Even trash cans have artwork on them in Pacific Beach thanks to a contribution by a Pacific Beach Middle School student.
“Every eighth-grader at PBMS has to do a community service project and I wanted to do something that incorporated art, something I’m passionate about,” said young artist Makena Seiler. “So I found a nonprofit, beautifulPB, and they had this idea that I could put something on trash cans on Garnet. We brainstormed and decided to use endangered birds, and I got a list from the Audubon Society for what birds to use.”
“Our latest art installation is up on Garnet Avenue, which we’re calling ‘Explore PB’s Wild Side,’” said beautifulPB president Katie Matchett. “It features pictures of local birds created by a number of different PB artists including Makena Seiler. It’s a great project and we hope to build on it with more plaques and other art installations in the future. Community public art beautifies our public spaces, and inspires dynamic cooperation throughout a neighborhood.”
“We first discussed this idea about putting art on the trash cans a few years ago,” said Leslie Dufour of beautifulPB, who manages community art murals for the grassroots nonprofit, which works to create a more sustainable, equitable, and beautiful Pacific Beach. “Like many ideas, it fell by the wayside. Then Makena Seiler approached us. We thought, ‘bingo, this could be a great community project that fosters the values of anti-littering and getting to know and care for our PB environment.’”
Dufour noted everything “fell into place” with Seiler’s school art project. “Makena provided us some beautiful artwork, we located a few other talented professional artists – Hilary Dufour, and David Krimmel – and we were able to replicate the fantastic artwork from the Kendall Frost murals, (that are being torn down) including the mural by Kyla-Yu Swanson,” she said.
Added Dufour, “It was really time to add more art to Garnet, especially art that supported our aspirations and wasn’t prohibitively expensive. It succeeded because of the enthusiasm of the artists, the installer, Heather Clinkenbeard, the printer, T&S Signs, Discover PB, beautifulPB, and the local folks at the Audubon Society.”
Seiler started using watercolors while painting her four endangered birds, a project she began in January. But she switched to using colored pencils after a while because “the birds stood out more and the background did too.” She added this was just the first batch of artistically rendered birds. “We’re going to come up with another one soon,” she noted.
Asked about the objective of her art project, Seiler replied: “People should pick up their trash that endangers the ocean, the wetlands, the birds, and other endangered animals.
Discussing what she’s gotten out of her project, Seiler answered, “How to do different styles of art, learning more about the environment. I didn’t know there were so many endangered birds and animals in my community. We need to preserve their habitats.”
The budding artist received school credit and an award for successfully completing her art project which, thus far, has drawn rave reviews.
“The IB coordinator and my principal want to scan some of my favorite ones (birds) and put them around the school so I can spread awareness (there) too to get people to pick up their trash,” Seiler said adding, “I’m just thankful to beautifulPB for helping with this project by getting the trash cans.”
Endangered bird trash can art joins nearly 50 public art murals scattered around the beach community, not even counting painted crosswalks or decorated utility boxes, which are dispersed throughout town. There is a descriptive map with bios of murals artists and their work at beautifulpb.com.
See more information about the community endangered bird trash can art project at https://beautifulpb.com/explore-pb-wild-side/.
