LUSBY, Md. — The Department of Public Works hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Nov. 15 to unveil the “Save the Bay, Recycle Today” mural, created by Katie Brinkley Studio, at the Appeal Landfill in Lusby. The mural, located at 401 Sweetwater Rd, serves as a visual reminder of the importance of recycling in protecting the Chesapeake Bay.
Mariia Liubarskaia, Division Chief of the Calvert County Solid Waste Division, led the project. “The mission of the Solid Waste Division is to provide all customers with efficient, cost-effective, reliable, and safe management of Calvert County’s solid waste and recycling activities,” Liubarskaia said. “This mural encapsulated the essence of the slogan, ‘Save the Bay, Recycle Today,’ a reminder to protect the treasured Chesapeake Bay through actions such as recycling.”
The mural is displayed on the front-facing wall of the Appeal Landfill’s administrative building, where it can be seen by all who visit the site, including residential and commercial customers, school groups, vendors, and partners. The mural was designed to raise awareness of recycling, an ongoing initiative by the Solid Waste Division, which serves Calvert, St. Mary’s, and Charles counties.
The artwork itself is the result of a collaborative effort. In the fall of 2023, the Solid Waste Division hosted a youth mural contest, inviting Calvert County residents ages six to eighteen to submit designs inspired by the theme “Save the Bay, Recycle Today.” These submissions were used to inspire the mural’s final design. “The design submissions from contest participants became inspiration for the artist commissioned to execute this project,” Liubarskaia explained.
Artist Katie Brinkley, who completed the mural in September, shared her experience in bringing the design to life. “There was a call for artists put out by the county earlier this year, and finalists were selected to use the student’s artwork for inspiration for a mural design. And my design was chosen for the mural project!” Brinkley said. “I painted the mural throughout September and took just under 50 hours total to paint it.”
Brinkley, a Calvert County resident, is no stranger to large-scale murals, having painted over 80 since she began her professional career in 2014. “I have been interested in art since childhood and have been painting murals professionally since 2014,” she said. “My husband and I moved here from Texas in January of this year.”
The ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrated not only the mural’s completion but also America Recycles Day, an annual event that encourages individuals to support recycling efforts and local art initiatives.
For more information about recycling at Appeal Landfill, visit www.calvertcountymd.gov/Appeal.
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