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Public Art Project Aims to Rebrand Rochester Community

A volunteer paints a store front on Jay Street for the Fruit Belt Project.
Veronica Volk
/
WXXI
A volunteer paints a store front on Jay Street for the Fruit Belt Project.

Shawn Dunwoody is an artist, and the designer behind this series of murals and crosswalks. He says it's not just about changing the way a neighborhood looks, its about changing the way people think about it.

"It no longer it needs to be called Ghost Town; let's call it the fruit belt."

Dunwoody says the name was derived from the history of the JOSANA neighborhood, where immigrants planted grape trees, as well as the other street names in the area like Orchard, Orange, and Lime. The art project draws on these themes with big interwoven strips of bright, vibrant colors.

Over fifty volunteers turned out to get the project underway. Dina Faticone was there on behalf of Finger Lakes Health Systems Agency.

"It's all about place making. We think about how can we take a corner in this neighborhood and turn it into a place that is attractive to people and that people want to visit."

The Fruit Belt Project is part of a collaboration with Greentopia and Shermin Williams in honor of National Paint Week.

Veronica Volk is a senior editor and producer for WXXI News.