The Art Bikers are so excited to meet participants for their first pop up event of the year!
Behind the scenes, in the studio…
Ahead of Art Bikers field work with participants, there is an intensive and joyous creation period of research, design, testing, playing, and problem solving in the studio. Considering how to ensure children and adults alike have fun in their artistic creations is really important to Art Bikers. Also, they have to factor in weather — hot sun and blustery wind — that is just as eager to participate in our projects as the folks we encounter in public spaces!
Centred on spontaneous creativity and fun, collaboration and learning, Art Bikers Summer 13 team is eager to bring their passion for art making to public parks and places. This summer, look for the team in Dartmouth North, Africville, Fairview, Clayton Park, The Dartmouth Pizza Oven, Glen Garden, Mulgrave Park and so many other spots! We’ll be posting our schedule as soon as it is finalized.
At Salma's request, we applied a blur filter to her image to respect her updated photo consent. (September 2024)
At the Halifax North Common…
It was a genuine gift to hold space for participants to create original designs in renowned Mi’kmaw artist, filmmaker, musician and social justice advocate Alan Syliboy’s installation called Mi’kmaw Sign Post. This interactive art was created in partnership with The Deanery Project and Halifax Regional Municipality. Find out more about the artist and his participation in Our Common Woods placemaking project here: http://thedeaneryproject.com/our-common-woods/
After riding to the North Common, the Art Bikers set up and got ready to claim some space in the great outdoors! Pinnies could be seen across the park and caught the attention of approximately 70 people who participated in making their very own design! Huge thanks to Halifax Bike Week for their support of this activity! Awarding us a grant for materials for this project meant we were able to create innovative, adjustable pinnies for cyclists of all sizes.
First stop, the outdoor fitting station! Pick your favourite pinnie, try it on, twirl in the sun and cheer!
Designing one of a kind paper stencils and learning about how screen printing works with Art Bikers Salma and Undine.
Frist challenge: how to get an idea onto the page to be translated into bold shapes cut out for the stencil. Art Biker Sorrel is there to support!
Print time! The best part is pulling your first print and seeing the surprise of the big reveal! Adults love it as much as kids! Artist Devon looks on in support, guiding the process.
Veteran Art Biker Eric braces the screen for this eager cat!
It was a busy stretch with participants really getting into their work!
And after all that work, it’s time to try on and celebrate these bold pinnies!
Folks were thrilled with the results and eager for biking safely off to other Halifax Bike Week activities!
Pictured here: some cycling enthusiasts in the latest visibility wear, compliments of the Art Bikers!
Not pictured here: the incredible family of parents and children catching up to — and riding partway like ducklings behind — Art Bikers as they cycled back to the studio! This family was a total highlight, among many, at Art Bikers’ first event of the year! Kind thank you to all the folks who joined us and to the 4Cs Foundation for supporting such an incredible program.