By Francesca Merwin, staff writer

 

There is a grand community of artists in Syracuse – some well-known, some at the creative fringe, and others whom we have yet to discover. One of our aims on the Connective Corridor is to seek out these folks and highlight their endeavors. For the next several months, we will follow Brendan Rose, Syracuse Public Artist in Residence (SPAR), and his triumphs (and sometimes trials) as an up-and-coming regional artist. Consider this an insider’s look into one local artist’s life.

11.11.11 was a rainy, slushy, gloomy day. But at 12:30pm, a small crowd fought the bitterest of elements to celebrate something big: the unveiling of a monster. Walt, the Loch West Monster, serpentine creation of Syracuse Public Artist in Residence Brendan Rose, is finally complete. Well, almost.

It’s been a long time coming. The construction of Walt began in late spring, and the idea had been in Rose’s head for even longer. And here he is, at the tail-end of one of his biggest and most well-known art installations. “I’m really happy with the way it turned out,” confides Rose. “As an artist, it takes a long time to get perspective because you’ve worked so close to the project for so long, but I’m riding on the positive feedback I’ve gotten.”

Rose celebrated amongst family, friends and fans at the event, properly entitled “The Molting of Walt.” Those brave enough to weather the weather were rewarded with Klodike Bars (Walt’s choice) and Loch West-themed greeting cards. Attendees were also invited to a SPARty, a fundraiser which took place at the SPAR Space downtown later that evening. “The molting may have been a bit of a disaster,” Rose jokes, “But the SPARty was really enjoyable.”

And while Rose is still running out to Armory Square to nitpick his project and put finishing touches on Walt (“I’m out here just doing a little woodwork on the tail,” he admitted, days after the unveiling), he is now moving forward and thinking about his next steps.

Currently, he’s working with a course at SU focused on public service to get his Love Project off the ground. “I’m excited to bring the students downtown and talk through ideas with them,” he says. “I really enjoy the conversations where you think about design and brainstorm ideas.”

But with every collaborative convening of minds and with every exciting design day, there comes the administrative days spent in the office. Something that Rose confesses is… well, not his favorite part. With the completion of Walt, it means that there will be less time spent in the field and more time spent figuring out strategies and filling out paperwork for the Love Project. And, as timing and fate would have it, his bike rack project (“The Rack Pack”) is in a similar state of being. “With these kinds of massive projects, there are so many pieces involved,” Rose acknowledges. “At the end of the day, it might be considered ‘my work,’ but it takes a lot of people’s time, resources and energy.”

Rose considers himself lucky to have such a great support system as he works through these early stages of design. Some of the pieces of the puzzle may test his patience, but Rose knows the result is great at the end. One needed to look no further than on 11.11: he stood there, soaking wet in a sweatshirt with no umbrella, gazing at Walt with pride and amusement. While his family hugged him and his supporters congratulated him, Rose only could look at his monstrously good creation. And Walt stared back at him through regal, gorgeous ceramic eyes.