Inaugural Paint CHQ Mural Festival Artwork Begins

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The Chautauqua County Partnership for Economic Growth (CCPEG) and Chautauqua County Department of Planning and Development (CCDPD) are pleased to announce that five world-renowned muralists are starting the work of painting four large-scale, public murals during the inaugural Paint CHQ mural festival.

Announced in February, Paint CHQ is a new initiative intended to help focus on the important role public art plays in placemaking and strengthening local communities. For the inaugural year, four communities have been selected to host the new murals: Dunkirk, Falconer, Sherman, and Westfield. Coordinating the effort is Alexandra Hall from A H Public Spaces Consulting, LLC, who has assisted with other community mural project around the country. Official Paint CHQ events are scheduled to occur the week of September 7, with other adjacent community-related events also scheduled during the month.

The commissioned muralists have begun work on their respective projects, and all four murals will be completed by the end of September. The public is encouraged to visit the participating communities during the mural installation process, but the public is also encouraged to maintain a safe distance from heavy equipment and also save any questions for the muralists until their respective Artist Talk and Dedication events.

PAINT CHQ MURAL LOCATIONS

The public murals wouldn’t be possible without the cooperation from four property owners, who each signed up to participate in the Paint CHQ mural festival. Those locations are:

Dunkirk: The Coburn Block, 123 Central Ave.

Falconer: State Lanes, 16 E. Main St.

Sherman: The Cornerstone Restaurant, 104 E. Main St.

Westfield: Grace & Abe’s Westfield, 14 N. Portage St.

In each of this year’s PAINT CHQ communities, a local Steering Committee was formed, consisting of local business owners, local artists, municipal leaders, and invested community members. Over the last six months, these individuals have been highly engaged in the artwork development process. The Steering Committee participated in town hall meetings, promoted the public feedback survey, selected the muralist, created design themes, selected the artwork, and joined in festival event planning.

As a sneak peek, the Westfield mural’s design statement, Where the Vines Meet, pays homage to the unique identity, heritage, and natural beauty of the region, blending vibrant, nature-based imagery with historical and figurative elements to reflect the community’s deep-rooted pride. The three other communities also developed their own design statement to help capture the theme for their respective mural.

ARTIST TALKS

Each community will also host an artist talk with their respective muralist. These talks will include presentations and discussions on the creation of the artwork, process, creative briefs that informed the artists, and the inspirations, providing insight into their creative choices and fostering a deeper connection with the public. It is an opportunity to get to know more about the artist and their artwork. The full Artist Talk schedule can be found online at ChooseCHQ.com/PaintCHQ.

– Monday, Sept. 8 at 6 p.m. The Corner Stone Restaurant, Sherman: Emily Ding (Houston) and Justin Suarez, aka “Aerosol Kingdom” (Rochester, N.Y.)

– Tuesday, Sept. 9 at 5 p.m. Eason Hall, Westfield: Dom Laporte of DRIFT Mural Co. (Ottawa, Ontario)

– Thursday, Sept. 11 at 6 p.m. – Falconer High School (Cafeteria): Mandi Caskey, aka “Miss Birdy” (Columbus, Ohio)

– TBD – Dunkirk: Alain Welter (Luxembourg)

DEDICATION EVENTS

The Paint CHQ mural festival celebrations and mural dedications kicks off on Friday, Sept. 12 at 5 p.m. in Westfield. On Saturday, Sept. 13, two more dedications will take place at 1:30 p.m. in Sherman and 3 p.m. in Falconer, with other community events continuing all day. Due to changes in Dunkirk’s artist arrival, dates for the dedication and festival will be announced shortly. A full list of locally led events and Paint CHQ festivals and events schedule can be found online at ChooseCHQ.com/PaintCHQ.

Paint CHQ has also created a Mural Passport program. Passports will be available at the Paint CHQ website, and hard copies will be available at the artist talks and dedication events. If you visit at least three of the four murals during the artist talks or dedication events, you will be entered to win a Live CHQ basket and Paint CHQ prize. Stamps will be provided at each site.

PAINT CHQ APPRENTICE PROGRAM

Paint CHQ also features an Apprentice Program. The Paint CHQ Apprentice Program offers professional artists and aspiring muralists an opportunity to garner valuable experience installing large-scale murals. Participation in this project increases their artist network and helps artists build their resume. Local and regional artists were encouraged to apply to participate, and the local artists selected to be involved in this program are: Carrie Blitz, Rose Crane, Pamela Corsoro, Jackie Damore, Jackie Doyle, Lily Foster, Sam Gast, Chris Labuskes, Kenneth Labuskes, Jewel Lin, Melissa Meyers, Sara Baker Michalak, Victoria Parker, Joseph Rice, Jenna Robino, Erin Ruffino, and Stacey Seleen.

Funding for this project is allotted through CCPEG’s placemaking initiative, and additional funding has come from grant funding through New York State Council on the Arts, Northern Chautauqua Community Foundation, Chautauqua Region Community Foundation, Arts Services Inc., Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation, Lake Shore Savings, and the United Arts Appeal of Chautauqua County.

For more information about Paint CHQ, visit ChooseCHQ.com/PaintCHQ.