A Danville Art Gallery In Disguise

Danville California is a town that loves to support the local arts.  Take a stroll along Hartz Avenue, and you will pass quaint boutiques and galleries, and depending on the time of year, you may encounter an art fair or two.

The art does not stop there.  Danville’s neatest gallery is incognito, operating under more utilitarian guises.  The next time you visit downtown Danville, take a closer look at the garbage before you throw away the paper vessel that carried your precious Starbucks Caramel Macchiato.  You might be surprised to see colorful tile art adorning the garbage can enclosure.  Now take a few steps down the street and check out the next garbage.  You’ll discover another one-of-a-kind piece.

Danville’s most public gallery of unique art is its collection of trash containers throughout the town’s downtown.  The Public Tile Art Enclosure Project began in 1996 in an attempt to replace and beautify the town’s old wine barrel garbage containers.  Each piece is unique, submitted by local artists and community groups, and displays themes representing the quintessential way of life in Danville.  There are tile art pieces on the local bird life, the historic train station, and even events such as Danville’s Hot Summer Nights.

What a wonderful way for the town and the community to work together to beautify even the most mundane and pragmatic objects.  It’s those little details that really make Danville a beautiful place to live.