Art By Bus

Visual Arts

Working with the City of Roanoke’s Arts Commission, we selected different pieces from the City’s collection to reproduce on the exterior of four Valley Metro buses and to be featured as covers of the annual chapbooks.

“Untitled Abstract, 1985”  by Ray Kass

“Let Your Mind Be Creative” by J.C. Stallings

“Wishes” by JM Lamb

JM Lamb was born and raised in Mississippi but her mother was from New York City, so her sister and her grew up “vacationing” in the Bronx in the 1980’s and 90’s. She moved back to the area in 2014, having completed nearly a decade of working as a field camp carpenter for the U.S. Antarctic Program. She spent the majority of the past two decades working as a construction carpenter and painter and when she returned to VA she wanted to change her career path. A friend told her about the Horizon Program at Hollins. Mandy believes that Hollins is the greatest thing she ever did for herself because of the amazing people that make up the Hollins community and the superhuman-women who are the Horizon Program. She is really grateful for my Hollins experience and the relationships formed with my professors and fellow students alike.

JM Lamb’s intention with this project was to create an image that invokes memories and feelings that instill joy, transcending age, race and cultural differences, as well as socio-economic class in-equalities. In short, something for everyone. Initially when most of us think of dandelion seed “puffs,” we can mentally scroll back to childhood and the hours spent stalking the yard for an intact “puff” to blow into the wind. So simple and satisfying was this playful task, the thought of it produces a smile on most of our faces.

“Lipes” By Ann Glover

Ann Glover, a Roanoke native, has made monumental sculpture for the Port of San Diego, “Urban Trees,” the City of Roanoke “Trojan Dog,” and the Taubman Museum atrium “Myth.” Her paintings have been in exhibitions throughout the US., including UCLA, The Taubman Museum and the Pauley Center of the Virginia Museum, where she received a Professional Fellowship in painting. She served as an adjunct professor of art at Hollins University for ten years.

“Path Through The Dunes”  By Peyton Kline

Peyton Klein began her study of art in the 50’s under the tutelage of Jim Yeatts. She became a prolific painter and began teaching herself. She served as the art critic for the Roanoke Times for many years, taught at Virginia Western Community College and the Roanoke Fine Arts Center. Peyton was one of the co-founders of the Studio School and co-founder of Salem’s Art in the Alley. She passed on in May of 2005.

2024 Writer by Bus – Lindsey Hull

Lindsey Smith Hull grew up in Roanoke city. She and husband John met in the Roanoke region, fell in love here, and raised their kids Alex and Katie here. Nearly a dozen years ago, they settled just over Windy Gap Mountain in Franklin County, and now those kids are mostly grown. John and Lindsey can be found rambling around Roanoke nearly every day. And still, Lindsey considers the star city her home city.

Lindsey knew there was no chance of approaching this project without looking to both the past and the future, moving through the neighborhoods on the bus line as her mind ticked through a catalog of memories and dreams: riding the bus with her grandmother to shop for books at too many books … riding to work at the emporium downtown as a teenager … riding to the mall to buy a swimsuit or too-short shorts … missing her ride and then running late … taking the trolley with small children to see Santa, just as a way to add more magic to the day … and wishing upon the neon star for more sunny days, more sparkling nights, more laughter, and more cheers …

You can read Lindsey’s endeavors as a freelance writer in publications such as cardinal news, the Roanoker Magazine, Virginia Business, and the Roanoke Rambler. Lindsey has completed a creative non-fiction manuscript about storytelling performance culture in central Appalachia and also dabbles in other creative endeavors. as far as hobbies go, Lindsey fills her time enjoying all the outdoor amenities that the Roanoke region has to offer – from running to hiking, camping, and more … Lindsey stays busy.

Read her work The Mountains Rumble here or request a copy of the chapbook by emailing info@ridesolutions.org.

Previous Years Chapbooks

2023: Sonder by Eva Lynch-Comer

2019: Dandelion Wishes – Lucy Marcus

2015: In Transit – Melanie Almeder

2016: Anywhere You’re Going – Meighan L. Sharp

2017: 30 Minute Neighborhood – Sherry Dragovich

2018: Walking Man’s Best Friend – Tim Thornton

Music

RIDE Solutions is excited to announce the 2019 Starline Trolley Performance Series. Back for the 6th straight year, with more musicians, more performances, and more opportunities to explore Roanoke transit alternatives, we welcome the return of all of last year’s performers as well as a couple of special performances by artists from 5 Points Music Sanctuary!

• Erin and Joy- Celtic, folk
  • Erin Hunter (Violin)
  • Joy Truskowski (Guitar/vocals)
• Mojo Sauce Hornsmen– Jazz, funk
  • Justin Pinckney (Saxophone)
  • John Stump (Trumpet)
  • Ernie Freeman (Trumpet)
• Carla & Brad – Folk/Rock/Americana
  • Carla Nelson (Guitar)
  • Brad Collier (Guitar)
• Beren & Lúthien – Traditional Celtic
  • Julie Borden (Bodhran)
  • Josh Kinn (Bouzouki)