LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (Sept. 13, 2012) - Aficionados of art, sculpture, food and community will get a real treat at the 2012 Bernice Garden Sculpture Party and Fall Fest from 5-8 p.m. at 1401 South Main in downtown Little Rock on Thursday, September 20.
The event is free and open to the public. There will be food and drinks from Boulevard Bread and The Root Cafe.
The Bernice Garden, located in Little Rock at 1401 South Main Street, sought Arkansas sculptors and artists to enter in the fourth annual Bernice Garden Sculpture Project to display outdoor art on South Main in downtown Little Rock.
Artists selected will receive $2,800 per artwork, with an additional design fee of $200 for the finalists' development of a model for the proposal.
The Bernice Garden, its sculptures and artworks represent and reflect the spirit, nature and history of Arkansas. To celebrate a sense of community and whimsy and to invite neighborly interaction, The Bernice Garden hosts this annual sculpture competition exclusive to Arkansas artists.
THV's Ashley Blackstone sat down with Liz Sanders from The Bernice Garden and one of the artists whose worked will be on display, David O'Brien, on 'Today's THV This Morning'. Click on the THVideo!
The six Arkansas sculptors who will install their works at the garden for a year are:
- Mia Hall developed "Comfort," which is a collection of pillows reinforced with welded rebar, threaded rods and three concrete footings. As an artist, she often seeks out objects to portray that communicate a specific feeling, sensation or memory. Replicating that object in a foreign or contradicting material lends her the option to question the connection the viewer has to the object. It creates an immediate reaction when discovering that a seemingly light, soft and fluffy pillow is in fact constructed out of concrete.
- Bryan Winfred Massey, Sr. will install "Three Rings," a tribute to Isamu Noguchi. Isamu Noguchi (Japanese-American Sculptor 1904-1988) had the ability to combine various stones and media, which fascinated Massey in the early days of his career. He continues to mix various media that reflect his influence, but with Massey's distinctive, artistic voice.
- David O'Brien's sculpture, "Control Center 5," is inspired by his experiences in large cities, farming communities and mountain wildernesses and noting the clash that exists between these environments. The grain silo can be found in all these places and is frequently abandoned, but they have a timeless type of sculptural beauty and will, quite possibly, remain to mark our passing.
- Tod "Switch" Swiecichowski will install his work, "Rebuilding the Dream," which represents the rejuvenation and progress of the South Main community. His goal is to produce pieces of art that can somehow show a snapshot of what he envisions, and he wants to represent the inward significance, not just the outward appearance, of his art.
- Stephanie Shinabery's sculpture, "Deeply Rooted," incorporates her thoughts on nature and the idea that we are all one with it. The figure growing out of the earth represents our inseparable, interconnectedness with the planet. It is a dance in celebration of the wonders of nature and all it provides us.
- John M. Van Horn's sculpture, "Companions: The Three Sisters," is an homage to heritage and pass-along gardening, to those with dirt under their nails, and verdant green in their hearts.
For more information about The Bernice Garden sculpture project or the garden itself, contact Liz Sanders at 501-617-2511 or e-mail bernicegarden@gmail.com.
(Source: The Bernice Garden)