Promenade at Chenal

Arpita Roy Choudhury

Stop Pollution, Preserve Drain to Creek Ecosystem

Artist Bio: Arpita Roy Choudhury is a seasoned painter and an experienced graphic designer having both academic and industrial exposure. She earned her Master of Arts in English literature from India. Arpita is also a trained Indian classical singer and runs her singing classes in Little Rock. She loves to engage herself in arts and crafts both by profession and vocation. Her artworks may be accessed at https://www.behance.net/Arpita_Roychoudhury. She is interested in communicating with people and exploring the magical arts in life.

Design Concept: Domestic and industrial disposals disappoint the 'mother nature' by contaminating the drainage system and creeks. Nature weeps silently on the pollution-driven death and destruction of natural flora and fauna of the ecosystem. 

Kristen Farmin

AR Symbols

Artist Bio: Kristen Farmin graduated from UCA in 2012 with a degree in art education. Currently, she teaches graphic design and photography at North Little Rock High School and enjoys freelance design as a side gig. As an art lover, there aren’t many art-making techniques out there that she hasn’t at least tried. Kristen is a firm believer in the transformative power art can have not only on an individual but society as well.

Design Concept: This piece displays some of our state symbols, representing what we must strive to protect in our “Natural State.” The organic forms of the mockingbird, apple blossom, honeybee, and Diana Fritillary butterfly are contrasted by a geometric design in the background. This juxtaposition illustrates a harmony between nature and the infrastructure of our city.

Diann Blevins

Flows to the Ole Fishin' Hole

Artist Bio: I am a native-born Arkansan, having lived here all my 63 years, 25 of those in Little Rock. I am a retired CPA and have discovered my love of painting only in the last two years. I have already won more than twenty first- and second-place ribbons at the Saline County Fair and the Arkansas State Fair. I also won a best of show at the State Fair. I have exhibited in juried showings at the Argenta Library in North Little Rock and the Garland County Library in Hot Springs. I have had a few lessons but am a self-taught artist. I am a member of the Arkansas Arts Center and have taken lessons there. I now have a growing clientele of people commissioning my work for portraits, fur baby portraits, and have started my own art business called Paint2Motivate. I love to give thought-provoking insights into my paintings and love giving comfort to people through the portraits they request. I also assist people in their home design incorporating my pieces.
 
Design Concept: The concept for this mural is the essence of Drain Smart’s vision, to show the significance and impact that we in Little Rock have on our environment, particularly our waterways. With the silhouette of Little Rock crowning a beautiful, cascading waterfall that crescendos then flows into a magical, serene pond where one lone fisherman enjoys his ole fishin’ hole, I tried to show how universal the need is to protect these beautiful oases of humanity. I want to not only make people aware of this need but also instill in them a sense of ownership, a desire to want to protect their private oasis. Also, to show them that Drain Smart’s vision can be their vision, too. It takes all of us here in Little Rock to keep our city’s precious environment clean by one simple act, watching and monitoring what we allow to go down the drains.

Audrey Davis

Portal of Progress

Artist Bio: My name is Audrey Davis, I am 17 and a junior at Little Rock Christian Academy. I am interested in majoring in the arts and am deeply involved in the art programs at my school including being the communications officer for our art club. I am the junior class representative for the Student Government and have designed the t-shirts , tickets, and posters for all of our events this year. I have received 3 awards for my art and participated in AYAA. As well as worked on designing and painting murals at Full Potential, Our House and The Little Rock Zoo.

Design Concept: In our piece, our goal is to give people a view of the beautiful  animals and waters that these drain pipes flow directly into. Most people do not know where these drains flow to, we did not before we found out about this project. We wanted to paint a window to the beautiful waters of Arkansas. By using bright colors to bring emphasis to the plants and animals that live in local creeks and created movement by swirling the animals in a spiral to the drain lid. It is so important to keep these waters clean and healthy, to reduce pollution starting here at home.

Kaitlin Fraley

Use Your Brain

Artist Bio: Kaitlin Fraley has been painting since she was in 6th grade. Most of the time for enjoyment, although I have done my fair share of commissioned work. I also sell my art to friends and family.
 
Design Concept: I chose to paint a creek with fish swimming inside of different organs of the human body to immediately draw attention. Each work is something that I believe earns a second glance to see what is going on. I also chose these concepts as a way to show how the universe is all connected together. The brain is called "Use Your Brain", meaning think about the consequences behind littering in the drain. It is also a way to show how everything in the universe is connected.

Scott Mattson

Not Just Water

RETIRED (2016-2018)

Artist Bio: A Hot Springs native, Scott received an associate’s degree in graphic design from Garland County Community College, which is where he took his first painting class. He then went on to Arkansas State University in Jonesboro and earned a bachelor’s degree in graphic design. For over 10 years, Scott worked as a graphic designer with DOXA Total Design Strategy in Fayetteville. Currently, he works as a civilian on the LRAFB and lives in Conway with his wife, Aaran, and their children, Cora and Carter.
 
Design Concept: I like to paint Mother Nature at her best and most often choose oil as my medium. However, I do sometimes use watercolors or pastels and occasionally select no-so-natural subjects such as trains or architecturally interesting buildings. I tend toward impressionism, preferring to leave details to the imagination of the viewer, and I try to capture the emotions of a scene through color.

Lorria Eubanks

Surfing Frog

Artist Bio: The seventh of eight children, Lorria Eubanks grew up in North Little Rock. Her parents fostered a natural artistic talent that they saw in her as a young child. Art has been her favorite pastime for as long as she can remember. At UALR she minored in Studio Art. Since 2007, she has worked to teach art to inner city students. She hosts art camps and after-school programs, helps non-profit organizations, and does private commission art. In 2011, she enrolled in the UALR Masters of Education program for secondary school with an emphasis on art. In 2003, she was honored with an Arkansas Tribute to Artist award from Philander Smith College. She currently resides in North Little Rock with her husband. At home she creates silk scarf paintings, fused glass jewelry, printmaking, oil and acrylic paintings, paper art, and mixed media paintings.
 
Design Concept: My reason for choosing the surfing frogs is not only to get the attention of the public, but it’s also to give the public a visual image of things that they are directly affecting. A frog’s habitat is being affected by those who are littering. Creating something as cute as a surfing frog could possibly affect the general public and cause people to think twice about littering as they glance over at one of my frogs painted of the drain — reminding them that the storm drain is a direct route into our Arkansas River and Fourche Creek.

Linda Haycook

Night at Fourche

Artist Bio: I am not a trained artist, but I have simply been “crafty” all my life. I sew, paint, sculpt, embroider, draw, build and design all the time. I am a Texas master Florist and have won awards for floral design such as the Dallas Home & Garden Show Cup and Fort Worth Designer of the year. I moved to Little Rock in 2002 and am President of my Garden Club and for the next 2 years I will be serving as President of the Greater Little Rock Council of Garden Clubs. Conservation of the Natural State is extremely important to me.
 
Design Concept: Something with an environmental theme seemed best. Though I knew something colorful would be preferred, the moonlight silhouette of life at Fourche Creek charmed me and I planned an image in black and white with pale blue moon glow highlights. Included will be an elegant blue heron, an owl, a dragonfly and ducks (with perhaps a turtle since the drain has a broader base than first thought).

Jessica McSpadden

Turtles on a Log

Artist Bio: Jessica McSpadden is an artist and art teacher currently living and working in Little Rock, Arkansas. She took her first art class at the Arkansas Arts Center at a young age and ever since, has felt the need to create. After studying graphic design and illustration at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, she worked in publishing for a number of years before returning to school to become a licensed teacher. Jessica gains inspiration from a wide variety of sources from traveling to music.
 
Design Concept: When brainstorming ideas for this drain design, I knew I wanted to incorporate some of the animals that are directly impacted by the water that flows through the drain. I was immediately drawn to the design on the drain cover that reminded me of a turtle shell, so I started there with my design. This illustration is inspired by the way that turtles will crawl onto logs and pile together to sunbathe and get warm.