Hidden crack art soon to appear throughout Colfax

Emily Adams paints Colfax's first crack art design, utilizing a crack extending from the sidewalk to the edge of a downtown building.

Tiny art murals will soon be dotting the streets and buildings of Colfax. Specifically, the art will find its way into the tiny cracks and crevices around town.

“It's more about imagination than being wildly artistic,” said Emily Adams, a member of the Colfax Arts Council.

The council has been in the planning stages for crack art for much of this year, and they introduced it at the recent Chamber luncheon at the Hyde Out June 15. Crack art is a street art program that utilizes dents and deformities on building sides and sidewalks to create art.

Crack art projects will be permissible as long as they are done through the Colfax Arts Council. This can be accomplished by contacting Sara Golden, who is in charge of the program with the council.

“The people who have ideas need to get a hold of her, and she'll contact the building owners,” said Adams. Those who contact Golden will also be able to submit a sketch of the proposal to her.

Golden told the Gazette there is a “fine line in what's considered graffiti,” so to combat that, anyone participating in the crack art program must be a Colfax Arts Council member. She said applications are available online at explorecolfax.com, at Abundant Faith Studio and at the Colfax branch of the Whitman County Library. Additionally, Golden said she will manage an arts council booth with applications at the First Thursday event July 7.

Adams said there are two options for creating crack art. The first is to simply paint an image on the surface. The other would be to print one and then glue it to the surface with a wheat paste.

“So if people don't feel comfortable with drawing, they can do that,” she said.

Adams said she tried this method by printing out an image of a dollar bill and pasting it to the sidewalk. The method, she said, worked until the rain came.

“They're not supposed to be there forever,” she said.

Golden said just one crack art design has been completed so far, which Adams painted a few weeks ago. She said about five more are in the works at this time.

“As many as we could get would be wonderful,” she said.

The idea for crack art came up at the beginning of this year as a part of the Colfax Main Street Program. Adams said the idea was a hit with the statewide organizers of the Main Street Program.

“Val Gregory was asked to speak on crack art at a Main Street conference,” said Adams. “We're the only town they know of doing this, and they think it's just fabulous!”

Adams noted about 300 cities are represented at the Main Street conference, which is happening this week.

The council is currently seeking interested parties to complete crack art projects. They hope to have enough up in town by Concrete River Festival in two weeks.

“We're trying to get several of them in place for Concrete River Days if we can so we can have scavenger hunts,” Adams said. “The time has come, indeed it has.”

Golden said the format of the scavenger hunt has not been finalized yet, and if there are not enough crack art paintings by Concrete River Festival, the scavenger hunt will be planned for a later date.

Those interested in joining the council and participating in crack art can contact Golden to submit a proposal. She can be reached at [email protected]

Adams said she is excited about the fun the project will bring.

“It can be hilarious,” she said. “There can be some really funny things!”