This Saturday from noon to 2 PM, we’re doing something a little different. No big sculpture, no public installation—just a house full of balloons and a few friends who believe in building something better.
Rajesh & Erica Barnabas, fellow artists with a bold spirits and a wild imaginations, with help from the incredible Jeanne Strazzabosco, are turning their home into a space of celebration, Not because we hit a milestone (yet), but because joy itself is the milestone. In the middle of [insert latest calamity]—it’s easy to forget that joy is essential to the life we’re trying to build.
Why Balloons? Well, prior to my adventures in policy advocacy and local government- my career was centered in a different kind of community building. My husband and I traveled the world creating large scale sculptures entirely out of balloons. Over the years we have worked with thousands of people to create large scale projects- bigger than any of us could create on our own. Some of you will remember the massive “Balloon Adventures” we created at the Sibley Building downtown, or our Bubble Murals like this one from the Rochester Public Library…
Lots of times I’m asked why I’m running- and really it’s simple It’s about making Rochester a place where people can thrive, not just survive. I want people to be able to live a good life. Where families can age in place, where neighborhoods support each other, where art and care and connection and JOY are recognized as critical—not extras.
So speaking of joy. While this will not be an Airigami installation with intricate sculptures– it will be an epic experience to walk through a house filled with balloons and an opportunity to just enjoy some time with friends and maybe make some new ones. We hope to see you there!
If you can’t make it in person, you can still be there in spirit—and help lift the campaign coffers while you’re at it. Now that the campaign is in full swing, I’ll be starting my final fundraising push, so your donation helps us get one step closer to a city that puts people first, and keeps me out in the community instead of on the phone!
💗
—Kelly