Community members are invited to watch artists at work for the eighth annual UpStream Art mural painting project. Four Oregon artists will be creating colorful murals with water-friendly messages around storm drains in Springfield at the intersection of Yolanda Avenue and 20th Street from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Thursday, July 20 and Friday, July 20. The UpStream Art project supports artists and raises awareness of the connection between City streets and local waterways, which happens at the storm drain.
“We’re here to remind everyone to prevent water pollution before it starts,” said Peter Jaeger, an Environmental Technician who leads Springfield’s UpStream Art project. “Everyone cares about clean water. We need it for drinking, recreation, agriculture, and industry. Not to mention the countless people, animals, and plants that live downstream from Springfield that also rely on clean water.”
Stormwater comes from rain and is not cleaned like wastewater is. As rain washes over the City, it collects spilled materials, debris, chemicals, litter, and more. These pollutants wash into local storm drains and out to the rivers. The McKenzie and Willamette Rivers border Springfield and one of the biggest threats to that water supply is pollution from urban runoff. UpStream Art is a reminder that water quality in and around Springfield is the responsibility of everyone in the community.
The UpStream Art mural collection currently consists of 33 unique storm drain paintings, located around downtown Springfield and at Agnes Stewart Middle School. View them in person or online through the UpStream Art Virtual Tour at bit.ly/upstreamart.
This year, a Call for Artists for UpStream Art went out in May and ended in June. A total of 26 artist applications were received. Four winning designs were selected by a panel of judges consisting of local artists, local business owners, and various agency staff. All artists will be paid for their work.
UpStream Art is hosted by the City of Springfield’s Stormwater Team. Additional information about the project is available at bit.ly/upstreamart.
Who: Community members can drop by and watch
What: Four local artists paint four storm drain murals for the 8th annual UpStream Art project
When: 8 a.m.-4 p.m. on July 20-21, 2023
Where: north Springfield at the intersection of Yolanda Ave. and 20th St., near Yolanda Elementary School
Project Information: bit.ly/upstreamart
UpStream Art Virtual Tour: bit.ly/upstreamart
Additional Information: Peter Jaeger, environmental technician and UpStream Art project lead, at 541.726.3693 or pjaeger@springfield-or.gov
Background: Every summer since 2016, the City of Springfield has commissioned 4-6 artists to use their creativity to decorate storm drains and walkways with beneficial water-quality messages. Currently there are 33 UpStream Art murals located in and around downtown Springfield and near Agnes Stewart Middle School.
Artist Indra Hunter painted a water dragon in her mural for UpStream Art last year. “The water dragon symbolizes our great Oregon rivers,” she said. “Within him lives the many native creatures which inhabit our wetlands.”
Artist Henry Stubbert’s mural last year for UpStream Art showed human hands holding water and wildlife. “My piece reflects on the fact that we hold the future of many species’ existence in our hands,” he said.