Do you subscribe to the North Carolina Public Art Network listserv? If not, you can join at lists.ncmail.net/mailman/listinfo/ncpublicartnetwork. This listserv will send information on public art opportunities directly to your email address. Check it out! Do you subscribe to the national Public Art Network listserv? If not, you can join by emailing Greg Esser at Americans for the Arts at gesser@ARTUSA.ORG and ask to be added to the national Public Art Network listserv. This listserv will send information on public art opportunities directly to your email address. Check it out! Artists! Check out WESTAF's Call for Entry (CaFÉ) website, which enables artists to apply online to multiple calls for entry through a central Web site, www.callforentry.org.
Public Art 360: A Symposium from Seven Perspectives Public Art 360
Public Art 360: A Symposium from Seven Perspectives is a multi-state convening that will be held April 11-12, 2008 at Hanes Auditorium on the campus of UNC-Chapel Hill. The Symposium will address the functional and aesthetic interaction among public art, professional design disciplines, private development, and government. Nationally and internationally recognized speakers will explore the inherent complexities in public art from the perspectives of artist, architect, landscape designer, government, private developer, community, and critic. Sessions will frame critical issues associated with how public art projects are initiated, approved, funded, and implemented; how to reinforce shared objectives through public review; and, implications for public policy. Each of seven keynote sessions will represent an affiliated field; sessions are designed to be between 90 minutes and 120 minutes. Throughout the Symposium we will encourage dialogue among participants and speakers.
Public Art 360 is being organized by the Percent for Art Collaborative, North Carolina Arts Council, South Carolina Arts Commission, and the Orange County Arts Commission; its sponsors as of publication date also include Americans for the Arts Public Art Network, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Forecast Public Artworks, Chapel Hill Public Arts Commission, City of Raleigh Arts Commission, Town of Chapel Hill, and Cary Visual Art.
For more information and registration ($60 postmarked by March 7, 2008, $70 after that date), please visit www.publicartcollaborative.org
Seymour Center Public Art Project Seymour Center Prospectus
At the request of the Orange County Department on Aging, the Orange County Arts Commission is sponsoring a public art project at the new Robert and Pearl Seymour Center at 2551 Homestead Road (Southern Human Services Campus) in Chapel Hill. The Seymour Center Public Art Selection Committee met on November 26, 2007 and January 9, 2008 to define the scope of this project. This committee consists of representatives from the Orange County Department on Aging, Friends of the Seymour Center, the Orange County Arts Commission, the Orange County Manager’s office and includes art professionals. On January 17, 2008 the Friends of the Seymour Center voted to raise money to match the $5,000 allocated by Orange County in the FY08 CIP. The Seymour Center Public Art Selection Committee will meet in early February, 2008 to determine the elements of the Request for Qualifications, which will be distributed by mid-February 2008.
The budget for this project is $10,000 in public and private money. This budget includes all costs associated with the project including, but not limited to: artist’s design fee, travel, materials, fabrication costs, documentation, transportation and installation of the work. Works in a variety of media and forms will be considered.
This project is open to all artists currently living in North Carolina, working in any media. Artist teams are eligible to apply, including teams of artists from multiple disciplines. Artists living in Orange County, NC are encouraged to apply.
The following Request for Qualifications is also available in PDF format above.
CALL TO ARTISTS
REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS Public Artist Robert and Pearl Seymour Center Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Project Summary
DESCRIPTION: The Orange County Arts Commission announces a Request for Qualifications to create public artwork(s) for the Robert and Pearl Seymour Center (2551 Homestead Rd. – Southern Human Services Center Campus) in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
ELIGIBILITY: Open to all artists or artist teams currently living in North Carolina, working in any media. Artists living in Orange County, NC are encouraged to apply.
PROJECT BUDGET: $10,000 (public/private).
POSTMARK DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS: April 1, 2008
Overview
The Orange County Arts Commission (OCAC) will commission an artwork or artworks for the Robert and Pearl Seymour Center in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Housed in this public building are the offices of the Orange County Department on Aging. This center offers a variety of programs including classes, wellness programs, trips and lunches.
The freestanding, outdoor artwork(s) should be senior-friendly. The artwork(s) should be functional and inviting year-round. The artwork(s) should be multi-sensory, possibly including light, sound, movement or color. A sustainable artwork(s) using water, or the qualities of water, is of particular interest. The outdoor artwork(s) will be enjoyed up close in the courtyard area and also from above and on three sides from inside the glass-sided building. The artwork(s) will also be visible from Homestead Road.
Works in a variety of media and forms will be considered.
Budget
The public art budget for this project is $10,000 in public and private money. This budget includes all costs associated with, but not limited to: artist design fees; travel; project materials; fabrication; installation costs (if not constructed on site); and documentation of the work(s).
Eligibility
The project is open to all artists currently living in North Carolina, working in any media. Artist teams are eligible to apply, including teams of artists from multiple disciplines. Artists living in Orange County, North Carolina are encouraged to apply.
Schedule
How to Apply:
Artists and artist teams interested in the project should submit ONE copy of each of the following:
1. LETTER OF INTEREST, no more than two pages in length, which explains the artist’s or artist team's interest in the project. If the Letter of Interest is on behalf of a team, please identify the lead artist and indicate if the individuals and/or organizations have previously collaborated and the nature of the association. If the artist or artist team has worked with neighborhood organizations, local government, or other similar and relevant agencies, please describe the relationship among the community, the artwork, and the artist or artist team as well as the design process.
2. RELEVANT EXPERIENCE OR A CURRENT RESUME. If submitting as a team, a separate resume should be submitted for each team member.
3. Up to 15 SLIDES OR DIGITAL IMAGES of the artist’s work or the work of the artist team. Slides must be in a clear plastic sheet. Each slide must be numbered, the top of the image indicated, and the artist’s name included on the slide. Digital images must be sent on a CD and be a minimum 600x800 jpg or tif; each image’s file name should include the artist’s name and a reference number. If the proposed team has not previously collaborated, the lead artist may submit a maximum of 10 images and each team member may include a maximum of 5 images each. PowerPoint presentations are not admissible. OR A 3-MINUTE VIDEOTAPE of the artist’s work or the work of the artist team may be submitted in place of slides or digital images, if relevant experience is more accurately depicted in this manner. Videotapes must be VHS format, and only the first 3 minutes will be considered.
4. ANNOTATED IMAGE LIST or VIDEO DESCRIPTION with the artist’s name and a brief description of each image including its title, date, medium, size, location, and cost.
5. REFERENCES of at least three professionals (commissioning agency or organization, design or arts professional, architect, landscape architect, engineer, etc.) who have an intimate knowledge of the artist’s work and working methods. Include complete address, telephone numbers, and email for each individual. If an organization is serving as a professional reference, please identify a contact name.
6. SELF-ADDRESSED STAMPED ENVELOPE appropriately sized and sufficiently stamped for the return of application materials.
7. OPTIONAL. The artist or lead artist of a team may submit a maximum of three selections of supporting materials (reviews, news articles, essays, monographs, or other relevant information.) Each member of an artist team may include one supporting document.
The postmark deadline for submitting materials is April 1, 2008. Artists interested in being considered should submit the above information to:
Orange County Arts Commission Re: Seymour Center Public Art Project P.O. Box 1177 Hillsborough, NC 27278
Selection Process
An Artist Selection Committee will review all artists’ submissions and select finalists to be interviewed. At a minimum, this selection committee may include at least two art professionals, four representatives of the Orange County Arts Commission Board, the Orange County Manager or a designee, four representatives from the Friends of the Seymour Center Board, and staff representation from the Orange County Arts Commission and the Orange County Department on Aging.
The finalists will be asked to develop a conceptual approach for artwork at this site. The finalists may be invited to Chapel Hill to make a presentation to the selection committee of their proposed work for the site, including concept, materials, size, weight, installation requirements, details of maintenance guidelines, and budget. The finalists’ proposals will be exhibited in Chapel Hill and Orange County for approximately three weeks. The finalists will be compensated for their participation in this stage of the selection process.
The Artist Selection Committee will meet in May 2008 to recommend an artist or artist team for the project. Final approval rests with the Board of County Commissioners.
Additional Information
If you have questions or need any additional information, please email arts@co.orange.nc.us or call 919/245-2335.
Animal Services Public Art Project on the Move to Cedar Grove
(Photo by Mike Roig)
“Sit” and “Stay”, two eight-foot steel canines, were seen traveling north on Highway 86 toward Cedar Grove.
The Orange County Arts Commission adopted these two steel dog sculptures from Carrboro artist Mike Roig. “Sit” and “Stay” were initially located behind the Historic Orange County Courthouse in Hillsborough, where they guarded the entrance to downtown Hillsborough from March through August, 2007. They are now located in front of the Northern Human Services Center in Cedar Grove.
These large interactive outdoor sculptures (which also serve as benches) will be temporarily located at various Orange County-owned properties until they are permanently installed at the to-be-constructed Animal Services Center in Chapel Hill upon its completion.
Mike Roig’s sculptures have won numerous awards and can been seen in many private collections. His public art pieces include commissions and purchases by the City of Raleigh, the Town of Chapel Hill, the Public Gallery of Carrboro, The ArtsCenter (Carrboro), Sandhills Community College (Pinehurst, NC), the City of Charlottesville (VA), and Onandaga Community College (Syracuse, NY), among others. For more information on Mike Roig, please visit www.mikeroig.com.
This project hopes to focus attention on public art in Orange County, and also highlight the programs of Orange County Animal Services -- which include operating the County’s shelter where dogs, cats and other animals may be adopted.
For more information on Orange County Animal Services, visit www.co.orange.nc.us/animalservices or call 919/968-2287. For information on the Orange County Arts Commission, visit www.artsorange.org or call 919/245-2335.
The North Carolina Museum of Art has selected the Orange County Arts Commission for its pARTnership program this fall. This series, initiated several years ago, was organized specifically for arts councils and commissions across the state as a means to implement art projects relating to the Museum's collection or exhibition.
Carrboro textile artist Marguerite Jay (“Peg”) Gignoux will involve families in the creation of a work of art during an artist-in-residence program at the NC Museum of Art in Raleigh. Peg will also involve senior citizens at the Central Orange Senior Center in Hillsborough in the further creation of this fabric artwork. The Orange County Department on Aging will serve as the Arts Commission’s programming partner for this public art project. The Arts Commission plans to locate the finished artwork inside a highly visible recreational facility, serving the central Orange County community.
Participants from both sites will be invited to the opening reception when this intergenerational work of art is installed, so they can meet each other and view their combined creation.
Fifty (50) eligible applications were received by the March 31, 2006 deadline from artists living in or having a studio in Orange County. Artists submitted images of already-existing original visual art for purchase by Orange County and for display in county-owned buildings. The selection committee, comprised of three Arts Commission board members, met on April 11 and May 4. Their recommendations were presented to the full Arts Commission on May 8, 2006 and to the Board of County Commissioners on June 13, 2006.
Six (6) works of art by the following five (5) artists were selected for purchase:
“Summer Serenade” by Cathy Kiffney of Chapel Hill (21” x 28” x 1”) – hand-built ceramic triptych (Photo by Seth Tice-Lewis)
Cathy Kiffney’s Artist Statement: “This work is from a series of triptychs The Secret Garden, an ongoing narrative in clay, telling a story of the beauty and mystery of an idyllic natural world. The title Summer Serenade refers to a hopeful notion of harmony among species.”
“Before Eve” by Alice Levinson of Hillsborough (43” x 28”) - batik fabric, machine pieced, appliquéd, and embroidered (Photo by Seth Tice-Lewis)
Alice Levinson’s Artist Statement: “This work embodies the timeless feminine archetype, generation energy, and creativity. A figure can be found embedded in her lush garden. There are subtle suggestions of movement and growth.”
”Sinter Method: Rivers and Clouds #2 and #3” by Mario Marzan of Chapel Hill (48” x 24” each) – acrylic & graphite on wood panel (Photo by Mario Marzan)
Mario Marzan’s Artist Statement: “My work is a reflection of growing up in the central highlands of Puerto Rico. Memories flood my thoughts ad greatly impact my recent work. I create sequences of drawings that fabricate a world where memories are topographically stored and distorted to their limits of collapse. This manipulation enables me to create a visual fiction, calling into question experiences of displacement, and the dilemma of my cultural dualism, from uprooted islander, to citizen of the U.S. mainland.”
“Box Elder” by Jennifer Miller of Durham (Orange County) (22.25” x 13.5”) – watercolor (Photo by Jennifer Miller)
Jennifer Miller’s Artist Statement: “Along the Eno River, trees cling to the banks through floods and droughts with their roots exposed and intertwined, communities of survivor trees – sycamore, red maple, ironwood, ash, beech, and box elder. This box elder, still bare from winter, was painted with watercolor on the river near Hillsborough in 2004, one in a series of Eno River tree portraits.”
“Riptide” by Martha Petty of Chapel Hill (50.5” x 60”) – oil on paper mounted on canvas (Photo by Ann Rogers)
Martha Petty’s Artist Statement: “This painting is one from a series of 30 in which I sought to develop a vocabulary of landscape elements that I could employ to address life’s uncertainties. I used bright, sometimes jarring, colors; winding paths; and water-like grounds created through the use of loose, flowing brushstrokes to heighten the paintings’ emotional ambiguity. In all of these paintings, my goal has been to encourage reflection, rather than to communicate any particular message.”
(Photo by Sheldon T. Becker)
In the fall of 2004 a public art selection committee was formed to develop a public art project in the Southern Human Services Center (2501 Homestead Road, Chapel Hill), at the request of the Board of County Commissioners. The committee was composed of art professionals, community members, representatives of the Orange County Arts Commission, and representatives from the following Orange County departments (Manager’s Office, Social Services, Health, Housing, and Community Development). This committee determined that the artwork should be family-friendly and of a calming/soothing nature. The artwork would be sited in a prominent location inside the building, near the reception area.
This committee met in December, 2004, and again in March and April, 2005. A statewide call for qualifications with a March 15, 2005 deadline was distributed to North Carolina artists by direct mail and posted electronically by email and via various listservs and websites. Artists living in Orange County, NC were encouraged to apply. Artists were asked to submit a letter of interest, relevant experience/current resume, up to fifteen (15) images of their work, annotated image list, and references. Thirty-nine (39) responses were received from North Carolina artists. The artist selection committee reviewed the submissions and selected three (3) finalists to interview. Three (3) weeks of public comment were received. The selection committee then recommended artist Sarah Craige (Efland, NC) to the full Orange County Arts Commission for approval. Sarah’s proposal was a carved, glazed ceramic mural integrated into the architectural setting.
Sarah Craige’s concept statement about the piece follows:
“Tree of Life” is a mural that celebrated life, designed for the Southern Human Services Center. The central image of a strong, vital tree is an international symbol for life and growth, family, knowledge, and hope. The tiles are all hand-made terra cotta clay. They are carved and painted with many layers of colors, blazed and fired repeatedly until the rich vibrant colors are achieved. The mural will fill the large architectural niche in the central reception area of the facility. The poetic landscape celebrates and honors all those who visit the Center, from all cultures and for every generation.”
On June 7, 2005, the Board of County Commissioners approved Sarah Craige for the Southern Human Services Center Public Art Project. Sarah has excellent credentials and several years of relevant public art experience and was suggested primarily for her artistic merit and her ability to work successfully in the public art arena.
Since that time, Sarah has been working on this project, which is near completion. The artwork will be installed in the Southern Human Services Center during the summer of 2006. The photos of this project, by Sheldon T. Becker, were taken in the artist’s studio.
Orange County Artist Sarah Craige Chosen for Southern Human Services Center Public Art Project
On June 7, 2005 the Board of County Commissioners selected artist Sarah Craige, from Efland, NC for the Southern Human Services Center Public Art Project. Sarah Craige has excellent credentials and several years of relevant public art experience and was chosen primarily for her artistic merit and her ability to work successfully in the public art arena.
Sarah Craige’s proposed “Tree of Life” tile mural will be hand-made from terra cotta clay. The tiles will be carved and painted with many layers of colors, glazed and fired repeatedly until rich vibrant colors are achieved. The mural will fill the large architectural niche in the central reception area of the facility in Chapel Hill. Sarah’s poetic landscape will celebrate and honor all those who visit the Southern Human Services Center, from all cultures and for every generation.
Sponsored by the Orange County Arts Commission, this $10,000 public art commission is funded from both public (county) and private sources. Sarah Craige’s tile mural will increase the value of the facility, as public art always does. Her mural will attract visitors and encourage economic vitality by providing business opportunities for local artists, fabricators, and suppliers.
If additional grant support is received from the NC Arts Council, Sarah will serve as a mentor to a local apprentice on this public art project. The local apprentice has not yet been selected.
At the request of the Board of County Commissioners for a public art project at the Southern Human Services Center, a public art selection committee was created in the fall of 2004. This committee was composed of representatives from the county departments of Social Services, Health, Housing and Community Development, the County Manager’s office, the Orange County Arts Commission, community members and arts professionals. Public art helps advance the missions of county departments by helping to create an environment conducive to meeting a variety of human needs. Based on the usage of the building, this committee decided that the artwork should be family-friendly and of a calming/soothing nature. They also decided that the artwork would be sited in a prominent location inside the building near the reception area. This committee met in December, 2004, and again in March and April, 2005. A statewide call for qualifications with a mid-March deadline was distributed to North Carolina artists by direct mail and posted electronically by email and via various listservs and websites. Artists living in Orange County, NC were encouraged to apply. Artists were asked to submit a letter of interest, relevant experience/current resume, up to 15 images of their work, annotated image list, and references. Thirty-nine responses were received from North Carolina artists. Three finalists were selected to present site-specific proposals to the selection committee, for which they were each compensated $300 plus round-trip mileage to Chapel Hill. Three weeks of public comment on these proposals was received - from April 28th-May 19th at three sites (Orange County Public Library in Hillsborough, Chapel Hill Public Library, and Southern Human Services Center). The artist selection committee recommended Sarah Craige’s proposal to the Board of County Commissioners. Her tile mural will be fabricated and installed during FY06.
The original call to artists for this project is displayed below.
Call to Artists Request for Qualifications Public Artist Southern Human Services Center Chapel Hill, North Carolina
DESCRIPTION: The Orange County Arts Commission announces a Request for Qualifications to create public artwork(s) for the Southern Human Services Center in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
PROJECT BUDGET: $10,000
POSTMARK DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS: March 15, 2005
The Orange County Arts Commission (OCAC) will commission an artwork or artworks for the Southern Human Services Center (2501 Homestead Road) in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Orange County offices housed in this public building include the Department of Social Services, the Health Department, Housing and Community Development, and a satellite office of the Sheriff’s Department.
The artwork(s) should be family-friendly and of a calming/soothing nature. The artwork(s) will be sited in a prominent location or locations inside the building, near the reception area.
The artwork(s) must be very durable, low maintenance, and appropriate to the location. Both children and adults use the building during day and evening hours. The artist should take into consideration the pedestrian/client traffic; existing lighting (artificial); and safety issues (artwork must be child-proof).
Works in a variety of media and forms will be considered. Examples of media include, but are not limited to metal, ceramic tile, photography, plastic, paint. A wide variety of forms for the artwork will also be considered, including elements such as wall tiling, signage, and lighting, among others.
If additional grant support is received, the selected artist(s) may also serve as mentor to a local apprentice on this public art project. Compensation will be provided to both the selected artist(s) and to the local apprentice.
The public art budget for this project is $10,000. This budget includes all costs associated with, but not limited to: artist design fees; travel; project materials; fabrication; installation costs (if not constructed on site); and documentation of the work(s).
The postmark deadline for submitting materials is March 15, 2005. Artists interested in being considered should submit the above information to:
Orange County Arts Commission Re: Southern Human Services Center Project P.O. Box 1177 Hillsborough, NC 27278
An Artist Selection Committee will review all artists’ submissions and select finalists to be interviewed. At a minimum, this selection committee may include two art professionals, two community members, two representatives of the Orange County Arts Commission, a representative from the Orange County Board of Commissioners, the Orange County Manager or a designee, a representative from County departments located in this building (the departments of Social Services, Health, Housing and Community Development, Sheriff’s).
The Artist Selection Committee will meet in May, 2005 to recommend an artist or artist team for the project. Final approval rests with the Board of County Commissioners.
If you have questions or need any additional information, including complete site plans and drawings, please visit www.artsorange.org, email arts@co.orange.nc.us or call 919/245-2335.
The Orange County Arts Commission and the Chapel Hill Public Arts Commission are co-sponsoring “On the Road Again: An Exhibit of Creative Transportation Design” at the Chapel Hill-Carrboro YMCA (980 Airport Road, Chapel Hill) from March 11-April 22, 2005.
This exhibition illustrates, through images and artifacts, that transportation design projects can enhance the city, town, community or neighborhood. An artist, working together with the community and transportation engineers, can transform a sterile concrete canyon into an attractive “sense of place.” Through large photomurals of completed projects throughout the U.S., and three-dimensional examples of design materials, the exhibit has been developed to fit into a variety of venues.
Transportation design categories covered in the exhibition include roadway improvements (street design and widening, sound walls), bridges (pedestrian/bicycle, freeway overpass), highway design as landmark gateway for a community/city, alternative mass transit design (bus shelters, transit centers, light rail), alternative light transit design (bike paths, trails, walkways), street amenities (lighting, seating, bike racks), landscape design (related to intersections, medians, exit ramps) and artists serving as design team members.
The photomurals can also be viewed online at www.craftcreativitydesign.org/community/transportation.php on the website of the Center for Craft, Creativity and Design.
This exhibit was created to provide a point of discussion within the community on best national practices and designs in transportation. The exhibit was researched and developed by the Center for Craft, Creativity and Design, a regional center of the University of North Carolina in Hendersonville with support from the National Endowment for the Arts Design Arts Program, and the North Carolina Arts Council.
(Photo of Grasshopper Bridge, 7th Avenue and Coral Gables, Phoenix, Arizona, 1997. Artist Ed Carpenter. Phoenix Arts Commission.)
(Photo by Seth Tice-Lewis)
“Repetition and chance, pattern and improvisation; these are our constant companions. Available in every studio and urging an idea forward, reminding us who we are and where we’ve been. It is every artist’s privilege to harness the stripe, circle, corner and stroke into textures that provoke and reflect our lives. Textures dance, build, contort and confide. They talk to us in wood, metal, clay, paper, fabric and paint. They are hammered, stitched, combed, pounded, lacquered and pierced into meaning. Looked at together, we find community.”
These are the words of Carrboro fiber artist, Marguerite Jay Gignoux, the curator for the Orange County Arts Commission’s EXCERPTS public art project. As a gift to the county during the Orange County 250th Anniversary Celebration, this original work of art will be installed in the stairway of the Orange County Government Services Center in Hillsborough. Seven Orange County artists were selected to participate in this collaborative project which will yield a large mixed media work created from many textures representing many disciplines.
Participating artists are Joseph F. Gargasz of Hillsborough (sculpture), Gordon Clarke Jameson of Hillsborough (painting and handmade paper), Linda Mezzetti of Chapel Hill (textured painting), Linda Passman of Chapel Hill (mixed media painting), Beth Sale of Chapel Hill (painting and printmaking), Susan Simone of Chapel Hill (documentary photography), and Jan-Ru Wan of Chapel Hill (fiber installation). Chapel Hill artist Brian Plaster created several metal accents for the piece.
The artists created a pair of textural studies representing their particular art discipline rendered from their points of view. To ensure visual harmony in the overall composition, both submissions relate to one another through obvious repetition of mark, pattern and/or shape. Artists worked in a neutral palette of whites, creams and grays in at least one of the studies. These textural studies vary in size and shape.
According to Gignoux, “The EXCERPTS project is a celebration of community through the lens of a charming piece of North Carolina history. At the center of the project is an old document – a North Carolina almanac cover dating from 1795. Each participating artist responded to the old almanac and its curious text through their particular vocabulary of texture, symbol, and color. The collective created a wide range of paintings, digital images, collages and sculptural works that I released from their original frames and combined into a large stitched wall installation.”
The following words are reflections on this project (including artist statements) from some of the participating artists:
“The empty cast forms of scissors, a sickle, and other hand tools of trade evoke mental images of a past North Carolina history and in particular that of Orange County. These fossil-like forms pay homage to the textile, mining and farming communities around Hillsborough and the greater Orange community. The casts are reminiscent of fossils encrusted in oxidized materials, not to be forgotten…By re-orchestrating forms and negative spaces I attempt to develop a new dialog exploring recognition and glorification of man made objects or natural design. The viewer must be made aware that all spaces occupied and not are relative to an object’s soul or existence. Once these spaces are altered new perceptions about a form may be revealed.” - Joseph Gargasz
“For me the most interesting aspect of working on this project is how the creative process was exemplified throughout. What began as a basic concept has developed into a sophisticated and cohesive work of art. I was one of the many voices contributing to EXCERPTS and in the end I think we sang well…In my own work there is a “conversation” that takes place as the piece evolves. It is an interplay between creator and creation that ultimately results in the finished work. The journey on the way to the finished work is the point -- then suddenly one arrives at the end. The end, the new work of art, is a great moment as well as another beginning.” - Gordon Jameson
“I was very excited to be selected to participate in this project for the 250th anniversary of Orange County. Although I’m a native of Canada I’ve lived in Orange County since June 1990. I find this area stimulating and culturally rich. In preparing for this project I looked into the history of the county and was inspired by the human toil and hard work that went into the building of this strong community. Although the style is abstract, the shapes, lines and heavy texture I used in my paintings were inspired by Orange County’s rich historical and geographical features such as the Old Well on UNC campus, the court house spire in Hillsborough, and the Eno River, just to name a few. It has been great to collaborate with other North Carolina artists in celebrating this county’s anniversary… My painting is greatly influenced by my travels. In my paintings I draw on these past experiences, recalling how the skies differ from the cool crisp north to the still warm south. I spend a lot of time observing how light reflects off different things around us. In my paintings I try to create an image that evokes a feeling and a memory. I also want a painting to be so inviting that you want to touch it and feel the textures under your fingertips. I enjoy using everyday objects such as laundry lint, rope sand and fruit and onion sacks to build texture on the canvas. I feel that people can relate to these familiar everyday objects and are pleasantly surprised to see them transformed into intriguing paintings which merit some close examination rather than a quick glance.” - Linda Mezzetti
"It was thrilling to be selected as one of the artists to work on the EXCERPTS project. I had never worked on this sort of collaboration and it seemed like the perfect metaphor for the theme of the work - a history of life in Orange County. Working with six other artists really sparked my creativity. As artists, we each discussed our own individual medium, style and the unifying theme. The concept of cooperation of the county's residents and their accomplishments inspired us all. Since I usually work with figures I wanted to express my vision of the county's past by showing the energy of the people who helped build Orange County. I drew images over the embroidered replica of the 1795 Almanac that all the painters involved in the project shared as a background. Letters from the old text emerged and then merged with hands, people and tools. My three sections are a small part of the fabric that is EXCERPTS and the celebration of the 250th anniversary of Orange County." - Linda Passman
“I make quilt-like patterns with creatures waiting in them. The creatures are waiting to be discovered. They’ve always existed, but somehow, we are not consciously aware of them. I am excited about my quilt-like pattern pieces becoming part of a larger quilt. Just as an individual in a community, they are now involved with something greater… I seek to describe a world of precious perfection. Utopia can be a reality, whether it is existing in a parallel universe, or for a future generation. My artwork references my personal version of Utopia by using bright colors, bold figures, and freely drawn lines. These techniques are employed in order to create a playful childlike innocent atmosphere where hardships and worries have no home.” - Beth Sale
“Handcraft and early mechanization bleed together in these images. The background is formed by rotation and melding of an archival image of the first cotton mill in the county laid over a page from an 18th century almanac shared by all of the artists. The drifting tools are also retrospective, historical, looking back to slowly crafted construction and days when we had to have time to do things by hand… Film is very literal. I like to take photographs of people and places simply, directly, with a 35 mm. camera. I want to show feelings, struggles, and emotions. I am also open to metaphor. Scanning images into the computer and combining them frees me to create an inter-play of ideas through visual images. I am a documentary photographer who craves the impact of poetry.” - Susan Simone
“For this particular work, inspired by the collaboration idea with various wonderful artists and medium, I printed various images of hands -- tools in making or building which imply how we build up this rich community. Then I weave and overlay them into a final section; such as my role as an artist continually building, and stitching my thoughts, passion, and love into my work…Most of the works I have done deal with mixed materials, repetition, body and form. The profusion of materials questions the physical and psychological relationships between the mechanical and organic, the gigantic and the miniature. The multiplicity of small images, details, and objects that make up the whole reveal the individual and the universal simultaneously. That repetition of form and notion, the discrepancy between materials is wedded alchemically to produce a new harmony.” - Jan-Ru Wan
An opening reception will be held at the site from 5:30-7:00 pm on Tuesday, September 9, 2003 (Orange County’s anniversary date).
Individuals and businesses can sponsor a piece of this large mixed media work as a gift to Orange County for the county’s 250th anniversary. A plaque listing the sponsors and artists will be installed with the artwork. If you are interested in contributing financially to this public art project, please contact the Orange County Arts Commission by August 19, 2003. (The EXCERPTS contributions flyer in PDF format can be downloaded at www.artsorange.org/newsletter.htm#excerpts.)
For more information, please visit our web site (www.artsorange.org), call the Orange County Arts Commission office at 919/245-2335, or e-mail us at arts@co.orange.nc.us.
Homestead Park Aquatics Center Percent for Art Project:
Project Summary: The Chapel Hill Public Arts Commission and the Orange County Arts Commission announce a Request for Qualifications to create public artwork(s) for the new Homestead Park Aquatics Center in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Eligibility: Open to all artists and artist teams working in any media. Budget: $55,000 Postmark Deadline: May 12, 2004
Southern Community Park Percent for Art Project:
Project Summary: The Chapel Hill Public Arts Commission and the Orange County Arts Commission announce a Request for Qualifications for a public artist or artist team to be a part of the project design team for the new Southern Community Park in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Eligibility: Open to all artists and artist teams working in any media. Budget: $20,000 Design Fee Postmark Deadline: May 12, 2004
On Oct. 1, 2003, the Board of County Commissioners designated 1% of county funds allocated for the Southern Community Park and the Homestead Aquatics Center projects for public art. The Orange County Arts Commission was also given permission to work collaboratively with the Chapel Hill Public Arts Commission on these two projects.
The first meeting of the Homestead Aquatics Center Public Art Selection Committee was held on Tuesday, December 2, 2003 at the Chapel Hill Public Library. The Homestead Aquatics Center Public Meeting was held at 7 pm on January 14, 2004 at the Chapel Hill Community Center to hear concerns about the pool equipment and amenities prior to the start of major design.
The first meeting of the Southern Community Park Public Art Selection Committee was held on Friday, January 16, 2004 at the Chapel Hill Public Library.
108 responses were received for the Homestead Aquatics Center Public Art Project, and 48 responses were received for the Southern Community Park Public Art Project. Public comments were also solicited and received concerning the finalists' proposals.
Artists have been selected for both of these public art projects. The artist team of Laura Haddad and Tom Drugan (Seattle, WA) have been selected to join the design team for Southern Community Park. Artist Ray King (Philadelphia, PA) has been selected for the Homestead Aquatics Center Public Art Project. The artists selected have excellent credentials and years of relevant public art experience. They were chosen primarily for their artistic merit and their ability to work successfully in the public art arena.
