Masterpiece In A Day in Fountain Square: How a Neighborhood Celebration Brings Art to Life in Indianapolis
Decades later, the energy's back and Fountain Square is home to unique small businesses, live events, and–thanks to a dedicated team of residents–the arts.
Artist Elizabeth Ryan says, “There was a neighborhood group of us who started an art council here in the neighborhood and we thought, ‘what a better way than ours to build a community because there's no pressure. You can just be creative and have fun with it.’ We did an art parade, and then we did the booth and Masterpiece In A Day.”
All that and more has become an annual event known as Art Squared. Masterpiece In A Day is an art competition. The rules are pretty simple. Don't start before nine [o’clock in the morning] and be done by three [o’clock in the afternoon]. And all artists must work outside, somewhere within a handful of blocks in Fountain Square.
“I am making my subject the Murphy Art building, and apparently going to some street lights and the church. I barely got the steeple in there–I wasn’t sure it was going to fit–but it's in there," says artist John Erwin. "The challenges are obviously time constraints, composition, design, and getting set up. It really is just a matter of getting something on canvas that everybody else is going to like. That’s the main challenge.”
“Well, you think about art in a day. I mean, that's a pretty daunting task. So I think what people do is one or the other. This is the perfect excuse to try something you don't normally do,” Ryan laughs. “And then the other part is you have folks maybe have a little more confidence in something and know what they can get done. I think because of that freedom and the fun of rocking it out in a day, I think really gives you the opportunity to maybe be a little more relaxed about it. It is a serious competition, and we really do want good art. But we want everybody to participate, and we want things that are different and try something new, and I think that's really stuck. So that's why it’s eclectic. There's no real theme. Just have fun and do it.”
Artists, Veterans, and the Power of Creative Community
Artist Jacqui Peterschmidt states, “In my head, I kind of have this play on gender, I guess, because you had to use the side saddle if you wanted to wear something resembling a dress. That's kind of my hope in the face of the adversity of whatever. But I'm just having fun painting, so, like, it doesn't have to be that deep. I've seen some truly amazing art around. If I cannot win Best Art, I for sure can win Best Canvas.”
“I think the audience watching and seeing art in progress is the most important part of Masterpiece in a Day. By walking around and seeing different types of people doing different kinds of stuff–painting or drawing or etching or making stuff out of junk, whatever it is–I think that sort of breaks down a barrier between what you feel is an artist and what you feel is just an observer or appreciator. That kind of brings the two together,” says Ryan.
Artist Jasmin Pettiford explains, “I’m with the VA Art Group, and we decided to challenge ourselves a little bit and come out here with other artists and see what we could produce. We're all disabled veterans. We work through the VA with an art therapist, and we're in a group where we feel like everybody understands us.”
“It has totally impacted my life!" artist Lori Williams exclaims. "Through art therapy, I have learned that whatever you create is art, and it has brought me out of my shell. This has given me a great outlet, and it has been a tremendous gift to be with art therapy. This is the first time that I've done something like this, so it's going to be interesting.”
At 3 p.m., it was time for Lori and all her fellow artists to turn in their masterpieces. And win, lose, or draw, the day was a chance for all to celebrate art, overcome challenges, and explore a unique Hoosier community.
“It is so great to see it continuing. I love the energy. It's like a party in your neighborhood, and parties always bring good energy. It's been amazing to see what not only the neighborhood has turned, but how the arts are still such a big part,” concludes Ryan.
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The above video is a clip from Journey Indiana from WTIU. You can watch more segments and full episodes at pbs.org/show/journey-indiana/