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Artists 'go green in the city' with living moss mural


Make moss art at home

INGREDIENTS

1 shoebox full of moss

2 cups buttermilk

1/2 cup spring or distilled water

1/2 container corn syrup

2 tbsp. sugar

DIRECTIONS

Mix all ingredients and add corn syrup as needed to thicken mixture. Find a north-facing wall with little sunlight. Brick or concrete walls work best. Sketch out your drawing with chalk. Then, paint over your drawing using a paint brush and the mixture. Two coats is recommended.

Spray your artwork with water about every three days for the next few weeks to keep it moist. After two to three weeks, you should start to see a thin layer of moss growing on the wall. The moss art causes no permanent damage and should last about three months.

-- Courtesy of Craig Walt, Go Green in the City moss artist

As families walked along West Clark Avenue toward the Go Green in the City Kids Zone Saturday afternoon, they passed a group of artists hard at work.

Craig Walt and two friends took turns painting the Go Green logo on the brick wall of the Co-Work 155 building throughout the day. But it wasn't your average mural.

"Is that mud they're using?" A bystander asked.

Walt explained that it was actually a diluted form of living moss. Rather than using paint, he wanted to use something more natural to keep with the "go green" theme of the annual street fair that celebrates local, healthy and eco-friendly living.

If the weather cooperates, passersby should be able to see the moss growing on the building in the next few weeks, he said.

"I think that is the coolest thing," Laurie Norton, 23, of Dover Township, said. "I've never seen something like that before."

Walt said he got the idea from an article he read online and thought it would be a great way to beautify the city.

"When people are walking around town, especially in the back alleys, it's not visually appealing," he said. "(Moss art) could definitely liven it up."

Saturday was the first time that Walt and his friends attempted moss art, and they said it was definitely an experiment. But if it works out, they said they'd like to do more projects like it in the area.

Just past the Co-Work building, hundreds of families gathered on North Pershing Avenue for the first-ever Go Green Kids Zone.

Downtown Inc. marketing director Meagan Feeser said organizers expanded the street fair to Pershing Avenue between Market and Philadelphia streets to make room for new kid-friendly activities.

"We need more things for kids and families, so I'd say this is a win," Aaron Anderson, of York City, said.

He brought six children to Go Green and said he was surprised by how much the event has grown.

Video playlist: Go Green in the City

With 60 vendors along Beaver Street, an expanded location, a new outdoor food court with six food trucks and an estimated attendance of 3,000, Go Green in the City nearly doubled in size in every aspect this year, Feeser said.

The Kids Zone, which included historical lawn games, face painting, a petting zoo, crafts, Zumba and more, also brought more families to the fair than ever before, Feeser said.

Rebekah Kisberg, of Springettsburg Township, said she brought her 4-year-old daughter because she heard that Go Green would have a lot of children's activities.

"Everything seems really age appropriate, and the fact that there are a lot of free things to do, it's a nice family event," she said.

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