Two food truck events will coincide with the newly expanded and revamped Howell Art Project in the downtown area this week.

Today marks the first Food Truck Tuesday of the season, a monthly event that takes place the 2nd Tuesday of the month from May through September. That will run from 11am to 2pm today. Attendees will be able to watch a Livingston County blacksmith and multiple artists creating art throughout the downtown, which is all part of the Howell Art Project. Howell Main Street Inc. Chief Operating Officer Cathleen Edgerly tells WHMI that kicked off yesterday and is a weeklong celebration of art happening live every day in the community. Edgerly says despite the rough start to the weather on Monday morning, muralists were out and about painting on their canvases on the sides of different downtown businesses.

Among the artists is Tashif Sheefy McFly Turner - a Detroit muralist, painter and artist. He’s done various murals in the Detroit area, as well as ArtPrize in Grand Rapids and some other commissions. He just started a large mural yesterday on the back of a building off Walnut Street near Wetmore Street. He told WHMI it was his first time to Howell, saying it’s a nice town with a nice vibe. He’ll be out working on the mural all week until Satruday. Sheefy-McFly says he’s taking it step by step so people can come by and see him paint and he’s using a combination of spray paint and roller paint. As for the mural, it has Greek inspiration with two eyes and a heart in the middle for love. Sheefy McFly says he’s doing his signature styles around that with different colors, shapes and patterns for an intense vibe so it seems as if the art is looking right at you.

Meanwhile, Edgerly says a community art mural is in action at their offices nearby located at 118 West Clinton Street, with the food truck event taking place outside of the historic county courthouse. She says art will be happening live all week on the courthouse grounds and throughout the downtown. Continuing through the week, Edgerly says Howell High School students will be doing crosswalk art on Walnut Street and more community mural activities will take place and Artist David Zinn will be doing chalk art classes with 20 people throughout the downtown district. She says they’ll wrap everything up with the larger May Food Truck Rally this Saturday showcasing new cuisine. It will take place behind Walnut Street Marketplace, along the back-drop of an all new art mural. 13 food trucks will be participating and there is a biergarten for adults 21 and up. Edgerly says the event is free to attend and visitors just purchase whatever food sounds good. Complete details about all of the Howell Art Project activities and the two food truck events can be found through the provided link. (JM)