Carrollton has gone artsy on its storm drains, becoming the first in the Dallas-Fort Worth area to introduce a storm drain art program aimed at raising environmental awareness, the City of Carrollton splashed its intentions on the wall, or rather on the street, by decking out seven storm drain inlets with vibrant designs from local artists, following an inaugural Storm Drain Art Contest that kicked off last October, according to the city's announcement.
Artists were invited to submit designs that promote messages like preventing stormwater pollution and protecting natural habitats, with 22 hopefuls throwing their hats in the ring, the designs were judged by a head-scratching committee consisting of City staff and Downtown brass, and six winners were handpicked, the seventh was thrown to the wolves for the public to choose as the "People's Choice" winner, Carrollton Mayor Steve Babick embraced the program, saying, "Council’s vision is for Carrollton to be the community that families and businesses want to call home and by involving local artists, Carrollton has brought together City resources and community talent to raise awareness for stormwater pollution and to expand art in Carrollton," as per the City of Carrollton, Texas.
The city has put its green foot forward by ensuring the artists used environmentally friendly acrylic paint and sealing the finished artwork to make it a lasting sight, and if you're nosy about the brains behind the brushes, a full rundown of the artists' bios is up for grabs on the City website, to encourage both residents and out-of-towners to take a stroll down South Broadway Street and scope out the new installations while grabbing a bite or indulging in some retail therapy.
Notably, the People’s Choice plaudit went to Kammie and Etta Powell, a mother-daughter duo with a penchant for art walks and pond musings, "My daughter, Etta, and I love to create art, so we entered the Storm Drain Art Contest together," Powell gushed, revealing the inspiration behind their winning piece was a serene pond vista near their place of worship, and now they're stoked that their sunset-over-water scene is an official part of the local art scene, ready to show it off to anyone tagging along downtown, as they informed the City of Carrollton, Texas.
