Local Artists Take to the Plaza Downtown

ART SAINT LOUIS, DOWNTOWN NOW!, AND U.S. BANK
PARTNER TO CONNECT PEOPLE AND ART

ST. LOUIS — The newly renovated Old Post Office Plaza at 8th and Locust Streets in downtown St. Louis will be the setting for a new series of live art demonstrations presented by Art Saint Louis. The series, Art in the Plaza, will showcase local talent as St. Louis regional artists practice their craft in the Plaza and interact with the public.

Weekly visual art demonstrations in a variety of mediums will take place midday, from noon to 2 p.m., beginning Wednesday, October 2, and continuing throughout the month, on October 9, 16, 23 and 31. The series is free and open to the public.

Art in the Plaza will include demonstrations in chalk art, watercolor, oil painting, encaustics, face painting, acrylics and body casting. Featured artists include Michael Anderson, Angélica Avendaño, Russell Conklin, Muriel Eulich, Amelia Fawcett, Jennifer Hayes, Henryk Ptasiewicz, Katie King, Erin McGrath Rieke, Megan Rieke, Angela Mircsov, Julie Snidle and Chelsea Soronen.

The program adds to a growing collection of cultural offerings downtown spearheaded by Art Saint Louis, and is made possible through sponsorship from Downtown Now!, The Private Client Reserve of U.S. Bank and U.S. Bancorp Community Development Corporation, the St. Louis-based community development subsidiary of U.S. Bank.

Adding to its 25 years downtown, Art Saint Louis recently renovated a 2,700 square foot retail space on the south side of the Park Pacific building at 1223 Pine Street, where it has opened a gallery/café hybrid in partnership with local coffee roaster Mississippi Mud Coffee Roasters. The organization also recently launched Pop-Up STL (http://PopUpSTL.com), a pop-up gallery program modeled after the Chicago Loop Alliance’s popular Pop-Up Art Loop program and similarly aimed at celebrating the work of contemporary artists while strengthening businesses and catalyzing urban renewal. Pop-Up STL currently showcases regional art in four retail spaces on Washington Avenue.

About Art Saint Louis

Art Saint Louis is a nonprofit organization that has promoted the work of contemporary visual artists in and around St. Louis for over 28 years. Core services include a year-round series of exhibitions in the organization’s gallery and café at 1223 Pine Street in downtown St. Louis as well as a number of rotating exhibitions in offices and public spaces elsewhere in St. Louis.

About Downtown Now!

Downtown Now! is a non-profit organization created to develop and implement plans and programs for revitalizing Downtown St. Louis. Downtown Now! manages the award winning outdoor venue, the Old Post Office Plaza, which was designed to be activated and programmed throughout the year.

About U.S. Bank

U.S. Bancorp (NYSE: USB), with $353 billion in assets as of June 30, 2013, is the parent company of U.S. Bank, the 5th largest commercial bank in the United States. Celebrating its 150th anniversary this year, the company operates 3,087 banking offices in 25 states and 5,032 ATMs and provides a comprehensive line of banking, brokerage, insurance, investment, mortgage, trust and payment services products to consumers, businesses and institutions. Visit U.S. Bancorp on the web at www.usbank.com.

About The Private Client Reserve of U.S. Bank

The Private Client Reserve of U.S. Bank is a provider of comprehensive wealth management services for high-net-worth individuals, families and foundations with investable assets of more than $1 million. Highly experienced wealth management advisors lead client-focused teams that deliver forward-thinking, customized strategies including investment management, private banking, personal trust and estate administration and financial planning services designed for each client’s unique goals and needs. The Private Client Reserve is a part of U.S. Bank’s Wealth Management Group. For more information, visit www.reserve.usbank.com.

About U.S. Bancorp Community Development Corporation

With more than $11.7 billion in assets as of June 30, 2013, U.S. Bancorp Community Development Corporation, a subsidiary of U.S. Bank, provides innovative financing solutions for community development projects across the country using state and federally sponsored tax credit programs. USBCDC's commitments provide capital investment to areas that need it the most and have contributed to the creation of new jobs, the rehabilitation of historic buildings, the construction of needed affordable and market-rate homes, the development of renewable energy facilities, and the generation of commercial economic activity in underserved communities. Visit USBCDC on the web at www.usbank.com/cdc.

 Special thanks to Downtown Now!, The Private Client Reserve of U.S. Bank, and U.S. Bancorp Community Development Corporation for their support of Art in the Plaza 

 Art in the Plaza grapic design by Emily Amberger