“A blank canvas” — that’s one way to view the open space at the north end of Old Courthouse Square in downtown Santa Rosa. To anchor that area, the city has solicited ideas for a new large-scale sculpture to express Santa Rosa’s “values of innovation and cultural inclusivity.”
Already, a field of more than 140 proposals from across the country has been narrowed to five, chosen by a panel of arts professionals, downtown business owners and others. The panel is set to make their final decision later this fall, and the winning sculpture will be installed in early 2022.
All five finalist proposals meet the aims of the project and would deliver refreshing creativity to this part of downtown, said Tara Thompson, Santa Rosa’s arts and culture manager.
“The space is a blank canvas ripe for new art,” Thompson said. “Whatever we choose will be great.”
We spoke with the five finalists to learn more about their proposed pieces and their work.
Proposal: “The Tie That Binds”
Describe the type of art you make.
My pieces are often about making places where people can gather and sit. I also have a background in design, so structure is interesting to me. I often like to think about fun and interesting ways of making structure apart from the metaphorical or symbolic meaning.
What story does “The Tie That Binds” tell?
The spheres are arranged in a knot shape. For the design, I studied the kinds of knots that are used in viticulture to attach vines to wire and trellises.
How does the piece reflect Sonoma County and/or Santa Rosa?
The piece is inspired by a particular kind of knotting we see in Sonoma County. Beyond that, the knot is meant to symbolize the connection between people in this place. I’m also interested in the way Californians live between a rural existence and a semi-urban existence. Santa Rosa is in the middle of that.
How does your idea for the project reflect your point of view?
(This piece) is loosely based on Newton’s Cradle. It’s made of mirror-polished stainless steel spheres suspended individually from two points. It’s designed to look like clacker balls you might see on an executive’s desk. But it means something more.
What do you hope people take away from interacting with the piece?
I’m not in the business of telling people how to think, but I hope they recognize, however vaguely or specifically, that the piece is about connections between people.
Find more of Ball’s work at his website, Ball-nogues.com
Proposal: “Valley of the Moon”
Describe the type of art you make.
Our artwork is site-specific, so the materials change from piece to piece. One through-line is our interest in light. We work with sunlight and LED light to activate our art with magical effects and use materials that are luminous, iridescent and reflective.
What story does “Valley of the Moon” tell?
We wanted to create a piece that acted as a beacon in the same way that the old courthouse’s cupola did. The other inspiration was the name Sonoma, which is an indigenous (word) translating to mean “Valley of the Moon.” The image of a valley characterizes the base crescent, while the sphere is a symbol of the moon.
How does the piece reflect Sonoma County and/or Santa Rosa?
Through its coupling of geometric forms and natural materials, the artwork, like Santa Rosa, melds urban and natural qualities. It is both hard and soft. This is represented at the square already by the gigantic redwood trees.
How does your idea for the project reflect your point of view?
We were trying to create a civic beacon. The artwork will change its appearance during the day depending on whether it is front-lit or back-lit by sunlight, and then again at night with the addition of LED lighting that is internal to the sculpture.
What do you hope people take away from interacting with the piece?
We hope the artwork will create a landmark for the square but also, through its use and incorporation of redwood, feel inviting and engaging.
To learn more about the couple’s artwork, visit Haddad-drugan.com
Describe the type of art you make.
My sculptures are typically a mixture of metal, polycarbonate, glass and/or LED lighting. I am most interested in the opportunity to involve the public in the creative process (through) workshops, written stories and phone interviews, finding that this enhances both the process and the end product.
What story does “Unum” tell?
The artwork is titled “Unum,” Latin for “oneness or together.” It is inspired by the reunified Old Courthouse Square. The story it will tell on its surface is not yet written (and) will come about through a community engagement process. The sculpture explores how language and form can be combined into art.
How does the piece reflect Sonoma County and/or Santa Rosa?
The golden hills of Sonoma County and Santa Rosa were the initial form-givers and are referenced in undulating curves and golden lighting of the sculpture.
How does your idea for the project reflect your point of view?
My aim is to have the artwork speak for the local community, and I look forward to the opportunity to reach out to residents for inclusion of text in this piece. Giving people a chance to have their voice heard is more import now than ever.
What do you hope people take away from interacting with the piece?
My hope is to involve as many residents in the text collection as possible. The surface of the artwork will tell the local story and reflect the values inherent to the community of Santa Rosa.
To see more of Hancock’s art, go to blessinghancock.com
Describe the type of art you make.
I do large-scale installations. I’m about trying to understand who the people are in a community and what’s special about that community. That process is never about me. I’m just a creative vehicle, here to tell someone else’s story.
What story does “The Dome” tell?
It’s a reference to the timeless dome of the old courthouse. It invites the community to come and gather in fellowship. The top represents flower petals that create something of a rose window, like in cathedrals or a kaleidoscope. Of course, the flowers reference Luther Burbank.
How does the piece reflect Sonoma County and/or Santa Rosa?
I have a lot of personal history in Santa Rosa. My father used to go (there) for work, and I took classes there in my 20s. For me, the piece tells the story of that history as well as the history of a growing city that has changed a lot over the years.
How does your idea for the project reflect your point of view?
It’s big. It’s interactive. And it’s reflective of the unique history of this city.
What do you hope people take away from interacting with the piece?
I want people to be inspired and drawn to that place and sit in it. It’s supposed to be its own immersive experience. I want the square to be a destination where people want to hang out. I want to help create a gateway.
Go to gordonhuether.com to see more of Huether’s work.
Describe the type of art you make.
I’m intrigued with idea of field. Normal paintings and sculptures have a focal point. Instead, in my work I let nature sculpt the field, rather than me imposing my artistic ideas on it. My piece on the AT&T building downtown, “Digitized Field,” is a good example of this, and it’s something everyone here knows.
What story does “Air Arbor” tell?
I wanted to create an environment, a place in which people could be immersed, rather than an object. That dovetailed with idea of dappled light. I was trying to create an oasis, a restorative environment rather than a sculpture.
How does the piece reflect Sonoma County and/or Santa Rosa?
I was inspired by trees, and one of the things that people don’t realize about Santa Rosa is that it is a city of trees. I think the dappling effect also evokes redwoods, which grow nearby.
How does your idea for the project reflect your point of view?
(It) reflects field in how the fabric moves. The fabric is translucent. It has a luminosity almost like paper. As the sun and the wind pass through each of the 36 pieces of fabric, each projects shadow and light onto the next layer. It changes all the time.
What do you hope people take away from interacting with the piece?
For me, being in a forest is restorative, so I hope this gives people the same feeling. Also, that we are all connected to the air.
To learn more about Kahn’s art, go to nedkahn.com
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