Hwy. 80 and Shaw Road - Jeanette Jarmon

Just before you hit the Clinton City Limits, you'll find one last box by Jeanette Jarmon. This box shows off one of Mississippi's greatest exports, the catfish, as well as many other colorful, happy fish swimming above the Fat Cat. The catfish looks so happy hanging out at the bottom of the river! This box made me happy, too.

Jeanette Jarmon is a Clinton resident, so it makes sense that she got to paint this box. She is an art teacher at Chamberlain-Hunt Academy, and she has taught at Mississippi College and Whitfield. She has been very active in the arts community around Jackson and in Mississippi for many years.

Hwy. 80 and Westhaven - Jason Triplett aka Ming Donkey

I recognized this box as soon as I saw it. I don't think he's quite finished with it, but it's already incredible. Featuring Ming Donkey's iconic Worker characters on both sides, on top of their heads is a tiny rowboat with three little happy guys in it. The message is "Make Voyages," and I think that's exactly what these guys are doing. I can't wait to see this one once it's finished. Jason makes great use of bold colors in his work. This box already stands out, but it will really pop once he's finished with it.

UPDATE: I am really excited to show you the finished product. I just really love Jason's style:

Hwy. 80 and Robinson

There are a few traffic boxes along Hwy. 80 that are obviously primed for painting, but have not been painted yet. Skipping Lynch Street, we move on down to what used to be a really popular area - Highway 80 and Robinson Road, at Metrocenter Mall. This traffic box just happens to be close to the old BeBop Record Shop, so of course I had to park there to get my photos (and snap a few of BeBop too). I miss BeBop so much. This particular store was the one I frequented most in my teen and college years. It was where I got my concert tickets and browsed for the latest Dave Matthews, or Beastie Boys, or whatever I was listening to at the time.

This box is signed, but I can't really figure out who it is. It looks like the initials are "POW," but I'm not 100% sure. If you know, please help! You can leave it in the comments below.

I think the idea behind this box is showing progress, in a way. One side has a man on a tractor, plowing in a field, and it looks like he's stirring up a cloud of flowers. The artwork wraps around the box to reveal a more modern car driving through the city, the same cloud of flowers streaming out the windows. I really like the wrap-around boxes, because I think it's more challenging for the artist to come up with something that is continuous. Photographing them is also a challenge, trying to get the right angle to show the "big picture."

Below the pics of the box are a few I took of good ol' BeBop. May she rest in peace.

Hwy. 80 and Ellis

As you travel down Hwy. 80 toward Clinton, you will notice that some of the traffic boxes are on your right, and others are on the left. When I was photographing these, I actually went all the way down 80 to Clinton and then came back to hit the ones on the other side of the street. But for continuity's sake, I will post these in the order you see them as you travel west on 80.

This one is on the corner of Hwy. 80 and Ellis. At one time, this was a very busy intersection. Sack & Save was up the hill on this corner (and later, also a Wal-Mart), and many of the area's popular restaurants were located here. Now it is considerably less congested, but still a relatively well-traveled intersection.

It's unsigned, but as far as I can tell this box is finished. It features a bird-like creature on one side that reminds me of a woodpecker, and a goldfish - at least I assume it's a goldfish - on the other side. I love the sharp lines the artist uses here, and the yellow is a stark contrast to the muted tones in the background. It definitely adds an eye-catching pop of color to this corner.

Hwy. 80 and Valley - Roy Adkins

UPDATE: At the time of my visit a few weeks ago, a lot of progress was made. Some cypress trees and interesting lines were added. I just learned today (June 16) that this is my friend Roy Adkins' box! He says it's finished now, so I'm going to head back out South Jackson way soon to snap some more pictures.

Hwy. 80 and Terry Road (University Blvd.) - Charla Bullard and Georgia Wright

My apologies to whoever renamed this part of Terry Road "University Blvd." - I know it's for JSU, and that's cool, but I'm South Jackson to the core and this intersection will always be Hwy. 80/Terry Road to me.

That said, this box is the first of a few that I'm not 100% sure are finished. This one isn't signed, so I'm also not sure who the artist is. I'll keep checking back and see if I can find out more as the boxes progress.

This one is designed to show the view from a typical Southern front porch, and I bet it's screened in, to keep the mosquitoes away. Rocking chairs are plentiful, and there's a nice sunset to look at. This artist chose to utilize the top of the box as well, where he/she put a ceiling fan. That is a requisite item for any porch in the South!

UPDATE: On May 25, I went back down Highway 80 and found that several of the boxes have been completed or at least some more progress has been made. As I suspected, there was a little more to be done with this one. I also found the artist's name near the green rocking chair, Charla Renee Bullard. I couldn't find a lot on her through the interwebs, but according to this article in the Jackson Free Press from 2011, she is an art therapist at Blair E. Batson Hospital for Children. There is another name listed below Charla's, Georgia Wright. I'm not sure who that is - she could be another artist or maybe even one of Charla's patients? A Google search didn't give me any leads. See below for the finished product:

Hwy. 80 and Gallatin - Jason Jenkins

Jason Jenkins , also known as Artie Jynx, painted this beautiful box at the corner of Highway 80 and Gallatin Street in South Jackson. It brings a level of beauty that this otherwise desolate corner hasn't seen in a long time. A Jackson native and graduate of the University of Southern Mississippi, Jenkins paints murals, logos and other commissioned works of art, and he also paints live alongside musical acts like the Bailey Brothers.

This box depicts a tranquil stream surrounded by twisty old trees that are reminiscent of Cypress. A mysterious blue hand reaches out at one point in the stream, adding a level of creepiness to the piece. The colors are gorgeous, though. The pictures don't really do it justice:

Jefferson and High (Farmer's Market) - Natalie Carroll

Perhaps you've been to the Farmer's Market lately and noticed this box? This one is a cheery welcome to those seeking fresh, local veggies, fruits and other goodies.

In this second round of traffic boxes, I'm not as familiar with the artists. All the better, though, to get to know some new (or new to me) Jackson talent! Natalie Carroll, originally from Spokane, WA, is a recent Belhaven graduate. Besides painting, Natalie creates sculpture, photography, music and film.

This box is very cheerful - it depicts a farmer harvesting his crop, vendors selling their wares at the Market, and children enjoying the fruits of the harvest. For more information about the Mississippi Farmer's Market, check out their website, and get the "What's Fresh" newsletter to see who's coming to market each week by emailing market manager Frank Malta.