The Annapolis Arts District this week acquired eight artistic bike racks that were created locally by Donald Shaw of Shaw’s Welding in Annapolis. Donald specializes in custom ornamental ironwork; he has done custom work throughout the region including doing work at the White House. Donald Shaw is the fifth generation of his family from the Annapolis area. Their family has been in the welding and fabrication business locally for over 100 years.
The Annapolis Arts District had two goals in mind when it came up with the bike rack idea. First to add some fun public art along West Street where public space is very limited. Second to give locals more transportation options when visiting restaurants, galleries, music venues, and community centers in the arts district.
The bike racks celebrate some of our favorite things in the Chesapeake region, including the Blue Angels, Maryland crabs, music, fishing, and flowers. The bike racks will be installed along the inner West Street, at the Stanton Community Center, and at the Boys and Girls Club. They will compliment the bike sharrows installed last year in downtown Annapolis and the donated bike sharrows scheduled to go in the Murray Hill community this fall to connect Maryland Hall by bike to the historic district. “The artistic bike racks will add some artistic fun to the community and support another form of transportation in the arts district corridor,” says Erik Evans, Executive Director of the Annapolis Arts District. Donations are still being accepted by the Annapolis Arts District for those wishing to donate towards this or other public art projects in the arts district.
Support for the new artistic bike racks came from AAA, Arts Council of Anne Arundel County, Shaw’s Welding, the City of Annapolis and the Annapolis Arts District.
