Illuminate Art Walk brings walkable local, international art to downtown Raleigh, Glenwood South

The Illuminate Art Walk is shining on Fayetteville Street and Glenwood South until Jan. 7.

The art walk features 15 large-scale, interactive art pieces for people to visit.

"We really wanted [the art pieces] to be walkable ... so you walk up and down Fayetteville Street. It's a nice way to come out [and] walk downtown," said Downtown Raleigh Alliance President and Chief Executive Bill King.

"You see the sights downtown and hopefully support local businesses," added King. "[It's] a fun way to reconnect with downtown during the holiday season."

Art walk organizers said one of the highlights of the event is the chimes by Collectif Blackbox, an installation that traveled to downtown Raleigh from Canada.

"There are 36 light towers located on City Plaza and all of them are connected to to these wind chimes in the middle of the installation," explained King.

In order to get the art installation to light up, you walk into the middle of it and push on the chimes.

"Don't be shy," said King. "You want to push the chimes and then the lights will light up. There's a little bit of music with it, as well."

Connelly's installation on the art walk is her first piece of art being shown in Raleigh.

"It's just so lovely that cities are becoming more open and receptive to non-traditional art," said Connelly.

Connelly, who has also created large-scale art installations at the U.S. National Whitewater Center, uses "manufactured materials to reveal their organic qualities."

"Light is my main material. I think it's really something that is just enthralling and captivating ... I think it's one of the only materials that reaches beyond a stationary form and actually touches the viewer," said Connelly.

"At the core of my work is about connection and connectivity and creating accessible art that transcends rage, age, socioeconomic status -- all of that," she added.

Other pieces on the art walk include a walk-through 16-foot tall ornament outside the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts and a color-changing Bonsai tree at 555 Fayetteville St.