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Public Art to Brighten My Day

KALICO’s Beautify Kalispell Traffic Signal Box Project is designed to add beauty and vibrancy to an otherwise nondescript functional object

By Maggie Doherty

There’s no denying November’s dreariness, although this fall was a spectacular treat. It’s been a few years since we were able to enjoy the shimmering display of golden larch needles and the flair of bronze and magenta from the maples and mountain ash. We basked in sunlight, and found ourselves surprised by such a long string of bluebird days. Now, twilight arrives with an emboldened face, and we hope that we have enough firewood for the cold days ahead.

As someone who can hardly wait for the snow to fly and ski season to begin, I’m often cranky: sunshine dwindles and is followed by the interminable wait for the snow. The drizzle and frost can weigh upon me as I study the mountaintops when they peak out of the perpetual low layer of clouds, hoping for a pillar of white.

Yet this in-between season holds a colorful surprise: the installation of the new public art in downtown Kalispell. Although I like to think I keep my eyes trained to the mountains, I do have to pay attention to the urban environment surrounding us and thankfully KALICO Art Center has spearheaded a project to beautify the downtown streetscape. Now that the fall colors are dulling, it’s a good time to search for pops of neon and deep blues, Glacier’s Wild Goose Island and snow mountains, wildflowers and geometric dots, on an object you’d normally hardly notice as you wait at the stoplight. 

KALICO’s Beautify Kalispell Traffic Signal Box Project are public works designed to add beauty and vibrancy to an otherwise nondescript functional object, like the gray metal signal boxes. Oftentimes these cases become targets for unwanted graffiti. The first phase is complete and four artists have had their original works of art formatted onto vinyl wraps covering the signal boxes. On the corner of Fourth and Main, near Sweet Peaks, you can relish in the wintry dreamscape of Michell Wang’s “The Call of the Mountain.” Travel one block west and you’ll be greeted by “Playful Pastel” by Sophia George, with its frisky shapes and bold colors. The iconic image of Wild Goose Island, as interpreted through the eyes of Megan Crawford will brighten anyone’s day. You’ll find it at the end of the Fifth block of Main Street. Bright floral blooms will always be in season by the Fire Department thanks to Heidi Marie Faessel’s digital collage of flowers. 

Displays of public art, like this project, are an unexpected invitation. They spark energy and light into our ordinary routines, like waiting for lights to change or to complete the commute. Adding beauty to an otherwise industrial object transforms us to seek out other places where beauty might hide, just waiting for discovery. Any type of dreariness, either brought on by the weather or the usual life stresses, can be cushioned by projects like these. I’m thankful these four artists brightened my day, and the days to come. 

Maggie Doherty is the owner of Kalispell Brewing Company on Main Street.