Erin Garner, Keep Tyler Beautiful Community Coordinator, and Tyler Mayor Don Warren make remarks Tuesday at the revealing of the 100th box wrap for its Beauty and the Box program.

People waiting at the traffic lights or bus stops or students passing through on their way to college will notice a newly wrapped utility box at the corner of 5th Street and Baxter Avenue.

Keep Tyler Beautiful (KTyB) revealed its 100th box wrap for its Beauty and the Box program on Tuesday. KTyB began the program in 2016 to transform utilitarian traffic boxes into works of art by local artists.

“The Beauty and the Box is what some people recognize about Tyler,” Community Coordinator Erin Garner said. “Not only does it deter graffiti, but it creates a moment for people here in town. And I love that for our residents and our visitors.”

East Texas muralist Odessa Helm drew inspiration from flora, fauna, and architecture. The box features bees, birds, azaleas, roses, and the iconic downtown Tyler marquee. Helm said not only was she honored to design the art piece, but it’s also been her goal.

Helm hopes her art can help people struggling with their mental health.

“Someone might be driving and be stressed and having a rough day, and they see that, and it might just brighten their day for just a few moments,” Helm said.

Art is subjective, but each piece represents the community’s diversity.

Mayor Don Warren noted that he and his wife sponsored the wrapped utility box near Bergfeld Park and that the City of Tyler has won an award for this program. It’s a program he believes in and is proud to have in the city that brings a variety of artwork for people to enjoy.

“If you see a piece you don’t like, go down a block or two,” Warren said. “You’ll find a piece that you do like.”

When a city embraces art and creativity, it shows their forward-thinking, especially when it comes to useful objects like these boxes, Garner said. It’s important to find beauty in things that often go unnoticed or ignored and highlight their true beauty.

“We have people who it’s their favorite thing to come and look at,” Garner said. “We enjoy being able to bring that extra little bit of beauty to an already incredibly beautiful city.”