Catch Basin Murals

Sidewalk painting of a brightly colored crab holding pieces of trash like plastic bags and cups, with bold text above reading “Drain to Broad Meadow Brook.”
Catch basin mural with a blue water splash shape, cartoon trash items, and an orange fish holding a sign that says “Water you doing? Don’t litter!” Above, it reads “Drains to Beaver Brook.”
Sidewalk painting of a relaxed frog wearing heart sunglasses, sipping a drink while floating on a pink polka-dot inner tube. The message reads: “Keep my home clean! Drains to Coes Reservoir.”

About the Project

Worcester Green Corps’ Catch Basin Mural Project, launched in 2023, is where creativity meets conservation! In partnership with Lead Artist, Sharinna Travieso, Ian Weyburne from Worcester’s Sewer Division, as well as other talented local artists, we’ve transformed ordinary storm drains into vibrant public art—each mural a powerful visual reminder that what goes on our streets ends up in our waterways.

Stormwater runoff is a major environmental challenge in Worcester. When rainwater flows over pavement, it picks up litter, oil, and other pollutants that funnel into our storm drains and flow directly into local water bodies like Indian Lake and the Blackstone River. This pollution harms wildlife, disrupts ecosystems, and reduces the quality of life for residents who rely on these natural spaces for recreation and relaxation.

Our Catch Basin Murals aim to interrupt this cycle by raising awareness at the source. These murals stop passersby in their tracks, sparking curiosity and conversation. They educate the community about the connection between littering and water pollution, encouraging people to pause and think before discarding waste. With over 30 murals already installed, this project is making a visible and lasting impact—beautifying our streets while protecting the environment.

This initiative is more than just art; it’s a call to action. Each mural reminds us that a cleaner, healthier Worcester starts with everyday choices.

Sponsor A mural

18

Artists

32

Murals

Map key showing three types of locations with corresponding icons and colors: Building Murals are marked with a purple icon featuring a paint palette. Catch Basin Murals are marked with a blue icon also featuring a paint palette. Pollinator Gardens are marked with a pink icon featuring a flower.
  1. About the Project
  2. Catch Basin News
  3. The Artists and Their Murals
  4. Contact Us
    1. Thank you to our sponsors

Catch Basin News

Featured:

Street Smarts: How Storm Drain Murals Are Cleaning Up Worcester

By Amelia Tieri                In most cities, storm drains go unnoticed, but in Worcester, Massachusetts they command attention. In 2023, Worcester’s Sewers Division faced a growing problem: catch basins in residential and commercial areas alike were being overrun with debris. Rather than collecting…

Recent Posts:

Artist Spotlight: Eamon Gillen

Eamon Gillen didn’t fall into art by accident—it’s been a steady part of his life from the beginning. His creative journey has been shaped by family, especially his mother (“the best artist I know”), and by the reality that turning talent into a…

The Artists and Their Murals

  • Woman standing in front of a vibrant environmental mural featuring butterflies, flowers, city buildings, and the phrase “Our Planet, Our Future.” The mural includes imagery of hands cradling the Earth, a wind turbine, and pollinators.
  • Colorful mural showing a swirling blue stream flowing into a pond surrounding a storm drain. The pond is filled with fish, lily pads, ducks, and a person fishing from the shore. Text reads “Drains to Blackstone.”
  • Large painted mural of a winding blue stream flowing toward a storm drain, creating the illusion of water being funneled into the drain. The stream curves down a park walkway surrounded by grass and trees.
  • Full mural featuring a woman’s face surrounded by flowers, butterflies, and community scenes with people gardening and caring for nature. The background shows the city skyline and a banner that reads “Our Planet, Our Future.”
  • Sidewalk mural of a yellow smiley face character fishing in a stream, with the message “Drains to Blackstone – No Dumping!” surrounded by green plants and small orange fish. Sponsored by the Worcester Red Sox.
  • Sidewalk mural of a cartoon polar bear wearing a red "W" cap, holding a blue sign that reads “Don’t Dump – Drains to Blackstone River.” Sponsored by the Worcester Red Sox.
  • Circular catch basin mural with a heart-shaped river scene and a boat, framed by green leaves and purple ribbon. Text reads “Drains to Blackstone – Go Green, Keep It Clean.” Sponsored by Major Bloom.
  • Heart-shaped mural showing underwater river animals like fish, turtles, and otters with a large “W” in the center. Text around the mural reads “Drains to Blackstone River – No Dumping.” Sponsored by the Worcester Red Sox.

Sharinna Travieso

  • Jennessa Burks smiling and sitting beside a vibrant mural of a koi fish swimming among pink and orange lotus flowers. The artwork reads “Drains to Broad Meadow Brook – Artist Jennessa.”
  • Colorful mural of a koi fish surrounded by lily pads and flowers in a blue pond. The painted text says “Drains to Broad Meadow Brook – Artist Jennessa.”
  • Jennessa Burks painting a colorful mural on a sidewalk featuring a realistic beaver swimming, surrounded by vines and flowers. The mural reads “Drains to Beaver Brook.”
  • Full mural featuring a woman’s face surrounded by flowers, butterflies, and community scenes with people gardening and caring for nature. The background shows the city skyline and a banner that reads “Our Planet, Our Future.”

Jennessa Burks

  • Finished mural of three cheerful flower pots (blue, yellow, red) with smiling faces, arms, and legs. The text above reads “What a water-ful life!” and below: “Drains to Blackstone.” The pots are holding hands and dancing across the sidewalk.
  • Catch basin mural with a blue water splash shape, cartoon trash items, and an orange fish holding a sign that says “Water you doing? Don’t litter!” Above, it reads “Drains to Beaver Brook.”

Britney Colome

  • Ellie Ellis kneeling next to a freshly painted mural of a blue-green water scene with lily pads and frogs. Text reads “No Dumping – Drains to Blackstone River.” Supplies and cones surround the site.
  • Close-up of a colorful sidewalk mural featuring a blue heron in flight above cattails with a warm orange sky behind it. The text at the bottom reads “Drains to Blackstone River – No Dumping.”
  • Bright mural of a green frog lounging on a lily pad in a cartoon-style blue pond surrounded by pink lotus flowers. Text reads “No Dumping – Drains to Blackstone River.”
  • Sidewalk mural of a cartoon turtle relaxing on a striped beach towel in a red swimsuit and sunglasses, with the bold message “No Dumping – Drains to Blackstone River.”
  • Sidewalk mural of underwater wildlife including a fish, turtle, and aquatic plants. The words “No Dumping – Drains to Beaver Brook” are displayed in bold red letters.
  • Sidewalk mural with bright green grass and cartoon flowers, including a smiling red heart and a purple blossom. The message “No Dumping” is written in large bubble letters. Sponsored by Major Bloom.

Ellie Ellis

  • Caoin O'Durgy smiling with a drink in hand in front of a partially painted storm drain mural of a pink and green turtle on a blue background. Art supplies, paints, and brushes are scattered on the pavement.
  • Sidewalk painting of a relaxed frog wearing heart sunglasses, sipping a drink while floating on a pink polka-dot inner tube. The message reads: “Keep my home clean! Drains to Coes Reservoir.”
  • Storm drain mural showing frogs surfing on lily pads on a blue tidal wave labeled “Drains to Coes Reservoir,” with a small sun and cloud raining down in the corner.

Caoin O’Durgy

  • Artist Jill Strait kneeling on the sidewalk while painting a circular mural of yellow fish on a blue background. Paint cans, brushes, and tools are visible nearby.
  • Vibrant circular mural with concentric rings of swimming yellow fish, surrounded by red flowers and white blossoms. The text in the center reads “Drains to Beaver Brook – No Dumping.”
  • Storm drain mural depicting two ducks facing each other inside a heart shape, with three ducklings below. The artwork is framed by cattails and flowers with the text “No Dumping – Drains to Tatnuck Brook.”
  • Circular sidewalk mural featuring orange fish and yellow birds swimming around a swirling blue center. Decorative droplets and leaves surround the scene. Text reads “Drains to Green Hill Pond.”
  • Bright and decorative mural showing a yellow bird and purple flowers above two orange fish in blue water. Text at the bottom reads “Drains to Blackstone River.”

Jill Strait

  • Nicole Garcia (Kiki Arts) posing next to a vibrant sidewalk mural of a colorful blue and orange crab clutching litter, including a red fast food cup, a plastic bottle, and a crumpled can. The artwork reads “Drain to Broad Meadow Brook.”
  • Sidewalk painting of a brightly colored crab holding pieces of trash like plastic bags and cups, with bold text above reading “Drain to Broad Meadow Brook.”

Nicole Garcia “Kiki Arts”

  • Sidewalk mural depicting a bold, yellow Worcester triple-decker house with cartoon arms, lounging in a red and yellow inner tube on swirling blue water. The house features three porches and three windows on each of its three floors. Text reads “NO DUMPING – DRAINS TO BEAVER BROOK.”
  • Storm drain painting of a yellow triple-decker cradled in a red life preserver, surrounded by dynamic blue waves at night.

Eamon Gillen

  • Maggie Grenier lying next to a finished mural featuring a green cartoon monster rising from water holding a six-pack ring. A speech bubble says “Bruh…” with the message “Drains to Beaver Brook.”
  • Mural of a cartoon monster from "Creature from the Black Lagoon" with green and purple features, popping up from water holding a six-pack ring. A speech bubble says “Bruh…” with the message “Drains to Beaver Brook” painted in bold yellow and orange letters.

Maggie Grenier

  • Full view of a colorful mural depicting a smiling green turtle with a leafy shell, a small sprout figure riding on its back, surrounded by swaying blue plants and small fish. A large smiling sun and floating smaller suns create a warm, cheerful background. The Worcester Green Corps logo is visible on the right side.

Aiko Itadani

  • Artist Colomba Klenner kneeling on the pavement while painting the background of a storm drain mural. The design features the outline of a blue seal with a pink and green mandala behind it. Paint cans and brushes are scattered around the artist.
  • Colorful storm drain mural featuring a smiling blue seal swimming over a bright pink and teal mandala pattern, surrounded by seaweed and coral shapes. The message reads “DRAINS TO BEAVER BROOK – NO DUMPING.”

Colomba Klenner

  • Detailed chalk mural of three pandas sitting on the Earth with trees, framed by a red rainbow arc. Text around the artwork reads “Drains to Curtis Pond.”
  • Pavement mural in progress showing three pandas surrounded by a rainbow and trees, with the text “Drains to Curtis Pond.” Art supplies and paint tools are scattered around the artwork.

Fei Wu and Xiang Li

  • Artist Greg Moutafis sitting on the sidewalk while painting a colorful storm drain mural. The design features a blue river scene with green hills, a yellow sun, red fish, and a black and white bird on a branch. Stencils and painting tools are scattered nearby.
  • inished storm drain mural showing a bright blue river with red fish, green hills, a yellow sun, and a bird perched on a branch. The text reads “NO DUMPING! DRAINS TO MILL BROOK.” Three water droplet icons and Worcester Green Corps's heart-shaped Earth symbol logo are also included.

Greg Moutafis

  • Savonne Pickett smiling sitting on the pavement while painting the “PURE WATER PURE JOY” mural. The mural is in progress, with red lettering and white cloud and flower shapes visible. Paint supplies, brushes, and a red bucket are scattered nearby under a sunny blue sky.
  • Bright and cheerful storm drain mural featuring a smiling cloud raining over yellow flowers with the text “PURE WATER PURE JOY.” The bottom of the mural reads “DRAINS TO BEAVER BROOK” in large brown letters outlined in yellow. Small American flags are placed in the grass nearby.

Savonne Pickett

  • Artist Ryan Smith kneels down on the sidewalk in a yellow safety vest, using a small brush to paint details on the moth’s green body. The words of the mural are partially visible beneath him.
  • Full, completed mural featuring a colorful cartoon moth with red checkered eyes holding up one finger beside the bold message “Water Pollution BUGS ME!” Text below reads “Drains to: Indian Lake.” The Worcester Green Corps logo appears in the bottom corner.

Ryan Smith

  • Sidewalk mural with a black background and multicolored, stylized letters spelling “NO DUMPING.” Beneath it, cursive red and white text reads “Drains to Blackstone River.”

Julian Cintron

  • Sidewalk mural of a purple angler fish head with glowing eyes, designed around a storm drain with the phrase “Drains to Indian Lake” written above. Worcester Green Corps' green heart Earth logo appears like an antenna on top of the fish's head.

Monica Kwan

  • Sidewalk painting of two cuddling otters surrounded by small yellow stars with the words “Drains to Beaver Brook” in pink letters on a light blue background.
  • Catch basin mural featuring a colorful fish in an underwater scene with floating bubbles. Bright pink letters read “Drains to Beaver Brook.”

May Singleton

    Contact Us

    atieri@worcesterchamber.org
    508-753-2924 ext. 233

    A program of the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce
    https://www.worcesterchamber.org/

    Thank you to our sponsors