A Little Local Tourism

We took a jaunt down to our neighborhood beach for some community creativity today, the Artists of the Wall Festival. Each year the cement benches lining the beach of Lake Michigan are painted by neighborhood folks. Yeah, it's kind of a hippie community that way. We purchased ice cream sandwiches from the vendor walking his cart down the path, its bells tinkling to catch the ears of the kids playing nearby. Walking down our beachside gallery, we watched artists put the finishing flourishes on their masterpieces.
Anyone can sign up for their piece of the bench wall, and many people paint together as families. (One mom was slathering her baby's foot in yellow paint so that he could leave his footprint on their bench, just above a "Happy Father's Day Baba!" message.) It must be nice to be able to come back to your part of the wall over the summer to visit. Maybe Jason & I will do it next year, since it seems like talent isn't a requirement, just a little enthusiasm with a paintbrush.