Glen Ridge artist Lori Loebelsohn, whose BlueWaveNJ posters and mugs can be seen throughout liberal households in Baristaville, has a new piece of art that you may be seeing a lot of soon. An avid cyclist, Loebelson has created a poster for Bike Montclair, which will soon be offered for sale on its website. All proceeds, after her costs, will go to the advocacy organization.
She explains the concept of the poster in an artist’s statement:
“Safe Streets” is a main goal and in keeping with the concept of “complete streets” (more about “complete streets” in the mission statement on the Bike Montclair website). The second illustration “fun events” represents the “tour de Montclair”, which this year had over 1000 riders! And other organized and fun rides that we have planned. The third illustration “Human Power” represents our goal that if the streets were complete and more people were doing their local chores by bike, in addition to getting healthier, one would also be reducing their carbon footprint.
Prices for the poster, which comes in various sizes, start at $20 and can be purchased directly from Loebelsohn.
Bike Montclair’s big push this year is to get the town to adopt a “complete streets policy,” which would address the needs of all street users — including pedestrians. In keeping with that initiative the group is also considering a name change. It might become Bike/Walk Montclair. “That option is certainly out there as a possibility,” says Bike Montclair chair Laura Torchio.
Despite a Cops in the Crosswalks initiative last year, there were three local pedestrian fatalities in the past six months: one on Valley Road in December, one on Bloomfield Ave in January and one in front of the Diva Lounge in February.
What a beautiful poster! Lori, your use of color and the subtle texture in the background is lovely.
Its got to be better than the Blue wave poster – with a nice little shot of the people drowning and the simple word “Katrina” on it. Nice touch.
Anyone up for a Red group?
We could make a “Cap and Trade” poster which shows the remaining manufacturing in the US shutting down.
We could have a square of our poster showing the “Conscience of a Liberal” calling for protectionism (in his correct conclusion that cap and trade will lead to it). And another square showing shut down factories and unemployment lines.
Bike Montclair has a new poster…THANK GOD!
This poster is fine as it is, but it doesn’t go far enough. We should have positive posters and negative ones and hang them as a pair. The negative poster will show what will happen if we don’t change our ways: floods, droughts, pestilence, famine, all with a backdrop of carbon belching factories and SUVs, the very cream of New Jersey.
The positive poster would show what the world could be if we all gave up our ways of overconsumption and greed: people living in harmony with nature, tending their gardens and their livestock, riding bicycles made of bamboo, engaged in local barter with their neighbors for life’s few necessities.
riding bicycles made of bamboo
I had one of those, but the splinters from the seat kept going right through my hemp/spandex blend bicycle shorts.
Can we commission you, mathilda, to do the “negative” posters? I’d love to see your work.
Mathilda, you’re living in the wrong century.
Ah, good things conservatives love to hate. Another day in aMerica
So I guess you ride your bamboo bicycle to work, lasermike.
Don’t you think carbon fiber would be better?
We at Bike Montclair are so appreciative of Lori’s generocity both in her volunteerism and her art donation. This poster helps to illustrate our mission of safe and appealing streets and the merits of bicycling and walking (including better health, cleaner air, and safer streets!).
Our two primary events are the Tour de Montclair in May and Walk to School Day in October. Currently, we’re advocating for council support to adopt a complete streets policy, pedestrian, bicycling and traffic calming improvement plan, and town-wide implementation strategy.
In the background, we’re working to expand our reach/partnerships, become a full non-profit, and embark on a public awareness campaign. Proceeds from the Bike Montclair poster will help to make those things happen.
We’re taking orders for posters now. We’re also selling stylish Bike Montclair caps – get yours today!!
Bike(&Walk?)Montclair is a small group of dedicated volunteers and we eagerly welcome new members. For more information, see our website or email me at info@bikemontclair.org.
Laura Torchio
Bike Montclair
GNM: Good one, LOL!
Is anything being done to address the issue of cyclist/pedestrian safety from motorists? Drivers barely yield at stop signs, park on crosswalks and drive 45mph down Grove Street. I especially commend encouraging children to ride bikes/walk to school but it’s quite dangerous when motorists screech to a halt right in front of the crossing guards who wear bright yellow vests and hold a stop sign.
Judging from the hysterical nature of the above post, ROC might want to change his screen name to Chicken Little.
The cyclist/pedestrian safety from motorists goes both ways. In this mornings commute I had three dogs being walked in the street, a few small children and one all terrain baby stroller. I commute during normal rush hour and don’t think asking people to use sidewalks is asking too much. I was tempted to take a pic with my cell phone –but I don’t cell and drive so I couldn’t.
Going home I will see people on bikes riding in the middle of the street, often on the yellow lines, and never signaling their directions. I will see kids on skateboards in the middle of the street, in a group and not moving to one side or the other, or wandering on and off the curbs. Last week two little boys were racing on scooters down the street and I stayed far behind them knowing one would fall. He did, I stopped my car. I waited while he got up, I waved for him to cross if he wanted, finally he got his scooter and walked away. His friend was long gone.
This is a beautiful poster Lori!
“riding bicycles made of bamboo” This made me clench.
“floods, droughts, pestilence, famine” Its already happening – and doesn’t hit the U.S. as badly because we have technology.
There are plenty of third world nations that have the rustic charm you are looking for Mat.