Please Join Us!

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Please Join Us…as we celebrate the unveiling of our 2024 Poster Series! Beginning at 6:00 p.m. on Friday, April 19, our 23rd annual celebration will take place in the Atrium Gallery at 201 E. Washington St., Syracuse. This special event will bring together the 12 poet-artist pairs of the 2024 series, their friends and family, and friends and followers of the Syracuse Poster Project. This year’s unique theme features poems and illustrations of 12 historic characters from Central New York, including Jean Daugherty, Eric Carle, Adelaide Alsop Robineau and Gustav Stickley, among others.

Strong Hickory branch
catches balls thrown long through time 
Turtle clan stays strong

by Thomas Stock (2023 – for Alf Jacques)

As we’ve done in the past, the 2024 festivities will begin as soon as you walk through the doors of the Atrium Gallery: lined up beautifully along its large windows, you will have a chance to view the handsome display of the 2024 large-format posters. You might even have an opportunity to talk directly with the poet/artist before the brief ceremony introducing the new series begins. Visitors to the event will also enjoy music, appetizers and light beverages, and time to browse and purchase Syracuse Poster Project products. Voting for the 2024 “People’s Choice” poster is also planned as is a silent auction of last year’s poster panels and special items donated by local businesses. 

In justice's name, Karen stood tall 
Championing rights, she answered the call. 
Her words like beacons, fierce and bright, 
In DeCrow's legacy, we find our light.

by Jane Verostek (2023 – for Karen DeCrow)

One thing for certain, our 23rd poster series drew high-quality submissions of haiku and short poems. Inspired by our list of historic characters, our call for poetry last September drew works from 62 returning poets and 55 new poets. A total of 246 poems were submitted from which 144 semi-final poems were selected and then allocated (four poems each) to 37 artists. Each artist selected one poem to illustrate and 25  posters were completed. From these, our guest panelists presided over a blind selection of 11 posters and awarded first-, second-, and third-place posters for which we were able to award an honorarium to the selected poets/artists with monies from a grant through the New York State Council on the Arts. 

I heard you play for
Elders waiting. Life goes by. 
A freight train too fast.

by Mary Stanley (2023 – for Elizabeth “Libba” Cotten)

Many thanks again to NYSCA and to our many friends and sponsors of our new poster series, including CNY Arts, Onondaga County, Tomorrow’s Neighborhoods Today, Bousquet Holstein PLLC, Humanities NY, Commonspace Work, Downtown Committee of Syracuse, The Summit Federal Credit Union and Tony Malavenda and Martine Burat. 

When Moses Fleetwood Walker left 
Baseball closed the door.
But Jackie Robinson came to play 
and opened it once more.

by Herm Card (2023 – for Moses Fleetwood Walker)

Be sure to look for our new posters in May when they’ll be placed in several kiosks downtown. If you’re unable to join us on the 19th, you’ll find the new posters HERE following the unveiling event. While browsing, you’ll also be able to explore our recently redeveloped website, generously funded by The John Ben Snow Foundation and The Dorothy and Marshall Reisman Foundation! And, as always, if you’re wanting to purchase any of our other wonderful posters, click HERE.

We’re all looking forward to seeing you on the 19th!

fossil fuel free! 
planet in recovery 
cocoons in coolness

by Monica Kakkar (2023 - for Fictional 
Character From the Future)

Thank you!

Posted by Rosalyn M. Carroll for the Syracuse Poster Project

Mark Your Calendar!

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2011 Series Event: Kiosk Poster at Warren and Fayette Streets.

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Be sure to mark your calendar for Syracuse Poster Project’s annual unveiling event on Thursday, April 20th! Celebrating our 2023 poster series, festivities begin at 6 p.m. in our usual spot inside the City Hall Commons Atrium, located at 201 E. Washington Street. 

2015 Series Event: Guest, Brendan Rose. Photo by Alexis Emm.

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As always, the new posters will be artfully displayed along the glass walls of the Atrium. This is your opportunity to be the first to view them and to meet the poets and artists who created these wonderful pieces. Prints of the new posters, as well as other items from Syracuse Poster Project, will also be on sale during the event. Along with music provided by DJ Bella J , we invite you to enjoy a light reception of hors d’oeuvres and refreshments as well.

2019 Series Event: Guests enjoying light refreshments. 
Photo by Herm Card.

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And while you’re mingling with other friends of poetry and public art, be one of the first to bid on select Syracuse Poster Project items during Syracuse Poster Project’s first-ever Silent Auction. New this year, we will be auctioning off the newly retired, large-format, posters from our 2022 poster series. These are the 10 posters from 2022 that have been displayed in the poster boxes outside the downtown post office on Salina Street. They are printed on solid Gator Board panels (34.75 X 58-inches) suitable for inside or outside display. Click HERE for more information on how to participate during the evening’s event! If you’re interested in bidding prior to our celebration, click HERE for further details.  

From our 2021 Series: Civic Art Posters on Salina Street

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So, if you’ve been wanting a reason to dress up, please stop by and join us as we celebrate our 2023 Series!

2018 Series Event: Poet, Rosalyn Carroll and Poster Project Coordinator, Jim Emmons.
Poster Artist: Mya Parker.

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Once Again, Congratulations to the 2023 Poet-Artist Pairs:

Mark Calicchia, of Mount Morris & Chloe Flores, of Syracuse
Shari Hemsley, of Newfield & Lydia Nichols, of Syracuse
Octavia Miller, of Syracuse & Barry Lee, of Clay
Brian Mitchell, of Baldwinsville & Mary Vertigan, of Liverpool
Craig Overbeck, of Fayetteville & Katie Mulligan, of Minoa
Dave Pasinski, of Fayetteville & Lucie Wellner, of Pompey
Rick Portine, of Fayetteville & Kathleen O'Dell, of Syracuse
Rick Portine, of Fayetteville & Susan Murphy, of Liverpool
Mark Shevalier, of Henderson & Chris Barrett, of Syracuse
Maura Harling Stefl, of DeWitt & Christian Freeman, of Syracuse

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How to find us on Thursday night: City Hall Commons is located on East Washington Street, between Warren and Montgomery streets. It’s the Flat Iron Building just south of the State Tower Building. And, to see more Series Event Photos from our archives, click HERE.

2013 Series Event: Professor Roger DeMuth, Syracuse University and Guest.
Photo by Caitlyn Bom.

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Hope to see you there! Thank you! 

Posted by Rosalyn M. Carroll for the Syracuse Poster Project.

Thank You – Our 2023 Series Selected

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Bustling marketplace
Crowds of vendors calling out 
Selling to the crowd

“Spirit of Community Friendship” by Nicole Chen

In case you missed it, we recently announced the poet / artist selections for our 2023 Syracuse Poster Project Series! The series selection began back in September by reaching out to community-wide poets and artists. We received many wonderful haiku from this year’s call which allowed, once again, for short poems outside the tradition of haiku as well as several “Syracuse Spirit” poetry prompts. 

Excited gulls screech and swirl and 
descend upon a concrete jungle. 
Close your eyes and
imagine the sea.

“Spirit of Native Flora and Fauna” by Pearl Popiak

With 81 returning poets and 15 new poets, we received a total of 274 poems! From these, we selected 120 semi-final poems and allocated four poems to each of the 27 participating artists. Each artist selected one poem to illustrate and 22 haiku posters were completed. 

March into April.
Shed the outer cloak, breathe and 
take the umbrella...

“Spirit of Regional Flavors” by Michelle Miles

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In early December, we engaged an enthusiastic group of guest panelists to select nine (9) posters for this, our 22nd series. The panelists also presided over a blind selection of these nine posters to award a first-, second-, and third-place designation. 

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In addition, we received a total of 41 poems to complement a specially-themed State Fair poster illustrated by Lydia Nichols. From these, our Board, and a group of State Fair representatives, selected four semi-final poems. Of these four, Lydia selected this colorful haiku by Shari Hemsley:

The finest forelock,
primping feathers, wool and fur
side eyes on the prize

As always, we will release this year’s 10 posters at our annual unveiling celebration tentatively set for April 20, 2023.

Highland Forest hike
turns to conversation with 
chattering squirrels

“Spirit of Parks and Wild Places” by Jay Cox

A heartfelt thank you again to all who submitted haiku this year and to all the artists who created an illustrated poster for consideration. Your creative contributions once again have helped to define Central New York as a place of passion and poetry. Thanks also to our guest panelists and Board members for all your hard work in making this another successful year for the Syracuse Poster Project. Special thanks, also, to the New York State Council on the Arts whose generous grant allowed us to pay an honorarium to the selected poets and artists—a first for us!

Vintage wedding gown. 
Handmade quilts sewn long ago. 
Time never fading.

“Spirit of TimeWorn Treasures” by Cynthia DeKing

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Please join us in congratulating the selected poet-artist pairs:

• Mark Calicchia, poet and Chloe Flores, artist
• Shari Hemsley, poet and Lydia Nichols, artist
• Octavia Miller, poet and Barry Lee, artist
• Brian Mitchell, poet and Mary Vertigan, artist
• Craig Overbeck, poet and Katie Mulligan, artist
• Dave Pasinski, poet and Lucie Wellner, artist
• Rick Portine, poet and Kathleen O’Dell, artist
• Rick Portine, poet and Susan Murphy, artist
• Mark Shevalier, poet and Chris Barrett, artist
• Maura Harling Stefl, poet and Christian Freeman, artist

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Our guest panelists this year included:

Cheryl Chappell: Owner of Edgewood Gallery
Anthony Pham: Marketing assistant for the Downtown Committee
Elizabeth Judge: Marketing manager for Visit Syracuse
Chris Capella: Art teacher at LaFayette High School
Gabrielle Eure: Architectural designer at C&S Companies

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Hope to see you in April for another joyful celebration of poetry and art!

Snowflakes glide and twirl 
tiny dancers in tutus 
Mesmerized, I watch

“Spirit of Cozy Wintering” by Jean Fahey

Thank you!

Posted by Rosalyn M. Carroll for the Syracuse Poster Project

Our 2022 April Event

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Mama mourning dove
shivers and huddles in nest,
Spring snow squalls whip by.

by Joan Loveridge-Sanbonmatsu (2021)

It’s April! Time for Spring cleaning and April showers. Best of all, it’s also time for Syracuse Poster Project’s Annual Unveiling Event! After two pandemic-related years of virtual celebrations, we are pleased to announce that the opening event of the 2022 poster series will be held, in person, at 6:00 pm on Thursday, April 21 in the Atrium at City Hall Commons, 201 E. Washington St., Syracuse.

Magnolia blooms burst
Pink and purple pageantry.
The sweet scent of Spring.

by Joan Dear-Houseman (2021)

Please do join us as we return to an in-person celebration! It will be a wonderful opportunity to see our new posters before they’re placed in the various kiosks lining downtown Syracuse.

You’ll also meet the poets and artists of the 2022 series and it will be a good time to mingle and chat with our many friends of poetry and public art. As always, we will have music, appetizers and beverages to make the evening extra special. So, dress up, turn out and party with the Poster Project!

Hats glow like halos —
Colorful Procession climbs
Stairway to heaven.

Poet: Anna Pyrohanych
Artist: Yvonne Buchanan 
Series: 2013

How to find us: City Hall Commons is located on East Washington Street, between Warren and Montgomery streets.

It’s the Flat Iron Building just south of the State Tower Building. And, if you’re wanting to purchase any of the new posters or those from our archives, we’ll also be selling prints at this annual event. By the way, click on any poster featured on this blog and it will take you to our SHOP page!

Purple loosestrife and
yellow finches brighten the
canal bikers' path

Poet: Nan Gartner
Artist: Joyce Backus
Series: 2021

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So, as we welcome Spring, with grasses growing green, please join us in congratulating the Poets and Artists of our 2022 Series!

Listed here by poet and artist:

Mary Jane BeVard (Liverpool) & Jill Long (Syracuse)
Emily Buchanan (Minoa) & David Hicock (Syracuse)
Ellen McCauley (Syracuse) & Tommy Lincoln (Manlius)
Timothy Muir (Marcellus) & R. Paul Lilly (Syracuse)
David Pasinski (Syracuse) & Tyler Hill (Nedrow)
Cynthia Perrine (Fabius) & Thomas Harris (Syracuse)
Michele Reed (Oswego) & Patrick Volz (Liverpool)
Evelyn Stemashuck (Parish) & Aletta Ren (Syracuse)
Jane Verostek (Fayetteville) & Meg Stephens (Syracuse)
Amy Zamkoff (Syracuse) & Leah Hennessey (Baldwinsville)

Happy Spring!

Posted by Rosalyn M. Carroll for the Syracuse Poster Project

Congratulations, Syracuse Poster Project!

On April 14th, we celebrated the unveiling of the Syracuse Poster Project’s 2016 poster series.  Our 15th annual event was a wonderful evening of art, haiku, hors d’oeuvres and music!  Congratulations once again to our 2016 poet-artist pairs–your creativity represents another year of fine work!  Our thanks also to all those who attended, and to our sponsors and the many volunteers who helped make this celebration a success.   

If you happened to miss this colorful celebration, do not fear: photos of this special evening can be found here; the names of the poet-artist combinations here; and you will find this new series of eclectic posters here–as well as in kiosks throughout downtown Syracuse.

Our featured poster this week comes from the 2016 series.  Written by Grace Carroll and illustrated by Syracuse University Illustration student, Madeleine Slade, this haiku-poster lightheartedly reminds us that smiles can be our umbrella–even on a rainy Spring day such as today!

Splashing in puddles / Umbrellas spin in the air / A childhood rainstorm

Best Wishes!

April – Come What…May

April.  The word itself elicits all things Spring: April showers that bring May flowers, soft breezes and memories of April in Paris, cherry blossoms and lilacs, love poems and songs…think Simon & Garfunkel, April Come She Will and Frank Sinatra’s rendition of I’ll Remember April.  

Joan Loveridge-Sanbonmatsu’s (Syracuse) 2007 haiku easily describes an April scene some of us woke up to this morning:

High walls of Spring snow
Line the roads of the city.
When will the tulips bloom?

April is also a month of celebration.  In fact, Syracuse Poster Project is celebrating its 15th year!  Bringing together community poets and Syracuse University artists and illustration students,  Syracuse Poster Project creates an annual series of poetry posters which are hung in kiosks throughout downtown Syracuse.  Be sure to catch our annual haiku-poster unveiling event on Thursday April 14 at 6:00 p.m. in the City Hall Commons, 201 E. Washington Street.  

Coincidentally, this April marks the 20th Anniversary of National Poetry Month; and it also marks the Smithsonian’s 14th annual celebration of Jazz Appreciation Month (JAM).  Speaking of Jazz, a Syracuse shout out to this year’s SAMMY’s Music Educator of the Year, jazz guitarist, Mark Copani and to Andrew Carroll on his Syracuse SAMMY Award for Best Jazz Recording for his debut album, Alliterations.  

April is also the start of fishing season and the first heady days of baseball season.  We think you’ll agree that our featured Syracuse Poster Project haiku poster from our 2007 collection beautifully depicts an April scene. The haiku was written by poet Claire Bobrycki and illustrated by former Syracuse University Illustration student, Wei Hsing.  

Cold hands, smoky breath / Brown trout jumping Nine Mile Creek / in the April dawn

Our thanks to one of our readers, (Anonymous), for this wonderful Spring haiku, below. Responding to our recent question, What is your favorite sign of Spring?, we think you’ll agree, this beautifully descriptive haiku evokes all the hopes of Spring that April brings.  

March into April,
Shed the outer cloak, breathe and
Take the umbrella….

Happy Spring!

Posted by Rosalyn M. Carroll for Syracuse Poster Project