Elizabeth Conner on "Nomadic Thinking and Happy Accidents"

Artist Elizabeth Conner was our last featured speaker this season. She spoke on Thursday, May 22, at Page-Walker Arts and History Center.

Ms. Conner is currently working on the Downtown Cary Streetscape Project, aimed at creating a unique and vibrant downtown destination.

Public art by Elizabeth Conner.

Larry Kirkland Talks About Building for the Future in Public Art

Artist Larry Kirkland was Cary Visual Art’s featured speaker on April 10, 2008 at the Page-Walker Arts and History Center. An enthralled crowd listened as the Washington D.C.-based artist showed images from his impressive portfolio and discussed his long career as a public artist. His lecture, entitled “Pride of Place Means We Build for the Future,” was filled with examples of his numerous large-scale public art projects, ranging from New York’s Pennsylvania Station, the City of Denver, the California Museum of Science, The American Red Cross Headquarters in Washington, DC and an ongoing project for the Disabled Veterans for Life Monument (also in Washington).

Mr. Kirkland stressed the importance that community and site specificity play in his work. “Who are we when we are here?”he asked, stressing ‘here,’ inviting the audience to reflect on the impact that public surroundings have on us all. His works, often made of materials that include Carrara marble, cast bronze, glass, water and light, incorporate multiple layers of meaning. In his “To Balance” installation at the Community College of Philadelphia, a stairway motif spirals upward around a column, symbolizing intellectual and social advancement, while a safety pin subtly reminds one of the private challenges that may be associated with pursuing higher education in adulthood.

While the geographic reach of Mr. Kirkland’s work spans the globe, the artist is no stranger to North Carolina. His “Writer’s Desk” is a popular, playful work located at the Children’s Learning Center in Charlotte. More recently, in 2007, Mr. Kirkland completed a work now located in front of Chapel Hill’s Transit Administration Building (6902 Millhouse Rd). There, a 49-foot long bench of Carrara marble pays homage to the Town’s transportation staff. More works by Mr. Kirkland can be viewed on his website: www.larrykirkland.com

Larry Kirkland was the second of three guest speakers featured in our Spring 2008 Public Art in Lecture Series. The series is co-sponsored by the Town of Cary, and is supported in part by a grant from the Lazy Daze Arts & Crafts Festival, a Cary-based festival supporting local arts and nonprofit organizations and activities. All lectures are free and open to the public.

Photos: “To Balance” and “Writer’s Desk”; Larry Kirkland

Brett Cook Leads Group Dialogue on Community and Soul

Brett Cook led a lively discussion on his work as a collaborative artist as a featured speaker for Cary Visual Art’s Public Art in Lecture Series, on March 27, 2008. The talk was held at the Page-Walker Arts and History Center in Cary.

Mr. Cook started off the discussion by inviting participants to reflect on the key themes “community” and “soul.” Spontaneous responses were noted on poster-size paper for all to see and respond to. The audience was then invited to respond to images of public art (the works were not Mr. Cook’s) and discuss to what degree some works illustrate, or fail to illustrate, common notions of community and soul. The exercise subtly guided the group to elicit thoughts on criteria which may affect the relevance and success of public art works.

More importantly, in discussing his own work, Mr. Cook emphasized how collaborative processes can be as important in public art as the resulting artwork itself. His Face Up project, realized during his recent residency at Duke University’s Center for Documentary Studies, connected individuals and organizations on Duke’s campus with citizens in Durham communities. Creative engagement led to open discussions, community building, and, ultimately, public coloring sessions. The resulting large-scale portraits pay tribute to the humanity in all.

Brett Cook was the first of three guest speakers to be featured in Cary Visual Art’s Spring 2008 Public Art in Lecture Series. The series is co-sponsored by the Town of Cary, and is supported in part by a grant from the Lazy Daze Arts & Crafts Festival, a Cary-based festival supporting the local arts and nonprofit organizations and activities. All lectures are free and open to the public.

Photo: Group drawing session for a portrait of human rights activist Pauli Murray. Brett Cook.