Smiling faces attended the recent dedication of the latest downtown utility box decoratively painted as part of the ongoing Main Street Columbus Adopt-A-Box project.
The box near the Trustmark Bank building at Main and Seventh Street South was painted by Columbus artist Amy Ballard to honor Edwina Williams, best known in the community as Mother Goose. The reveal was a surprise to Williams, who attended the dedication held soon after her Jan. 3 birthday.
“I am just thrilled,” said Williams. “Words cannot express how thrilled I am. Every time I look at a space, I just get choked up. It is so precious.”
The downtown beautification program uses utility boxes as canvases for original art by selected local artists and sponsored by Main Street member businesses. To date, eight boxes have been painted in the downtown historic district.
Ballard, owner and operator of Main Street Art Downunder at the corner of Main Street and Fifth Street South, created the Mother Goose tribute. She has also painted the box at the post office on Main Street in a patriotic theme.
Adopt-A-Box was developed by Main Street Columbus Executive Director Barbara Bigelow and Amber Brislin, Design Committee chair of the Main Street Columbus Board of Directors. Interested artists or sponsors may contact the Main Street office at 662-328-6305 for more information.
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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