Parks & Recreation

Arts & Culture - Sculpture360

Sculpture360: Art in the Cleveland Street District - Season II

Sculpture 360 has returned to downtown Clearwater with Season II, running from August 2009 – September 2010.

"Linear V"
Jarrett Hawkins
www.hawkinsandhawkins.biz

Artist's Statement:
The abstract work presented here addresses a range of artistic concerns through the lens of my personal principles of sculptural expression. The principles I use derive from the mechanics of visual perception. To summarize, we learn to understand the spatial properties of our physical environment in several ways. One of the most important is the interpretation of the patterns of light impinging on the inside of two variable spherical surfaces-our eyes. In concert with proprioception*, the sensation, the feel of light impinging on our retinas, permits us to derive amazing amounts of information about the space we occupy, how to move about in it, and how to manipulate or avoid objects. I use self-referential patterns to define physical objects in space. These are used in a very deliberate way to call into question the nature of the viewed form... does that shape advance or recede in space what is the scale, etc. The range of spatial questions is immense, but suffice to say, the objects interact with the space around and between themselves and, as the viewer moves about the sculptures the perceived form changes continually. This is a phenomenological approach intended to produce sculpture fully in-the-round. I choose to work in real space because we live in real space and I wish to heighten our awareness or even call into question how we commonly determine reality.

*Proprioception (from Latin proprius, meaning "one's own") is the sense of the position of parts of the body, relative to other neighbouring parts of the body. Unlike the five exteroception human senses of sight, taste, smell, touch, and hearing, that advise us of the outside world, proprioception is a sense that provides feedback solely on the status of the body internally. It is the sense that indicates whether or not your body is moving with required effort as where the various parts of the body are located in relation to each other.

"Going Green"
Jack Howard-Potter
www.steelstatue.com

Artist's Statement:

I try to capture movement in a medium that does not move. Using steel which is an inherently rigid material I work to convey a sense of fluid action in space. My work explores the wide range of movement of the human figure informed through my study of drawing the human anatomy. My sculptures seek to convey the motion of the body in extremely stressful and beautiful positions; the moment that a dancer is at the peak of a jump, the weightless split second before a body succumbs to gravity. I am describing an ephemeral action in steel to convey this moment for eternity. I want the viewer to visualize the actions that led up to a given pose and the actions that will follow it. Using the brightly colored surfaces separates the figures from the landscape, making them stand out in much the same way people do when they wear clothes. The brilliant colors serve as protection for the steel from the corrosive outdoor environment as well as adding excitement to the steel to aid in the sense of movement. The work explores the range of possibilities and flexibility of the material as well as the subject matter. The display of my work in the outdoor public arena is the perfect place for the inherent academic roots to be brought to every person in an easily recognizable and accessible way, bridging the gap between the intimidating gallery or fine art institution and the general public.

"Henry"
Doug Makemson
www.makesculpture.com

Artist's Statement:

The sculptures are usually representational and are made from steel, stainless steel, copper and brass. The principal methods utilized are Oxy-acetylene welding, brazing, and cutting; electric arc welding with stick electrodes; and hydraulic shearing. Almost all of the raw material is recycled from businesses, scrap yards, and farming activities. The use of thick or non-corrosive material ensures that the works will last when exposed to the outdoor environment. While using metal as a raw material, the challenge is to create sculptures that seem alive. This is achieved by implying motion. The creatures will have open mouths, asymmetrical positions, or cocked heads. When completed, the creations seem to develop individual personalities and become much more than the sum of their parts.

The character of the raw materials is retained in the finished work, so that from a distance one sees the form of a creature in the landscape, but as one gets closer the parts become recognizable as more or less familiar objects from our industrial culture. This seems to stimulate people's sense of wonder and imagination. The work has been very popular with the public. Both those with art backgrounds and ordinary people get great enjoyment in seeing the installations in public places. Children especially are captivated by the large beasts. Almost everyone who encounters my work has a smile on their face, which is exactly my goal: to make people smile.

Sculpture360 is part of the Clearwater Public Art and Design Program and is funded through a partnership with the Downtown Development Board. 

See photos of the installation of “Going Green”

For media coverage of Season II:

http://tampabayinformer.com/Community/Pinellas-County/Cleveland-Street-Sculpture-Going-Green-Installed-in-Downtown-Clearwater-on-August-27.html

http://tampabayinformer.com/Community/Pinellas-County/Sculpture-360-Season-II-installed-in-Downtown-Clearwater-Linear-V-and-Going-Green-Sept-2009.html

http://www.clearwatergazette.com/20091105/henry.html

http://www.tampabay.com/news/localgovernment/controversial-sorcerers-gate-sculpture-on-way-out-in-clearwater/1025080

http://www.tampabay.com/news/humaninterest/from-scraps-a-big-dog-lands-in-clearwater/1049042