A new public art installation has been installed in the Melrose District in downtown Phoenix, at the intersection of 7th Avenue and Glenrosa. Created by the Phoenix Office of Art + Culture, the 7th Avenue Streetscape Public Art Project inspires sustainability through poetry and imagery. Topics include recycling, gardening, and reusing landfill waste.

Artisan Prints Public Art Installation

Artisan printed six 71″ x 99″ direct digital prints on 0.15” white Lexan (aka Polycarbonate) with clear Lexan protective covers.

The panels were inspired by six local poets, and designed by Canary Studios. The prints were installed in time for a National Poetry Month event, held on Saturday, April 21st. Read more about the event here. Below is a timelapse of the prints being installed:

To learn more about the 7th Avenue Streetscape public art installation, we spoke with Estrella Payton, Outreach Manager at the Phoenix Office of Arts + Culture.

Interview with Phoenix Office of Arts + Culture

What is your role with the Phoenix Office of Arts + Culture?

I am the Outreach Manager for the Office of Arts + Culture. My role involves engaging with non-profit arts and culture organizations as well as neighborhood and community groups to inform them about resources and opportunities. I also have the pleasure of working with the Phoenix Poet Laureate, Rosemarie Dombrowski, which is what brought me into managing the fantastic 7th Avenue Streetscape Temporary Public Art Project.

Can you tell us a little bit about the 7th Avenue Streetscape project? 

The 7th Avenue Streetscape project brings together community members, local businesses along the “Curve,” artists and poets. Since 2004 the Office of Arts + Culture has been displaying public artwork at this site to draw attention to the importance of recycling, and most recently the City’s efforts to reduce household waste by 40% by 2020. Our partner in this initiative is the City’s Reimagine Phoenix program of the Public Works Department. This year was extra special because we brought in our inaugural city Poet Laureate to select strong short poems. Rosemarie is an excellent literary advocate, collaborator and helped support this project far beyond the poetry selection.

What are you most looking forward to regarding the project? 

I was most excited to gather with the poets and graphic designers at the dedication on Saturday, April 21st. They have all now become friends, and to be able to see their reaction to viewing their words and artwork on a larger-than-life scale is such a reward! Additionally, I live quite close to the installation site, so I’m excited and proud to be able to tell the story of the creation of this work with friends and family in the area.

Working with Artisan Colour

How were you connected with Artisan?

Although this project is 14 years old, the project management has changed hands throughout the years. I began with orienting myself with the past installation project and came across the information of another local printer in town. We had a lovely conversation, but ultimately they highly recommended working with Artisan Colour. Their recommendation, which resulted in their passing on the business, gave me the confidence to contact Artisan for the job.

What did you think of the prints?

I am thoroughly impressed by the finished results!! The colors are vivid and stunning. The prints are an accurate representation of the artwork that was created and honestly, look even better installed than I could have hoped.

Public Art Installation Photo Credit: Gould Evans + Canary Studio

Would you recommend Artisan? 

Recommending Artisan Colour is a no-brainer! The product is fantastic, but working with Mike Goldner is really what made the difference for me. He really took the time to go over every detail and help me feel comfortable with the decisions we were making. He was also very patient with me when I couldn’t be as responsive as I would have liked.

To learn more about the Phoenix Office of Arts & Culture, visit their website. To keep track of their latest events, visit them on Facebook.

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