POTTSVILLE, Pa. — Danielle Buery from Ashland believes you can make anything a canvas.
“This one was just magic. It literally just on the first try, like on the first try, everything just went seamlessly,” she said.
This is just one out of four benches Buery transformed into works of art along the JFK Bike and Jogging Path.
“I would just come up here in the morning and stay here until I couldn’t see anymore, basically,” Buery added.
She took Newswatch 16 on a tour of her outdoor gallery.
“Now, this is the one that everyone seems to love,” Buery mentioned.
Working with the nonprofit Lasting Legacy of Pottsville, Buery played a part in its goal to beautify the city of Pottsville.
City Administrator, Tom Palamar, believes that something as small as a bench can give a glimpse into the bigger picture of Pottsville's mission.
“We believe quality of life includes time that you’re spending on the bike path, you could see a bench and enjoy that and become inspired in your own life or inspire someone else through art,” he said.
Buery’s inspiration? The nature and people of Schuylkill County.
“This is ‘In Flanders Fields,’ so this was a tribute to all our fallen soldiers, and there was such a synchronicity that I was here on Memorial Day painting it, so that was nice to do a bench dedicated,” she explained.
And the people who are now sitting on the benches are the ones who made the project worthwhile.
“The people every single day would you know stop by and like take the time to say ‘thank you’ and ‘oh what’s this one going to be?’ and ‘we’re so excited to see what you are doing,’” Buery added.
Showing something as simple as a bench can share a story.
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