Pair of art-related events came downtown Rochester for Art Month
A pair of art-related events, the Magic Mural Tour and Parking Lot Picasso, came to downtown Rochester for Art Month on Saturday.
September is ArtMonth in downtown Rochester, sponsored by Genesys Credit Union.
Both events were open to the public, where artists of all ages could compete and express themselves, and the public could enjoy their artwork.
These events were also hosted in conjunction with Rochester Downtown Development Authority’s (DDA’s) Taste of Fall, which runs through Monday, October 19.
Over 20 participating downtown businesses will have special fall-inspired entrees, drinks and desserts, with information about the event available at the Downtown Collaboration Studio or at downtownrochestermi.com.
For example, the DDA announced on Facebook on Saturday its Taste of Fall Flavor of the Day, a malty, German-style, Oktoberfest lager with low to moderate hop bitterness, medium body and and orangish-amber coloring from Rochester Mills Beer Company.
And, on Sunday, the announced Flavor of the Day was a pumpkin crumble, with a white chocolate center, glaze drizzle and homemade whipped cream, from Tonia’s Victorian Rose Tea Room & More.
The Magic Mural Tour, which runs September 8- 30, features artwork by 14 different local artists, which are displayed outside and scattered throughout town.
A map of the different artworks is available on the DDA’s website where the event is announced, and includes locations such as the Royal Park Hotel, the DDA’s office, Paint Creek Center for the Arts (PCCA), a downtown Rochester nonprofit art center and gallery, and several stores along Main Street.
TheDDA, in conjunction with PCCA, is also hosting a People’s Choice Contest on Facebook to pick the best mural. Other artwork is also being included in different categories.
It has posted pictures of each mural and the photo with the most likes will be crowned the People’s Choice Winner for this year, with the contest running Wednesday, September 23, thru Monday, September 28.
Titles for the artworks include “Rochester Is...”, by Michelle Tessoff, and “Home Sweet Home”, by Amie Mommersteeg.
“The downtown murals are a product of the downtown association or Rochester
(DDA) and theymade September Art Month,” Nicole Bush, PCCA Education Coordinator, in charge of programs and social media, said.
“They have come up with Taste of (Fall) where even the restaurants can participate and the (Magic) Mural Tour is part of that.”
Hosted by PCCA and also part of Art Month, Parking Lot Picasso is a chalk- drawing event where artists filled amaximumof 40 parking spaces of the Rochester Grain Elevator (formerly the Griggs Brothers Grain Elevator) parking lot, on the corner of University and East Streets, with their chalk drawings.
Participants were asked to submit their chalk parking space design online on the PCCA’s website by Sept. 16, to be approved by Sept. 21.
PCCA then assigned each participant a parking space and provided them with chalk to complete their designs, with artists having to pick up their supplies from the PCCA before the event to decorate their spots within the selected time frame.
Artists then decorated their parking spot on the mornings of Friday and Saturday, Sept. 25 and 26.
Due to the pandemic, participants were required to bring and wear face masks, despite the event being outdoors, while within six feet of any individuals outside of their households.
“Parking Lot Picasso is a project to bring some community art and put joy into local peoples lives. And, it gives them ownership of their city,” Bush said.
Each chalked parking space was entered into the DDA’s and PCCA’s People’s Choice Contest on Facebook, with voting ending Sunday at 2:30 p.m.
There are first, second and third place prizes, which include award ribbons and free PCCA workshops.
Vanessa Wacek, a Troy resident, participated in Saturday’s Paint Creek Picasso event.
When asked how she got involved in the event, Wacek’s mom said she got an email about it.
“She’s ( Wacek’s) taking classes at Paint Creek and we got an email about it,” Wacek’s momsaid. “We’re very excited.”
For more information on Art Month, the Taste of Fall and the Magic Mural Tour, visit the DDA’s website, go to events and click on “What’s Happening”, or see the DDA’s Facebook page.
For more information on the PCCA and Parking Lot Picasso, visit the PCCA’s website or find them on social media on Facebook or Twitter at@PaintCreekArts.