TJ’s Rain Garden Underway

By SCOTT TAYLOR
Falls Church Times Staff

Bill Abel’s business card says, “Where art happens…is up to you!”  On a recent Saturday morning the “where” for his art was the Thomas Jefferson Elementary School and the “up to you” was a collective effort between the State, City, School Board, and others interested in promoting environmental awareness and watershed education.

The Rain Garden project being installed at TJ will provide numerous educational opportunities and environmental benefits, all potentially delivered with the visual flair of a chemical refinery or an auto chop shop if not for Abel’s contributions.

TJ’s neighbors’ alarm at the large, robin’s-egg-blue cisterns that were installed in early spring was thoroughly addressed by Shirley Street from the City and TJ’s Principal, Vincent Baxter.  Both emphasized the art project – the four seasons – that is integral to the Rain Garden’s execution.  “Thank you for working with us on this, “ Baxter said.  “You’ll see the art and the environmental benefits when you look out the window, not the big rain barrels.”  Street also met with neighbors to explain the purpose of the project and offered to collaborate with neighbors on artistic plans for the cisterns.

Abel, who has outlined much of each season to be portrayed on the individual cisterns, was frustrated by some graffiti that had appeared on the spring cistern during the previous evening.  “I’m going to paint right over that,” Abel said as he surveyed the angular, incoherent letters dashed-off with a large marker.

He described how eventually a paint boundary or a protective coating would be applied to the cisterns.  Graffiti will be easily removed without negatively impacting the art beneath a clear, protective layer of varnish.

Abel, a parent with three children in Falls Church City public schools who also serves as a crossing guard at both TJ and George Mason High School, is enthusiastic about the Rain Garden.  He emphasized the students’ participation in the project’s planning.  “The second grade – they’re big into life cycles,” Abel said.  “They’ve really helped with the direction for these paintings.”

Coming Soon: The Falls Church Times will publish an extensive overview of the Rain Gardens being installed at Thomas Jefferson Elementary School.