G
reetings from
Summit Public Art
! We hope you'll find in this email something that piques your interest or helps you see the art around town with fresh eyes. If you like what you read here, please forward it to your Summit-area friends. And, as always, thank you for supporting public art in our community!
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LIGHT AND MOTION
: Looking Forward in 2020
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S
ummit Public Art
begins 2020 looking forward to an exciting new season. We are devoted to bringing world-class public art to Summit and this year promises to be one of our best yet! Look for several new works this spring and summer that explore this year's theme of
Light and Motion
in ways that have never been seen in Summit before. Watch for special new events as well as the return of our popular downtown Art Walks this spring and our Art After Dark Celebration later this fall.
This year we welcome several new members whose talent and generosity
are sure to have a positive and long-lasting impact on the work we do. A warm welcome goes out to
Cheryl Barr, Mallory Mortillaro, Leslie Herman, Lynn Wechsler Kramer, Elizabeth Proctor,
and
Sheila Srere
. In addition, we are pleased to announce our newly elected Officers and Chair Persons for 2020:
Chair/Co Chair
: Shally Saini & Marie Cohen
Secretary
: Elizabeth Proctor
Treasurer
: Estelle Fournier
Art Selection Co-Chairs
: Marie Cohen & Debi Schwarzmann
Development
: Lainey Brooke Segear
Marketing & Communications
: Brian Carpenter
Education
: Sarah Walko
Summit Public Art
is a
100% volunteer-run, donor-funded, city-based
organization committed to
bringing art to public spaces throughout Summit
. The art you see comes directly from the generosity of friends and neighbors just like you. We are thankful to live in a town that embraces artists and their work and responds so positively to public art!
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Above: Aurora Robson's "Troika," one of several new works coming to Summit this year.
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RAMP UP RETURNS:
Summit High School Students
to Collaborate with GlassRoots Studio
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R
AMP UP
, Summit Public Art’s
R
ising
A
rtist
M
entorship
P
rogram, marks its third year in 2020 with a new collaboration with Newark's GlassRoots studio. Founded in 2001, GlassRoots has engaged tens of thousands of area youth by providing them with hands-on experience working with professional artists who use glassmaking to teach students not only about art but also chemistry, physics, and math.
Beginning in February, up to ten
Summit High School
students will have the opportunity to work with GlassRoots artists to create an original work of public art. Over the course of eight sessions, students will learn about the art and science of glassmaking and collaborate on a glass mosaic wall mural that will be displayed this spring in downtown Summit. As always, RAMP UP is offered to students at
no cost
, thanks to the generosity of our donors. To learn more about RAMP UP or to donate to the program, please visit
www.summitpublicart.com/donate/
.
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Above: Area students on a field trip to GlassRoots studio.
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To see GlassRoots in action, clink on the link above.
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PUBLIC WORKS: Lending a Hand
to Summit Public Art
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Y
ou’ve seen them around town
paving roads, sweeping streets, and trimming trees. But did you know that the Summit Public Works department also plays a crucial role in helping to install the art you see here in Summit? Since 2002, the Public Works crew has been an invaluable resource to Summit Public Art, assisting dozens of visiting artists by helping to put these sometimes very large and very heavy works of art safely into place.
Matthew Baldwin, who joined the Public Works department in 2015, says that working with artists is a "change of pace" from his usual duties, which include maintaining the parks, playgrounds, and ball fields around town. Baldwin and Summit native Eric Della Piazza, a Public Works employee since 2017, helped to dig holes and lay the foundation for “Vuida,” a 7-ft. tall flower sculpture by artist Joni Younkins-Herzog, at City Hall last August. Baldwin admits he was surprised to learn how far some of the artists travel to exhibit their work here. Younkins-Herzog, who lives in Athens, Georgia, drove more than 800 miles to bring “Vuida” to Summit and says she was glad to have the help provided by the crew.
Over the past eighteen years, Public Works employees have helped to install everything from 15-ft. tall cardinals to a mirror-ball mushroom to a 5,000-pound colossal head. It’s all in a day’s work for the Public Works department, whose dedication to maintaining the city’s public spaces continues to make Summit an attractive showcase for public art.
Thanks to Aaron Schrager, Michael Caputo, Anthony D’Angelo, Matthew Baldwin, and Eric Della Piazza for their help with this article. And a special thanks to all of the Public Works employees who have helped us here at Summit Public Art over the years!
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Above: Summit Public Works employees Matthew Baldwin, Eric Della Piazza, and Pete Paradise help artist Joni Younkins-Herzog install her sculpture "Vuida" at City Hall.
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Preparing the foundation for "Vuida."
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(l to r): Eric Della Piazza and Matthew Baldwin, just two of the many Public Works employees who have helped install public art in Summit throughout the years.
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I
t's easy to take for granted
the works of art we pass by every day
.
That's why we've been taking a closer look at some of the public art currently on view here in Summit. Check out our new
CLOSE-UP
series on Instagram and Facebook to learn more about the art around you and see why details matter.
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James Tyler's "Brickhead LOVE"
:
From a distance, the 260 individually-shaped blocks that form this colossal head appear to be smooth, but up close we see that they are in fact quite rough, each one bearing the unique impression of the artist.
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Andy Moerlein and Donna Dodson's "Love Long Last"
:
With their mirrored eyes and cross-hatched bamboo skeletons, this cardinal couple stands watch over the Village Green. Far from fragile, these birds are made to withstand hurricane-force winds.
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Paul Santoleri's "The Watcher"
:
Under the intense yellow-orange eye of the Great Blue Heron, a dreamscape city looms in the distance, just beyond the swirl of the watcher's densely curving feathers.
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Joni Younkins-Herzog's "Vuida"
:
This whimsical 7-ft. tall morning glory immediately attracts attention with its oversized petals, red stigma, and graceful curving neck.
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Want to take a closer look at the art around you?
Follow us on Instagram or Facebook
by clicking the links below:
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A few raves from our followers:
"Wonderful photos!"
"These are exquisite details I hadn't noticed before. Thank you!"
"Public art is a wonderful contribution to Summit. I can
remember when in some cities it was old cannons and tanks.
This is the antidote!"
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Summit Public Art Needs You!
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Y
our donations are our primary source of funding.
We rely on the generosity of Summit residents to provide the public art that you, your families, and visitors to our town enjoy on a daily basis. Donations are accepted (and appreciated!) year-round and are tax-deductible.
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As the saying goes, Time is Money. We are always in need of the expertise of Summit residents here at Summit Public Art, especially in the areas of non-profit development, financial management, and marketing. Consider joining other art lovers in our quest to make Summit a beautiful place to live. If you are interested in learning more, please
email us
.
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From everyone at Summit Public Art, thank you for your continued support!
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W
e love seeing your artistic skills in action. Submit photos of Summit public art or of your friends and family interacting with it to us
at
summitpublicarts@gmail.com
and we’ll feature them in our emails and social media accounts. Be sure to mention your name or initials and in which town you live. Selfies welcome!
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A
dd more beauty to your Facebook and Instagram feeds by following
@SummitPublicArt
! Be the first to know about new installations, see our artists’ latest projects, and get behind-the-scenes info on how the art gets to Summit.
Use
#summitpublicart
in your social media posts of the public art in Summit so we can enjoy your creativity and share it with others. We love seeing your interactions with the art we bring to town--it’s a big part of why we do this and we hope that it makes a positive difference in your life!
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Summit Public Art | summitpublicarts@gmail.com | www.summitpublicart.com
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