Stormdrain Inlet Art

As the saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words. Imagine what artists could communicate about improving Roanoke’s water quality. To celebrate the City of Roanoke's 10 years of public art we have selected five qualified artists / artist teams to transform six storm drains in the City of Roanoke into works of art. The Inlet Art will not only draw attention to storm drains "hidden" within the City sidewalks, but will also raise awareness about stormwater pollution.  Few people realize that litter, trash, and other pollution sources like sediment, bacteria, oils, and yard waste left on City streets wash, untreated, into the nearest creek, stream, or the Roanoke River.  Raising awareness through visual expression has been successfully implemented in other communities and we believe it will be an effective next step in preventing stormwater pollution from entering Roanoke's waterways. 

Click through the slides below to view the finished inlet artwork. 

Inlet Art Project

Inlet Art Project
Earth Saver by Brian Counihan
Brookie by Ned Savage
Only Rain Down the Drain by Tyla Maiden
Squidding Me by Aleks Bratic
Downstream Dependents by Ned Savage
Journey to Streamland by Gerry Hubert

People's Choice Award for Inlet Art Project

During the week of April 21-27 the public will have a chance to vote for their favorite artwork on stormdrain inlets through the City of Roanoke’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/RoanokeVa.  A ballot will be available during the Earth Day Roanoke celebration on April 21 at the Grandin Village– visit the Roanoke Stormwater tent to cast your vote! The winning artist will receive a People’s Choice Award and $200 and second place will be awarded $100.

The following is the artist and title of artwork.

  • Catawba artist Ned Savage painted “Brookie” in South Roanoke Village and “Downstream Dependents (Roanoke River Ragout)” in Grandin Village which focuses on river wildlife. Ned works for LEAP for Local Food and is on the Salem Arts Commission.
  • Brian Counihan’s artwork “Earth Savers” is painted on the inlet near West End Park. Brian is a Roanoke artist and teacher at Community High School.
  • Gerry Hubert, a Roanoke artist known for his colorful renditions of Lady Gaga, has painted “Journey to Streamland” on the inlet in front of the Main Library.
  • Tyla Maiden, an art education major at Radford University, has transform the inlet in front of the post office on Church Avenue with her artwork entitled, “Only Rain Down the Drain.”
  • Seven-year-old Aleks Bratic and his mother, Kim, collaborated on designing “Squidding Me,” which Kim is paint on an inlet near the Williamson Road Library along Truman Ave NW.

Artists were supplied with all materials and receive a $400 honorarium for their work from the Stormwater Division. The project was completed by Earth Day, Sunday, April 22, 2018.

If you would like more information, contact Susan Jennings, Arts and Culture Coordinator at susan.jennings@roanokeva.gov  or call Danielle DeHart, Environmental Specialist at danielle.dehart@roanokeva.gov.