Staff Report

GREENVILLE -- Greenville’s downtown will soon have new decorative recycling bins through a cooperative effort between the Metropolitan Arts Council, the city of Greenville, area businesses and Greenville artists.

The “Flat Out Under Pressure” competition was designed to give local artists 24-hours to complete a 2-D work of art from start to finish. Entries were then juried, and the top seven winners will have their artwork featured on the front of new bins

Downtown visitors will see the bins placed around Main Street early this fall. Sponsorships cover the cost of the bin and recycling services for one year.

“Protecting our resources is a community-wide responsibility and we are excited to be a part of a great new recycling project for the downtown area,” said Ray Orvin Jr., Renewable Water Resources executive director.

ReWa partnered with first place competition winner Diane Kilgore Condon, founder of ArtBomb Studios, which is a nonprofit collective of 16 artists.

"I love the combination of showing the public examples of local art paired with the opportunity to keep Greenville green,” Condon said. “It brings public awareness and responsibility together in a really ingenious way. It gives Greenvillians two ways to show pride in our city.”

Condon’s work will be featured on the front of ReWa’s bin located near the Peace Center. The bin will also feature ReWa’s Freshwater Freddie mascot, who ReWa uses as an educational resource to teach children and their families the importance of protecting our environment.

Published Jan. 11, 2010