Everything works better in cities with high levels of citizen involvement. Social scientists tell us that politics are kinder when more people pay attention to government and vote; social problems are diminished when people are close to their neighbors.  Quality of life improves when people support festivals and attend local concerts and shows. Cities look better if people turn out for neighborhood cleanups and park conservancy projects. And when trouble comes – a big local industry closes or a natural disaster strikes – people are far more likely to see things through when they’re involved and invested in the place they live.

From Little Italy to the Old Falls corridor, from Main Street to Hydraulic Park fire hydrants, benches and public parks have burst out in bright color and bold imagery.  Part public art project, part community revitalization strategy, the art has brought increased positive attention to the surrounding areas and businesses.  As a Niagara Falls native with a life-long interest in the creative process, Brook D’Angelo is enthusiastic about these projects, the local artists, and how they enhance the city.  D’Angelo practices what she preaches by sharing her talent; she is pictured above at the corner of Third and Ferry with one of the new, innovative neighborhood art objects.  It is, of course, one that she created.

Thanks to Brook and a dedicated group of young citizens, Niagara Falls is experiencing renewed vibrancy through the arts and neighborhoods are being revitalized.  Brook believes that public art provides an aesthetic element to capital improvements and can create memorable spaces for business and residents.  The eventual outcome will support tourism and enhance economic development.  She is a strong believer in the power of art and the role that it plays in the specific fabric of the community as well as promoting civic pride.  She hopes that the public art pieces can help to bring the community together and contribute to a common experience for people who visit and live in Niagara Falls.

A graduate of NCCC and Buffalo State College with degrees in Public Relations and Marketing, Brook has held several positions in the music and art industries, human services and is a certified wedding planner.  Speaking of weddings, Brook recently became engaged on the Maid of the Mist. She lived on Florida for a while, but returned home in 2003 for family support, economical living costs and her Sicilian grandmother’s cooking.  Growing up, like many others in Niagara Falls, Brook spoke Italian before she spoke English.  Currently employed by the City as a Data Clerk with the SWEET Team, she feels her previous jobs prepared her for this new position where she has fielded calls regarding the new recycling effort that sometimes total 150 per day.  Brook is involved with many other city projects including Dance of the Fireflies, Falls Femme Décor, Pints 4 Progress and Niagara Liberty.  She is also the events coordinator for her favorite restaurant, Wine on Third.

For Brook, street art is the cultural fabric that is woven into the city and can be a method to help increase civic pride.  However, Brook is as passionate about engaging Niagara Falls to be a greener community as she is about art.  They go hand in hand.  She believes the recent changes in the trash regulations have brought neighbors into dialog and that citizens working together for a cleaner, improved city are another opportunity to showcase Niagara Falls.  In short, beautiful interesting cities improve general psychological well-being and are great places to live.  The beauty of the natural wonder of the Falls does attract tourists to the area and cleaner neighborhoods might entice them to return and perhaps relocate.

An enhanced city with art integrated into daily community life should be celebrated by all, whether tourist or resident.  “Public art and clean streets are ways to draw people to an area,” she said.  “They will come to see the art and maybe stay and have dinner or shop.”  Certainly the current projects enhance downtown, but it is porous and will quickly radiate out into the entire city.  She wants the city’s public spaces to reflect the diversity and creativity of the nature wonder and the architectural gems that compose Niagara Falls.  Naysayers will — and have — argued there are more important things to be spending time and resources on than public art.  But D’Angelo believes there are more benefits than one might think. Perception and even public safety can be turned around for the better by the value of public art.

[From education to art, people in Niagara Falls are making fantastic things happen!  “Lovin’ Niagara” is a series of articles by contributor Mary Leahy highlighting some of our outstanding citizens. Do you know someone who you feel should be featured?  Contact us!]

NIAGARA FALLS, NY – Born and raised in New Jersey, Nanci McNab made a permanent move to Niagara Falls in 2012. McNab worked in the banking industry in NJ for six years while putting herself through college. She received her Associate’s Degree from Ocean City College in Toms River. She then relocated to Niagara Falls where she has family connections. Although she misses breathing in the salty ocean air of the Atlantic, she loves her adopted city. The access to public transportation, friendly neighborhoods, walkability, great trails and of course the “eighth wonder of the world” originally attracted Nanci to the area. An enthusiastic cyclist, she appreciates the health, economic and environmental benefits of this region where you can easily bike instead of drive. She is returning to school in Buffalo this year to finish her bachelor’s degree. But, she will remain living in the Falls for the time being while completing her education in the Arts.

Currently, Nanci is loyally engaged with Niagara Falls, and especially with the art community. The Niagara Arts & Cultural Center http://www.thenacc.org/ is right around the corner from her home and she enjoys spending her spare time there. A local artist, Jonathan Rogers, made her the subject of a quadriptych entitled “The Jersey Girl” in his “portaits in the moment” series. The works are on line at https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10204158657112556&set=pcb.10204158659672620&type=1&theater as well as on display in the main gallery at the NACC until September in the Beyond the Barrel show. She has worked as a summer program counselor for The Kids Camp on Old Falls Street and in Delaware Park; she also was a model at the first wearable art fashion show at Wine on Third.

This summer, Nanci performed in the Infringement Fest in Buffalo where she wore a dress constructed of duct tape made by a local artisan’s company aptly called “Totally Duct.” She can envision similar events occurring in Niagara Falls on a larger scale thanks to the many talented designers, artists, musicians and entrepreneurs here. Already in the process of creating her own unique wearable art pieces, Nanci believes interesting cultural projects are crucial to the city’s revival to entice an “artrepreneurial” population similar to the vibrant art scene in places like Asbury Park, NJ. In her opinion, the architecture, building facades, highway overpasses, even the popular, newly-painted fire hydrants are perfect backdrops for artistic endeavors and shows. If given the opportunity to design and paint one of the available hydrants, Nanci would use the existing shape as a wedding bell, reminiscent of the city’s former reputation as the honeymoon capital of the world.

In addition to being a performing artist, Nanci works during the tourist season as the housekeeper at WanderFalls, a local hostel and guest house http://www.wanderfallshostel.com/. One of her favorite duties there is making breakfast pancakes for the many travelers that visit the Falls from all corners of the world. Nanci especially enjoys meeting the sightseers and listening to them as they discuss the multitude of reasons they chose to vacation here and visit our local attractions. She finds the deep seeded spiritual and psychological draw of humans to water, particularly the Falls of particular interest. Many of the international guests comment on their own fascination and obviously Nanci prefers to live near bodies of water, too. When not busy working, Nanci is an urban gardener, preferring to make her own healthy meals. However, she does appreciate the local and family owned restaurants here in the Falls and visits them whenever she can.

Once she has graduated, Nanci’s dream is to marry her love of art with her natural desires to be involved and give back to the community. She believes her fulfillment could be found through teaching. Her ideal career might include developing a children’s art program, possibly even located in building she co-owns with her father in the Falls. She attributes her calling and inspiration, in part, to her love for her belated grandmother who was an educator in NJ for many years. Ironically, portraits of her grandmother are also on display at the NACC. The photo above pictures Nanci with a portrait of her grandmother, the late Catherine Jones.

In the arts, timing is everything: the musician’s backbeat, the actor’s delivered line, the dancer’s choreographed leap. For Nanci, the leap and transition to Niagara Falls during this great period of change for the city coincided with her own life’s circumstances. And hopefully her independent, artist-driven spirit will continue to make a difference in Niagara Falls for many years to come.

[ From education to art, people in Niagara Falls are making fantastic things happen!  “Lovin’ Niagara” is a series of articles by contributor Mary Leahy highlighting some of our outstanding citizens. Do you know someone who you feel should be featured? Contact us! ]