Last Saturday I went on a fascinating tour of public art in Ithaca. I was amazed at how few of the artworks I had seen before, despite having lived near Ithaca for most of my life. On the course of the tour we saw examples of murals on parking garage walls, electrical boxes, and underneath bridges. Each one had a different theme, but they all featured rich, vibrant colors which stood out against the greys of the city streets.

Our tour guide was part of the committee that commissions the works to be painted, so he was able to share a lot of information with us about the artists and the inspirations behind their work. I was impressed at how quickly some of the murals have to be painted, since many of the artists are from out of town and some are even from other countries. One of the electrical boxes, painted with the elaborate design of a blue and green fairy, was completed in only a few hours.

Our guide also talked about his plans for the future of public art in Ithaca. He eventually hopes to have every wall of the college town parking lot painted with a different mural, and then to start decorating the ceiling as well. I look forward to seeing how Ithaca’s outdoor art museum continues to grow during my time here!