Category parks
Spiral Inspired Art for Quincy Square, a Collaboration of David Phillips and Halverson Design
In earlier posts about David Phillips’ art, I noted his collaboration with Halverson Design, but here I’ll let it shape my perspective with quotes from Cambridge Public Art resources about this park that opened in 1997 near Harvard Square.
Nancy Webb’s Bronze Insects and Plants Became Treasures in Cambridge
I’ve walked through Charles Park before, (on the way to or from CambridgeSide Galleria) without noticing most of nearly forty bronze representations of insects and plants Nancy Webb created almost three decades ago. This week I came to find and focus on them, guided by the Cambridge Public Art Fact Sheet.
David Judelson’s Brickworker and Ballplayer Keep on Documenting History
By a ballfield in North Cambridge ( Rindge Field) since 1983, two brick beings by David Judelson have faced each other supported by pertinent names, equipment, and stories. In recent years I had visited them with vague plans to post about them, though waiting for a way to focus. Then this spring when walks with face coverings became one of the few recreational options, I discovered that Brickworker and Ballplayer had been outfitted in response to the pandemic.
Ink Block Underground Murals by Women Artists: Indie 184, Silvia López Chavez, Imagine876, Thy Doan
In honor of International Women’s Day, I will first focus on the four women artists who have created murals for Underground at Ink Block, an urban park that opened in Boston’s South End 2017. I have already enthusiastically posted about other murals by Silvia López Chavez and Imagine876 (Sneha Shrestha), but Thy Doan and Indie184 (Soraya Marquez) are new discoveries for me.
Follow up on Elliott Kayser’s Pigs from their Year on the Greenway
The photos in this post come from January 1, 2020, the last time I visited Elliott Kayser’s eight ceramic pigs along the Rose Kennedy Greenway. They had kept their stations well for almost a year. Now that the Year of the Pig is almost over they are gone!
From a very informative Greenway blog post, I have learned that five of the pigs have moved on to the Fuller Craft Museum in Brockton. Chiefly the blog post clearly tells a story with great photos of ten steps involved in creating the pigs. If you wondered about the origins or future of these sculptures, about 250 pounds each, read that blog post.
David Fichter and David Phillips Honor Community Histories in Public Art
David Phillips is a sculptor; David Fichter is a muralist. With their distinctly different materials, both are masters of rendering historical figures and events. Both have created public art that is densely packed with researched images and documents. As public art, the expansive colorful mural and the tactile intimate bronze relief wait openly for anyone who wants to focus on some sign or scene and make their own associations.
George Sherwood’s Art and Tower Hill Botanic Garden: A Marvelous Match
Yet again I feel compelled to post without the revisiting, rereading, and rethinking I like to do before pushing the Publish button on this Wordpress site. George Sherwood’s kinetic sculpture exhibit Wind, Waves & Light, Art in Motion, will end on October 14, 2019. Tower Hill Botanic Garden will continue and develop through the years ahead. I certainly want to see more of both, but first I must urge as many people as possible to plan to go before the sculptures leave.
Admire Animals by Artist Katharine Lane Weems in Boston: Dogs, Dolphins, Rhinos and More
The more I learn about sculpture by Katharine Lane Weems (1898 — 1989), the more I admire the art, the artist and the animals. An earlier post about two rhinos, Bess and Victoria, installed 1937 in Cambridge led me on to sites in Boston with work by this artist “famous for her realistic portrayals of animals.” Her art combined scientific accuracy, meticulous renderings, and creative design to bring out the animals’ majesty and character. This post notes four places in Boston to be in the presence of her elegant animals.
Christopher Frost’s “Annex” in Somerville Builds Beautifully on his “Colony” in Arlington
Alerted by the Somerville Arts Council newsletter, I found my way to “Annex,” Christopher Frost’s newly completed installation on the Somerville Community Path bike trail near Willow Avenue.
Murals by Silvia López Chavez: Uplifting Connections
Starting with one of the newest of many murals by Silvia López Chavez, I want to share some images, notes, and rich resources that convey my enthusiasm for her art and process. For the three murals in this post, as well as plenty more, the artist’s website includes excellent photos that document stages of her work and inspiring stories related to the art.
Art Outdoors 