Little hands smeared orange swirls across a canvas. A grandfather dipped his brush into deep blue paint, laughing as his granddaughter flicked yellow streaks beside him. Somewhere nearby, a popcorn machine hissed, and the echo of bouncing children rang from an inflatable bounce house.
In the parking lot of Saint Xavier University’s Visual Arts Center on South Spaulding Avenue, art spilled out onto the pavement Saturday — and the whole block was invited to join in.
As part of a neighborhood block party, the university turned its off-campus art space at 10435 S. Spaulding Ave. into an open-air studio, complete with oversized easels, community canvases and trays of vibrant paint to create a mural defined by community. Children, parents, grandparents, friends and neighbors painted side by side under a warm July sun — some focused, some messy, all welcome.
The event was led by students and faculty from the university’s Visual Arts Center under the guidance of Department Chair and Art Professor Nathan Peck.
“Our goal was simple — to make art with our neighbors,” Peck said. “This neighborhood is our extended campus, and we wanted to be outside with our community, not just inside the studio.”
Saint Xavier supplied everything: paints, aprons, brushes and encouragement.
The canvases stood tall in the parking lot, each one allowing visitors to make their own mark. Some sketched flowers, hearts and animals, while others wrote messages. One canvas became a swirl of fingerprints and handprints — a spontaneous mural in motion.
For many parents, the art station offered a quiet moment between bounce houses and snack breaks. For the students running it, it was a chance to share their skills and connect directly with neighbors.
The block party drew dozens of families throughout the afternoon, including some who had not stepped inside the Visual Arts Center before. Organizers say that was part of the point.
The Visual Arts Center provides students with access to tools, space and collaborators Studios custom built for drawing, painting, ceramics, woodworking, printmaking, video and audio production, digital imaging, laser cutting, and photography.
“This is more than an art building,” Peck said. “It’s a space for connection — and today, the whole street became part of it.”
