Artist Finalist in $6,000 Bid to Beautify Maplewood

Five utility boxes along Manchester Road will become works of art in time for Maplewood's sixth annual Let Them Eat Art on July 8.

During a meeting on Wednesday, a committee made up of city officials and community members selected Eric Woods, founder of Firecracker Press, to design the boxes. He was selected as the finalist in an open call contest for local artists. Firecracker Press is a printmaking studio in the Cherokee District.

Committee members said Woods' concept ties together Maplewood's rich history to its dynamic present and future. The color palette and retro design will remain consistent but each box will feature a unique image displaying:

• Cultural crossroads 
• Community/neighborhood
• Commerce/business
• Street fair/festival
• Nightlife/entertainment

"Our approach at Firecracker Press on most projects is a combination of old, historical, tried-and-true craftsmen techniques with modern thinking," Woods said during his presentation. "The outcome is a unique, fresh look at a particular design."

Woods beat two other semi-finalists in the contest: Kyle Davis, founder of Davis Roland Design in O'Fallon, and Grace McCammond of Signature Arts. 

This isn't Woods' first foray into working in Maplewood. Firecracker Press has been involved with Let Them Eat Art and Schlafly's Art Outside since their inception. The studio has also designed cards, posters and more for Schlafly on a regular basis. 

Rachelle L'Ecuyer, community development director of Maplewood and organizer of the committee, said she is excited about the choice. 

"I think this project brings together not only that we're trying to make improvements in the downtown area, but that we have this artist connection," L'Ecuyer said. "Firecracker Press has that Maplewood connection."

McCammond was a close second with her maple leaf box design, which committee members said was beautiful and showed vibrant color, but was not chosen in the end. Commitee member Bob Marsh, who also serves on the parks advisory board, said the idea might not be original enough for Maplewood residents.

"If I was driving down Manchester from Kirkwood, or wherever, that would attract me as a non-resident," said Marsh during the meeting. "But not for somebody who walks that street every day."

Criteria for the contest included finding a project that approached the box idea as a unified "family of art works," which the committee felt third-place finisher Davis failed to do, though members appreciated graphic geometric patterns in his design.

The box project requires final approval from Maplewood City Council, which is scheduled to vote on the project during its May 10 meeting. If Woods is selected, he'll receive a $6,000 budget to work with.