Where does water go after it rains? Lexington is seeking artists to explore this idea for Art by Nature: From Concrete to Creek. This year’s theme focuses on ways to manage stormwater in urban areas. The locations chosen focus on how to slow down rainwater, filter pollutants and allow water to sink back into the ground.
Some artists may be surprised to discover how much natural beauty exists within these projects. But returning participant Denice Bullock is very familiar with them.
“I help administer the Stormwater Quality Projects Incentive Grant Program,” said Ms. Bullock, an Administrative Specialist Principal in Lexington’s Division of Water Quality. This program funds projects that improve stormwater quality and reduce runoff in Lexington.
Ms. Bullock is familiar with many of the inspirational projects included on the Art by Nature map. The majority of the sites were funded by the City’s grant program. There are a variety of unique projects to inspire artists. Rain gardens and riparian buffers have colorful native plants. Permeable pavers and filtration units offer interesting geometric patterns. Restored stream banks and wetlands often show not only flowing water, but the creatures that live in it.
