Press Release from the City of Greenville:
Greenlink holds its Bike vs. Bus vs. Car Race each year to raise awareness of alternative transportation options in Greenville, and after a hiatus in 2020 due to COVID-19, the friendly competition returns with a new time, a new partner and new competitors.
This year, a bicyclist, a Greenlink bus rider, a motorist and a rideshare user will compete to see who has the shortest after-work commute to the First Fridays Gallery Crawl in the Village of West Greenville. Greenlink is partnering with the Metropolitan Arts Council (MAC) and all of the contestants are artists and members of MAC.
Bicyclist – Marty Epp-Carter
Marty works with printmaking, woodcuts, etching and collage. Marty’s artist statement: “My head is full of ideas. The goal in the studio is to use the medium or technique that best helps me to express an idea. I prefer not to limit myself.”
Bus Rider – Marie Scott
Marie works in oils and some of her paintings can be found hanging around town, brightening up several Sidewall Pizza locations. She plans to open a new studio, which is currently a dusty work-in-progress, in November at 1160 Pendleton Street. Marie’s artist statement: “I paint to remind myself how there's so much more beauty around me than it sometimes feels. The goal in each of my color-filled oil paintings is to create a reminder that there’s still plenty of good to be found in this world when we slow down and take a minute to stop and smell the roses.”
Motorist – Danielle Fontaine
Danielle works with encaustics (hot wax painting) and her pictorial memoir, Still Time on Pye Pond, was recently published by Clemson University Press. Danielle’s artist statement: “My encaustic work considers the enduring question of what we elect to keep or preserve and the reasons why; and invites reflection on what, or whom, we discard along the way. My art is a conscious attempt at harnessing wandering thoughts and reframing unspoken absences.”
Rideshare User – Meghan Verret
Meghan specializes in acrylic, graphite and shredded paper collage and her artwork is produced under the business name Frenchie’s Fine Art. Meghan’s artist statement: “I currently work from my studio at home and spend most of my time creating portraits for families who've lost children. I specialize in graphite portraits and do acrylic pet portraits by request. My personal works tend to focus on animals, and I would like to continue to create works that revolve around lesser-known species.”
Each contestant will depart from the Greenlink Transit Center. Marie’s departure aboard Greenlink’s Route 506: Woodside bus will serve as the “starting flag.” The bus will be in service, so it must stop to allow passengers on and off. Marty can use the bike route of her choice, but she must be dressed for an art gallery event (no spandex) and obey all traffic laws. As the bus departs, Danielle will walk to her car in the Poinsett Garage. She can choose her route to the Village of West Greenville, but she must obey all traffic laws. Meghan will book a trip using a rideshare app such as Uber or Lyft and her driver must follow the route provided by the app.
The contestants are expected to arrive at the finish line at The Bank Building Studios (1279 Pendleton St) around 5:45 p.m. The following rules will apply to the finish:
• Marty must secure her bike to a bike rack near The Bank Building Studios and walk to the front door
• Marie must get off the bus at the bus stop at Pendleton St & Irving St and walk to The Bank Building Studios
• Danielle must park in a public parking space and walk to The Bank Building Studios
• Meghan can be dropped off at The Bank Building Studios and walk to the front door
New this year! The contest isn’t over at the finish line. After the race ends, a panel of judges from MAC will score each contestant on the following criteria:
• Time - how quickly they completed the commute
• Cost - how much they spent on the trip
• Productivity - what else they did during the commute
• Efficiency - how many people were able to use their transportation mode
