EMMAUS, Pa. — Emmaus resident Tim Roland first volunteered for a simple two-color design in 2020.
Now, over the years, Roland has painted three fire hydrants in the borough, joining dozens of others in its Paint-A-Hydrant program.
This year, he's joined by his children Emily and Keane painting one on the corner of 7th and Walnut streets with depictions of produce, celebrating Emily's role with the Easton Farmers Market.
- Emmaus Arts Commission's Paint-A-Hydrant program has now given a new artistic life to nearly 80 hydrants throughout the borough
- Dozens of nearby residents, groups and artists have volunteered time for the effort that's meant to "beautify the town without being overwhelming"
- Residents currently are out painting hydrants for the Spring 2023 round of the initiative
"You're helping in the community in some small way," Roland said.
"I think we can all do a better job of doing small things that make a community better — whether it's being kind to someone, saying 'Hi' on the street, or whether it's doing a 2-foot-high fire hydrant."
Many of the hydrants throughout the borough have that personal touch — whether it be for a hot dog stand an artist used to run, the local postal workers taking pride in their profession or a memorial to someone no longer here.
Enhancing and beautifying
All designs have to be free of copyright infringements, without any commercial endorsement or business logos.
That doesn't mean it can't relate to what is nearby: Just take a look at the burger-painted hydrant outside of the Emmaus McDonald's.
"I think one thing I've really enjoyed it is, you know, seeing these hydrants around town is almost like finding Easter eggs."Emmaus resident Emily Roland
"I think one thing I've really enjoyed it is, you know, seeing these hydrants around town is almost like finding Easter eggs," Emily Roland said.
"It's fun to even just go for a walk and see another hydrant that's been done and feel like, 'Oh, OK, cool! There's somebody else out there' —whether or not you consider yourself an artist."
Tim Roland said the arts commission has been flexible in giving them the time to do it, and keeping it a low-pressure process.
The project has been run by the Emmaus Arts Commission since 2019, when the first round of hydrants were painted. Now, years later, the borough is nearing 80 hydrants painted throughout the town.
There are more than 400 hydrants in the borough. While some can't be painted because of their pressure designation, the arts commission wants to go until all the ones that can be painted, are.
Residents and visitors traversing through the borough may see some being actively painted, as volunteers such as the Rolands paint the hydrants assigned to them for the current round.
Enhancing and beautifying
Those at the Emmaus Arts Commission say the project began after being reached out to by the Emmaus Fire Department when it became time to repaint hydrants in the borough.
The department wanted to put a more artistic touch on them.
"Many of the hydrants, especially through the center of town, are 100 years plus [old], so they have 100 years plus paint on them," said commissioner and co-chair of the paint-a-hydrant program Sarah Plaza.
Plaza is chairwoman of the program, alongside community member and professional artist Lauren Kuhn.
"To beautify the town without being overwhelming. It's something that you can do with your grandkids, with your parents, with your friends."Lindsey Kleinberg, acting president of the Emmaus Arts Commission
A grant provided to the fire department gave it the supplies to strip the aging paint from the hydrants. From there, the commission led the effort to repaint hydrants along the main corridor of the borough before spreading throughout the town as they are now.
Some have painted hydrants as service projects and some to grow their portfolio as an artist, but the art commission said most are just people wanting to volunteer their time to the area.
Lindsey Kleinberg, acting president of the Emmaus Arts Commission, said it wants the project to be done by artists of "all ages and stages."
"To beautify the town without being overwhelming," Kleinberg said. "It's something that you can do with your grandkids, with your parents, with your friends."
Range of artistic talents
That means some are done by local volunteers with limited arts background, while others are done by professional artists such as Kuhn or local comic book artist Bob McLeod.
"Our main goal is really to raise awareness and visibility of the arts in town, but also we need to recognize and celebrate the artwork that's done," Kleinberg said.
"If you know artists that are doing this, it's really important that you recognize what they're doing, and if you see a hydrant you really like and you love that art style, look them up on the website and you know, you can maybe reach out to them and commission work or support them."Lindsey Kleinberg, acting president of Emmaus Arts Commission
"So it's really hard for us sometimes to do a lot of our work for free, because we don't want to promote the idea that artists shouldn't be paid for their work.
"If you know artists that are doing this, it's really important that you recognize what they're doing, and if you see a hydrant you really like and you love that art style, look them up on the website and you know, you can maybe reach out to them and commission work or support them," she said.
Those interested in painting a hydrant of their own can apply online on the Emmaus Arts Commission's website.
Along with the completed form, applicants must include a drawing and description of their proposed design, samples of their original artwork, and an artist bio.
Artists provide their own tarps, brushes and other painting supplies, but the paint is provided in order to ensure it is the right kind for the hydrants.
Applications are currently open on a rolling basis, with the goal of two rounds per year in the spring and fall. The arts commission's stated goal is to have 20 hydrants a year in the borough painted.
The Arts Commission wants to remind local residents that without permission, painting public fire hydrants is illegal, and that this can only be done through the specific approval by the borough.
