The Artist shall create artwork which will be translated into a digital file and printed onto vinyl.

The Artist shall provide a final design proposal for the approval by Arts + History Dept. and project stakeholders. The Artist shall finalize the design based on feedback, complete the Work in the form of a final design and deliver to the assigned fabricator. 

The Work shall be delivered to meet the fabricators established standards, either in physical or digital form. The fabricator will be hired and managed separately by the City. 

The Artist shall coordinate the proofing and approval process for the vinyl print with the fabricator and perform any and all other duties and obligations as set forth in this Agreement. 

The Work shall, at all times, be subject to the City’s general review and approval.

Already on the moon from the news of the opportunity to create one of Boise’s Traffic Boxes, I came back down to the earth when I was given the coordinates of where my art would come to live. An interesting location, where Main Street ends and Garden City begins, and only footsteps away from the Boise River. I knew immediately that I wanted to reference the river, but I didn’t want to neglect the other surrounding elements.

With a little more research, thought, and  some math (not my best skill); I found out that the approximate volume of the box is 300 fluid gallons. This also just happens to be the approximate amount of water the average American family uses on a daily basis. This approximation only refers to household consumption, as in washing dishes/laundry, taking baths/showers, flushing toilets, etc.

300 gallons, 1 box... In my work, I’ve introduced this series of paintings of various buckets, pop art in style. A suggestion from the panel was to continue this in this project. Water, fish, crabs, boats, Ding! 1 box equals 1 bucket. This was my opportunity to create a larger than life bucket! HUGE!

Everyday Boise is growing bigger and brighter, our city is becoming quite the metropolis. With growth and expansion there is always a need to consider the future effects of our decisions today. We can’t let Boise get lost in the shuffle of progress. With these concerns on my mind, I try to take personal inventory and consider how much I consume and, in turn, waste. It shocks me a times. I know I need to be more mindful and try to leave a softer footprint.

As I envision this Traffic Box, a large bucket sitting river adjacent, watching the traffic on Main Street, I see a physical representation of what I ordinarily take for granted. I take pause and begin to appreciate these resources. When a passerby decides to take a moment and ponder the scale of how much water we use, I hope it may spark that recognition in them. 

Our responsibility with our water and maintaining it’s quality is essential to our thriving in the future. I hope to inspire people to adopt more mindful habits when it comes to our relationship with water.