By Staff
October 25th, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
More public art.
The public art painted on the King Road grade separation a number of years ago was done by Judy Mayer-Grieve and was reasonably well accepted.
A new program through Burlington Public Art – the Park Marker Program will be drawing on the success of the Burlington Mural Project, which commissions local artists to create murals.
Additional detail on the mural project has been added to the end of this article.
Teresa Seaton did the art work that is in Amherst Park park next to a community garden. The art has been tempered and will easily withstand the winter weather.
The Park Marker Program will focus on public art sculpture.
This annual program will commission artists to create small-scale sculptures in neighbourhood parks throughout the city. These commissions are open exclusively to artists residing in Burlington, Ont. Applicants do not need previous public art and/or sculpture experience to apply to this program.
Applications are due Monday, December 12, 2016.
About the Park Marker Program
Applications for the 2016 program are now open! Please visit the Calls for Artists page to download the Request for Proposals and access the online application system.
There will be a workshop on Saturday, November 12, 2016, Time: 11:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. at the Central Library, Holland Room, 2331 New Street that will give you helpful insight into planning your project and preparing a great submission that will get you noticed by the jury.
The workshop will start with a brief overview of the Park Marker program and 2016/17 projects followed by a session led by artist Matthew Walker. Matthew will give helpful tips and tricks on preparing your submission and the steps you need to take to conceptualize your project. Following a brief break, public art fabricator Mike Bilyk will lead a session exploring material choices for outdoor sculpture and pointers on working with a fabricator.
This workshop is FREE and lunch will be provided. Please RSVP by Tuesday November 8th by visiting https://parkmarker.eventbrite.com
Workshop Facilitators
Matthew Walker: Matthew Walker is a Hamilton artist whose sculpture-based practice incorporates diverse technical approaches to object-making in public spaces. He has been involved in the production of public art in a range of capacities, including designing public calls, adjudication, receiving commissions, and engaging with other artists in the field as a technical mentor and advisor. For over a decades and a half, Matthew’s work as a facilitator has exposed him to a diversity of practices and conceptual approaches to art making that reflect the expansive experiences that are possible in the creation of public work.
During this workshop Matthew will provide insight into the processes behind the commissioning of artwork. How are calls for public art designed? How does the commissioning process take shape? What are some of the criteria that are considered when assessing a submission? Emerging artists seeking to enter the field of public art will find this discussion useful as they reflect on what approaches they may take in designing their work for public space, and, how to prepare an application.
Matthew’s current and previous work experiences includes being a member of The Town of Banff’s Public Art Committee, Supercrawl’s Curatorial Committee and as the Sculpture Facilitator at the Banff Centre’s international residency program. Matthew is currently working on a public commission for Artfarms in Buffalo, NY. You can look at what this artist does at – https://matthewwalkersculpture.carbonmade.com
Mike Bilyk is the President of Lafontaine Ironwerks, a custom metal fabrication and installation company located in Tiny, Ontario. Over the past 16 years, Lafontaine Ironwerks have developed a unique specialty in working with artists to develop and deliver complex public art projects. Mike and his team have worked with numerous internationally renowned artists including: Douglas Coupland, Michel DeBroin, John McEwan and Vito Acconci. Lafontaine Ironwerks works closely with artists from concept through to finished product to ensure the utmost in quality, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness.
For this workshop, Mike will give workshop participants a behind-the-scenes look into some of the large-scale projects produced by Lafontaine Ironwerks. Mike will also cover material choices and installation techniques for outdoor public art sculpture as well as helpful tips and tricks to consider when working with a fabricator.
https://www.liwi.ca
One-on-one Application Review Sessions: November 30, 2016, Times: 1 to 4 p.m. and 5 to 7 p.m.*
Location: Burlington City Hall (426 Brant St.)
Artists preparing a submission to the Park Marker program may book a 30-minute session with the Public Art Manager to review a draft of their application package and get constructive feedback.
Attendance is optional and appointments must be booked in advance. To book an appointment please contact: Kim Selman, kim@cobaltconnects.ca or 905-548-0111
The first round of public art was a collection of paintings in public places. The city’s public art adviser ran a juried competition and the following six people were selected:
Tamara Kwapich did the mural in Orchard Community Park; once the location for some of the best apple orchards in the province.
• Judy Mayer-Grieve: King Road Underpass, Ward 1
• Claire Hall: Freeman Station, Ward 2
• Teresa Seaton: Amherst Park, Ward 3
• Hannah Sell and Liam Racine: Port Nelson Park, Ward 4
• Tamara Kwapich: Orchard Community Park, Ward 5
• Donna Grandin: Ireland Park, Ward 6
Hannah Sell and Liam Racine did the art work that is located in the small Port Nelson Park where it will be seen by thousands. There was a time when tonnes of timber was shipped from a wharf at the foot of the park.
Let’s start with a sculpture of the First Person of Burlington.
Thayendanegea who met personally with both George Washington and King George III was also known as Joseph Brant.
A statue of Brant stands in Ottawa and another in the centre of Brantford Ontario, and now one should recognize the man where he lived the later years of his life.
If lack of sculpting material is the issue, plenty of wood is left over from the felled Spencer Smith Park willow trees.
A sculpture of Joseph Brant is my vote to recognize Canada’s 150th birthday in Burlington in 2017.