Local artists give traffic boxes a facelift

Story and Photos by Alice Gerard

Senior Contributing Writer

Grand Island’s history and natural beauty were the themes that local artists focused on when decorating two traffic boxes in the center of town.

The painted traffic boxes are the result of an initiative by the Grand Island Economic Development Advisory Board to “enhance high visibility areas around the town’s center with vibrant, creative works of art,” according to the board’s press release.

On Oct. 20, the two traffic boxes were honored at the Town Board meeting.

Sophie Myers, 15, a sophomore at Grand Island High School, painted the box at the corner of Grand Island Boulevard and Whitehaven Road. She said her goal in designing the box was to combine elements of both historic and present-day Grand Island.

“I was trying to find a way to represent both of them,” Sophie said. “Everything that’s in black and white is past Grand Island. Everything that’s in color is still here.”

Historic images in Sophie’s painting include the ferry boat, “Corona,” which transported people from the mainland to Edgewater Park in the 19th century. Edgewater Park was a popular picnic and recreation area that included the Edgewater Hotel. It was located between Edgewater and Kirkwood drives. The Corona boat sank in 1898, and the smokestack can still be seen from East River Road.

For Sophie, who said she wants to make art her future career, the process of creating her design was the thing she enjoyed the most.

“I enjoy making things,” Sophie said. “I like seeing the reactions to it. I like seeing people smile when they see what I make. It makes a really big difference to me.”

Sophie’s father, Jason Myers, added, “I just love to see her creative process. Not only her artistic abilities, but she has a good sense of the community and the history around here, which is really pretty neat to see. At the end of the day, it’s a community service project, which is awesome.

“We’re very proud of Sophie. She works super hard on art. She really takes it very seriously. She spends a lot of time working on her craft.”

Sophie mentioned some of her teachers who have inspired her. “Really, my art career just started when I had Miss (Megan) Gaiek, the teacher in the (Veronica Connor) Middle School. I had her for studio in art. She was amazing. Then I had Miss (Jackie) Carpenter, and now, Mr. (Paul) Thompson. I just love them. They’ve really gotten me to where I am now. They just mean a lot.”

Kim Van Norman, who designed the box at the corner of Whitehaven and Baseline roads, said her motivation was to depict “the natural beauty that we see around Grand Island.”

Van Norman said her painting includes “the white egret (that) can be found at Beaver Island State Park. You can see the nests across (the river) at Strawberry Island. You’ll see them nesting over there.”

The fish in Van Norman’s painting “are the representation of the different fish that are in the Niagara River, like the largemouth bass and the muskie. Over the falls, what would be jumping up would be the steelhead that people like to fish for. And then, the deer, of course, and other things like that. It’s based on the natural beauty that is found in Buckhorn and in Beaver Island.”

Van Norman, who has a degree in art education, said, “I never really got into teaching. Right now, I just do paintings at home, which I sell on occasion, and I’ll do interior murals for people, too.”

Van Norman added, “I love to paint and I love color. This (project) gave me the opportunity to express myself outside with public art. It was a really great idea. I think it was a great improvement for the Town of Grand Island.”

Artist Kim Van Norman with the Economic Development Advisory Board at the traffic box at the corner of Whitehaven and Baseline roads.