Wilkes Art Class Helps Beautify Downtown Storefronts

(November 22, 2004) -- Students in Professor Sharon Bowar's beginning acrylic painting class created murals to help beautify downtown storefronts.

The following story recently appeared in The Times Leader

Windows of Hope

By MARK E. JONES
mjones@leader.net

WILKES-BARRE - Paintings created by a dozen Wilkes University students will pop into empty storefronts soon, bringing bright hues to a blighted area.

Perhaps they'll bring hope, too, the artists say.

Each window-size piece portrays a thriving business: a clothing store, flower shop, art studio and bistro. Together, they provide a glimpse of what South Main Street could be, if only some entrepreneurs would latch onto the location.

"I hope it makes people realize what the downtown could look like, and then want to help make it better," said Brittany Kramer, 21, one of the contributing artists.

She and her classmates, led by Sharon Bowar, an associate professor of art, began the project early in the fall semester. Their acrylic creations are intended to beautify the streetscape during the holiday season and beyond. They might be displayed as soon as tomorrow.

The paintings will be installed in three buildings formerly occupied by these businesses: Blum Brothers clothier, Frank Clark Jeweler and fast-food purveyor Wendy's.

"Our plan is to have it look like the downtown is not deserted," said Nancy Eckert, an area real estate agent who inspired the project.

Eckert and other members of the Greater Wilkes-Barre Association of Realtors will wash the stores' grimy windows, she said during an interview earlier this month. The paintings probably will stay in place until someone buys or leases the space. Then, the art will be shifted to another vacant building.

The Realtors association and Wilkes University collaborated on the image-enhancing effort, which spurred wider interest as soon as the idea was made public.

The Wyoming Valley Art League offered to magnify the project, and already has put its members' paintings on exhibit at several idle storefronts in nearby Midtown Village, said league president Linda Keck.

Unlike the students' large-scale art, the league's displays include more traditional oil paintings, watercolors and pastels. Most pieces are available for sale.

Drab downtowns

Other cities have masked shoddy sections with public art.

In western Pennsylvania, for example, the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust allows artists to pay low rent, or no rent, for the temporary use of otherwise empty properties. When a more sustainable business comes along, the gallery must go to a new home.

Proponents of the idea believe that by making a neighborhood appear busy - or, at least, eye-catching - they can spur actual revitalization.

Here in the Wyoming Valley, Eckert and her real estate cohorts consider the city primed for better days. "We think we're going to start to see some major change," she said.

In Bowar, the Wilkes art instructor, they found a perfect partner. She has a personal interest in seeing the downtown improve, because she works and lives in Wilkes-Barre.

Moreover, Bowar has a background in public art projects. In fact, after the terrorist attacks of 2001, she encouraged area residents to express their emotions in a "freestyle" painting project done on a city street corner.

"(Public art) enlivens the spirit; it can bring communities together," Bowar said.

Plus, adding artwork to a barren storefront, she said, "is much better than putting plywood on the windows."

Drawing smiles

For this semester's "Storefront Art Project," Bowar led her class on a walk down Main Street.

The students also visited the King of Prussia Mall, where they examined how products were displayed, and toured the thriving Philadelphia neighborhood of Manayunk. "They were set loose for two hours to walk around and talk with shop owners," she said.

Later, the students submitted preliminary design plans for their paintings.

Shavertown resident Elaine Engel, a retired school teacher, settled on a flower shop motif.

"I'm old enough to remember when you would wear white gloves to go downtown to shop," she said.

Like her younger classmates, Engel admitted she was surprised, and a tad nervous, when first told about the window project. "It's one thing to paint for yourself," she said. "It's another to have people in a position to judge it."

In time, however, the art students seemed drawn to the idea of influencing the downtown environment.

"Best-case scenario: I hope somebody looks at (my painting) and wants to buy the place," said Amanda Richards, 21, of Wilkes-Barre. "But if somebody walking down the street just sees it and smiles, I'll be happy."

***

Other art students from Luzerne County participating in the project are Scott Abbott, 22, of Swoyersville; Casey Novajosky, 21, of Harveys Lake; Kristopher Smith, 21, of Wilkes-Barre; and Amanda Zerfoss, 19, of West Nanticoke.

Participants also include Ashley Joslin, April Klitsch, John Muscarella, Geraldine Ojeil and Jen Trate.

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