Nov. 12, 2007— If you live in or near New York City, or if you have visited in the last two months, you have seen taxis with colorful flowers zipping around. Called "Garden in Transit," the project was created by the non-profit organization Portraits of Hope, and kicked off on Sept. 12, with a roll-out event featuring New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, Taxi and Limousine Commission Chairman, Matthew W. Daus, and Portraits of Hope Founders Ed and Bernie Massey.

Volunteers—including Denise Gustavson, editor of Wide-Format Imaging, and Toni McQuilken, associate editor of Printing News—along with professional applicators and installers, were on-hand at application stations throughout the city to apply the vinyl. They trained others, including those just walking the streets of Manhattan, on proper application techniques to wrap taxi cab roofs, hoods, and trunks. Approximately 800,000 sq. ft. of Mactac's Imagin B-Free was used to wrap as many as 13,000 New York City taxi cabs.

"Experiencing these mobile masterpieces on the many city streets is truly an amazing sight, and really speaks to the philanthropic goals and messaging behind the entire project," said Jennifer Bowman, Mactac corporate marketing.

"New York will only allow a taxi project once every 100 years, so the opportunity to partner on this project was once in a lifetime. Not only was Mactac the sole provider of the vinyl, we were able to work with professionals from all over the United States to help make the roll-out a great success."

"Garden in Transit" was designed to help children overcome difficult circumstances and build self-esteem through public artistic expression.

Children from around the country helped paint the panels, which were then clear-coated and shipped to New York City for installation. Each panel has the signature of the child or group who painted it, making every one unique.

This piece ran as a sidebar to 'The Great Outdoors' by Jeffrey Steele.