Art Where You Least Expect It: My Classy Cart Creations Experience

I recently painted an unexpected 3D CAN-VAS! After painting the giant Sweet Potatoes as part of a public Art Alley in Clinton, NC, I loved finding the call for art to create a Classy Cart (re: trash can turned feast for the eyes accessible art!) for the City of Raleigh, NC. I was thrilled when selected as one of the artists for Raleigh’s Classy Cart Creations project. This creative initiative turns trash bins into rolling artworks, promoting proper waste disposal while adding vibrancy to downtown events. They were recently dotting the sidewalks and popping up between vendors at Artsplosure – The Raleigh Arts Festival!

The project, a collaboration between the City of Raleigh’s Office of Special Events, Artsplosure, Solid Waste Services, and Raleigh Arts, was a most fun opportunity to share my expressive, colorful style on a totally new surface. I loved painting an immersive garden of flowers from the ground up to the clouds, thinking about a full 360 view from all heights and angles! Especially thinking about kids being eye level, walking right up to it to perhaps have closer looks! Painting a trash cart was definitely a first for me—and I hope it brought others joy too. Grateful to be part of a project that brings more color into public spaces with fun and surprise.