Published: August 23, 2007 11:28 pm         

Two new sculptures will adorn downtown

TERRE HAUTE — Within the next few months, two new outdoor public art sculptures will beautify downtown along the Terre Haute Arts Corridor.

One, which would serve as the Gateway to the Arts Corridor, would be at Seventh and Poplar streets on Vigo County Public Library grounds. It should be installed early next year.

The second public sculpture would be in front of the Swope Art Gallery. The abstract piece is expected to be installed later this year.

Arts patrons got a sneak peek at the sculpture designs Thursday during Indiana State University’s ISU’s Sycamore Showcase, which took place at the Swope Art Gallery.

Mary Kramer, executive director of Wabash Valley Art Spaces Inc., spoke about the new sculptures, part of an effort to establish an outdoor public sculpture collection in Terre Haute.

Sally Rogers of North Carolina won a competition to create the Gateway to the Arts Corridor sculpture. There were 45 proposals submitted.

The Hollie and Anna Oakley Foundation provided funding for the sculpture, tentatively titled “Gatekeeper.” The project will cost $52,000. The abstract sculpture, made of two separate, large-scale forms, would form an arch that people could walk under. It would be made of stainless steel and granite.

“It conveys a great sense of hopefulness,” Kramer said. “I think it’s ideal to have it at the beginning of the arts corridor.”

Rogers’ sculptures are in many public collections in places such as Traverse City, Mich. and Asheville, N.C.

A sculpture in front of the Swope Museum by Bob Emser of Eureka, Ill., is scheduled for installation later this year. Made of stainless steel and bronze-colored aluminum, it will have an open design and be about 91/2 feet high.

Among the many benefits, art in public places provides something beautiful, provides free access to the arts and improves the landscape, Kramer said.

Art Spaces, which began as an economic development initiative, has met with a tremendous response, she said. “This is an idea whose time has come and while we have met with occasional skepticism about how we will fund the collection, people here are positive about the idea itself,” she said.

Art Spaces has funded 31/2 sculptures so far this year and recently dedicated a sculpture called “Tree” by Mark Wallis at the Memorial Stadium grounds.

Kramer said she’s excited about the initiative to have a Wabash Valley outdoor sculpture collection, and there’s been much momentum this past year. “I’m loving it,” she said. “It’s been a huge creative challenge for me … to figure out how to do it.”

Looking to the future, Art Spaces is working with other sites including the Clark Landsbaum Holly Arboretum in Deming Park; the new location for the Terre Haute Convention and Visitors Bureau; the Brown Boulevard extension; and other places.

The future might include establishing a sculpture park. Also, “We might want sculptures designed to memorialize some of our famous Terre Hauteans” including Eugene Debs and Theodore Dreiser, Kramer said.

Another goal is to do sculpture projects tied in with the Wabash River.

Projects can be funded from a variety of sources: individuals, businesses, foundations, government and donations.

Among those attending the presentation was Marcus Andrews, an ISU public relations major, who is an intern with Art Spaces.

When he first came to Terre Haute about three years ago, he didn’t necessarily think of Terre Haute as an artistic city.

But he sees that changing, and says it’s inspiring to be part of the public sculpture initiative.

Stan Evans, an ISU faculty member, attended Thursday’s program “because I’ve been very excited about a couple of the different projects that have been done recently in the city … It brings something to downtown. It’s wonderful,” he said.

For more information about Art Spaces, contact the Art Spaces office at (812) 244-4216 or visit www.wabashvalleyartspaces.com.

Sue Loughlin can be reached at (812) 231-4235 or sue.loughlin@tribstar.com.