Alex Pangburn: Bringing Kentucky Roots to Downtown Denver's Streets

Along 16th Street in Downtown Denver, an electric box now showcases a striking black bear, pink prairie roses, and Kentucky-inspired geometric patterns. Artist Alex Pangburn has transformed this ordinary urban fixture into a personal narrative that connects her Colorado present with her Kentucky roots. We caught up with Alex as she completed this eye-catching public artwork to learn about the story behind her creation.

Could you share some more about the inspiration for this piece? Does it have a title?

Titled "Home Is Where The Heart Is/Is Going". This piece is homage to how my time in Colorado has built a home for me and how I am now going to be moving back to my first home in Kentucky. The shape design in the background is a nod to the 'barn quilt' designs that you see on barns in Kentucky. The designs are quilt patterns that are blown up to 8'x8' squares and are placed on barns around the state of Kentucky. It also reminds me of a collaborative piece that my mom and I did a couple years ago where we merged her barn quilt pattern and my realism flowers. The black bear is an illusive wild animal that I have yet to see in Colorado, so now I know right where one is. The pink prairie rose is an indigenous flower to Colorado and to me, I find it to be one of the most beautiful shades of pink.

We'd love to share more about you as an artist. Could you share some information about yourself and your artistic journey?

I am an artist originally from Lexington, Kentucky and moved to Colorado in 2017. My work focuses on highlighting local flora and fauna in the area that I'm painting. My art is created with the intention to educate viewers on the species that share the land we inhabit so that we can better learn to conserve their existence for future generations.

Do you have any favorite memories of Downtown Denver or 16th Street?

When I first moved to Colorado, I thought that 16th Street was just the coolest! I had never been to a city that had shops and businesses where the street was blocked off to public traffic. It always seemed so alive and happening!

How do you hope people interact with or respond to your artwork as they pass by?

The biggest response I hope that comes from these painted boxes are joy! Those electric boxes can be such an eyesore and I'm so thankful for the Downtown Denver Partnership to have included me in this project! 100% of the people that stopped to talk to me last week commented just on how much they appreciated what I was doing and how much beauty it brought to the area :).

Is there anything else you would like to add?

Thank you again for including me! I hope this box reminds everyone a little bit about their home.

This electric box art installation is part of the Downtown Denver Partnership's ongoing initiative to beautify urban spaces through public art, sponsored by DaVita. The artist's work not only transforms an everyday urban object but creates a meaningful connection between two places she calls home. As visitors and locals alike pass by this vibrant creation on 16th Street, they're invited to pause and reflect on their own concept of home – whether that's here in Colorado, somewhere across the country, or anywhere their heart leads them. You can find Alex’s mural located outside of Little Finch on 16th Street at 16th and Blake Street.