BISHOPVILLE, S.C. — Beautifying downtown Bishopville while recycling is what one local artist is hoping to do. There is a new public art installation downtown made out of hub caps and other re-purposed material.
"Gosh, buttons and corks and bottle caps and plastic caps by the buckets full," Artist Susan Ciotti explains.
Ciotti has collected those items — and hubcaps — for over a decade with hopes of turning it into art. She’s recently installed a hubcap garden near her art studio, Accidental Artist, in downtown Bishopville.
"It's just something I've wanted to do to just beautify some of the areas around town that could use a little lipstick on a pig," Ciotti laughs. "Bishopville like so many other little South Carolina towns have lost a lot of their industry. But we're a major thruway going from I-20 into Hartsville and so many. So I think that bringing beautification and encouraging people just to get out — I painted wings on the building right beside the hubcap garden — and that was just to encourage people to get out of their car and take a walk in Bishopville. And it works!"
Residents and visitors alike have come out to see the garden and take pictures with it.
"I have been amazed how far away people have come," Ciotti shares.
"They are attracted to it," Bishopville resident and downtown business owner Kaulonda Lewis adds. "They’re taking pictures, the children love the hubcaps back there."
Lewis says having this public artwork, along with the wing mural that Ciotti has added next to it, brings a little cheer to the downtown space.
"You couldn't really put a value on it because it's something that's different and unique. So therefore, it’s an attraction that draws people you know, not just with the wings, you have the wings and the hubcap garden right there beside one another," Lewis shares. "So I think it's a good attraction to Bishopville."
"It's all about bringing the community together, bringing smiles to people's faces, and know that anybody can do this," Ciotti tells me.
If you’d like to see that hub cap garden, you can find it in between the Accidental Artist and Kool Treatz on Main Street.
Susan ciotti, artist, owner at accidental artist:
Artists just like to be creative. My parents are very creative and you just kind of follow suit.
I'm interested in the environment and parts of recycling and using trash to treasure and just saving them from a landfill just a little bit longer.
So it's just something I've wanted to do to just beautify some of the areas around town that could use a little lipstick on a pig.
Anything to bring green space into bishopville is what we're all trying to do.
I've had two or three other people that have reached out to me to do some other beautiful locations around town. I'm hoping they'll come to fruition. Some things just take time.
Just think it does not deteriorate. So if we can use it just one, two or three more times, whether it be in the garden, whether it be lasagna gardening, whether it be paint, whether it be an art installation, I encourage everybody to keep it out of the landfill. I'm doing my part for sure.
Kaulonda lewis, bishopville resident and downtown businessowner:
They are attracted to it. They’re taking pictures, the children love the hubcaps back there. T
You couldn't really put a value on it because it's something that's different and unique. So therefore, it’s an attraction that draws people you know, not just with the wings, you have the wings and the hubcap garden right there beside one another. So I think it's a good attraction to bishopville.
I think it was a great attribution to the fence and you know, it kept…you know, it served its purpose but also to to beautify so I think she did an excellent job.