Knoxville consistently introduces innovative ideas and activities for citizens to enjoy. When visionary minds come together, creative conversation and collaboration come to fruition.
Chloe Walker and Adam, an artist known by the one name, used their shared love for art and community to create Stay Scruffy Art, a local art scavenger hunt in Knoxville.
Walker is a full-time artist who primarily works with lasers. Her art is sold at a booth located inside Mood Ring Vintage, a vintage clothing store in downtown Knoxville. Additionally, Walker sells designs inspired by the Sunsphere inside of the sphere itself.
Adam brought an idea to Walker that was new to her: creating stencils. Always up for a new challenge, she took the idea and made it happen. The first stencil she created read “STAY SCRUFFY,” which later sprang into their brand’s name.
Adam started spray painting random canvases with the stencil, with no intention of Stay Scruffy becoming what it is now. The idea took off, and soon, the first attempt at a scavenger hunt began.
The experiment occurred over the New Year’s Eve weekend. The two hid pieces of wood with the brand’s logo spray painted by Adam over the front using the stencil made by Walker. On the back of the wood were stickers of personal art. Within 48 hours, the hidden pieces of wood were all found. This success allowed the two to start planning their first official hunt for February.
The planning began with posting on social media, looking for artists wanting to contribute. Many notifications later, the two had art and an idea. Then, all they needed was a date.
The first official scavenger hunt was held the first weekend of February and exceeded the successes of the experiment held two months prior. Partners Adam and Walker collected art from local artists, put it in their boxes and hid them around the city. Each hidden box had a clue shared on their social media accounts. Every box was found that same day, with the fastest found after only 14 minutes.
Stay Scruffy hopes to host a monthly scavenger hunt with local and regional artists. These artists contribute their artwork and fill the box to their liking. While the art is donated, you can always support these artists by spreading the word.
The scavenger hunt is a way to connect people in a sober, inclusive state while also using art to form a community in any way possible.
If you missed the previous hunt, the next one is already in the works. The March scavenger hunt will start on the second Saturday of the month. Stay Scruffy will collect art from six local artists to fill the boxes to be hidden around town. Walker will not include her artwork in the hunt to amplify the artists who have contributed, but you can always support her business by checking out her booth.
If you are interested in getting involved and love art like I do, follow @StayScruffyArt on Instagram and Reddit for clues about the locations and any updates on upcoming events. Happy hunting!
Emma Caskill is a junior at UT this year studying journalism and media. She can be reached at [email protected].
Columns and letters of The Daily Beacon are the views of the individual and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Beacon or the Beacon’s editorial staff.
