With a little adult help, kids add new art to Main Street
Aug. 27, 2022 | By Lisa Scagliotti Click on images to enlarge and see captions.
In what was the quickest improvement to Main Street in four years – a six-foot-tall electrical box at Stowe and Main streets this week was transformed into a work of art in one afternoon.
Four local middle school students met earlier this summer with art teacher MK Monley and Burlington artist Julio Desmont to brainstorm a design concept. They say they reached a consensus quickly.
“We wanted it to tie in with the train [sculpture] down the street,” said fifth grader Ezrah Fishman.
The students were making the connection to “The Waterbury Special” metal sculpture on the North Main Street railroad bridge by Randolph artist Phil Godenschwager that depicts a train with cars representing prominent downtown structures.
Monley first floated the idea past the Waterbury Select Board in July and the board gave its unanimous support. Now retired from her longtime position as art teacher at Brookside Primary School, Monley works with the nonprofit MakerSphere arts center which has a strong focus on art programs for local youth.
Also an active member of the Waterbury Area Anti-Racism Coalition, Monley said both organizations were behind the public art effort.
Desmont returned to Waterbury to join in after having spent time at the primary school last year as an artist in residence. A native of Haiti, Desmont moved to Vermont in 2018 where he continues to create bold, colorful, abstract paintings and he shares his talent and experience through workshops and school programs.
The adults let the youngsters lead the design and then supported the effort with supplies and some know-how to get it done in one afternoon before school starts.
Three of the four student designers were free for the painting session on Thursday: along with Ezrah were sixth graders Gia Gendimenico and Max Wulff. Eighth grader Maisy Gendimenico helped with the design.
The project used exterior latex paint, a medium Monley said she learned has worked well on similar utility-box art in South Burlington. With enough supplies to go around, the students spread out to work on separate sections.
Desmont worked alongside the kids who chatted about their progress and fussed over details. “It’s nice to share making art,” he said. “I don’t do much painting with others, but when I do, it’s a party.”
Before long the painters were joined by Ezrah’s curious younger cousins Daisy, a new kindergartner, and her little brother Dean, 3. “Daisy and Dean just wanted to check it out and hang out with the big kids,” Monley said.
Town officials gave permission for the box to be decorated given that it’s town property as part of the new traffic signal equipment that came with the Main Street renovation over the past few years. Another similar box sits at the intersection of Main Street and Park Row near the other Main Street traffic light. The group hopes to paint that as well and that may be where the painting project ends. Other similar boxes along the street belong to Green Mountain Power which does not want them painted, according to Municipal Manager Bill Shepeluk.
Nonetheless, both the adults and the students called the first painting a success. “What a great day! So many positive comments from passers by,” Monley said after the group finished for the day.
The students said they enjoyed the experience and were happy with what they created on the busy corner. “It already lights it up,” Max said, standing back and admiring the painted box.
Gia agreed, “We’re making it brighter.”