Asphalt art projects to begin next week in Huntington
HUNTINGTON – The first of three asphalt art projects in Huntington will begin next week, and volunteers are sought to help the artist.
Beginning Aug. 4, work will begin on a mural next to Highlawn Elementary School at the intersection of Collis Avenue and 26th Street. The project is expected to be completed on Aug. 10, weather permitting.
Artist Chelsea Hart will paint the Highlawn asphalt mural as well as asphalt murals in Fairfield (intersection of 10th Avenue and 17th Street where the historic Memphis Tennessee Garrison home is located) and the West End (on 14th Street West and 5th Avenue West next to The Wild Ramp).
Hart, who was chosen after a rigorous jurying process led by the Mayor’s Council on the Arts, created the mural designs after soliciting input from residents in each of the neighborhoods during community meetings in June. She submitted two designs for each neighborhood, and residents voted on the design they liked best.
The asphalt mural that Hart designed for Highlawn that was selected by residents was inspired by the natural settings found in the neighborhood – trees, leaves and the Ohio River.
“I think nature is a good symbol of Highlawn,” Hart aid. “It’s peaceful but exciting at the same time. It helps us think outside ourselves, and look at a bigger picture, much like Highlawn thinks about community and feels tight-knit.
Designs for the Fairfield and West End murals will be revealed in the near future.
Volunteers are requested help Hart paint the Highlawn asphalt mural on Aug. 6-7. Those who would like to help are asked to contact Zane Parsley, executive director of the Highlawn Community Alliance, at 304-412-3602 or zane.a.parsley@gmail.com.
From Aug. 4-10, 26th Street from 3rd Avenue to 1st Avenue will be closed to all traffic. Motorists should use 25th or 27th streets as an alternative, and large trucks should use 24th Street.
The Foundation for the Tri-State Community was selected as a recipient of a $25,000 grant from the Bloomberg Foundation in 2021 to create asphalt art at three intersections in Huntington in neighborhoods that were targeted by the Huntington Innovation Project (HIP) Plan: Fairfield, Highlawn and the West End. The project in each neighborhood is being driven by the executive leadership of the nonprofit organizations created as part of the Huntington Innovation Project (HIP) plan – RaShad Sanders for the Fairfield Community Development Corporation, Lauren Kemp for RenewAll, Inc. and Parsley for the Highlawn Community Alliance, Inc.
The purpose of the project is to enhance safety, mobility, beauty and community engagement as well as activate public spaces. For more information, contact Margaret Mary Layne, project director, at margaretmarylayne@gmail.com.