This Saturday, October 23, 2021, ArtRoot will be hosting an afternoon of art appreciation beginning at 3:00 p.m. with the unveiling of the second installation of the Wall Poems of Racine.
The newest Wall Poem is located at 1346 Washington Ave and was inspired by Kelsey Marie Harris’ poem, When I Die, Bury Me a Tree. Graphic design student Kyle Racas created the design, which was then painted by Dean Tawwater of Tawwater Sign Company. Bob Yuhas of RPY Architecture donated the site elevation drawings for the wall space, which was donated by Jimmy Larkin, Jr., and Jim Wachowiak.
Plenty of parking will be available by way of the back lot for The Branch (1501 Washington Ave) as well as street parking.
Immediately following the kickoff, a public art tour will take place within the Uptown area, led by members from Art for Uptown (@artforuptown). Participants will be the first to learn of the plans for a new public art installation, as well as have the opportunity to take part in a project themselves for a nominal donation of $5. The plan is to create the largest mural in Uptown, with the help of any and all interested attendees. These supplies will be available at The Branch between 3:00 – 7:00 p.m.
In addition to the art supplies, there will be food vendors, a cash bar, local artisan booths, henna art, free art activities including coloring and painting set up behind The Branch.
During this time, Mahogany Gallery (1422 Washington Ave) will be hosting a free artist talk given by Wall Poems of Racine #2 poet, Kelsey Marie Harris.
Lastly, Mahogany Gallery will close out the day with a mixed-media event that will include painting, poetry, open mic for poets, and live music from DJ X. This event runs from 8:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. and requires ticket purchase. Visit the Gallery’s website here for tickets.
Afternoon Schedule:
- 3:00 p.m. – Wall Poem unveiling and kickoff
1346 Washington Ave - 3:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. – Uptown Public Art Tour and more
1501 Washington Ave- Uptown’s largest mural
- Food from Dragon Pit BBQ and Jaramillo’s Home Cook’n Food Truck
- Local artisan booths
- Henna art by Hadiyah
- Free coloring activity by Sharktopia
- Free painting activity by Rooted Plant Shop
1436 Washington Ave
- 8:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. –Mahogany Gallery mixed-media event
1422 Washington Ave- Remember that tickets are required to attend this event.
About ArtRoot’s Wall Poems of Racine
The University of Wisconsin-Parkside and ArtRoot, along with other community partners, have teamed up to showcase local literary talent in conjunction with Professor Carey Watters’ advanced graphic design students.
Annually, students develop and submit their designs to a committee that incorporates their chosen poem excerpt. After feedback and modifications, the committee then chooses the next Wall Poem.
During the unveiling ceremony, attendees will learn a brief history of the project, as well as plans for future projects. The featured poet will recite her poem, and surveys will be offered for feedback.
A grant from the Wisconsin Arts Board, funds from the State of Wisconsin and the National Endowment for the Arts makes this Wall Poem possible. Additional funding has been made available from The Osborne and Scekic Family Foundation, the Racine Arts Council’s ArtSeed Grants Program, and Jerry Hershberger.
For more information on the Wall Poems of Racine and ArtRoot, visit their website here.