The Green Gates Project

This year Austinites decided to celebrate Earth Day in a big way. Parks and businesses all over town had giant 12 foot gates that featured artwork by various artists. Austin Green Art spearheaded this massive effort.

"Austin Green Art is a public art project we work with the city and with other arts organizations in town and our goal is to do public projects that involve all art forms and that are environmentally themed," said Randy Jewart of Austin Green Art.

The Green Gates Project was inspired by the famous Gates of New York Project created by Christo and Jeanne- Claude. "We are calling the Green Gates Project Austin's biggest public art event ever. And it's inspired by an amazing public art project from last year in New York City by the artist Christo and Jean Claude. When I was in New York last year to see the project I had this idea in mind to have and Austin version of it."

Corporate sponsorship was an important contributor to the project's success. Maria Bergh from Whole Foods Market was enthusiastic to help. "When Austin Green Art approached Whole Foods Market about sponsoring this project it was it truly seemed like a gift to Austin because of its accessibility and because its a beautification project that will truly touch the community. You don't have to go into a museum to appreciate it, you don't have to pay a fee to appreciate it. It's something that's been done at such a grassroots accessible level that we just knew we had to be apart of this project."

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Produced by Elena Ramirez.