Wayland Cultural Council picks two artists to paint town utility boxes

WAYLAND — March 12, 2024 — Wayland Cultural Council commissions two artists for next utility-box paintings. The council voted unanimously Tuesday to award the two boxes to Eva Chouse, for a koi pond design, and Raksha Soni, for a tree-and-village composition built around the theme of "peace and community," after three rounds of Mentimeter voting. Member Lynn Lipcon objected in the chat that Soni's piece "does not reflect Wayland," but Vice Chair Pallavi Nagesha said it captured the planned new town center "with the place to eat outside with all its diversity." Soni's design beat a finalist by Kelsey Still 4-3 in the runoff. The Department of Public Works will prep the boxes in mid-April; Chair Rachel Seidman-Kurs said the council's March 18 grantee reception will feature remarks from the Select Board chair and both state legislators.