CLINTON, Iowa (KWQC) – Two Clinton-based artists, Gabi Torres, an abstract visual artist, and her partner Chris Shannon, a street artist and muralist, have teamed up to bring an exceptional public art project to life in downtown Clinton.
Together, they have decided to share their passion for painting with the community by organizing a street art festival, unveiling their ‘Paint It Back’ project. Their ‘Paint It Back’ project transformed an old, dilapidated building into vibrant murals unlike anything the town has ever seen before.
Torres came up with the idea a year ago when she was down in Miami and got the chance to go to the Wynwood District, seeing the Wynwood Walls for the first time. Shannon and Torres, had to work on getting permissions to rejuvenate the Toyota building on Main Avenue in Clinton.
“I see this building all the time. And I’ve always wanted to do something with it. art related because I just think it’s such an incredible piece and has so much potential,” said Torres.
They had seven other national and local artists working with them to get the murals ready in 10 days.
“We still needed there’s obviously so much wall space and we need more people. So, I asked him if he had any friends and so that’s where the one from New York came in,” said Shannon.
Torres, who also has an art studio in the area, says that she firmly believes in the transformative power of art.
“It can serve as a model to other communities that when you see maybe a building that looks somewhat neglected or abandoned, like don’t think of it as an eyesore. Think of it as an asset.”
Shannon says the murals brought a fresh and edgy look to the art scene in Clinton.
“It’s just something different than something that had to do with the city, or the town’s history.”
The project started on Saturday, August 19, and ran until Sunday, August 27, with both Shannon and Torres putting in long hours every day. The street art festival held on the last day of the project featured painting, food vendors, and live music. They plan to switch up the artwork every year to maintain a sense of freshness and excitement in the neighborhood. “Part of that changing is so that it keeps it fresh, and it keeps it new. And it keeps people’s interest in the project and in the building,” said Torres.
The project was a huge success and the feedback received from the public was nothing but positive.
“Even while we’re doing it and before everything was done as people driving by like thumbs up loving it, and it actually kind of blew my mind a little bit,” said Shannon.
They both hope the project brings more attention to Clinton. “People local to the area come down here all the time, and they love it, but we’re hoping also out of town people will want to come and just see it and check it out. And that will also grow the festival aspect when we have our street party that that’s an event worth coming to Clinton for,” said Torres.
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