Seattle artist Peregrine Church uses rain as his medium. By stenciling images and words on the sidewalk in water-repellent spray, he creates Rainworks—art pieces that appear only when it’s wet outside.
Me. haha
Unknown artist. 'Windy Weather'
I have to say I am a sunny-day girl. I feel energy and an overall sense of contentedness when the sun shines. When it is overcast and rainy, I feel logey and chilly. Today is one of those days in the Twin Cities. Actually, it has been raining a lot lately. I needed something to brighten my day, and luckily I came across Peregrine Church's work.
See
Picture a plain sidewalk on a dry day. Nothing special. Just concrete. Then it begins to rain, and something appears: a message, a drawing, a hopscotch grid that wasn't there a minute ago. That's a Rainworks piece. Peregrine and his collaborator Xack Fischer created them by stenciling a hydrophobic (water-repelling) spray onto pavement. When the ground is dry, the art is invisible. When rain hits, the design appears. In Peregrine's own words, the purpose is "to make people smile on rainy days." No gallery. No ticket. No frame. Just a surprise waiting for anyone walking by, umbrella up, head down.
Church got the idea in 2013 and used a $1,000 Awesome Foundation grant to begin testing hydrophobic mixtures. Perfecting Rainworks took a lot of trial and error, and many early formulas left a hazy blue residue that ruined the surprise. Once he got the mixture right, a Belgian chemical company saw his viral video, and it reached out to help with production. Peregrin and Xack spent the next 10 months sneaking around the city in the middle of the night, trying not to be seen, as they created their secret messages.
If it's invisible, is it graffiti?
Peregrin coined the noun "rainwork" (a combination of rain + artwork) as a simple way to refer to the pieces of art they made this way. (FYI, I don't typically promote products in my Weekly Wonder, but this is part of this young artist's story, and I like how it puts the ability to create public art in anyone's hands.) Also, I love that his mission is "to give people a reason to smile on a rainy day".
Rainworks
The Rainworks formula uses a non-toxic, biodegradable, super-hydrophobic (water-repelling) liquid coating applied through stencils onto concrete. Each installation lasts roughly two to four months depending on foot traffic and weather. In 2015, after Rainworks went viral, Church and his hydrophobic designs reached a worldwide audience. Hundreds of installations now span multiple continents, supported by an interactive public map and mobile app. He has also done commissioned public art for cities, transit authorities, and museums.
Here's what other artists from North America to Africa are doing with Rainworks. I get that Church decided to sell stencils to add to his product line, but I thought what these artists are making by creating their own unique stencils was more interesting.
Art doesn't always have to be hung, framed, or fixed in place. Sometimes it's waiting patiently for the right moment, and sometimes that moment is a rainy Tuesday. So the next time the sky turns gray, I hope you look down, look closely, and let yourself be a little delighted (and I'll give it a try, too!)
Say
If you were going to create a 'rainwork', what would it be?
How might you react when art surprises you instead of something you plan to go see?
How is this 'sometimes visible' public art different from a statue in a park?
Where have you felt a moment of public delight that turned your whole day around?
Do
Leave a little kindness behind. Peregrine's pieces are often simple, positive messages. What's one short, cheerful line you'd want a stranger to find on a gray day? Write it down, and tuck it in a library book, a coffee shop, or a friend's mailbox.
You could buy some of Church's Rainworks Invisible Spray or make rain magic like DIYer Dan Rojas:
Cut a stencil out of cardstock and place it on the sidewalk. Spray with clear paint.
While the clear coat is still wet, mist with deodorant.
Remove the stencil and let the paint dry for about an hour.
Wait for rain to reveal your art—or just use a garden hose.
Do you or a friend have an awesome idea like Church? Apply for $ to test it out at The Awesome Foundation
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About the Artist: Peregrin Church
Church was born in Alaska and raised in Seattle. He was a professional magician, which inspired his interest in creating surprising and delightful experiences for people.
At 20, he started the Invisible Hydrophobic Spray project in 2013 with a $1,000 grant from The Awesome Foundation. His goal was to combat the Pacific Northwest's gloomy, rainy weather by making people smile. After a viral video in 2015, Rainworks grew into a global community project with hundreds of installations, an interactive map, and an app. Peregrine has also created public art for cities, transit authorities, and museums
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