Sun City resident changes utility boxes into outdoor artwork

At 10-years-old, Sun City resident Bill George embraced the fundamentals of photography in his grandfather’s darkroom; the pungent and acrid smell of the chemicals, the enlarger that transformed negatives into pictures and the excitement of a bare photo sheet dropped into a chemical bath and blurry and shadowy images becoming memories.

Now retired from Eastman Kodak, George had a second career as a real estate photographer in Arizona and most recently as a photographer who avidly pursues his art form. He has honed and sharpened his skills exchanging chemicals for digital to turn ugly utility boxes at his home at the Royal Oaks LifePlan Community, 10015 W. Royal Oak Road, into panoramic views of the Grand Canyon, Monument Valley and outdoor pictures of horses and donkeys.

In addition, George is on the board of directors of the Sun City Camera Guild and is responsible for scheduling topics for monthly meetings

The idea of transforming ugly utility boxes into landscape artwork started in 2021 when a Royal Oaks residents saw a decorated utility box with a southwest theme near Culvers Fast Foods off Thunderbird Boulevard. Then Royal Oaks People of the Faith Foundation Director of Development Vicky Ullery embraced the idea and five on-campus boxes were decorated with southwest themes.

Three years later a team that included not only George, but Chuck Tholen, the new director of development for Royal Oak’s People of the Faith Foundation, resident artist Karen Bell and Kari Dickson, Royal Oak’s director of marketing, selected photos from George and an additional 15 utility boxes were decorated.

“It was our goal to take boxes that were prominent on campus and turn them into works of art,” Tholen said. “Which we did.”

The People of the Faith Foundation was created shortly after Royal Oaks was built in 1983, and its mission; to assist Royal Oaks residents who can no longer partially or entirely pay for their residency. Also included in its mission statement is support of other charitable purposes at Royal Oaks through sound fiscal management of the foundation’s funds. In addition to its landscaping venture, the fund has assisted numerous other projects including its employee scholarship fund, its in-house chapel and most recently the Vida Center, which houses all medical and physical therapy activities.

Turning boring utility boxes into outdoor artwork was not an easy project. George spent hundreds of hours first measuring each box and then with finite precision sizing each photo to the dimensions of the box. The photos were then transferred to a large-scale printer at ABD Signs and Printing in Peoria who then installed them on campus during the early morning hours because of Arizona’s brutal heat. The wraps, that looked like long runs of wall paper, were applied around corners, screws and handles to appear dimensionally perfect. A clear laminate was applied to protect the pictures from the harsh and brutal UV rays of the summer sun.

“This was a challenging project,” George said. “But the results have been amazing. What had been nondescript and plain utility boxes are eye appealing and friendly.”

“I agree,” said Royal Oak’s Chief Executive Officer Kendra Eberhart. “We have so much talent here at Royal Oaks. From artists and photographers to musicians and theater performers. We are truly blessed.”