Baltimore Salt Box
I've always been charmed by the Salt Boxes scattered around Baltimore City. When they show up on street corners in the late fall, I get excited thinking that a snow day could be around the corner. For those not familiar with these boxes, they are yellow wooden boxes with a hinged lid that are (usually) filled with salt to help residents when it snows. They arrive in late fall and are picked up in spring for storage and maintenance. Until this year. I'm assuming Covid-19 made sure that Salt Boxes are not a priority and they are showing their wear. I've always wanted to decorate one, especially the few I see that are lacking the stenciled words SALT BOX on the front. When I noticed the naked salt box on Roland Avenue and 36th St in Hampden, I knew that was the one. I cut the letters from recycled china and affixed them to a plywood panel painted with OSHA official yellow. I installed her in anticipation of the Winter's first snowfall. (Mostly for the photo op.) I tweeted her out into the world and was shocked when I got a reply from Baltimore City Department of Transportation. They loved it and encouraged artists to get creative! This is the best ever outcome to me. Since that day, more than 100 artists have gotten in the game to decorate more than 200 of the boxes.
A gallery of all of my boxes can be found here.
FOR ARTISTS
Anyone is welcome to adopt a saltbox! This community project welcomes artists of all skill levels to participate.
Please do not advertise your business. This is art, not a billboard.
Keep the subject matter close to salt or all things Baltimore.
No offensive content, please. If you wouldn’t show it to your grandmother or your kid, don’t put it on a saltbox.
Please don’t cover another person’s art. It’s just rude. There are plenty of boxes to go around.
The easiest way to decorate a saltbox is by putting your art on a 18″ x 23″ panel and affixing it to the front of the box with 4 screws. Be sure the screws do not go all the way through the wood, which could potentially injure a citizen while getting their salt.
Make sure all materials are weather resistant.
Share your art on socials using hashtag #baltimoresaltbox
More info can be found here!
SHOP
Find all of my salt box goods here.
DONATE
Salt Box Art is a labor of love for which I do not get paid. Donations for art materials are welcomed!
Paypal: Juliet@ibreakplates.com
Venmo: thebrokenplate
PRESS
Juliet Ames is Worth Her Salt - Baltimore Magazine - January 2024
Baltimore artist adds dog stick library to Hampden salt box The Baltimore Banner (3/8/23)
Dog Stick Library - WJZ - (3/9/23)
American Visionary Art Museum puts a spotlight on Baltimore's saltbox revival - WJZ (2/25/23)
Baltimore artist spreads positivity through her art - GMA3 - ABC News - 1/26/23
City's official recognition of salt-box art picks up steam WMAR 12/8/23
Salt box artist finds another medium to beautify Baltimore WBAL (12/6/22)
Meet the woman turning old payphones into art 12/1/23
Are Payphones the New Salt Boxes? - Baltimore Magazine - (August 2022)
How a Forgotten Bit of Infrastructure Became a Symbol of Civic Pride - The New Yorker (04/09/22)
Where's Marty? Meeting the Artist Behind the Salt Box Project. WJZ (3/21/22)
Captain Chesapeake Gets a Salt Box - Fox 45 (2/14/22)
2021 - Year in Review - Baltimore Magazine (12/31/21)
Baltimore Fan Proposes with a Salt Box - WJZ (9/3/21)
The Broken Plate Co. Wins $10k Award from Howard Bank - Baltimore Business Journal (07/06/21)
City Art Movement Turns The Utilitarian Salt Box On Its Head – WYPR (03/24/21)
Outside the Box – Baltimore Magazine (March 2021)
The Salt Box – 98 Rock – Justin, Scott and Spiegel Show (02/26/21)
A Baltimore artist has painted dozens of salt boxes across the city. – Baltimore Sun (02/18/21)
MDOT crews prep ahead of Monday’s snowfall – WMAR 2 ABC Baltimore (01/25/21)
Local Artist Turns Salt Boxes Into Works of Art – Baltimore Style (January 2021)