Downtown alley gets second life with color by local artists | News, Sports, Jobs

Vienna resident Charlotte Dauphin finishes the background of her “Wildflowers of West Virginia” piece during an Artist Alley work session Tuesday evening. (Photo by Kristen Hainkel)

Local artists are livening up a downtown alley between Sixth and Seventh streets with color.

Artist Alley, by Downtown PKB, hosted their second work session for artists to complete their creations on the Campbell Plaza Building Tuesday evening. The first one occurred June 22.

“We put a committee together at the beginning of the year,” Events and Marketing Manager Jessica Stickler said. “Part of what we do is bring beauty and art to downtown. We activate these spaces and bring life to them.”

Other participating groups include the Parkersburg Art Center, Boys and Girls Club, and Artbeat Studios for the Wood County Society. Acrylic paints were donated by Golden Paints. Once each piece is completed, they will be covered in an anti-graffiti sealant by Sherwin Williams Paints.

Art Center Managing Director Jessie Siefert said she serves on the board for Downtown PKB and was excited to help spread art throughout downtown.

Vienna resident Belinda Armstrong focuses on an outstretched hand in her painting during an Artist Alley work session Tuesday evening. (Photo by Kristen Hainkel)

Earlier this spring, local artists submitted their pieces to Downtown PKB for consideration and 22 artists were selected to paint their creations.

Belpre resident Ava Kocher painted a night scene with the Mothman and a friend camping and eating s’mores.

“I’ve been drawing since sixth grade,” she said. “I will go to Ohio University in the fall and study animation,” she said.

Vienna resident Charlotte Dauphin said she took inspiration from West Virginia’s wildflowers and painted an outline of the state with different flowers inside.

“I like how you see different styles of art here. There’s impressionist and nature oriented. The person next to me did a painting of Jesus and a dove,” she said.

Belpre resident Ava Kocher mixes her paint while working on her Mothman campsite scene.during an Artist Alley work session Tuesday evening. (Photo by Kristen Hainkel)

Another Vienna resident, Belinda Armstrong, said she left West Virginia for many years and recently returned. She wanted to show what the community means to her.

“I wanted to represent a friendly and welcoming community, so I drew an outstretched hand and birds to lift your eye up,” she said.