By Kim McDarison
Armed with a special rain-activated paint, stencils and a self-fashioned shield to block the wind, Tourism Manager with the Fort Atkinson Area Chamber of Commerce Katie Carey set out Tuesday to decorate the town.
With 12 different designs at her disposal, Carey said, she was eager to begin applying the specially formulated paint. The concept of rain-activated designs was developed to bring people outdoors even when it rains, she said.
Before applying her first design on a public sidewalk Tuesday, Carey tested the product near the front door of the Fort Atkinson Area Chamber of Commerce building. The day was dry and sunny, a prerequisite for applying the paint, and when Carey poured a cup of water on the test spot, a fun flower pattern emerged.
Between 20 and 22 locations along sidewalks and pedestrian paths in and around the downtown area have been selected to receive rain-activated designs, Carey said.
During a Fort Atkinson City Council meeting held April 7, Carey sought and received approval for the project.
While Fort Atkinson is not the first community in Wisconsin to apply the paint, it is the first in the immediate area. Two other communities have applied the designs, Carey said. They are Eau Claire and Platteville.
Costs associated with purchasing the products from a Seattle-based company called RainWorks will by funded by the chamber’s Tourism Department, Carey told council members during the April 7 meeting.
Describing the scope of the project to council members, Carey noted that the paint must be applied to surfaces when they are dry.
The product remains invisible until it is activated by water or rain. When rain comes into contact with the paint, the pattern emerges temporarily.
Paint comes in a spray bottle and is applied using plastic-coated stencils.
The product can be removed anytime with environmentally safe cleaning products, Carey said.
According to Carey, the goal of the project is to encourage residents and visitors to go outside and enjoy Fort Atkinson even on rainy days. The measure, she said, was anticipated to increase foot traffic in and around the downtown area.
The application of the paint will remain active for between two and four months, she said, with the tourism department planning for the paint to be active between mid-April and mid-August.
On Tuesday, the first day of product application, Carey said she was starting a little later than she had originally anticipated because the products arrived a little bit later and she needed to watch the sky to ensure a window of dry weather.
The 22 locations selected for the application include sidewalks along the Main Street bridge, the Riverwalk path and the Glacial River Bike Trail pedestrian path.
“These locations were chosen based on the type of pavement, foot traffic and ideality on rainy days,” Carey told council members.
The water-based paint does not emit a smell, is eco-friendly and does not use flammable solvents, she said.
Carey said the process to apply the paint is simple, and she plans to make those applications herself.
Among designs that will be applied are a hop scotch board, a smiley face, and various weather and flower patterns.
A map showing the locations of the rain-activated designs will soon be available on the chamber’s Facebook page, Carey said Tuesday.
“I think finding the rain-activated artwork will be an activity for people of all ages to enjoy. We’re right in Wisconsin’s rainy season, and this is something that will hopefully create a little joy for everyone who is adventuring out in the rain,” Carey said in a recent press release.
She hopes people will consider stopping in at a local shop, trying a new restaurant, and exploring the area while also taking a little break from the rain outside, she said.
A story about RainWorks, its products and their development is here: https://rain.works/story/.
Fort Atkinson Area Chamber of Commerce Tourism Director Katie Carey examines a design made with rain-activated paint in front of the chamber building. The spot was used as a test area before applying the product to other locations throughout the downtown area.
Stencil in hand, Fort Atkinson Area Chamber of Commerce Tourism Director Katie Carey sets out Tuesday to apply artwork to community sidewalks and paths.
Fort Atkinson Area Chamber of Commerce Tourism Director Katie Carey places a stencil in advance of applying rain-activated paint.
Fort Atkinson Area Chamber of Commerce Tourism Director Katie Carey tests her self-fashioned shield designed to keep spray used to apply rain-activated paint confined to the location of the stencil.
Kim McDarison photos.
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