Tyler’s Utility Boxes Have Become Works Of Art [PHOTOS]

Tyler’s Utility Boxes Have Become Works Of Art [PHOTOS]

Photo: Tara Holley

East Texas is so beautiful. All of Texas is beautiful, each region in its own way, but something about the countryside here is truly breathtaking in some areas. But it's not just the landscape that's beautiful now.

As our communities become more mindful of the power of art and beauty in our city-scapes, even just driving around our neighborhoods and downtown areas can be inspiring and uplifting in their beauty.

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We see beauty in our architecture, in the way East Texas cities are paying more attention to public spaces, and certainly, even by adding artistic touches to unlikely mundane elements that keep our cities running. For example, the utility box project in Tyler.

It started several years ago when the City of Tyler "turned 10 utility boxes, which house the electrical components for traffic lights, into an attraction to the downtown area trough an inaugural art contest," reports Tylerpaper.com. "The 'Beauty in a Box' project challenged local artists to create or photograph original pieces that could be printed and wrapped around utility boxes."

This began as an endeavor by the Main Street Department, Tyler Solid Waste, and Keep Tyler Beautiful. The artists who won received a monetary award, too. The hope was that the boxes would create more visual interest and draw the public downtown to see them and hopefully take photos to share on social media. And they have.
But as you drive around Tyler, you'll notice the project has continued outside of downtown and you can see them as far south on Old Jacksonville Highway as Lanes' Chapel Methodist Church.  
Obviously traffic has been a bit lessened as of late, and although we're doing our best to stay home, there's no reason we can't quarantine in our cars with a cup of coffee and take a look.
I did this just yesterday and grabbed a photo of some of them to share with you. I saved my personal favorite for the very end.

Tyler's Utility Boxes are Works of Art

Filed Under: art, artistic, beauty, beauty in a box, city of tyler, community, Downtown Tyler, east texas, keep tyler beautiful, main street, painting, south tyler, tyler solid waste, utility boxes
Categories: Photos

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