Four Local Artists Chosen to Paint Storm Drain Covers on U of A Campus

Photo Submitted

"Keep it Clean" by Jeffi O'Kane, located at Spring Street and Church Avenue in Fayetteville

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Arkansas artists will take to the streets – well, actually the sidewalks – in Northwest Arkansas this spring to paint mini-murals on a series of storm drain covers. Four of those covers are on the U of A campus.

• Randy Rust of Berryville will paint the cover near Mullins Creek in Lot 56.
• Lee Porter of Fayetteville will paint the cover in front of the Nanotechnology building on Dickson Street.
• Paige Dirkson, from Batesville, will paint the cover by Bud Walton Arena on Leroy Pond Drive
• Kate Barnes of Fayetteville will paint the cover by the bus stop in front of HPER building on Meadow Street.

The goal is for the bright-colored images to make people aware of the problem of storm water pollution.

“Storm drain systems are not the same as a city’s sanitary sewer system,” said Jane Maginot, extension urban storm water educator for the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture. “Grease, oil, sediments, litter, brake dust, anti-freeze, fertilizer, yard clippings, pet waste – plus whatever storm water picks up as it washes across parking lots and roadways – all of that goes directly into our local streams and our drinking water sources such as Beaver Lake.

“Our hope is that the art will help raise awareness of the purpose of these drains and help reduce the amount of pollution returned directly to the environment.”

The project is led by the UA Division of Agriculture Cooperative Extension Service. A grant from the Arkansas Arts Council provided a $400 stipend for each of the artists.

The work will begin when the ground temperature gets a bit warmer – and the sidewalks a bit drier. The paintings will all be finished by May.