Local artist Sarah Robbins excited to be part of CK Can Jam

Artists from across North America and even one from Australia are coming to Chatham’s first street art event, and local artist Sarah Robbins is looking forward to it.

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Robbins, the only local artist participating in CK Can Jam, said it is “extremely exciting” to be part of the event that will see murals created on nine buildings in downtown Chatham from July 15-20, using primarily spray paint.

“I’ve been itching to paint more in Chatham, as a lot of clients are in Windsor-Essex right now,” Robbins said. “So when Sarah Steele started talking about putting the festival on here I was in right away.

“I’ve always thought of Chatham as a hidden artistic city,” she added. “You wouldn’t know how much talent or love of art we have unless you were in it.”

Robbins said she has grown up with historical murals in the downtown area, which she has always admired.

She added, “But Chatham needs to reflect its vibrancy and I want to bring some colour and joy back into our community.”

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Thanks to sponsor Montana Cans Canada, two more street artists, for a total of 11, have recently been announced for the CK Can Jam, which includes Nic (aka Chaliftat2) and Adik (aka UCAQC).

Organizer Sarah Steele said the artists are “pretty thrilled” about the event.

“As professional artists they don’t get a chance to play very often,” she said.

She added the artists will create large-scale murals of whatever they want to do.

While Steele secured funding through a grant from the OLG along with fundraising and sponsorships, she said the artists are “donating their time and skills and coming to Chatham on their own dime.”

Robbins said the CK Can Jam is going to be blasted.

“Not only are they some of the world’s best mural artists, so selfishly I’m excited to learn from them and pick their brains, but I’m also looking forward to showing them my hometown and how special Chatham is,” she said.

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She added that each artist “has a different set of skills and unique styles, so it’s going to be fascinating to watch them work their magic.”

Robbins shared the mural she is planning to create outside Myrtle Flower Market on Llewellyn Street will feature sunflowers and daisies to represent Chatham’s optimism for the future.

“Sunflowers are a symbol of good luck, and a wish for long-lived happiness which is what I’ve always wanted for Chatham, where daisies in Victorian times represented loyalty – which I think a lot of Chathamites have for our city,” Robbins said.

“I’m also hoping to sneak in a few more symbols into the mural but the wall is a difficult surface so we’ll see what I can get away with,” she added.

Steele said two artists will be joining forces to create a 65-foot tall mural at the rear of the Chatham Capitol Theatre.

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She said all the murals being worked on will be within walking distance of each other.

“Everybody is more than welcome to watch them get put up over the course of the week,” Steele said. “It’s going to be a free-for-all painting.”

Robbins hopes people will not only come out to watch the artists at work, but also continue to support the local businesses in downtown Chatham.

“I think the mural festival is going to be a win-win for everyone,” she said.

Impact Graphics owner Rob Schepanowski, who is a sponsor, said, “We’re excited to be a part of this; These murals are huge and will be visible for years.”

He said the monthly rent for a regular billboard in Chatham-Kent runs about $1,500 to $2,000. He added a general sponsorship for these murals is less than renting a billboard for two months.

“What a great return on investment, our mural will be seen by thousands of people every year,” Schepanowski said.

CK Can Jam wraps up with a free after-party at Sons of Kent from 5 pm to 10 pm where people can meet the artists.

More details on the artists and the event are available online at www.ckcanjam.ca.

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