One of the latest additions to Buckeye’s burgeoning public art scene can be found at Yuma Road and Sundance Parkway, in a newer Buckeye community, where artist Robert Panzer has just installed a traffic cabinet wrap.
City leaders say the wraps are a tribute to Buckeye’s identity, one neighborhood at a time.
In the distance, a steel bridge spans a familiar-looking wash, and a Luke Air Force Base fighter jet races across the sky.
Elsewhere in the neighborhood, other traffic boxes carry their own neighborhood nods. At the edge of Sundance, one artist’s design pays tribute to the Windmill Village neighborhood’s iconic windmill installation. Near Fry's, another box features a coyote, a reminder to residents that the animals still roam the area.
Across Yuma Road, like Panzer, other artists use bold colors, storytelling and natural imagery to create engaging themes for residents.
New art scene meets old
This spring, West Valley artist Robert Panzer unveiled his first Buckeye project with that wrap. Although new to the city, Panzer has been a professional artist for more than 30 years.
His résumé includes public art projects across Arizona in cities such as Peoria, Surprise, Goodyear, Apache Junction and Flagstaff. He has also received national recognition, including a recent commission for a commercial development in California.
He said working with Buckeye’s Arts & Culture Department has been an energizing experience.
“The department has made sure the participating artists have access to the project stakeholders and community information. This has helped shape the artwork and designs that I have created for the City of Buckeye,” he explained.
For Panzer, public art is about capturing community spirit.
“I like to create an interactive experience with my art, inviting viewers to engage and complete the narrative, while adding depth and dimension through the use of bold colors and engaging design,” he said.
In Old Town Buckeye, some rustic flair may be especially fitting.
Still, downtown’s unapologetic cowboy charm continues to resonate, and soon the Buckeye Downtown Library may showcase western-inspired work on its walls.
“I am one of two artists who are being considered for the Buckeye Downtown Library mural award this fall,” Panzer said.
Buckeye City Councilman Jamaine Berry agrees public art can strengthen the city’s character.
“Public art and murals will add vibrancy and culture to our Old Town,” Berry said.
This article first appeared in the September issue of InBuckeye Magazine
