Artists of the Wall

You have to love the annual Artists of the Wall event. Great weather, kites flying anf artists painting in Rogers Park.
Take a walk on the beach and check it out.

This is a unique Chicago landmark worth visiting. There is a concrete bench facing the lake that gets divided up into sections every year and each section is repainted by anyone who pays the nominal fee, about $ 15. Each year there is a theme, and prizes are rewarded during the
Artists of the Wall festival in June. The murals remain for a year for all to enjoy.
This is being written in July of ’05; the theme for this year is Chicago’s sister cities. There are about 75 sections, so you get to stroll and view 75 works of art as you enjoy the lakefront, the sky, people watching, and all the attendant good stuff.
The quality varies widely from professional to kids spattering paint, but that is part of its charm. The liberal values of the neighborhood always get expressed in the paintings, along with regular quotes from Meher Baba, the Budda, etc.
It always feels like a revisit to the ‘60s when I take the stroll and dig the art. People tend to be super friendly and of course the summertime ambiance is best, but this can also be a very uplifting place to visit when the weather is fierce.
Go check it out.