Local painter decorates electrical boxes in uptown Jackson

The gazebo outside the Cape Girardeau County courthouse is a bit more photogenic, thanks to the efforts of the Uptown Jackson Revitalization Organization and a local painter.

Saundra Flanagan was chosen by the organization several weeks ago to produce the first of what it hopes will be a series of community art pieces where drab electrical boxes stood.

The boxes in front of the gazebo now pop with Flanagan’s colorful flowers and bird designs, just in time for the city’s annual Oktoberfest celebration Oct. 8.

“I thought of the flower design because they have the flowers planted around the gazebo,” Flanagan said. “I wanted to add some color and some cheerfulness to the spot.”

But there also were other parameters set by the organization. The woman in charge of the Beyond the Metal Box initiative is Susan Hahs, who said she got the idea by seeing public art used to add character to a community.

“They were wanting [the art] to fit the area around where the boxes were located,” Flanagan said. “Something that would have some significance or meaning to Jackson or remind you of the city.”

Luckily for her, Flanagan has experience doing commissioned artwork and murals and was designing it with uptown in mind.

And because the gazebo is on the courthouse lawn, she also pulled inspiration from its architecture.

“I also did a grid pattern to go on the top and the sides of the smaller box that would echo the grid design in the courthouse tile,” she said. “I was trying to incorporate something with significance to Jackson.”

The Uptown Jackson Revitalization Organization is planning to wait until after Oktoberfest to commission artists to paint the other uptown boxes to gauge public opinion.

“When people were stopping by when I was painting it, though, they were saying they liked it,” Flanagan said. “So I guess it’s good so far.”

tgraef@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3627

Pertinent address:

Barton Square, Jackson, Mo.