Art on the Porches: Neighborly exhibition of local artists

On Saturday, Sept 12, over 40+ local artists in Syracuse and the surrounding areas set up their tents in the historic Strathmore neighborhood. Art on the Porches is a single-day event that brings together artists of all mediums on Ruskin Ave, where they showcase their art for the community to enjoy. 

Returning for its 26th year, Art on the Porches is a community wide effort for maintaining the city’s longstanding art community. Emily Tibero, the festival’s chairperson and a Ruskin Ave. resident, has been leading Art on the Porches for the past three years. Tibero credits much of the festival’s longevity to the gracious generosity of the homeowners, who year after year allow for artists to take residence on their lawns for the day. 

“We love having returning artists,” Tibero said.  “We hope to keep growing and showcase how cool it can be to live in the city.”

The festival this year displayed an eclectic gathering of artists that festivalgoers were able to meet and get the chance to talk to as they walked through the event. From pottery vases, to canvas paintings of all sizes, fuzzy crocheted hats and one-of-one jewelry pieces, Art on the Porches had something for everyone. 

Opening presentations started with The UNiTY Street Band parade marching to mark the start of the festival. Families could be seen enjoying the sunny afternoon, with children running around from porch to porch. The event also brought out local food vendors which included specialty coffees from The Giving Bean, house-made ice cream scooped by Cream&Coffee, flavorful food from Delicias at Monticello and Oompa Loompyas. 

For many artists, this year was their first time presenting their work at the event. Marie Stevenson, a Liverpool resident and artisan behind the handcrafted jewelry brand Soul Solder & Stone, is one the festival’s newest participants. Specializing in distinctive sterling silver and turquoise designs, Stevenson’s pieces held an inimitable spot at this year’s presentation. 

Also newly introduced this year were interactive events for people of all ages to partake in. One event dubbed “Community Paint by Number” gave people the chance to come together on a collective mural, matching numbered sections to corresponding paint colors on squared canvases they could purchase. Festivalgoers were also given the chance to color in a replica of one of the historic Strathmore houses drawn on lawn signs. 

“The event planning for Art on the Porches starts in January, at the beginning of the year,” Carol Maretta Harvey, board president of the Greater Strathmore Neighborhood Association (GSNA), said.

An almost year-long effort by community members goes underway for the execution of the festival that Harvey describes as, “a chance for artists to be embraced by their community.”

Most noticeably was a live art demonstration of “Artist Roulette” performed by three artists as a crowd formed around them for an hour-long exhibition. 

The artists, Smile it’s Healthy, Phase1 and Custard Stand Art & Design, worked on separate canvases that they would then exchange with one another for a final result of uniquely distinctive artworks that all three contributed to. 

Syracuse native and notable muralist Ally Walker also made an appearance at the event, where she participated alongside fellow artists. Walker was there the day before the event to create a couple of her famous chalk designs, decorating Ruskin Ave street’s pavement. Walker, a long-time attendee of the festival, expressed deep appreciation for the continued efforts made by the community to keep Art on the Porches alive. 

“These guys really know how to throw a party,” Walker said. “All the neighbors look forward to it every year. They’re very welcoming.”

With returning artists alongside newcomers and longtime traditions joined by new interactive events, this year’s festival showcased what this event means to not only the Strathmore community, but all of greater Syracuse as well. For the community members who work tirelessly to bring this event into fruition each year the hope is simple: to keep the porches filled with art.