Sparks has 20 new signal box paintings

As of May 8, the signal box at the corner of Victorian Avenue and Victorian Plaza Circle West in Sparks is a lot more noticeable. It’s now brightly colored and adorned with the words “Let’s go outside.” The signal box, located at the Sparks Transit Center, a busy bus station, served as a canvas for Reno artist Ashley Gottlieb, where she showcased her eclectic, colorful style.

Ashley, 42, is originally from Chicago, where she worked as an event planner. She and her husband moved to Reno in 2018 in search of mountains. She remembers feeling that something creative was missing from her life.

“Painting was always reaching out to me,” she said. “I was always a fan of the art museums in Chicago.” In 2022, she earned her associate degree in fine arts from Truckee Meadows Community College, 17 years after she’d received her bachelor’s degree in communications. Now, she works remotely for a nonprofit based in Chicago, which affords her abundant time to make art.

Ashley is partial to painting abstract work and using colorful pastels and organic shapes. When she arrived in Northern Nevada, she noticed that landscape art is often prioritized here. She’s glad that the signal box project also creates space for abstract artists to gain exposure—although on her recent box, which is her second in Sparks (her first, from November 2024, is on the corner of Oddie Boulevard and Twelfth Street), her images are less abstract and more decipherable. On each side of the box, she depicted outdoor activities including desert mountains, hiking, and sports.

While Reno’s signal box painting program, Art Signals, has existed since 2008, this is only the second year for Sparks’ program. Twenty artists, including Ashely, were selected this year through an online application reviewed by the city’s Arts and Culture Advisory Committee. Each artist received $1,000, allocated from discretionary funds secured by Mayor Ed Lawson via the Regional Transportation Commission.

The project’s goals include beautifying the city, promoting local artists, and deterring graffiti…

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