Around the Bend | Person of Interest
logo to take place of the Spurs Logo on the Sky Bridge. So now, thousands of people see my artwork every day.
Do you see this as art?
Conversation with
Randall Hunt Mr. and Mrs. Cups are creating art all over the country using 3 simple tools – cups, chain link fences, and spirit. By: Whitney Noble Photo: Rachel Durrent
What sparked the idea to create chain link fence art?
I passed by a school and saw kids sticking foam cups into the fence to spell out a message. After a day or so, the foam cups would blow out and litter the area. So, I thought to myself, someone should make something better with more colors that would actually stay in place. After several barley pops, Voilà! The idea of Put-In-Cups came to me.
What was your very first order?
My first order was an RV Sales Business by my house in Weatherford, Texas. After the job was done, the owner of the company told me I was going to be a millionaire…But he never did say when!
How many different states are Put-In-Cups in now? Any other countries?
Put-In-Cups are in all 50 states including three US territories: Guam, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands. We have also created designs for foreign countries: Great Britain, Japan, New Zealand, Australia, Estonia, Canada, Mexico, Dominican Republic, and Jamaica.
20 The Bend
How do the schools, organizations, and companies that use your services get involved?
With each order, the customer gets an easy-to-follow template for their design, and they are able to follow the instructions and install Put-In-Cups to create their design or messages on their fence. Some schools have sent us photos of students coming together to install the cups.
What would you say is the most complex or inspiring order you’ve ever received and completed?
The design for the San Antonio Spurs. It was both complex and inspiring. It was complex because it was one of my first very big designs. And it was going to be displayed at two different locations. They wanted “Go Spurs Go” to be displayed at the AT&T Center as well as at the Incarnate Word Sky Bridge that is about 50 feet up in the air above the busy 281 Freeway. It was inspiring because at the time, I was happy to be working with schools and businesses from around the state. But when the San Antonio Spurs call you about your product, it’s very humbling. When basketball season was over that year, the University of the Incarnate Word asked for their
[the lifestyle magazine of the coastal bend]
Yes, it is Chain Link Fence Art, and people are buying my work. It takes time, patience, and passion to recreate a design or design a new one with the design program I have created. My art is helping others advertise, show spirit, and be creative. That’s what we strive for.
What brought your business to Corpus Christi, and what is your favorite thing about operating this unique business? I followed my soulmate (Laura, AKA Mrs. Cups) to Corpus Christi from Weatherford, Texas, when she accepted a job here. After about two years, I got so busy that I convinced her to quit her job and help me full-time. She has been instrumental in helping me handle the growth of the business. Besides driving across the country and seeing my cups on fences everywhere, my other favorite thing about my business is being able to work with my soulmate, my wife, every day.
Is it true you were asked to be on Shark Tank? Yes, but I kindly declined. That’s a whole other story!
If they made a movie about Put-In-Cups, who would you want to play Mr Cups? Larry the Cable Guy. They would start calling him Larry the Cup Guy.