A vibrant scene unfolds on C Street NE as Tammy Barnes and her all-woman mural team work on colorful designs intended to brighten curbside intersections.
Barnes is currently outlining ‘George,’ a catfish designated by third graders from nearby Maury Elementary.
As a boy zips by on an e-bike, he calls out with enthusiasm, ‘Oh! I love that!’
Barnes gratefully replies, ‘Thank you!’
‘We really needed to hear that today,’ another team member adds quietly.
This spring, Barnes, alongside co-leads Lindsay Ancellotti and Sam Hamilton, secured a $30,000 District grant to create eight murals, with two specific locations being along Tennessee Avenue and C Street NE.
Their initiative, part of the District Department of Transportation’s (DDOT) ‘Arts in the Right of Way’ program, has involved collaboration with Maury students to develop designs that bolster the science curriculum and promote road safety.
Excitingly, they were set to be the first team to finish their murals, but a major concern looms ahead.
Come September 17, DC Water is scheduled to begin digging up Tennessee Avenue to replace an aging water main, threatening to erase half of their artistic creations.
The program, ‘Color the Curb,’ is a joint effort between the DC Commission on Arts and Humanities (DC CAH) and DC Public Schools (DCPS).
Through this collaboration, artists partner with local schools to develop curb murals that not only enhance the community’s aesthetic but also improve visibility and safety on the streets.
Maury’s art teacher, Lauren Bomba, shared that the mural project was student-driven and meticulously connected to their science studies.
Students engaged in hands-on lessons focused on street art, road safety, and the ecological significance of the Anacostia River over eight sessions last school year.
Their theme, tailored ‘Biking to Kingman Island,’ inspired creative characters like Jeff the beaver and George the fish, culminating in a design effort that deeply involved the community.
Starting in late August, the team dedicated countless hours to cleaning and preparing the mural surfaces all while enduring the summer heat and noise of passing traffic.
As neighbors offered refreshments and support, students often paused to admire their contributions.
One student, wishing to paint an owl design for her grandfather, was creatively kept safe by Barnes, who provided chalk for her to use on the sidewalk instead.
The spontaneous chalk art festival that emerged brought joy, with Barnes later declaring this experience a heartfelt expression of the power of community art.
However, a significant obstacle emerged just before the team’s completion date.
On September 4, just days from the intended finish, Barnes received unexpected news from a DC Water project manager through social media that construction would start on September 10.
Following this contact, she verified information on the DC Water site, which paradoxically indicated that the project was marked to commence in the summer of 2025—a timeline contradicting the immediate urgency conveyed by the project manager.
The decision to proceed with the utility project raised alarms, as the DDOT, responsible for permitting the arts program, had unfortunately overlooked flagging this significant utility work, creating a disheartening oversight.
A representative from DDOT acknowledged the situation, stating, ‘While it is rare for murals or other art installations to be removed, artwork located in the public right-of-way can be impacted by paving, utility work, or other critical infrastructure projects.’
DC Water confirmed that excavation work is part of a broader strategy to replace old lead service lines and small diameter water lines under the street.
The representative acknowledged the value of public art and the community effort behind creating these murals, clarifying the work would not start immediately on September 10, but rather later in the month.
In the interim, DC Water committed to collaborating with DDOT and community members to find an effective solution regarding the impending threat to the murals.
The potential impact of the excavations looms large, as images from previous DC Water projects show large sections of street surface removed and holes excavated close to curb lines, likely jeopardizing the integrity of most, if not all, of the murals.
As discussions unfolded following the initial contact, it remained unclear how the agencies would address the impending destruction.
The approval for the murals was granted back in December 2024, which complicates matters as DC Water indicated it had previously notified residents and Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) 6A months prior to the upcoming work.
However, residents expressed their disappointment and frustration over inadequate communication regarding the extent of disruptions to expect, particularly concerning street digging.
As such, the community’s sentiment is intertwined with skepticism about the trustworthiness of city officials.
Neighbors voiced their dismay, with Olivia S., a local resident, calling the situation ‘disappointing, but not surprising,’ due to the perceived unreliability of the DC government.
Other community members echoed these sentiments, with Paula D. describing the likely destruction of the murals as indicative of a classic disregard for neighborhood art and safety promises.
‘I think my expectation would be that DDOT replace the murals here and pay the artists again in order to uphold the promise they’ve made,’ she stated.
Barnes, while understanding the complexities of government funding and scheduling, hopes that a resolution can be reached that honors the efforts of the artists and the hopes of the community.
‘As artists, we were promised two intersections,’ she explained, emphasizing her commitment to fulfilling the creative vision in collaboration with Maury students.
Despite the uncertainty, the team will still present their project during the school assembly on October 3, a date that now carries the weight of loss, as portions of the children’s artistic creations could vanish along with the pavement.
As part of the artistic process and community expression, the team has demonstrated a profound connection to the kids involved.
Bomba noted that while they will celebrate the project, the mood may reflect a sense of mourning due to the impending loss of these collaborative efforts.
Ultimately, the fate of George the fish—and the vibrant murals—hangs in the balance as the community grapples with the repercussions of necessary infrastructure work on cherished public art.
image source from：hillrag
