Each spring, Art Around the Corner brings the works of notable artists to St. George and installs them in accessible public areas, mostly in the downtown area and Town Square. Art Around the Corner announced the kickoff of the 2016 Outdoor Sculpture Exhibit, which will officially commence with the gala reception on April 8 at the Dixie Academy Building.
“We’ve put together a great collection for 2016/2017”, says Stefanie Bevans, the chair for the last three years. “We’re proud and excited about the new pieces, each one jury-selected. These beautiful sculptures come alive for me, and I’m sure many people will feel the same way.”
This year’s exhibit, which will be available for viewing throughout April, showcases works by over 20 artists, several of whom are are nationally-known.
Chris Coleman looks to provoke and inspire viewers with his eclectic, hard-to-categorize pieces, which include large- and small-format abstract sculptures, fountains, bells, and what he calls gear-spheres. His pieces are found in galleries, public settings, corporate installations, and private collections around the American West and across the country. Coleman’s sculpture in this year’s show is “Tilled Field,” a silvery-smooth abstract representing the marriage of industry and nature.
Stan Wainless is an internationally recognized sculptor, painter, designer, and hopeless romantic. He is also passionate about cars and is probably the most prolific and celebrated automotive sculptor living today. He creates detailed, sensuous depictions of man and machine in motion that he describes as “a tribute to the spirit, dignity and excellence of man.”
“The automobile is the only really new significant art form,” says Wainlass. “It revolutionized the world.” For the 2016 exhibit, Wainlass has submitted “Flat Out,” a classic 1932 Ford open-wheel racer barreling toward the finish line.
Karen Crain, from Colorado, is known across the U.S. for her ability to capture complex emotions and tell a story.
“All my sculptures come from deep inside me. I fall in love with each one”, says Crain. “Often inspiration comes from how someone wears emotion on their body, or from some inner thought that needs to be expressed.”
Crain’s piece in the 2016 exhibit, entitled “Comforter,” is a mother kneeling and holding her blanket-shrouded child. It represents the fleeting moments of motherhood, the healing touches, and the bond of tenderness.
Art Around the Corner is a registered nonprofit foundation working to enhance downtown St. George with captivating outdoor art. The Outdoor Sculpture Exhibit is the foundation’s flagship project, which each year selects around two dozen sculptures for temporary installation. All pieces in the exhibit are for sale, and purchases are tax-deductible. Organizations and individuals can buy pieces for public or private installation. The foundation retains a portion of the proceeds, which in turn funds expansion of the city’s permanent sculpture collection.
For those interested, call Cindy Trueblood, director of sales and community relations, at (435) 319-4505, or visit artaroundthecorner.org.
