Propane tanks once used for home heating have found new life in the Florida Keys, as art and resting places.
California artist Colin Selig made a bench and loveseat from the old tanks. The new pieces were recently installed at the Monroe County Courthouse in Marathon.
The county sets aside 1 percent of the budget for art from all major new construction and renovation projects (except for sewage treatment plants). The budget for the new benches was $14,200.
The county's Art in Public Places Committee was particularly impressed with the "upcycling" technique that re-uses old materials — especially since they are "100 percent maintenance free and permanent — an essential component for public art," committee chair Susann D'Antonio said, according to a press release from the county.
A local artist installed the benches, along with county employees and inmates from the county jail.
