Smithfield’s Public Art Forum
If you are a Smithfield resident, I encourage you to attend this forum to voice your opinion about the future of Public Art in your community. Even if you can’t make it to the forum, you can still send in your comments.
Smithfield, through its Appearance Commission, has commissioned public art to celebrate the Town’s African American heritage. A “Tell the Artist Forum” will be held on Monday, February 25 at 7:00 p.m. at the Ava Gardner Museum. Artist Erik Beerbower will also be at the Museum two hours prior to the forum, starting at 5:00 p.m., to hear from citizens, individually.
Beerbower’s goals for the project are to incorporate community input and research on the African American heritage of Smithfield into a dynamic public art project that will resonate with residents now and in the future. He says, “If you want to know about a town, walk their roads and ask their people.” The artwork will be designed specifically for the site in Smithfield, with special attention to the community’s natural resources. The project will be located along the historic Smithfield Town Commons, which will be a major entrance to the new greenway connecting downtown to Smithfield Community Park.
Funding for the public artwork is partially provided by a 2008 grant from the North Carolina Arts Council. Additional funding is provided from the Town of Smithfield Appearance Commission budget, the Josephine B. George Beautification Fund and Lib Morgan memorial contributions. The project is an example of the Public Art Vision Plan created in 2007. The Vision seeks to emphasize Smithfield’s heritage through outdoor artwork in publicly owned spaces, particularly the town’s parks, entryways and downtown. The NC Arts Council also funded the Public Art Vision Plan. Smithfield and Clayton were two of four North Carolina towns selected for the visioning grants in 2007.
The following leaders participated in the artist selection: Dr. Carolyn Ennis, Councilman Charles Williams, Johnston County Arts Council President Susan Lassiter, Downtown Smithfield Development Corporation Director Chris Johnson, Planning Director Paul Embler, Johnston Community College Graphic Arts/Fine Arts Program Head John Byrd, Recreation Staff Member Laura Crumpler, plus Appearance Commission members Candace Jackson and Kay Long. These leaders have guided the project, assisted by public art consultant Laura Blackman. Ms. Blackman also directs Cary Visual Art. Former Smithfield Appearance Commission member Joe Morgan provides volunteer administration of the project.
Artist Erik Beerbower is experienced with both creating and planning public art. He was born, reared, and educated in Buffalo, NY. Beerbower attended State University of Buffalo for Furniture Design. He moved to Greensboro, NC in 1994 to study sculpture with Robert Burkhart in Summerfield, NC. In 2001, he founded Imaginative Initiatives, a company focusing on functional sculpture. Two years later, he founded Lyndon St. Artworks, a collective of over 40 artists, with studios in a revitalized 1927 warehouse. Erik’s current civic involvement is focused in Greensboro and includes: Design Committee for
Center City Park, Greensboro Beautiful Public Gardens Committee, Public Art Master Plan Committee for the United Arts Council, and the Advisory Committee for the Historical Museum. Erik has recently been elected to the Board of Directors for the Greenhill Center for North Carolina Art, and was selected a “40 leaders under 40” award winner sponsored by Jefferson Pilot and the Business Journal. Notable works are: Waterflight, a water feature and Chakras Fountain, both located along South Elm Street, Greensboro.
For more information about the February 25 forum, please contact Latanya Merritt at the Smithfield Planning Office (934-2116) or Chris Johnson at Downtown Smithfield Development Corporation (934-0887). Comments on the project may also be sent to art@megahits.com.
If you enjoyed this post, please consider leaving a comment or subscribe to the feed and get future articles delivered to your feed reader or email.
Subscribe to RSS
Hi how are you doing