Mike Teixeira, board president of Art-Speak (Portsmouth’s cultural commission), saw a point of weakness in the port city once known for tall ships and whales. “We were frustrated that public art seems to take so long to get done for public property like parks and municipal property and the light bulb went on,” says Teixeira. “We could fast track getting art in the city to reflect the real spirit of what’s going on here if we started getting property owners directly engaged.” So they did just that, creating a Craigslist-like website for muralists to connect with business owners in need of art.

The Wilder | Dylan Haigh

This is how it works. First the building owner selects the indoor or outdoor wall that they want to upgrade. Once they’ve decided budget, dimensions, and timeframe, they post their wall on StreetCanvas. Artists can peruse the entries and when they find one that piques their interest, they can submit their ideas for the wall. The building owner selects their favorite submission and gets in touch with the artist directly to start the work.

The Wilder | Dylan Haigh

Since StreetCanvas got its start in June 2017, three murals have been finished. Artist Dylan Haigh, a creative director (among other things) living in Portsmouth, gives StreetCanvas high praise… “I didn’t consider (street art) as something I could really do around here until this year and when StreetCanvas went up,” he says. “Ever since I watched the page like a hawk just waiting for the right wall.” The right wall manifested in the form of The Wilder, a new restaurant within walking distance of Haigh’s home. The idea of having a giant piece of his own art in his neighborhood was too exciting to pass up. “I had the benefit of knowing the folks who own the business. They had been familiar with what I do and they liked the general aesthetic so they told me to go nuts,” he says.

“A city like Portsmouth can get frozen in time,” says Teixeira. The port city is known for its historical elements but that’s no reason to get entrenched in the past. There are troves of artists from newer generations and StreetCanvas was created to give them a voice and protect Portsmouth from falling to the wayside. Why not integrate new art with the more traditional pieces that already live on the walls of Portsmouth?

Live Artfully Chalk Mural | Brian Cartier

While the StreetCanvas initiative has received overwhelmingly positive feedback from the community, not every exchange between artist and business owner has been strife-free. “Some business owners and property owners came to the table with very specific ideas and unrealistic expectations and it has been an amazing learning curve of how to figure out how to mediate that kind of stuff,” says Teixeira. The nature of StreetCanvas encourages business owners who may not be particularly art-minded to think figuratively and step into the perspective of the artist to see how the process works on their end.

StreetCanvas is still young, but Teixeira has high expectations for its future. “I hope that this takes off, and it’s a place where business owners and artists can connect and create a bunch of cool financial opportunities for artists to get work on a regular basis for what they do.”

Mike Teixeira, president of Art-Speak
Portsmouth, New Hampshire
Website
Facebook
Instagram

Top image: Portwalk Transformer Fence Mural | Susan Bartlett Rice

The post Painting Portsmouth appeared first on Take Magazine.

For those of you not in the know, Worcester has churned out quite a bit of brilliance over the years. From the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence in 1776, to the founding of New England’s beloved Polar Seltzer in 1916, to Harvey Ball creating the smiley face that has haunted our culture, we can safely note that the city has a placeholder in history. Now meet Che Anderson, the man that is putting our beloved Wormtown on the map again, this time as a big league arts and culture epicenter.

Back in September, Take Magazine met up with Anderson to discuss the much-anticipated POW WOW! Worcester, a ten-day international art festival that left Worcester covered in breathtaking murals, and put it in the spotlight as a “must see” destination for art lovers, tourists, and townies alike. When we spoke to him, his dream was to see Worcester as part of a global dialogue about art alongside cities like Austin, New York City, London, and Tokyo. “The question to me was never, When will Worcester become a cultural epicenter?, but rather, When will the world notice that Worcester already is one?,” says Anderson.

Che Anderson | Photo by Erika Sequiera

He notes that, “The greatest change to the city was the increased belief of the arts community that these types of events are possible. There is nothing too ambitious or outlandish for Worcester, and as long as you have a coalition of engaged citizens, anything can thrive here.” Anderson’s enthusiasm and dedication have undoubtedly made him a local celebrity. At the blooming age of 27, he was recently named Worcester’s Person of the Year 2016, and continues his illustrious career as the staff assistant to the city manager, where one of his main objectives is to establish public arts initiatives to further the city’s cultural economy.

A New York city native who transplanted to Worcester in 2007, Anderson graduated from the College of the Holy Cross, thinking he would become a lawyer. However, his growing passion for street art, theater, and culture, and his interest in having an impact on the city, propelled him on his path to his current job at City Hall. For all the accolades and recognition that Anderson has been receiving of late, he is keeping a cool head and an eye on the future. “I hope 2017 pushes me, and Worcester, to new heights,” he says. “POW! WOW! Worcester is returning this summer, and I can only hope it’s as impactful as our 2016 efforts. I look forward to working more with Mass Development and keeping up with the Mass Cultural Council to better my understanding of statewide arts policy and funding. I also hope to attract some new ideas and organizers to the City of Worcester to facilitate further growth.”

Taken at Secret Walls: Art Basel Edition in Miami | Photographer unknown.

When Anderson is not tearing it up at City Hall or furthering the burgeoning art scene of Worcester through his participation in PAWG (Public Art Working Group), he can be found enjoying a beer at Deadhorse Hill or seeing the latest installation at Nine Dot Gallery. He is looking forward to the new year, despite a fraught political climate, and believes that art is the future of change. “Politics greatly influence art (a trend displayed from Warhol’s Kennedy to Hanksy’s Trump), as art serves as the voice a person chooses to express their belief on everything from a political party to platform,” he says. “Art is a reactive voice of the people; and sometimes, with enough support, the art can influence political policy and ideology leading to a cycle of influence and change.”

Find him at your local Worcester hot spot, or follow him on Instagram to see his favorite art and #latenightthoughts. His passion and style are sure to capture your attention.

The post Che And The City appeared first on Take Magazine.