Poets and Artists of the 2025 Poster Series
Join us in congratulating the poet-artist pairs whose posters were selected for the 2025 series, featuring 14 legendary Central New York businesses! Then scroll to the bottom of this post to learn more about the response to our call for poetry and art, the winners, and the selection process.
The Art Store
What will come alive
from this blank piece of canvas?
My brush makes a mark
—Peter Allen, poet, Syracuse.
—Izzy Dugger, artist, Syracuse.
Gannon's Ice Cream Shop
Don't stop there,
add another scoop.
More whipped cream,
and toss in some nuts,
make it one of my childhood dreams.
—Peter Allen, poet, Syracuse.
—Giselle Richmond, artist, Syracuse.
Kitty Hoyne's Irish Pub
Irish oasis
at Fayette and Franklin—clink
of glasses…..slainte!
—Jay Cox, poet, Pompey.
—Chris Madden, artist, Syracuse.
Sound Garden
The city of clouds
crackling beats and worn-in streets
Brightened by a sound.
—James Cunningham, poet, Syracuse.
—Tino Lopez, artist, Utica.
Syracuse Cooperative Market (Food Co-op)
Let's eat a rainbow
organically scrumptious
and gorgeous as well
—Esther Guncheon, poet, Beverly Shores, IN.
—Clove Flores, artist, Syracuse.
Found Things Plant Shop
We are happiest
thriving in community
plants and people too
—Esther Guncheon, poet, Beverly Shores, IN.
—Katie Mulligan, artist, Minoa.
Columbus Bakery
Tear crusty, warm loaves.
Hollow out—add deli fare.
Buon Appetito!
—Perri Elizabeth Hogan, poet, Syracuse.
—Margaret Cameron Valvano, artist, Tully.
Pastabilities
Hot tomato oil
fires up the appetite for
freshly made pasta
—Robert Keim, poet, Wolcott.
—Leah Hennessey, artist, Baldwinsville.
Books End Bookshop
Marvelous maze of books!
Avenues of memories
and discoveries—with
no dead ends!
—Diane Lansing, poet, Syracuse.
—Deborah Egbuna, artist, Syracuse.
Hercules Candies
Generations stretch
Ribbon candy colors with
Herculean strength.
—Stephanie Maksymiw, poet, Auburn.
—Tyler Bates Hill, artist, Nedrow.
Boom Babies
It made me whoop to see my bell bottom jeans
and Nehru shirt come boppin' out of Boom Babies
before I even left the parking lot.
—Ellen McCauley, poet, Syracuse.
—Sanjana Sharma, artist, Syracuse.
Discount Shoe Repair
Fresh laces and leather
stitching together a pair
of beautiful souls
—Brian Mitchell, poet, Baldwinsville.
—Daniel Shanahan, artist, Syracuse.
Heid's of Liverpool
Snap of a coney
bite of a dog—the taste
of my dad's childhood
—Michele Reed, poet, Oswego.
—Jess LaCelle, artist, North Syracuse.
Pavone's Pizza
On the lunch half hour
counter service oven hot
slice of Warren Street
—James Tobey, poet, Cazenovia.
—Phil Prinzo, artist, Liverpool.
Results of Call for Poetry and Art:
This year's call for poets and artists, soliciting work for our 24th poster series, resulted in many high-quality submissions. Our call for poetry drew 70 returning poets and 15 new poets. Together they submitted 276 poems inspired by our list of 14 iconic Central New York businesses. We screened these to 169 semi-final poems. We then allocated three poems to each of 47 artists. Each artist selected one poem to illustrate.
Special "Reverse-Process" Poster:
Additionally, poets submitted 16 poems to complement the special "reverse process" poster by artist Katie Mulligan featuring Found Things Plant Shop.
Mulligan herself selected the winning poem by Ester Guncheon:
We are happiest
thriving in community
plants and people too.
Poster Selection Process:
Of the 47 artists who signed up, 41 completed posters. From these, our guest panelists presided over a blind selection of 13 posters and awarded first-, second-, and third-place posters. The special Found Things poster brought the total to 14.
First place went to the Boom Babies poster by McCauley and Sharma.
Second place went to the Discount Shoe Repair poster by Mitchell and Shanahan.
Third place went to the Sound Garden Poster by Cunningham and Lopez.
Panelists:
Yolanda Stewart, Central Current
Jaleel Campbell, Artist
Sarah Tietje-Mietz, Downtown Committee
Ginnie Hsu, Syracuse University
Kerry Huyck, Onondaga Historical Assn.