BY DAVID McGEE
BRISTOL HERALD COURIER
A reduction in donations prompted a local arts group to cut back the number of new sculptures on display in the Twin City.
The nonprofit Arts Alliance Mountain Empire recently placed six new pieces in the downtown area – the lowest number since the program began in 2006. The alliance’s Arts in Public Places committee is funded by private and corporate donations.
“This is our fourth year and it was a hard year to raise money,” said Candy Snodgrass, the committee’s chairwoman. “Originally, we wanted to have 10 new pieces, but this was not the year to raise that much money.”
Each year, the alliance conducts a national contest designed to bring large sculptures to the Twin City. Funds are used to pay each artist a $1,000 stipend and cover related costs.
Last year, the group placed 10 pieces in the downtown area, an increase over the eight displayed in 2007 and six in the first year.
“I think everyone is impacted by these economic times, but people are being more cautious. And some individuals and businesses were hit harder than others,” Snodgrass said.
To supplement the new pieces, six sculptures that won last year’s contest remain on display. Another piece from 2007 was recently donated to the city of Bristol, Va., and placed near Cumberland Square Park.
The arts program is designed to add a new dimension to downtown, Snodgrass said.
“There are people in our area who never have the opportunity to leave our area. They’re not able to visit museums and there are children that haven’t been exposed to art,” Snodgrass said. “I hope everybody appreciates what we’re doing.”
Christina Blevins, executive director of Believe in Bristol’s Main Street program, said the program also has altered the public’s perception of the Twin City.
“A lot of people didn’t think about Bristol as an arts and cultural district, but we have a lot happening on the arts and cultural front,” Blevins said. “I think people are seeing what Bristol is going to turn into – a kind of mini Asheville.”
This year, the committee also opted to install more pieces away from State Street.
“It was getting very, very busy on State Street with the new benches, planters and trash can holders. The street was so much busier, the art was getting lost,” Snodgrass said. “We wanted to keep it in the downtown, within walking distance, because the whole idea was to enhance downtown.”
The new pieces include:
n “Keyhole,” a 7-foot steel structure designed to resemble wood by Dana Gingras, a Connecticut native residing in Weaverville, N.C. The piece is near Bristol, Tenn., City Hall on Anderson Street.
n “Loose Affiliation,” a 9-foot structure of three sections of twisted, weathered mild steel designed by Mike Hansel of Newport, R.I. It’s at the Bristol Public Library.
n “Debaris Tumpkin,” a 9-foot painted aluminum and stainless steel structure on wheels, was done by Verina Baxter of Flintstone, Ga. It is at the Downtown Center.
n “And Then One Day It Happened,” an 11-foot wooden figure with ladder was created by Charlie Brouwer of Floyd, Va. It is near the municipal parking lot on Shelby Street.
n “Midden Artifacts,” is a series of five pieces of cast concrete designed to resemble mountains that had been clear-cut. It was created by Brian Glaze of Hendersonville, N.C., and can be found at Anderson Park.
n “Memory Bomb,” appears to be a floating military mine containing a music box that plays children’s lullabies. Adam Walls of Pembroke, N.C., is the artist of the piece, which was placed off Lee Street near the Bristol, Va., fire station.
dmcgee@bristolnews.com | (276) 645-2532
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