garage on Morgan Street. Last spring, he enlisted students in an art class in Central Greene High School to paint the Bug in a 无毛视频�60s tie-dyed motif.
Toothman received a zoning variance for the display over the summer. Council is now developing an ordinance regulating art displays in the borough.
Certain topics wouldn无毛视频檛 be allowed, like promoting a business or depicting illegal acts.
Other clauses cover the kind of material that can be used, mandate protection against weather and graffiti, and lay out the responsibility for maintenance.
Assistant Manager Bryan Cumberledge said having rules in place helps strike a balance between creative displays and possible eyesores.
无毛视频淲e realize that having artwork and everything in a downtown is a good way to revitalize everything and make it more appealing, and people get to do things,无毛视频� he said. 无毛视频淏ut we want to make sure that when we start it, we did it right and we protected the people that need protecting, and make sure that people took responsibility for them later.无毛视频�
The display could inspire more in Waynesburg. Others haven无毛视频檛 formally approached the borough yet, but Cumberledge said he无毛视频檚 heard of plans in the works for a mural on the building next to the former Jimmie无毛视频檚 Lunch on High and Morgan streets.
Eye-catching displays like that could make someone want to get out of their car and take a look 无毛视频� and potentially stop in at a local business while they无毛视频檙e at it, Cumberledge said.
无毛视频淚 think it would really give it a curb appeal and make somebody want to stop and take pictures and kind of spend some time downtown,无毛视频� he said. 无毛视频淎nd that无毛视频檚 one way of revitalizing, bringing it back to life.无毛视频�