Use more local painters’ talents on SLO utility boxes

I would like to comment on The Tribune’s article about the plan to repaint the utility boxes (“What should happen to public art on utility boxes in downtown SLO?” Feb. 20).

Everyone I know loves the artistically painted utility boxes. I think the art should be rotated every couple of years. San Luis Obispo has a plethora of talented artists, and we should take advantage of the opportunity to showcase our local talent.

The Downtown Association could use the opportunity to market the rotating art, maybe by publishing past art iterations every time it changes.

The chamber could have maps of all the public art and something about the artists. There are so many opportunities here. No one wants it to go back to being the old ugly boxes, but I believe the art should change and showcase more of the local talented artists we have — not just a few.

Why would the happiest place on Earth limit its options by having the same art/artists all the time? How great would it be to learn more about all the artists we have?

This story was originally published February 23, 2016 at 9:10 AM with the headline "Use more local painters’ talents on SLO utility boxes."