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Rivergreenway Public Art Projects

By Jack Cantey

Fort Wayne Reader

2006-09-01


A few months ago, I told a friend that I might write a story about Fort Wayne’s public art that would serve as a kind of a tour for readers. He responded: “What public art? The mastodons aren’t around anymore.” While my friend’s reaction was dramatically overstated, it might not be far removed from the perspective of many in town.

That could be about to change. Two pilot programs – the Community Mural Project and the Greenway Galleries – have recently been initiated and could bring as many as 20 public artworks by area artists and students to the downtown Rivergreenway trails in the near future.

The Community Mural Project

Last year, Greenways Manager Dawn Ritchie traveled with a group to the Monon Trail in Indianapolis, one of the Midwest's most popular public greenways. She became intrigued with how colorful murals along the paths enriched the environment and surprisingly remained virtually untouched by graffiti.

“I thought we ought to try that here in Fort Wayne because we have a huge graffiti problem, mainly downtown near the skate park,” Ritchie said. “If we're able to cover some of our flood control walls and some of our buildings with murals, hopefully we'll have the same result that Indianapolis has had where the graffiti artists respect the artwork.”

Ritchie and grant writer Catherine Tighe set to work designing a public arts project involving local students. Earlier this year, they received an Arts United CAP (Creative Alternative Programs) grant to run a summer pilot program. The result of this program now can be seen on a flood control wall just north of the Old Fort. Against a dark blue background, a vibrant 4' x 10' mural highlighting the city's river system, local heritage and culture, and respect for public parks is mounted along the greenway path.

14 students, age 9-14, spent two months of their summers to participate in an intensive artmaking process. Each weekday, the young artists traveled from the Urban League to the Fort Wayne Museum of Art for their sessions. Mixed media painters Max Meyer and Jason Stopa served as the instructors for this inaugural mural.

Three potential designs were displayed at the Museum on a Sunday in July. Over 100 visitors voted for their favorite design. The students then set to work to complete the mural on a fiberglass panel, chosen to provide a more enduring surface than the flood control wall itself. Once completed, the work was coated with an anti-graffiti substance and unveiled for the public on August 6.

“The feedback has been great,” Meyer said. “People who have seen, heard, or read about the mural have asked, ‘How can we get a mural in my neighborhood?’ That is exactly the response I wanted out of this program, to create a desire for public art in Fort Wayne and to open up the program to muralists young and old.”

The Community Mural Project continues as an after-school program this fall. Stopa will lead a group of Memorial Park Middle School students in the creation of a second public artwork. Ritchie and Tighe are in the process of solidifying funding for future student murals.

The Greenway Galleries

The second phase of the public art initiative along the Rivergreenway will utilize and reward the talents of local professional artists. The Greenway Galleries will feature murals on walls, buildings, and bridges along the downtown paths. Sculptures are also being considered for this project.

According to Ritchie, there will be a call for submissions within the next year. Submitted designs will be juried by a committee. The murals will be sponsored for approximately $6,000. She is confident that the city's corporations and individuals will respond positively. “Once we get the word out, I don't think we'll have trouble at all raising the money for each mural.”

Also, selected artists will receive a $1,000 fee for their work.
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“It will show that we want them to participate,” Tighe explained, “and that we acknowledge their work and respect it.”

Designs by recycled metal sculptor Sayaka Ganz are currently being considered for a pilot Greenway Galleries artwork.

With a high level of local interest and support, Ritchie believes these public art programs can be a plus for the city and its artists.

“There are a lot of benefits to greenways – economic development, the safe passage of pedestrians and bicyclists,” Ritchie said. “I also think education is a huge benefit, and having murals out there that are designated with themes such as the environment, parks and recreation, and our heritage and culture in Fort Wayne is a great benefit. And also just promoting art in the community.

“The greenways will be good for the art project, but the art project will be good for the greenways by getting more people on them. It's going to be a great mutual relationship.”

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