Valley Regional Transit and the City of Caldwell introduce new bus shelter public art

VRT, the City of Caldwell, local artist Bobby Gaytan, and the Caldwell Chamber of Commerce revealed a new public art project Friday morning at the VRT bus stop in front of the Caldwell Library.

“Public art is such an important investment in our public spaces. It provides a sense of place and belonging and can foster a more vibrant community culture,” said VRT’s CEO Elaine Clegg. “This installation is the result of a growing partnership with the City of Caldwell that we can all be very proud of, and we thank Bobby for the wonderful work he’s done.”

The installation, “Con Estas Manos” (“With These Hands”), represents the newest public art project in Caldwell and the first applied to public transit infrastructure. The project was funded by the City of Caldwell and VRT.

“I am excited to share this with the community. This public art project not only brings art to the community and the street but also increases the unique character of our city. Partnering with VRT on this project is a success for everyone,” said Caldwell Mayor Jarom Wagoner.

Bobby Gaytan was born in Nampa, Idaho. As a former migrant farmworker, his family moved annually from South Texas to East Michigan and then to South Idaho to work in the crop fields. During his time in Texas, he started admiring street art and began sketching his own urban landscapes. He went on to earn a BFA in Graphic Design from Boise State University in 2001 and started working for the Bureau of Reclamation as an Illustrator shortly after. He owns a creative company called Blakbook Pages where he works on commissioned projects like murals and digital illustrations. He is a community activist, and his passion is geared towards helping youth achieve their goals through creativity, hard work, and dedication. He currently serves as an Arts Commissioner for the City of Meridian.

“A long time ago my grandparents migrated here to work in these northern farmlands,” Gaytan said. “All they had was a dream and a lot of will. After the harvest seasons, a lot of workers would return to their southern homelands. Those that stayed would eventually call Idaho home and raise families that grew up to be freedom fighters and great contributors to this society. Working and fighting hard so that future generations could have the opportunities their ancestors dreamed of. I dedicate this work of art to my family, my community, and all the migrant farmworkers that continue to work hard and contribute to this beautiful land we now call home!”

The Caldwell Library bus shelter is served by VRT’s Nampa/Caldwell OnDemand. Rather than being picked up at a bus stop using fixed time schedules, riders are picked up near their location and dropped off near their destination within the service zone. Riders can schedule trips through the “VRT OnDemand” mobile app, online, or by calling VRT’s customer service team.