Whimsical vibe Street art festival adds color to downtown
Painters on their hands and knees over the weekend created unique and interesting art that will amuse Main Street pedestrians for years to come.
Butler's Street Art Festival was carried out all along Main Street on Friday evening, as well as Saturday and Sunday to the delight of those who attended.
A Kraken in front of Domino's Pizza slithers out of a sidewalk drain and partially up a storefront, thanks to the artistic skills of Andrew Parker of Butler Township.
Parker, a member of the festival organizer, Associated Artists of Butler County, painted the two-tone blue waves surrounding the Kraken's tentacles Saturday afternoon.The Kraken's red tentacles with creepy black spots were sealed earlier in the day to protect the art from pedestrian traffic.Parker is in favor of the street art being added in the downtown area.“It's awesome,” he said. “It brings some color to Butler.”Fellow Associated Artists member Jeffrey Calta of Fairview Township painted large teeth on the exterior panels at Butler Dental Associates just a few doors away.He said many interested citizens stopped to ask questions or talk about the art.
“We're seeing a nice turnout,” Calta said. “The weather helps.”He said the street art adds a whimsical vibe to the downtown area.Troy Williams of Butler, who also helped paint the background around the Kraken on Saturday, said the street art enhances Butler in many ways.“It gets kids into art and makes the city look beautiful,” he said.He said he has seen pictures of Butler's street art posted on the internet.Stephen Haley, organizer of the festival, said he hopes those driving or walking on Main Street get a laugh out of the street art created over the weekend and in other parts of the downtown area by Associated Artists members earlier in the summer.
“Once people saw the Oreo monster at the YMCA, that turned us into rock stars,” Haley said.He plans to make the festival an annual event and add a scavenger hunt in which youngsters will be given a list of artwork to find downtown.Winners will be awarded with a free one-year membership to the Associated Artists of Butler County, which will afford them free art classes at the Butler Art Center on South Main Street.He said the 15 artists who painted the seven locations with street art on Saturday and Sunday reported to him that every observer gave positive feedback about the unique art.
“Every single person compliments it,” Haley said. “They say 'This is what this town needs.'”He hopes a large movie-related mural to be painted on the side of the Penn Theater next year will spur the refurbishment of the theater's interior, which he said could be used for performance art.Haley said he has five locations lined up for next year's street art festival, which he hopes will include stained glass, light art, sculptures and other mediums.The 2020 festival was rounded out with performances in Diamond Park and activities like free painting lessons, wood turning demonstrations and other activities at the art center.
