“Duryea Redux” by Beth Crawford (Springfield, MA): Sculpture
Beth CrawfordSculptureWebsite/Instagram: @yellowdog.nohoTitle: Duryea ReduxTheme: Springfield Massachusetts is the home of the first American automobile manufacturer, the Duryea Motor Wagon Company located on Taylor Street, a short distance from Pynchon Park. While the age of automobiles ushered in many positive changes in American society, a century later we understand how our reliance on automobiles has negatively affected our environment. This is evident in Springfield where in the mid-twentieth century Interstate 91 was built, effectively cutting off people from the city’s wonderful natural resource, the Connecticut River. Gasoline powered cars emit carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming and climate change, which hurts the natural world around us. A notable effect is the harm it does to our natural pollinators such as bees, beetles and other insects that are critical to the survival of our ecosystem. At this time 40% of our natural pollinators are facing extinction. This sculpture and the plantings around it celebrate the important role the city played in the creation of the automobile while recognizing the need to act to mitigate the damage done by our love of this creation. This sculpture is made from iron rings used to reinforce wooden wagon wheels which would have been in regular use on the streets of Springfield when Charles Duryea created his “motorized wagon”. It includes three concentric circles, symbolizing the full-circle we’ve come in understanding the importance of our environment, as well as representing the continuation of life itself. The garden will be planted with native plants that will provide natural pollinators with nutritionally dense food to support their survival. An important feature of the sculpture is that almost all of materials used are locally sourced and recycled; the iron circles are recycled from wagon wheels, a nod to the name of Charles Duryea’s company; and the base is recycled from stone used in the city around the time the Duryea brothers were working here. There are other projects in Springfield that celebrate the accomplishments of the Duryea Motor Wagon Company, specifically Duryea Way. This project is different in that it is a reaction on how our love of the automobile has changed our natural environment. The name of the project is symbolic of its purpose. The word redux is derived from the Latin word “reducere” which means to lead back or bring back. This project leads us back to a prior time in Springfield’s history and brings back natural pollinators to the city.
"Our Presence at Dawn" by Jeffrey Lara
Jefferey Lara of Studio Stoneyhill (Springfield, MA): Sculpturelovestoneyhill.comwww.instagram.com/lovestoneyhill/Theme: SculptureWebsite: www.lovestoneyhill.com Title: “Our Presence at Dawn” Theme: “Art should be literally or abstractly inspired by Springfield’s cultural and historical legacies, including past and/or present day residents, neighborhoods, cultural traditions and landmarks, places and landscapes, architecture, and other distinctive qualities that make the city a special place to live, work, and visit.” IT’S ESSENCEA Window Into The Heart, is a statement and manifestation of the current times, that have been taking place in Springfield MA since the beginning of its time. The qualities that manifest from the work “Our Presence at Dawn" are the same qualities that many of the diverse population saw prior to locating here with their families as well as the qualities that many are currently seeing as they choose to relocate to the city of Springfield in modern times.Those qualities are the inner light (beliefs, standards) that drives The City of Springfield, the inner light that has been slowly spreading across Springfield and the community over the years. The always present potential of the city. The “light” is a representation of the need the city as always had to make itself and its people better and infinitely beautiful within. The ability the city has always had to keep reforming itself and adjusting to its peoples needs. The light within the work, mimics the sunrise and sunset, two things that have always been, always are and will always be present as long as we are present ourselves. Just like the inner drive and light that always has been and always will be present at the core of the cities infrastructure. Spreading its light and beautifying itself with the help of its people.The inner light and drive of the City of Springfield isn’t a physical thing, its within its leaders and its people, hidden within the shell of what the city is and what our bodies are. The physical look of the city and the steps being taken to only make it more beautiful and enjoyable are only a product and reflection of that inner light and the standards to which we hold each other manifesting out. The shell of the work represent the city and the bodies of its people, what holds the lights, beliefs, and expectations in place. The inner light of the work representing our core values as a city, In which justlike the sunset and sunrise are beautiful all on their own.
Free Little Library Boxes, by Make-it Springfield artists
Free Library Box, by Make-it Springfield artistsMake-It Springfield supports the creative needs of a diverse Springfield community. Its dynamic, eclectic learning environment invites people of any background or skill level to explore and create, while promoting inclusion and collaboration in all forms of culture, art, and technology.Make-It Springfield provides space, tools, and vision, especially for low- and moderate-income individuals and families, to explore and work on creative projects. Make-It Springfield provides a multicultural home that invites creativity, invention, and artistic experimentation through dialogue, collaboration, and the sharing of skills and ideas.Sheldon Smith Sheldon brings his experience as a community leader to every aspect of his work with Make-It’s members, workshop hosts, participants and visitors. He guides hosts through the process of developing and leading workshops and serves as a mentor to our makers. Sheldon formerly worked as Art Coordinator at a local community support center, providing art as an outlet for at-risk teens, disabled persons, and those seeking ways to cope with substance recovery. He has been designing art and clothing since 1994 including personalized T-shirts, graphics, murals and fashion.
“One People” by Ryan Murray
Title: “One People”Theme: "One people" showcasing Springfield’s people, cultures, places and historical legaciesRyan Murray combines elements from pop culture, his photography, Google Earth stills, magazine collages, and social media into a digital image, which he then layers in Photoshop or Gimp. Once printed, he takes them back to his home studio in Springfield where he makes the intricate cuts by hand until his wrist gets sore. This deliberate act of hand cutting is both meditative and progressive. "A social commentary I spend a lot of time exploring in my art is the underrepresentation of mental health in African-American communities, which leads to conversations on racial tensions in our country".Ryan is an emerging artist with Art for the Soul Gallery and RT Woods.Art for the Soul Gallery is a unique gallery where artists of all cultures can exhibit and sell their work. It succeeds in being a venue that represents and promotes the work of emerging local artists that reflect the diverse cultures of the global society. Art for the Soul Gallery has also upheld its educational mission to provide cultural enrichment to the community by providing a rigorous curriculum, integrating both historical perspectives and the emerging social/political issues that define our times, cultivating a safe public space for personal and collective inquiry through workshops for adults, children and artists.
“Social Seating for Pynchon Park” by Roberly Bell
Seating Art, “Social Seating for Pynchon Park” by Roberly Bell Roberley Bell (Pelham, MA) Artful Seating SculptureBorn in Greenfield Massachusetts, Bell received a BFA from University of Massachusetts and an MFA from the State University of New York College of Ceramics. She maintained a studio in Holyoke, MA. Bell’s work centers on the production of sculpture and site-specific public projects.Inspired by nature, Bell’s practice draws on the world around her, in particular the observation of nature and the built environment. Bell’s sculptures are embedded in the formal language of spatial composition. color, contrasting material, textures and distinctive form are all at play -straddling the space between representation and abstraction.Bell has been awarded many fellowships including the New York Foundation for the Arts, a Pollock Krasner Fellowship, and a Senior Scholar Fulbright to Turkey.
Sound Sculptures by Acoustic Arts and City of Springfield Department of Parks and Recreation
Sound Sculptures by Acoustic Arts and City of Springfield Department of Parks and Recreation Acoustic Arts was originally established in 1990 as a community arts organization aiming to promote outdoor learning and creative play and to improve access to music-making for people of all abilities.Since that time, our team of musicians, artists and teachers has created award-winning musical installations and provided workshops for educational, arts and environmental organizations throughout the UK.The City of Springfield Department of Parks & Recreation carpenters utilized templates from Acoustic Arts to create once of a kind pieces of art from locally sourced wood using their creative eyes for detail.
"Portals" by Lauren Celini
Lauren Celini, the creative behind BlurUtility ArtTitle: “Portals”Lauren Celini is a disabled multimedia artist from Philadelphia who strives to create unifying artwork that addresses our basic need to be seen and heard. Her career as a public artist began in 2015 following a serious health issue, it was then that she began to open her work to the public.As a long time admirer of public art, she loved how walking down the street became like walking through a museum – ever inspiring, ever-changing, ever accessible. Though the inspiration of her work stems from a very personal space, her motivation to keep creating is to have a positive impact on the communities in which she works.Theme: I was inspired by one of Springfield's most cherished creative mind - Dr. Seuss. As a huge fan of his work growing up, I was excited to apply to this project to incorporate his in influence on society. I thought putting murals on manhole covers in the park could be an amazing way to tap into that Dr. Seuss imagination and have it feel like you're peering into another world, and that world is his - specifically the Lorax. Art can already transport us but what if it looked like we had portals into other worlds?Lauren Celini is the creative behind Blur. an anonymous street artist and poet based on the East Coast. Starting as a public artist in 2015, Lauren became known for iconic ‘mouth’ designs and empowering prose around Philadelphia, NYC, and Northampton Mass. "I have admired public art for as long as I remember. How walking down the street became like walking through a museum - ever inspiring, ever-changing, ever accessible. After a lifetime of creating art that stayed in my room or hung in galleries, I dove into street art and murals in the Fall of 2015"."Though the inspiration of my work stems from very deep and personal space, my motivation to keep creating is to have a positive impact on my community. To have those who live in the community to be representing in the communities they live in. Representation matters. I want to challenge anyone who sees my work to be vulnerable, empathetic, to say what they need to say in their own lives. Most importantly, I hope to have a connection with every single passerby. I want my work to feel like home, in the cities I call home".
Pynchon Plaza - then & now
“The SPark! project is a remarkable opportunity to create a museum without walls that builds on the hopes and vision of our community in the heart of downtown Springfield ,” said Kay Simpson, President and CEO of the Springfield Museums. “Pynchon Park will become more than just an easy way to walk from downtown to the Springfield Museums, the Central Library, and the Armory,” Simpson said. “It will become a community space for solace and conversation surrounded by intriguing art. We feel privileged to play a role in creating an Art Park that showcases the talents of artists from Springfield and beyond.” “ Empowering the arts and cultural community is paramount to the strength and resilience of our community, “ said Karen Finn, Executive Director for the Springfield Cultural Partnership. “In addition to the public art installations, Pynchon Plaza will be a new venue for Springfield artists and organizations to use for programming and other activities. Receiving the NEA Our Town grant amplifies the SCP’s goal of connecting artists, institutions, and audiences to celebrate Springfield’s creativity.”LOCATIONPynchon Park is an award winning split-level public park located between 75 and 115 Dwight Street, and 10 and 70 Chestnut Street in Springfield, MA.HISTORY:The original park was completed in 1977. The original design featured a concrete courtyard, abstract sculpture, fountain, elevator and stairs aimed at providing a gateway between the Springfield Museums and downtown Springfield, MA. More recently in summer 2020, Pynchon Plaza was redesigned as an accessible civic space. Pynchon Plaza formally reopened on November 19, 2020.FUNDING:The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) “Our Town” grant was a catalyst for the City’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) support. The city has been incredibly supportive of this project and the vibrancy being brought to Pynchon Plaza, which brings so much connectivity to our downtown. SELECTED ARTISTS:Of the 10 participating artists, 6 (60%) identify as Women, 7 (70%) are BIPOC, 2 (20%) are LGBTQIA+ and 2 (20%) identify as having a disability.PRIORITY APPLICANTS:Black, Indiginous and People of Color (BIPOC), LGBTQIA+ and female artists are strongly encouraged to apply and will be given special consideration and scoring criteria. Equity and access is a high priority for SPark!Strong preference and scoring criteria will be given to Springfield residents. Proposals from individuals and organizations both within and outside of the city of Springfield, MA will be considered, however, preference will begiven to proposals that include a collaborative element with the Springfield community.PROJECT INFO:THEME:Art should be literally or abstractly inspired by Springfield’s cultural and historical legacies, including past and/or present day residents, neighborhoods, cultural traditions and landmarks, places and landscapes, architecture, and other distinctive qualities that make the city a special place to live, work, and visit.Utilize the theme in a way that ensures that Springfield residents are reflected in the artwork and have pride in the public art created through SPark! .SPark! Igniting Our Community , is a two-year public art project to transform recently reopened Pynchon Plaza into a vibrant public space with innovative multi-media art installations created by local and national artists. The project is designed to engage city artists, residents, community stakeholders, and cultural institutions to actively participate to re-imagine public art that celebrates Springfield’s citizens, culture and historical legacies. Competitive proposals will be inspired by aspects of Springfield itself--including its historic and/or present-day people, cultures, places and landscapes, architecture, etc.,-- and can be literal or creative, interpretive representations.After being closed for forty years, we are using the park’s reopening to celebrate public art and create a shared, communal space for programs, events, and celebrations that are free to the public. As a highly visible beautification project that will produce an artistic, accessible, and walkable pathway, SPark! Will:Turn an under-utilized urban park into a free outdoor art gallery that all city residents and visitors can experience .Be a welcome and inviting place for residents to gather to socialize and enjoy their city.Use art to attract and connect people and their neighborhoods.Improve physical access between neighborhoods by improving traffic patterns and pedestrian and public safety.Spur public space and retail projects along adjacent avenuesEncourage tourism throughout the city.Be a testament to the power of creativity and civic engagement in our vibrant, livable city.Be a catalyst and model for inclusive urban design that connects people through shared experiences of community in public art.Rational urbanism blog: Pynchon PlazaRenovation Link: Pynchon Plaza Renovation Project (springfield-ma.gov)
Common Wealth Murals & GoodSpace Murals
The Community Mural Institute (CMI) is a collaboration between GoodSpace Murals and Common Wealth Murals. In the process we teach, murals start with facilitated community gatherings to identify themes, ideas and images that resonate with the group. The muralist takes these ideas and designs the mural which is then projected onto specially prepared mural fabric, creating a giant paint-by-numbers. These fabric panels are brought into the community for paint parties where any- and everyone can help paint. The muralist then does the detail work and overpainting in a studio before the mural is permanently installed on the wall. Murals made in this way combine community input and the design skills of professional muralists, give hundreds of people the chance to actively participate in the mural’s creation, and these murals last longer and weather better than murals painted directly on the wall.The scope of each CMI is tailored to the host community’ needs. Every CMI combines online and in-person instruction, experiential learning, and professional mentorship. Local artists receive paid training, hundreds of community members can engage in design conversations and paint parties, and up to 3 beautiful new murals are created in your community.
Springfield Museums
https://springfieldmuseums.org/
Springfield City Library
https://www.springfieldlibrary.org/library/
