GoFish! was a fundraiser in Erie, PA, in 2001. I can’t find a match for this one in the “offishial” GoFish! book and the plaque underneath is too faded to read after 22 years in the sun and rain. Amy H.’s FourSquare map identified this one as “Goldfish.” Unfortunately, since FourSquare folded, I can no longer access her map. However, I have created my own which you can view on my new Public Art Maps page.
GoFish! was a fundraiser in Erie, PA, in 2001. “Lilly the Lip” by Rick & Susan James was the first of the fish and frogs that Shelly and I took photos of on our trip in 2023 armed with Amy H.’s maps. As it was after sunset, we were carded to enter the bar even though we only wanted a picture of a fish.
LeapFrog! was a fundraiser in Erie, PA, in 2004. For our final stop in our July 2023 search for frogs, we paused to reflect with “Leap into your Reflection” by Chary L. Robbins. Amy H.’s map was “toadally” helpful in aiding Shelly and I to find 12 more frogs to add to my collection started in 2012 and to revisit 2 frogs from that first trip.
Chicago first drew my attention to how we layer our cities. I wasn’t thinking of this theme when I was in Buffalo, but when I reviewed my photos, this bridge-walking photo caught my eye as another iteration of city layering. Buffalo’s layering is more subtle than Chicago’s, but like Chicago, there are a variety of uses/activities at each level.
The underground layer in this photo is the railroad tracks, which appear to be the tracks the Amtrak uses as the station is nearby. At a similar elevation and a few blocks to the right, the Erie Canal and Lake Erie are other uses at this layer’s level. Part of the canal has been converted into a paved recreation area with skating rink. At the point where this picture is taken, the light rail system is at street level and immediately behind me, but toward the northern end of downtown, it slips underground. Exploration of other potential underground uses such as tunnels, parking garages, or businesses was beyond the scope of this trip.
Again, where this photo was taken, the street level includes pedestrian, vehicular, and light transit activity. Although, when I was passing on a Sunday in the late afternoon approaching dinnertime, there was very little of any activity at this location. I had encountered a fair number of people enjoying the indoor and outdoor amenities at Canalside and once back in the heart of downtown there was some activity at street level. This point along the “barrier” to the waterfront felt a little like a no-man’s land.
In this picture, the upper layer of the city is the overpass (or bridge) for I-190. Just on the other side of the overpass the upper layer changes into the Seneca One office and apartment tower that straddles Main Street and has beautiful street-level murals. Downtown has many skyscrapers and other large buildings that contribute to the upper layer of the city, but the outstanding feature for me of Buffalo’s upper layer is the web of overpasses.
LeapFrog! was a fundraiser in Erie, PA, in 2004. In 2023, I never would have thought to look here for a frog without Amy H.’s map. “Toadally Eriesistible” by Jeff Yonkers no longer has his/her/their map of Erie, but has gained a few more accessories.
LeapFrog! was a fundraiser in Erie, PA, in 2004. In 2023, “‘Frog-on’-Liberty” by Meridian Creative Group Art Department was no longer on Liberty and was no longer green as shown in the official LeapFrog! book and earlier photos on Amy H.’s map.
LeapFrog! was a fundraiser in Erie, PA, in 2004. The “Prints of Hopper-Tunity” was crowned in 2005, so it may not have been part of the original fundraiser. We stumbled upon the “Prints” while looking for another frog Amy H.’s map said was in the vicinity, but that one we didn’t find. The “Prints” did not change into a “Prince” when Shelly kissed him.
Walking around downtown Buffalo, I encountered several murals. They were all placed where the built environment would have otherwise created a drab or unpleasant experience. Three were on the sides of buildings bordered by parking lots. One was along both sides of the tunnel created by Seneca One, a 1970s tower built over Main Street. The mural along Main Street was particularly appealing. Usually walking along a road that passes underneath a building is a dark and dingy experience. This mural brightened up the space and created a distraction for the whole block. As Main Street is one of the possible pedestrian connections to the Canalside waterfront area, placing a mural here was a great decision to help make the approach more palatable. There are plenty more unpleasant places to pass before reaching the water.
LeapFrog! was a fundraiser in Erie, PA, in 2004. There is so much to see on “We are the Future…Let us LEAP” by Erie School District High School Art Students and Teachers. In 2023, we found this frog in front of the Erie Public School building thanks to Amy H.’s map of Erie’s frogs.
LeapFrog! was a fundraiser in Erie, PA, in 2004. “Infinity Frogs” by Tom Tucker was beyond our walkshed when Shelly and I were searching for frogs in 2023, but with Amy H.’s map of Erie’s frogs we were able to drive directly there.
urbantraipsing 