Bloomingdale Artist Brings Recycled Art to the Streets
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f you’ve ever passed by the busy intersection between First and T Streets and Rhode Island Avenue in Northwest, then you have probably seen the row of white-painted children’s bicycles sitting in the small, lush triangle park in that area. The five painted bicycles are the work of Bloomingdale sculptor and landscape artist Tom Noll, and are the products of Noll’s “real-life sculpture” collection. Noll, who is originally from Manassas, Va., found the bicycles at a local dump in northern Virginia more than 20 years ago. After painting the bikes white, Noll decided to publicly display the artwork in Manassas for the next two decades before relocating to DC in 2010. During the spring of 2011, Noll brought the bicycles to Bloomingdale to celebrate the Easter holiday. While the bicycles sit uncovered in the park for most of the year, Noll decorates the artwork several times the year to mark major holidays, bringing everything from life-sized snowmen to large balloon bunnies to the park to celebrate Christmas, Easter, Halloween and Father’s Day. Most recently, Noll decorated the bicycles for Fourth of July with large American flags. He says that he has created more than 30 “outfits” for the white bicycles. In addition to his sculpture artwork, Noll trims and prunes plants in the park himself as a gift to the neighborhood. Noll says that he maintains the bicycles—or “real-life sculptures,” as Noll calls them—to teach spectators about the importance of recycling and
by Jazzy Wright repurposing materials. “The bikes teach people to look at things differently instead of just throwing things away,” he said, adding that the bicycle art brings community to the neighborhood. “I always decorated for the holidays, and doing this art brings joy to everyone. When people get off the bus [on Rhode Island Avenue], I see them smile.” Noll says that he prefers to work on the bicycle display at night so that people see the artwork when they rise in the morning, almost like a Christmas present. Residents in the area have taken note of the distinctive artwork. “It’s definitely a conversation starter. People recognize Bloomingdale more because of it,” said Christina Lara, a bartender at Rustik Tavern, a restaurant located across from the triangle park. The bicycle project inspired Noll to write a children’s picture book, titled “The Bicycle Fence,” which will be released at the end of August. When Noll is not in the triangle park revamping on the sculpture, he builds and sells large totem poles and interactive sculptures—artwork that includes barbs and pieces that can be moved and shifted—for neighborhood purchasers. Noll is also working on an art project proposal with DC Public Schools, which if granted, will allow Noll to teach recycling art to high school students. Until the proposal project is completed, Noll will continue to work silently on the bicycle sculpture, reminding neighborhood residents a little bit every day about the power of recycling. u
Bicycle Art by Tom Noll at the intersection of First and T Streets and Rhode Island Avenue in Northwest.
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