VOTE FOR YOUR FAVORITE 2016 TRANSFORMER MURAL HERE
Bastrop Public Art
Bastrop has an active program for art in public places. On our first visit, I noticed outdoor sculptures and colorful murals throughout the downtown area. The transformer box murals in particular caught my eye–happy art surprises scattered around town like sprinkles on cupcake. You’ll find them on street corners, in alleys, and at the curb depicting chickens, old trucks, dancers, roses on a trellis, and so on. (You can see some photos on the Bastrop Art in Public Places website.)
The transformer murals add a lot of charm to downtown Bastrop, so I was thrilled to be among the selected artists for the 2016 Transformer Mural Project.
Day One–Before

A plain green electrical box wiped down and ready for primer. This one is behind The Grace Miller Restaurant adjacent to a parking lot. The restaurant staff were the friendliest, most encouraging supporters you can imagine.
After the Primer

Looking better already.
Day 2–Blue Skies From Now On


Blocking in the shapes. This was the day I discovered the fire ants who lived underneath the box. Grace Miller employees came to the rescue with fly spray.
Next Day
I painted all day and met lots of friendly people including a professional muralist from California who spent some time giving me encouragement and suggestions. After lunch I went to Sherwin-Williams for two more colors–a lighter green and a darker brown. That’s what added depth and brought the painting to life. Gracie’s had outdoor music that day which made the afternoon even more pleasant.

Painting on a Cold Rainy Day
Added sides and longer shadows. Painted fast because it was so chilly!


Two Weeks Later– Done!
Added clouds and a few wildflowers. Signed my name and done!



Looks great momma!
Thank you!
Love it!
Love it.
I love how you separated the sky from the land and trees. I want to see this when we come out.
Thanks, Mary! We’ll go check it out!
[…] you stroll around town, you’ll notice that Bastrop is rich in public art. The Transformer Project features murals by local artists painted on electrical transformer boxes with fun subjects likes […]