Dumpster Art—Turning Trash into Treasure
When Maysha Pate's art students at Lowndes Middle School were first presented with the idea of painting a dumpster, they didn't quite understand how it related to their classroom activities. However, through the City of Valdosta's Dumpster Art project, the minds of over 160 youth were changed as they transformed the trash container into a beautiful piece of art during the week of Sept. 25. (View video of LMS Dumpster Art participation.)
"We're so excited to see our finished product out in the community, and we hope it inspires others to do the same," said Pate, whose classroom creation now sits in the parking lot of the restaurant 306 North in Downtown Valdosta.
As the City of Valdosta wraps up its second annual Dumpster Art project, the community can expect to enjoy a total of four new public pieces of art that depict scenes of Valdosta's history and agriculture, the spirit of the Azalea City, the tradition of Winnersville, and Valdosta's native Longleaf Pine. The three other Dumpster Art creations were painted at the event on Sept. 23, in the City Hall Annex parking lot, and are now located at Valdosta Fire Station #1, behind the Ashley House, and at Barnes Healthcare Services. (View Dumpster Art event video.)
Stephanie Castro, an 8th grade student in Lowndes Middle School's art program, says she wants her school and others to participate in more community projects. "It's fun," she said. "And we actually get to see the product of our work in the community."
The opportunity to turn a typical necessity into a piece of art for the whole city to enjoy is an exciting way to get involved with the community. These public artworks instill pride for those who created them and also serve as beautiful displays for downtown visitors. The project—a collaboration between the City of Valdosta, Valdosta Main Street, Annette Howell Turner Center for the Arts, the Public Arts Advisory Committee, and the Valdosta Youth Council—seeks to inspire students and artists in the community to work together for the purpose of beautifying Valdosta and turning the city's trash into treasure.
For more information, visit www.valdostacity.com/dumpster-art or contact Public Information Officer Sementha Mathews at 229-259-3548.