KSMB Takes an Artful Stance Against Graffiti

BY: SUSAN SELESKY

City officials look to local muralist as a creative solution to persistent graffiti problem.

Planned sight of Sessom Drive graffiti mural
Photo by: Susan Selesky

Director of Programs at Keep San Marcos Beautiful, Amy Kirwin, has recently began a new graffiti project to solve the problem of high-tagging areas around the city; a series of mural installations in the larger, more graffiti prone areas of San Marcos.

“We’re taking a different side on (graffiti) as far as the high-tag areas, we’re turning those into murals so that we can avoid having to go back over them with the patchworks of color that almost look as bad as the graffiti itself,” Kirwin said.

The city plans to hire local artist David Perez of Lestras Customs to create their first mural on a large stretch of wall along a drainage ditch on Sessom Drive, an area prone to graffiti and patchwork cover-up jobs. The colorful works of Letra's Customs can be found on various buildings around the capital city area of Austin, San Marcos and San Antonio. The most notable works in San Marcos being an ‘Alice in Wonderland’ themed piece off of South LBJ Drive, and an apocalyptic “9” inspired piece behind an antique lighting dealer on South Edward Gary Street, behind Railyard Bar & Grill.

“Those are very graffiti-esque, this one will be more realistic,” Kirwin said of the planned mural, “it’s going to be an underground view of Edward’s Aquifer, with water and a cave view; we’re very excited about it.”

While the city sees the mural as an artistic way to prevent unwanted graffiti, Perez sees it as an opportunity to showcase another side of his artistic ability.

"The murals won't reflect graff, but it will give a great example of what can be done with spray paint," Perez said. "It will give me an opportunity to show my skills off and avoid being tight casted as 'the graffiti guy'."

Along with the "Alice" and "9" walls, Perez's work can be seen in various San Marcos institutions such as The Yellow Store on East Hopkins Street and two water towers around the Texas State Agriculture building. 

Keep San Marcos Beautiful is currently undergoing the necessary city process to get the mural plans approved.

Details of Letra's Customs 'Alice in Wonderland' piece on South LBJ Drive
Photo by: Susan Selesky

Have a Cleaner Christmas

By: TYLER STEVENSON

This year during the annual Sights & Sounds of Christmas festival, environment-friendly waste bins will be provided for the guests to use. 

Original image by: Anders Photography

With standard trash and recycle bins, visitors sometimes get confused about what is garbage and what is recyclable. This inspired Solid Waste Program Coordinator Amy Kirwin to suggest eco stations be used for the festival.

Instead of having all the recycling dumped into one collective bin, eco stations connect one chain of separate bins, and each bin contains a separate object. For example, one bin will be for glass bottles, another bin will be for plastic bottles and a final bin will be for paper cups. These eco stations will be located throughout the park.

“We’re going to have 11 Eco Stations around the event,” Kirwin said.  “We’ll have a compost, X Frame, Trash Cart and a recycling X Frame. Volunteers will also be manning the stations to make sure items go in their proper place.”

Kirwin also suggested eco stations be used to accommodate for the Jan. 1 Styrofoam ban in all San Marcos city parks. This ban outlawed the use of Styrofoam products such as cups, plates and coolers in the park areas.

The elimination of Styrofoam products will especially affect food vendors who attend the festival in the future.

“We are encouraging vendors to use something compostable or recyclable to hand out their food on,” Kirwin said. “This year it is voluntary for them to have these kinds of products, but next year it will be mandatory.”

Since the city of San Marcos population continues to grow at a record pace, it is important that these new safety measures be taken to ensure our environment stays clean as possible so our residents will be healthy.  

San Marcos Mayor Daniel Guerrero echoed these sentiments during a statement released by San Marcos spokesperson Melissa Millecam last spring.

“We are fortunate to have a spectacular spring-fed river and more than 1,700 acres of beautiful parkland that attract thousands of people throughout the year,” Guerrero said. “The new rules are aimed at public safety and protecting the fragile environment of the river and park areas.”

Please join us at San Marcos Plaza Park on Dec. 4-7 from 5 p.m. until 11 p.m. to celebrate Sights & Sounds of Christmas, and don’t forget to participate in the 5k and 1k run on Dec. 7 at 9 a.m. and 10 a.m. respectively. Until then, remember to do your part to keep San Marcos beautiful.