The Rochester Arts and Culture Commission is pleased to announce the addition of two vinyl art applications to the City Hall Annex building. The artwork, made by renowned artist Dan Tavis, was installed over two faux windows on the backside of the building.
Tavis is a New York Times Bestselling illustrator living and working in Concord, NH. According to his website, he has been “doodling” ever since his “first math class in elementary school and hasn’t stopped since!”
“I have a passion for illustrating characters that emotionally connect with the viewer and tell stories through a visual narrative,” said Tavis. “Most of my work is done traditionally with watercolor and ink or digitally with the iPad Pro using the Procreate app.”
Tavis has worked professionally with Simon and Schuster Publishing, Penguin Random House, and Tilbury Publishing, to name a few.
According to Palana Belkin, Chair of the Arts Commission, the two pieces are “a great addition to a growing number of public art installations” around the downtown area.
“We’re thrilled to have Dan’s art on the walls of the Annex building,” said Belkin. “Over the course of the past year, the Commission has successfully added several pieces of art to downtown Rochester. Dan’s work is uplifting, whimsical, and friendly, which is exactly how we want people to feel when they visit our downtown.”
Approved by the Rochester Planning Board in the summer of 2022, the vinyl applications are made from high-quality, UV-protected material that is weather resistant and long-lasting. Each piece of art is applied with 900°F heat in order to remove any air between the material and the surface area. Eventually, when the time comes to remove it, the same heat is applied, the material is peeled off, and there is no damage to the surface below.
The Commission worked with AMI Graphics to install the art on September 23rd.
Mayor Paul Callaghan was on-site during the installation. Callaghan says he is supportive of any project that positively enhances the visual landscape of downtown Rochester.
“I’m happy to see more art added to downtown,” said Callaghan. “Public art is a big contributor to our ongoing revitalization efforts. It gives our residents and visitors a chance to walk around, see a wide variety of art, and learn more about what our downtown businesses have to offer.”
To learn more about Dan Tavis, visit www.dantavis.com. To learn more about the Rochester Arts & Culture Commission, visit www.rochesternh.gov/arts-culture-commission. Click here to see the public art map.