Between now and June, 10 lucky receptacles will be the subject of beautification thanks to a project being implemented by Main Street Fort Dodge. Two rollaway bins have already undergone their makeover.

“We pulled together and asked how we could make things look better downtown,” said Kris Patrick, director of Main Street Fort Dodge.

After seeing murals painted on electric boxes in other communities, the idea came to beautify some of the dumpsters downtown, given their obvious locations out in the open, which can be an eyesore when their use is in high demand.

“We’re hoping this makes people aware of behavior, garbage-wise,” Patrick said.

-Messenger photo by Elijah Decious
A dumpster near the Fort Dodge Public Library and Hoover Auto, adopted by the Fort Dodge Fine Arts Association, mimics famous artist Piet Mondrian’s geometric style. The beautified dumpster incorporates the sponsor’s logo colors instead of the usual primary colors Mondrian is known for.

Thanks to a $10,000 grant from the Iowa Arts Council, the Art Builds Community project can help any business, non-profit or individual help their dumpster have its moment in the limelight.

One, which can be seen from the 12th Street roundabout behind Jo Jo’s Cocktail Lounge near Harty’s Caddyshack Cafe, has a quirky design of arrows and nature wrapping around it.

The design, painted by fourth-graders with Students in the Arts, draws attention to those in possession of trash, letting them know where it belongs — in case it wasn’t already obvious.

“The idea of a clean environment was reflected on both sides,” said Jennifer Dutcher, liaison with the Iowa Art Project who helped create the two existing dumpster designs.

Each side has what kids think of as clean: crisp grass, blue skies and flowers uninhibited by pollution.

-Messenger photo by Elijah Decious
A dumpster adopted as part of Main Street Fort Dodge’s new project to paint 10 dumpsters around town sports new eye-catching arrows and art. The art on the side, designed by fourth grade students, represents their idea of what a clean environment means, encouraging Fort Dodgers to be environmentally conscious of their trash disposal habits.

Dutcher said there’s beauty in the concept of being cognizant of recycling, good habits and a clean community — especially when that concept can be seen in the most unexpected of places.

“Visual communication goes such a long way,” Dutcher said. “It’s more than a dumpster, it’s communicating that people need to be cognizant of keeping our community clean.”

The other redesigned rubbish bin, next to Hoover Auto across from Fort Dodge Public Library, exhibits the style of famous artist Piet Mondrian, known for his geometrically pleasing work and use of primary colors. The dumpster, instead of using primary colors, incorporated the color palette of sponsor Fort Dodge Fine Arts Association.

Dutcher, who helped design the Starry Night bus stop mural downtown on South Ninth Street, said the approach to that Van Gogh-inspired project influenced her take on designing dumpsters to beautify downtown.

After an application for a design is received, Main Street Fort Dodge looks it over to ensure it’s not a business advertisement or something obscene. Then, the dumpster company takes the dumpster out to prime it in a special location that accomodates fumes. Using enamel paint donated by Main Street Fort Dodge, the dumpsters are then painted by volunteers at no cost to the entity requesting the makeover.

-Submitted photo Fourth grade students from Students in the Arts helped design a beautification project for this dumpster, visible from the 12th Street roundabout near Jo Jo’s Cocktail Lounge and Harty’s Caddy Shack Cafe. The arrows and art are intended to not only beautify very visible dumpsters but to encourage environmentally-conscious habits.

The enamel paint is “very smelly,” Patrick said, but the dumpsters are used to that.