On Saturday, Court Street will host humans, horses — and plastic animals.
Ohio University’s Printmaking program and the University of Tennessee-Knoxville will parade toxicity-themed balloon and papier-mâché creatures down Court Street as part of the Fantasmagoric Printaloon Transformathon.
Ohio graduate students decided upon a theme of toxicity. Local artists lent their talents to the project, such as Patty Mitchell, who taught the group about the material she knows well — balloons.
She said she saw this project as a great opportunity for OU’s art students and faculty.
“I think with the desire of the university to steer away from the party-school reputation (it should) showcase the beautiful art community through an alternative path,” Mitchell said.
She said she saw the value of having a theme attached to the decorations.
“It’s such an opportunity for the audience outside of the art community,” Mitchell said. “I believe this is a bigger, brighter and celebratory way to do it. It’s a dream come true.”
Last year, the University of Tennessee-Knoxville hosted OU students and faculty to make decorations for the Martin Luther King Day parade. The group traveled to Knoxville and marched with themed decorations.
This year’s project was funded through an Arts for Ohio grant, Athens Print Guild and the University of Tennessee-Knoxville’s Betsy Worden Print Making Endowment.
“It is a really great experience to do some positive things with people that have similar interests,” said Cayla Skillin-Brauchle, a third-year graduate student studying print-making.
sj950610@ohiou.edu
