TigerSasha working to finish new mural in downtown Fort Smith

Sasha Rayevskiy, better known in the art world as TigerSasha, is making bubbles in downtown Fort Smith.

Rayevskiy, a Russian-born American artist from the Black Sea port city of Novorossiysk who now lives in Northwest Arkansas, is the muralist and printmaker chosen by Main Street Fort Smith to transform 190 feet of sidewalk between 702 Garrison Ave. and the B.G. Hendrix State Building connecting Rogers Avenue to Garrison Avenue for foot traffic.

Rayevskiy began work on his original mural, Mind Gap, a sidewalk installation April 28. Painting the mural, which is infused with bright colors and Rayevskiy’s signature bubbles, was delayed due to rain, but resumed Monday (May 12).

The mural is part of Main Street Fort Smith’s Alleyway Art Walk in downtown Fort Smith that includes a light installation and will perhaps include more art pieces in the future, said Amanda Hager, executive director of Main Street Fort Smith.

“The Alleyway Art Walk is part of a larger placemaking initiative led by Main Street Fort Smith to enhance walkability, vibrancy, and connectivity between Garrison Avenue and Rogers Avenue,” a news release from Main Street Fort Smith said. “This project pairs the Mind Gap mural with newly installed bistro lighting, creating a safer, more welcoming passageway for locals and visitors alike.”

Work on the bistro lighting began at the end of April as well, but also was stalled due to weather conditions. That work is expected to be completed in the next two weeks, Hager said.

Rayevskiy said he hopes to complete his mural next week, if the weather holds.

Main Street Fort Smith, formerly 64.6 Downtown, put out a call Aug. 28 for artists to apply to create a unique art activation in the underused pedestrian pathway. Rayevskiy said he applied to be the artist because it’s something that is not done very frequently.

“It’s a fun challenge,” he said.

Though his favorite medium is spray paint, Rayevskiy is using concrete stains for this project. The stain won’t wash away in the rain and should last “long time.”

“I don’t want to use a sealer on it, because it would get really slippery. The last thing we want is a 200-foot walkway that is a deathtrap in the rain,” Rayevskiy said.

Though the rain has presented a challenge, he said that the process is actually better than he expected.

“I expected it to be hotter,” he said. “It’s going smoother than I was expecting.”=

Rayevskiy got his start by painting a few gyms when he was younger. He says he likes big work, so the length of the sidewalk has not been daunting. He also has worked, helping other muralists, with different Unexpected projects in Fort Smith in the past.

“I think (this whole project) is cool. I walked through here when it was dark. … Having the lights is going to help a bunch. It’s going to be nice. It’s going to transform a bland area that not many people think about into more than just a walkway,” Rayevskiy said.

He thinks the walkway will get more people to want to walk downtown because it will be safer and “more fun.”

The total cost of the mural is estimated to be $23,000, Hager said. Main Street Fort Smith was awarded $10,000 through the public art grant program from the Division of Arkansas Heritage. Six communities from across the state were selected for the competitive grant program, which is funded by the ⅛-cent conservation tax, Amendment 75. Fort Smith Central Business Improvement District (CBID) provided a $10,000 grant match.

The pathway with the mural was dubbed The Art Walk Connector by MAHG Architecture and was one of several projects included in their blueprint for a better downtown that has been presented to many in Fort Smith, including the CBID board of commissioners, which paid for the study, and the Fort Smith Board of Directors.

The blueprint suggested the project have an entry plaza, art installations, string lights, and an art walk lighted sign. The CBID board initially voted to take on the project as one of its projects, but Main Street Fort Smith was already working on an alleyway string lighting installation at the area between buildings for the Art Walk. The meter equipment for the string light installation was installed in March.

Outdoor Lighting Perspectives is doing the work on the string light installation. The hope is that the alleyway becomes more than a cut-through and be a spark for creativity and community activity, Hager said.

“The lighting and mural are just the beginning,” Hager said. “We’d love to see future art displays, pop-up events, or even an art walk in that space. The goal is to generate more foot traffic and inspire new businesses to open in the blocks surrounding it.”