artwork | Solar Forward http://solarforward.com Wed, 30 Oct 2013 18:49:18 +0000 en-US hourly 1 Lighting Up Lincoln, Part 2 http://solarforward.com/lighting-up-lincoln-part-2/ Wed, 30 Oct 2013 18:49:18 +0000 http://www.solarforward.com/?p=423 A few months back, we introduced you to Evan Meyer’s Beautify Lincoln project, a volunteer funded effort to make Santa Monica’s Lincoln Boulevard vibrant through art and community. We were interested in using our solar expertise to become involved, and as of last week, we helped Lincoln Boulevard become a little brighter.

One of the businesses that received a Beautify Lincoln makeover was TRiP, recently named Best Neighborhood Music Venue of 2013 by the LA Weekly. In addition to the huge splash of color that Evan’s mural added to TRiP’s entryway, TRiP’s owner had a vision to immerse a tree adjacent to his business with light.

To help him out, we installed twelve 35-watt solar panels recycled from a previous project that charge a gel battery throughout the day, and light up LED flood lights aimed at the tree at night. Here’s how it works: the solar panels, lights, and battery are hooked up to a charge controller. During the day, the panels charge up the battery, and when the sun goes down, a timer sequence is initiated. As soon as the timer winds down, the tree is lit up by the battery powered LED lights, and these lights stay on for about 6 hours throughout the night.

TRiP tree lit up by solar powered lighting

TRiP tree lit up by solar powered lighting

Between art murals, solar powered lights, live music, and a great beer selection, there’s no reason not to include TRiP on your next weekend outing.

]]> Lighting Up Lincoln http://solarforward.com/lighting-up-lincoln/ Fri, 07 Jun 2013 19:52:02 +0000 http://www.solarforward.com/?p=251 You’ve probably experienced it but maybe couldn’t quite put your finger on it: you’re walking down a street and the storefronts don’t seem as friendly compared to main street just a couple blocks away, you think the street feels run-down, and you generally try to avoid the area at night.

Evan Meyer felt this way about Lincoln Boulevard in Santa Monica, except he was able to put his finger on what was missing: artwork and community. He initiated Beautify Lincoln, a self-funded volunteer effort to bring life and energy to the often overlooked streetscape.

Flip through the slideshow below to see how vibrant once bare walls can become.

Beautify Lincoln Beautify Lincoln Beautify Lincoln Beautify Lincoln Beautify Lincoln Beautify Lincoln Beautify Lincoln Beautify Lincoln Beautify Lincoln Beautify Lincoln

With over 15 projects under his belt, Evan is fostering community and partnership one mural at a time. He’s experienced tremendous positive feedback from business owners and volunteer artists, with some businesses reporting increased sales after their artistic makeovers. One such business, Metropolitan Cleaners, has seen its highest revenues since 2008 after their artwork went up.

One area Evan could use more help with is having community advocates to keep the momentum going and create a demand for the type of environment Evan envisions. Here at Solar Forward we praise Evan’s efforts and fully support his goal of improving the quality of life in our local neighborhood, especially since Lincoln Boulevard is right in our office’s backyard!

We’re working on a collaboration effort to provide solar powered lighting for Beautify Lincoln so that the amazing artwork can be put properly on display, day and night.

 

 

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