Living in a city known for its rainy weather often means finding joy in the downpour, and in Seattle, one innovative artist has embraced this challenge creatively.
Introducing Rainworks, a unique eco-friendly spray that reveals stunning artworks only when it rains. This captivating concept has garnered so much attention that the city government has begun utilizing it to spruce up bus stops.
Rainworks combines stencils with a superhydrophobic coating, offering a playful twist on traditional artwork. While some may worry about the environmental impacts of such coatings, the founder, Peregrine Church, has collaborated with a Belgian team focused on developing nature-based hydrophobic solutions. Together, they started producing whimsical guerrilla art pieces that would emerge during rainy days, bringing hidden messages and images to life on sidewalks.
The moment that set Rainworks on the map was a viral social media post showcasing a bucket of water being poured onto a sidewalk, revealing a delightful hopscotch course. This sparked an overwhelming demand for the product, which was still in its prototype stage at that time.
To turn his vision into a thriving business, Church successfully launched a Kickstarter campaign to fund the manufacturing and marketing of Rainworks products, which have continued to flourish ever since.
“Seattle has such a deep connection with rain. It’s integral to the culture and the personality of the city,” Church shared. “There’s also a lot of really kind, caring, passionate people here. I like to think of Rainworks as a reflection of both—embracing the rainy days while making the best of them.”
Recently, the Seattle Department of Transportation commissioned Rainworks to create a series of artworks at the new Beacon Hill plaza bus stop. The department engaged with commuters to determine what they wanted in the area, and the responses highlighted the desire for spaces to connect with friends, additional shelter from rain and sun, and engaging art.
With this feedback, Rainworks set to work, crafting delightful designs that included sea lions, an orca, a giant wave, and an expansive 25-foot maze around the plaza and bus shelter. The magic happened only when the familiar Seattle rain began to fall, allowing commuters to experience the hidden art right beneath their feet.
The Rainworks phenomenon has now spread globally, with an interactive map showcasing these invisible artworks from Nigeria to Scotland and across the world, including Seattle and New South Wales. So, the next time the clouds roll in, look down and see what surprises the rain might unveil!
