A West Allis contest transformed dull utility boxes into colorful works of art
West Allis recently turned about a dozen of its utility boxes into blank canvases for local artists.
Carson Coffield, economic development specialist for the city, said the program came together during an Artscape Leadership Group meeting in September 2022.
“In recent years, the City of West Allis has put a focus on fostering creativity, engaging the community, and enhancing the aesthetic appearance and image of West Allis through public art,” Coffield said, highlighting the murals around the city as part of the city's Living Streets program. “We are still doing the mural program, but we wanted to switch it up a little bit and go a slightly different direction just to diversify the art, which is how the Utility Box Art Program came along.”
The city worked with the West Allis Artscape Committee and Public Works, inviting amateur and professional artists to apply, according to the city website. The program was funded through Artscape Leadership Group funds, which are provided by First-Ring Industrial Redevelopment Enterprise (FIRE), a regional community development entity, according to the city website. No residential tax dollars were used to fund the program.
The city received over 50 submissions for the Utility Box Art Program, according to Coffield. A committee selected its favorites, and they were installed as a vinyl wrap on the boxes. A $500 artist honorarium was paid for each final design chosen.
The Journal Sentinel caught up with some of the winners to discuss their opinions on the contest and the inspiration for their entries.
75th & Greenfield: Dave Watkins
A friend and West Allis resident prompted Bay View artist Dave Watkins to enter the contest with an abstract piece. He’s seen similar initiatives take off in other cities in recent years.
“Why not add some creativity to these random, unsightly utility boxes that exist in our exterior landscapes,” he said. “I am super grateful that in the past few years I have been able to bring my artwork to the public, to some that might not ever think of walking into an art gallery.”
His abstract style is based on “bold color fields, line and form.”
“Activating a space is important in my public works; adding some color where you normally wouldn't find it,” he said.
70th & Greenfield: Joseph Juarez
Joseph Juarez heard about the contest on social media and thought it would be fun ― and long overdue.
“If you’re telling me I can wrap my ideas and design completely around an electrical box I’m all for it,” he said. “I’ve seen other municipalities doing it all over the country and glad to finally see West Allis getting on board with adding some color and design to the city.”
As for his submission, Juarez said the contest inspired him.
“I just started letting my pen and imagination flow onto the paper,” he said.
Juarez said he’s a self-taught artist and he started with graffiti when he was 15 years old. Now in his mid-40’s he’s “just trying to apply my techniques legally.”
60th & Burnham: Aaliyah Steele
Aaliyah Steele said the utility box art concept is great for independent artists and progressive communities. She applied because it was an opportunity to “expose cultural art in a thriving, diverse community.”
Steele described her artistic practice as a “combination of pop art and color blending.” Her inspiration for this piece was to “show melanated people (women) in a soft and beautiful light.”
She operates an Etsy store at Etsy.com/shop/Stolenartinc.
84th & Lincoln: Ryan Laessig
Ryan Laessig has been part of many neighborhood beautification projects, including the US 41 bus stop art installations, the Caesar Chavez Drive bus stop art installation, the east side art lot picnic table art, the temporary murals at the Marcus Center Rainbow Center and the Garden District’s “Flowers in Bloom” mural project.
“This seemed like a great opportunity to continue to help make my local neighborhoods more fun and beautiful,” he said. “Overall, I think this is a fantastic idea all throughout the city and it gives some gray space utility boxes a much-needed lift of color and art. It's also a great way to welcome people into your neighborhood.”
A self-described “local nerd with local pride,” Laessig is a high school art teacher and owner of the Milwaukee Makers Market. He creates pop culture pop art ― in this case Star Wars-themed ― to beautify homes and city streets. Laessig said his work has been part of over 200 gallery exhibitions.
76th & Becher: Shelly Rosenquist
Impressed with what the community has been doing to improve with new businesses, murals and more, Shelly Rosenquist wanted to be part of that excitement.
“Anytime a community is thinking about beautification efforts, I'm on board,” she said. “Public art in any form adds not only colors and interest to an environment, but also personality. Like the murals living on the sides of many buildings in West Allis, the utility box concept provides a wonderful way for artists to contribute to society.”
Having a full-time job and two kids keeps Rosenquist busy, so she wouldn’t have time to commit to painting a mural on a building. This utility box initiative allowed her to showcase her work – specifically, high resolution scans of an existing painting she'd done titled "Enchanted Forest."
“The reason I entered this piece is that birch trees are known to symbolize rebirth, new beginnings and growth,” she said. “I couldn't think of a more appropriate subject matter to represent all the amazing things going on in the City of West Allis.”
A professional artist in the Milwaukee area for over 20 years, Rosenquist operates an art gallery in South Milwaukee called Rosenquist Fine Art at 1805 10th Ave. with her husband, Lynn Rosenquist. It will open this fall.
84th & National (South): Anthony Pazos
Anthony Pazos creates watercolors of landscapes and barns. He later became a medical illustrator and now that he’s raised a family, he’s getting back into painting.
He said this initiative was a great opportunity for Wisconsin artists to demonstrate their skills and to beautify neighborhoods. His winning submission reminds him of running up and down sand dunes along Lake Michigan.
“Flying kites has been my theme for 30 years,” he said. “It’s good subject matter to capture color and the theme is to prompt interest in flying kites, going to kite festivals, interaction with nature and quality leisure time.”
66th & National: Lauren Budge
“I believe public art has the power to transform everyday spaces and create a sense of belonging and pride among community members,” said winner Lauren Budge.
Budge said the utility box art concept is “a fantastic initiative that combines functional utility with artistic flair.
“By adorning these otherwise mundane boxes with vibrant artworks, the city not only infuses its streets with color and character but also celebrates the talents of local artists,” she said. “By showcasing their work and brightening up public spaces, the city allows these artists to connect with the community through their creative expressions.”
Participating to contribute to the beautification and cultural enrichment of the city, Budge created a fruit-themed piece inspired by memories visiting the West Allis Farmers market as a child.
“The bustling energy of the market, filled with vibrant displays of fresh produce, left a lasting impression on me, igniting a lifelong love for the vivid colors and lively atmosphere of such local markets,” Budge said.
Calling herself a “Jill-of-all-trades,” Budge has a lifelong passion for various forms of art, including rug making and mural painting. Her primary focus is digital art and graphic design.
“I find immense joy in expressing my artistic vision through the digital medium,” Budge said.
Other winners
Other winners were Lauren Marvel with a pizza theme visible at 76th & Lincoln, Cassandra Torres with purple sky and oranges at 95th & National, and Carole Milos with paint movements at 84th & National (North).
“We are happy with how positive the response has been to these utility boxes,” Coffield said. “It has added a nice pop of color and art on equipment that we don’t usually spend too much time looking at otherwise.”
The city also held a contest with local schools to draw posters and write essays about fair housing. The child who won had their poster art included on the utility box at 60th & Grant. It was not technically part of the Utility Box Art Program, Coffield said, but Artscape paid for the installation.
Contact Erik S. Hanley at erik.hanley@jrn.com. Like his Facebook page, The Redheadliner, and follow him on Twitter @Redheadliner.
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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: A West Allis contest turned utility boxes into colorful works of art
