Hi, everyone.
I have some exciting updates on public art projects in Ann Arbor.

Not in Ann Arbor, alas, but still urban public art by Fra.Biancoshock. It makes me happy for some reason…
But first, I’d like to ask those of you who are artists in the Ann Arbor AREA (hi Ypsi) to sign up with the Arts Alliance. They’ve been doing a great job of facilitating public art in Ann Arbor, and it’s a good organization to promote your art and find out about requests for proposals:
Okay, now that you’ve done that, fellow artists, on to the news!
Last time we got together, I went over some of the projects in the pipeline.
Here’s where they are now:
- The Coleman Jewett memorial has been fully funded, largely through private donations. We’ll have a date for installation sometime soon, and the city is now looking into the specifics. The memorial will be two bronze Adirondack chairs installed at the Farmer’s Market in Kerrytown.
- Canoe Imagine Art went to public vote, and the selections have been announced. I’m happy to be able to include some pictures this time around so you can see how great the final choices are. What’s fantastic about these is that Ann Arbor Parks & Rec has the option to keep them (except for 1) in perpetuity. These will be installed in June of 2015.This first one is the one selected by the public. I happen to know it’s also fairly complex to install, so mad props to the city for sorting out the engineering behind the scenes. This is the one I’m most excited about. Go public!
Title: Turbine
Artist Team: Missouri Western State University: Heather Andrews (Student), Jake Proffit (Student), J. Neil Lawley (Faculty) and Dustin Lafromboise (Construction Professional)
Artists’ Description: The name is in reference to the movement and occasional turbulence of the river and the history of hydroelectricity generated by the river.
Location: Broadway ParkThe following were selected by the jury.
Canoe Fan is the installation that the city only has for a certain period of time.
Title: Canoe Fan
Artist: Victoria Fuller
Artist’s Description: Aluminum canoes create a half circle fan form that calls to mind the sun on the horizon, a woman’s hand held fan, a Native American headdress, or the spread of peacock tail feathers.
Location: Gallup ParkTitle: Canoe-vue
Artist: Jeff Zischke
Artist’s Description: Two vertical half canoe sculptures to be placed near the Huron River with a built-in seat to accommodate one or two people.
Location: Island Park
Title: Tulip
Artist: Ray Katz
Artist’s Description: Tulip will be constructed from ten canoes standing vertically meeting at one point in the center.
Location: Bandemer Park - PowerArt! public selections were made, and will start being installed in the month of May 2015 in downtown Ann Arbor. These will wrap power boxes, and the location is included. I was on the jury for this, and have some comments about the sentiment and process that went into some of them. There are potentially two more phases for this project, so please consider submitting for the next round; there was a $1500 stipend to the artists whose works were selected this time.
The following two were selected by the public.
Title: Amusement Park
Artist: Carolyn Barritt
Location: Washington & Division
Title: Enchanted Forest
Artist: Laila Kujala
Location: Miller & AshleyThe following were selected by the jury.
The jury unanimously liked Show Horse 1.
Title: Show Horse 1
Artist: K.A. Letts
Location: Catherine & FifthTropicali is my personal favorite, and I believe it will be installed on a power box that I used to look at quite often from my apartment on S. Forest in University Towers as an undergraduate.
Title: Tropicali
Artist: Mike McAteer
Location: South University & WashtenawThe jury is curious to see how the public will react to A Fly Stopped By.
Title: A Fly Stopped By
Artist: Danny Mooney
Location: South University & ForestI wish I could remember more of the discussion around Traffic Light 1, but we all were fans.
Title: Traffic Light 1
Artist: Thomas Rosenbaum
Location: Liberty & MainAnd still it will be wonderful was somewhat controversial, but we felt it was thought provoking and offered dynamism as you moved around the box to view it.
Title: And it will still be wonderful
Artist: Sophia Zhou
Location: Liberty & ThompsonAnd David Zinn wins for most completely thought-out rendering with Selfie Monster.
Title: Selfie Monster
Artist: David Zinn
Location: Liberty & First
Finally, Art in the Sky is under way, and I encourage you to submit a design for the water tower that I see every day when I go to and from work, when I run through County Farm Park… make it interesting!
Read more and submit a design! ($500 to the winner!)
I hope you enjoy — there is more to come.