A 1.2-mile stretch of sidewalk in San Antonio, Texas is now a massive work of public art titled, “Along Here & There.”
Brooklyn-born, San Antonio-based artist Mark Schlesinger hand-painted sidewalks and a bridge along Jones Maltsberger Road with earthy yet vibrant tones of orange, brown, yellow and green. Handrails, ramps, utility covers, guardrails and medians are also decorated with livening strips of color. The artwork branches off to Mud Creek Park, where freestanding concrete walls feature tiles designed by eighth graders at nearby Driscoll Middle School.
The San Antonio Express-News reported on Schlesinger’s creative process earlier this year. On his decision to use a paint roller instead of a much more convenient sprayer, Schlesinger told the Express-News, “I want that direct contact — as direct contact as possible. I mean, I'm a painter. I want to feel what I'm painting.”
Love that passion.
Schlesinger, who had done other public paintings around San Antonio prior to Along Here & There, created his color palette for the project by analyzing homes in the area. Residents were initially wary, both of the colors and the project as a whole. Showing the humility of a true artist, Schlesinger used their input at community meetings to create “a subtle surprise for people walking, biking or driving by to discover.”
It’s always great to see public art being created, embraced and appreciated. We’d love to see any interesting work you’ve come across in your neighborhood or city – Tweet us at @DuggalNYC or leave a reply!
caption id="attachment_10756" align="aligncenter" width="251" Courtesy of San Antonio Express-News/caption
caption id="attachment_10654" align="aligncenter" width="300" Courtesy of San Antonio Express-News/caption