Theme for second round of utility box art in downtown will ‘Celebrate Concord’
CONCORD, CA — The Concord Art Association (CAA), in partnership with the city of Concord, has announced the second round of design teams who will paint four more utility boxes downtown.
Each team, consisting of two local artists, submitted a design with the theme “Celebrate Concord.” A CAA committee juried the applications, and then the City Council approved the teams. Sponsors include the Concord Historical Society, Bank of America and individual donors.
The new project begins at the end of April. CAA’s completed its first downtown utility box project in 2019, with the theme “Music and Market.”
“In this challenging time, CAA decided to push forward with this second utility box public art project because we believe in the healing power of art, both for artists and for the community,” says Catherine Hensiek, CAA president. “Part of our mission is to support public art in Concord and, thanks to our generous sponsors, artists will begin painting the boxes this month.”
Janice Davis and Karen Giorgianni are excited to present images that reflect the area’s beautiful open space on their box at Salvio and Galindo streets.
“We want to celebrate the wildflowers that grow here. From Mt. Diablo to the Delta waterways, we’re fortunate to have a plethora of natural beauty that enriches our environment,” says Giorgianni.
Jennifer Granat and Melissa Claros are reuniting to paint a box on Clayton Road at East Street. The first utility box they painted together is in front of the playground at Todos Santos Plaza.
“We’re honored to create whimsical images that celebrate some of the local features that make Concord such a great place to live and visit, including our trails, the airport and Mt. Diablo,” says Granat.
Renaye Johnson and Thea Jue are teaming up again to depict local families throughout time for their box on Concord Boulevard at Galindo Street. Their first box is on the corner of Grant and Salvio streets.
“We think our scenes are a great way to celebrate the wonderful history of Concord – from the native Mi-Wuk population, to the city’s founders, to modern-day families enjoying a concert,” says Johnson.
Laurie Mansur and I will paint the box on Colfax Street at Willow Pass Road with a wisteria motif.
“There used to be a large pergola filled with wisteria that surrounded the downtown plaza in the 1930s. Concord held a popular annual Wisteria Festival in those days,” says Mansur.
Be on the lookout for artists starting to paint the weekend of April 24. Follow CAA on Instagram (@weheartconcordart) to see more work from local artists.
Lisa Fulmer is a mixed media artist, Concord Art Association board member and founder of MadeinConcord.com. She also consults with local artists on self-promotion and personal branding.