On Saturday June 2nd Mythological Lore Comes to Life!From the Cocheco River to building rooftops, twelve mythological creatures made by Seacoast artists, writers, and students will descend on downtown Rochester! See the public art exhibition and read their stories for a fascinating mythological journey. Free Entertainment includes: Michael Trautman - Visual Comedy Act, Perry Alley Puppet Theater, Bradigan Irish Band, and the Strafford Wind Symphony! Make a mythological mask and join in the parade, complete with drummers and pipers! Opening Day Entertainment - June 2nd
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A crush of creatures is gathering, and Art Esprit is proud to announce the local artists and writers responsible for their creation. The group continues their popular series of public art exhibitions with a venture into the fantastic in "The Mythology of Rochester."
Download a Mythology Brochure MYTH-brochure-or.pdf | Spaulding High School students have created their
What is inside Pandora's Box? Only Art Esprit artist |
 | Rochester Creates: PortraitsJune 4th to October 23rd, 2011Art Esprit's exciting 2011 community art project of 500 portraits was permanently installed at the Rochester Community Center on January 25th, 2012. The mosaic piece and 11 large wall panels are now in the halls of the Community Center. The Rochester Recreation Department, Gerry's Food Pantry, the Senior Center, along with other social services are housed at 150 Wakefield Street. The portrait panels bring color and vitality to the Community Center for everyone to enjoy!
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This project explores who we are as a community. Square wood panels were painted with over 500 individual portraits and combined together in one architectural sculpture. Art Esprit members held workshops with school children, adults, and seniors to paint their individual portraits. Participating groups include: Spaulding High School, Rochester Middle School, Girls Inc., Rochester Recreation Department, Rochester Safe Haven, Chamberlain St. School, The Homemakers, Colonial Hill Care and Rehab, and Community Partners. The artwork was installed by Art Esprit members on Saturday June 4th at the Parson Main Square in downtown Rochester. NH artist Lizz Van Saun worked with the public to create a mosaic piece, which will also be displayed at the Rochester Community Center along with the 500 portraits. This year the proceeds from this project funded $2000 in scholarships which were donated to Spaulding High School Seniors pursuing an education in Art and Creative Writing! Check out our photo gallery! Download a brochure: Rochester Creates:Portraits Corporate Underwriter: Profile Bank |  |
If These Rocks Could Talk, “Stories of the Granite StateJune 4th to October 17th, 2010
New Hampshire, The Granite State The Project Art Esprit, following the great success of “The Shoes of Rochester” was proud to unveil a new project for the summer of 2010, “If These Rocks Could Talk: Stories from the Granite State”. Art Esprit members created an exciting outdoor walking tour in downtown Rochester. The art exhibition included 20 rock inspired sculptures based on rock themed poems and stories that highlight the Granite State. Download a brochure: Art Esprit If Rocks Could Talk Corporate Underwriter: Granite State College
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The Shoes of Rochester
June 6th to September 26th, 2009
Our first large scale project: "The Shoes of Rochester, a public art exhibition" A book was created from this project and has all the full color photographs of the individual shoes, all the poems, a historical time line of shoe production in Rochester and much much more!
Download a PDF of the book: Shoes of Rochester
Download a PDF of the brochure for the walking tour which includes a map, list of artists and poets and sponsors right here: The Shoes Of Rochester
A press release about the kick off event:
Art Esprit revs up for the kickoff of its community arts exhibit and walking tour, “The Shoes of Rochester”, Saturday, June 6th, 2009 from 10AM to 3PM. Opening day events include the tour of the “Shoes” themselves - eleven enormous shoe sculptures, created over the winter by Adam Pearson will be on display along with the artists who painted them and the poets who wrote about them , a 10AM signing of the “Vietnam Boot” installation at City Hall by area veterans,a scavenger hunt for the children and a shoe art fashion show at 2PM. This opening event is just the beginning of a summer-long run for the “Shoes”, a walking tour of the public art in downtown Rochester.
“Shoes of Rochester” is a celebration of Rochester, its rich mill history, and its talented arts community. But “The Shoes of Rochester” project is far more than just beautification. It is a walking tour, a collaboration of artists, a call for community involvement, and a just plain great way to get involved in the arts. Each shoe is an individually sculpted work of art, made from earth friendly materials. Local artists and writers have collaborated to decorate each shoe with their words and images.
The shoe decorators are an accomplished group, and include local artists such as Susann Foster Brown, Marilyn Price, Susan Schwake, Stephanie Piro, Ron and Diane St. Jean, Larry Reynolds, Anne Smith, Grace Youngren, Sally Allen, and Rose Thierault, as well as Student artists from Spaulding High School. The poets involved in the project include Rochester's Poet Laureate Andrew Periale, Marie Harris, Pat Frisella, Jennifer White, Rick Agran, Neil English, Paul Sprague, Matt Jasper and students from Spaulding High School's Literary Magazine, the Wandering Pen.
Art Esprit, the Rochester-based literary and visual artist group that created the event intends “The Shoes of Rochester” as a draw to the downtown area and to the city itself. Included in the roster of “Shoes” events are the unveiling of the “Shoes” planters, and workshops for local youth to paint old shoes to be displayed in local businesses as planters. The creation of a poetic/oral local history by Rochester’s Poet Laureate, Andrew Periale, will honor the memory of Rochester’s past through the stories of its shoe-mills and shoe-mill workers.
Contact:
Art Esprit
PO Box 495
Rochester, New Hampshire 03867