Silo Transformation Project
“Ultimately, what kept me motivated was the unbelievable passion I saw from the community. … I cannot overstate how thankful I am for the support I received as I embarked on this project and as I concluded it.”
The Silo's Story
The original idea for a silo-turned-public art installation began in the summer of 2022, when Shane Silverman ‘24.5 participated in the MiddWorks for Vermont program and took on an internship to perform a study of the feasibility of these public art projects. With an increasing public desire for creative infrastructure in Vermont, the concept of repurposing familiar landmarks into art pieces has taken hold in the past few years. As a major symbol of the state’s robust agricultural history, communities have turned to silos as a new canvas. Silverman, alongside local artist and advocate Kelly Hickey, delved into research to determine the ideal spots for painted silos in Addison County.
Picking up where Shane Silverman left off, Wyatt Robinson ‘24 was selected as the muralist for the Silo Transformation Project at the Middlebury Recycling Center, a project which he took on in the Summer of 2023 as part of the Innovation Hub’s Vermont Innovation Summer program. What resulted was a template – complete with a moose, bobcats, ferns – to then be scaled up to fit the 54-sided silo. With hopes that his artwork can serve as a place for reflection and tranquility for all who stumble upon it, Wyatt Robinson has truly made a lasting impression on Middlebury College’s campus, as well as the larger public art initiatives throughout the state of Vermont.