Rebecca Allen loves the feeling of flying while riding downhill on a bike.
That’s why she could only think of wings when she heard the theme of this year’s Streets Alive festival was 'pedal powered.'
Her Steampunk rendition of a Penny Farthing bike was one of many unique creations on display on Peter Street today at this morning's launch of the popular long-running street art festival.
“Biking gives a sense of freedom,” said the Severn Township resident. “And I’m a bird person ... that’s why I gave my bike wings.”
A lever at the back of the bike moves the wings up and down.
“It’s important to me that the piece is interactive,” said Allen. “Sculpture alone can be really impressive, but if there’s an interactive element it becomes an experience.”
And that’ exactly what Leslie Fournier hopes will happen when people come to downtown Orillia this summer to take a closer look at the 20 sculptures and 10 bicycle window displays.
“We tried to add a little fun element for the stores to get involved by having a little something in their windows,” said the founder of Streets Alive.
The idea behind the theme was to support the emergence of cycling, she said, and the idea that cycling infrastructure is a way for all towns and cities to go forward in making their environments people-friendly.
“That was my thinking. Orillia is also a great cycling destination with all the great trails we have,” said Fournier.
There will also be a number of decorated wheels that will be put up on street poles, Fournier said. “We're trying to get the theme everywhere we can,” she explained.
Fournier said she wasn’t sure how artists would interpret the simple theme: bikes.
“You kind of think you're going to throw out the theme bicycles and you're going to get fairly simple sculptures, but then you get magic,” she said. “The artists always figure out a way to go way beyond just the simplicity of the theme. The fact that they're so diverse in the use of the material is magical.”
The diversity is what struck a note with Diane King who was walking around looking at all the pieces of art displayed.
“It’s amazing,” said the Orillia resident. “It’s unreal. I’m blown away by the creative minds and how much talent there is.”
The variety of materials used in creating the sculptures also stood out for Francy Forte, another Orillia resident who was taking a closer look at a piece created by local artist Frank Ripley.
“The longer you look at a piece, the more nuances jump out at you,” she said. “It’s nice to be able to stop and chat with the artists and get the story behind it all.”
And no matter how simple the story is, it always inspires, said Forte.
Artist Carley McCutcheon’s story was one such tale. The Waubaushene resident said she incorporated nature into her sculpture: something she sees every time she glances out the window of her Georgian Bay residence.
“It’s what I see every single night: gorgeous sunsets,” she said. “And every single one of them is different.”
Those sunsets are painted into the space inside the wheel, and most other parts of the bike are made from driftwood, McCutcheon has collected from the Georgian Bay.
“The natural beauty if the message and I’m just trying to capture some of it,” she added.
Fournier said she hopes people will bike to downtown Orillia and roam around to take a look at the sculptures and vote for their favourite ones.
Unlike previous years, there are two different categories to vote for, on the same ballot. As well, there are no booklets this year.
“We want people to come to downtown Orillia and look at the sculptures and then go into Jack and Maddy A Kid’s Store or the Orillia Museum of Art and History to cast their vote,” said Fournier.
Voting is open until Aug. 23, and results will be announced the next day at the Starry Night Studio Tour.
