Art on the city streets
By Phyllis Moore
Published in News on April 22, 2018 3:05 AM
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Local artist Eric Schreffler, left, adds touches to his mural at the corner of Walnut and John streets on Saturday afternoon, with the aid of his wife, Tracy, and 15-year-old son, Dalton.
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From left, Guy Harrington and John Zambelli help Charlotte artist Scott Partridge paint his mural in the crosswalk at James and Walnut Streets on Saturday.afternoon as part of the "Made on Main Street" community transformation project. Six artists were chosen to participate in the event during the festival, in response to a $25,000 grant Goldsboro received as part of a beautification project.
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News-Argus/PHYLLIS MOORE
Cornelius Baker of Greenville paints his mural on Walnut Street as part of "Made on Main Street" on Saturday. He was one of six artists chosen to participate in the event, the kickoff for the first $25,000 grant, awarded to the city of Goldsboro as part of the downtown beautification project.
Downtown Goldsboro was bustling Saturday afternoon for its first-ever "Made on Main Street" event, primarily down the stretch of Walnut Street between James and John streets.
The street festival was also the first of its kind in the state and nation, organizers said.
Through a partnership between OneMain Financial and Main Street America, Goldsboro received the first of seven $25,000 Community Action Grants for innovative community transformation projects that will be given out across the U.S.
In addition to food and craft vendors, the main draw were the crosswalk artists leaving their mark on the downtown streets.
Six artists were chosen to get create and "paint the town" in line with the ongoing beautification projects, said Sarah Martin of the Downtown Goldsboro Development Corporation, or DGDC.
"DGDC put out a call for artists and narrowed it down to six," she said. "We're trying to bring more attention to the Walnut Street area."
Local artist Eric Schreffler came up with the idea for his submission -- head-to-head guitars against a blue background with white stars -- out of his own interest in music.
"I have a lot of artwork throughout the city and all of it is music-inspired," he said, adding, "I'm always game to do anything downtown."
Originally from Ohio, Schreffler said he has lived in this area so long, "I'm from here now."
At the corner of John and Walnut streets, he was helped with the project by his wife, Tracy, and 15-year-old son, Dalton.
On the opposite corner, Cornelius Baker of Greenville -- who also does oil portraits, abstracts and mixed media -- worked on a his own asphalt canvas.
He had actually submitted three suggestions for the honor, he said -- including one of "lazy bumblebees using sunflowers for a hammock."
The one selected for the crosswalk featured different footprints, from dinosaurs and humans to babies and chickens.
"I love doing artwork," he said. "It's good exposure and you meet different people."
Further down the street, at James and Walnut, was the makings of an abstract design consisting of simple shapes, said Scott Partridge, an artist from Charlotte.
"Someone emailed the artist call to me," he said.
"I wanted to do a big public mural, which I have on my resume."
He was assisted by Guy Harrington from Transpo, manufacturer of the coating applied as foundation beneath the artwork.
"The area pavement marking is designed for the roadway and can last up from seven to 10 years," he explained.