Jake Schmidt carries a tangible reminder of his travelling art show with him wherever he goes.  His Converse shoes are splattered in a rainbow of paint drippings, the leftovers of dozens of creations.
His art show, however, hangs not on canvas in tidy studios or on the walls of art rooms or museums. Â Instead, Schmidt, a senior at Metro High School, took on the task of painting murals on 28 20 x 8 x 6 city dumpsters with the help of 25 other artists. Schmidt was trying to create beauty amidst the dim alleyways and glaring billboards that rule most city streets.
“I had this idea to take one of the most ugly parts of the city, which is the dumpsters, and to beautify them, to bring colors to the streets,†Schmidt said.
Schmidt began the Urban Beautification Project in November of 2011. He started by asking his alderwoman for permission to paint two small dumpsters in an alleyway. Â The product spanned across both dumpsters, a pulsing ripple of deep blues and indigos fading out from a white center. Â Schmidt was then inspired with the idea to take this project citywide. He hoped to paint 100 small dumpsters located in back alleys of neighborhoods.
“At this point it was still in the dream-state†Schmidt said. “Now I was starting to think more logistically about it and how I could get this into a reality.â€
Schmidt narrowed the obstacles the project was facing down to three main points: getting permission, raising funding and recruiting other artists.
Although dealing with the bureaucratic system of the government could be difficult at times, Schmidt found some people eager to help him turn his idea into a reality. Â While working on getting permission and a plan worked out with city officials, Schmidt turned to the problem of funding.
Schmidt started spreading awareness for the project as so many do; he created a Facebook page (search The Urban Beautification Project), and then took to the fundraising site Kickstarter, where he raised $4,300.
As Schmidt and the city began to work out a plan, an unignorable problem began to make itself clear.  The small community dumpsters, once painted, made it hard for residents to distinguish between yard-waste and non-yard waste containers.  Despite Schmidt’s efforts to clearly label the dumpsters, the city told him that his idea was not going to work.
“There was a point there where they were like ‘You can’t do this project because there’s no way to identify these dumpsters.’ For a good five hours or so I was really in the dumps, but I said to myself, alright, I have a good idea, I know I can make it work, and I’m going to try to think of new solutions,†Schmidt recalled.
Thanks to Schmidt’s determination, he and the city were able to work out a compromise.  The Urban Beautification Project would paint 24 (later to be increased to 28) 20x8x6 dumpsters used for leaf pick ups, parades and construction sites.
“The cool thing about these dumpsters is that they have their own truck and they’re transported all around the city.  They pick them up and leave to another spot which creates this great opportunity for this project to become a travelling art show,†Schmidt said.
With funding and permission in place, Schmidt began to organize a team of artists. Â At first, Schmidt only knew aspiring artists, most of them fellow students. Â However, as word about the UBP (as it is affectionately called on many of the dumpsters) spread, local professional artists started contacting him asking if they could get involved. Â Schmidt was thrilled with the community support, and ended up with 25 artists painting for one month in the scorching 100+ degree weather.
With an inspired group of local artists driven by a leader who believed in the power for their project to bring about change, it was inevitable that great art would result. And this is exactly what happened. Â Schmidt, who is immensely proud and grateful for all the work that the artists provided, has a few favorite pieces out of the squad of dumpsters.
Schmidt admired one Sally Ride tribute by Theresa Hopkins, as well as a mural of cyclists by artist Megan Rieke.
Of his own pieces, Schmidt was especially fond of “The Monster,†a depiction of an enormous octopus, and “The Vulture,†whose design was created a few years ago by Schmidt’s brother.
CHS graduate Andrea Hermann, former president of the Clayton GSA, also had a hand in the project.  “Andrea Hermann … became a huge part of this project, coming out almost every day and painting beautiful things.  She painted the Galaxy scenes and the Lorax – the Lorax I really loved – and she was a huge help,†Schmidt said.
A completed dumpster by artist Jacob Schmidt.
Having painted 28 dumpsters, Schmidt left the project confident about the effect that the UBP has had on St. Louis.
“It has definitely affected people’s thought process about the cities they live in, and that was really the goal in this project … It wasn’t just to paint these dumpsters, it was to have people question the ugliness around them … and ask why, why do they need this ugliness and why can’t it be something beautiful?†Schmidt said.
The UBP also gave Schmidt advice for those starting out on their own projects.
“Perseverance! There were so many times in this project where I doubted if it was ever going to happen,†Schmidt said.
Almost a year after the first dumpsters were painted, however, Schmidt’s dumpster art has been a resounding success with support spread across the St. Louis community.
For Schmidt, there is much more to come. “I am planning on more art,†Schimdt said. “Since I’m in school and I really don’t have the time … Megan (a fellow artist) has taken the project in new directions, including murals all across St. Louis … so that’s the next project we’ll be doing.â€
What will Schmidt’s next medium be? “Truthfully,†he laughed. “I’m done with dumpsters!â€
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Gwyneth Henke joined the Globe during her sophomore year. She was the co-Feature and Review section editor during her junior year, and is the current co-editor in chief in her senior year. She loves the Globe community and appreciates the hard work everyone puts into the magazine, and she is proud of every issue. She was born and raised in St. Louis and has a twin sister (the News section editor!) and an older brother. Outside of the Globe, she plays field hockey and the cello and enjoys creative writing.
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I have a few questions on the dumpster painted by Jacob Schimdt displaying the fantastic urban art whale. I am currently chosen to do an urban art dumpster for my community that is much like the dumpster displayed that does not have smooth sides, I was just curious on how the artist painted with the ridges…did they paint in the ridges side or just on the face of the ridges? I have never done something as big as this and I was looking for a few pointers or tips!
If you could get back to me as soon as possible or anyone could answer my questions they would be very helpful and much appreciated!
Thank You!
Ally Carlovsky
Ally Carlovsky • Jun 9, 2013 at 12:02 pm
I have a few questions on the dumpster painted by Jacob Schimdt displaying the fantastic urban art whale. I am currently chosen to do an urban art dumpster for my community that is much like the dumpster displayed that does not have smooth sides, I was just curious on how the artist painted with the ridges…did they paint in the ridges side or just on the face of the ridges? I have never done something as big as this and I was looking for a few pointers or tips!
If you could get back to me as soon as possible or anyone could answer my questions they would be very helpful and much appreciated!
Thank You!
Ally Carlovsky