The Sculptural Trees Project in Downtown Morrisville!

The Town of Morrisville, in partnership with River Arts and Morristown Alliance for Culture and Commerce (MACC), received a grant from the Vermont Arts Council in the Spring of 2015 to work with artists and community members to bring animated art to the downtown area.  The funds are part of the Council’s Animated Infrastructure grant program which aims to foster collaborative partnerships between communities and artists and to integrate public art into existing or proposed infrastructure improvement projects.  

A key goal of the new program is to develop a model collection of unique, inspiring, and attractive landmark communities throughout Vermont.  The grant supports the one-year planning and design phase for creating three sculptural “trees” in Morrisville’s designated downtown. The “trees” will help create a sense of place for residents and visitors alike and serve as a dynamic mechanism for engaging dialogue in the community.

A call went out to artists this spring to collect ideas and proposals for the Animating Infrastructure Sculptural Trees Project.  A selection committee, comprised of artists and community members, narrowed the pool of proposals down to two for a final community vote.  The two artist finalists were Gordon Auchincloss and Michael Zebrowski, whose designs were displayed for the duration of the voting process.  In the end, local and nationally recognized artist Gordon Auchincloss won the vote and will work to complete his designs for fabrication and installation in the summer of 2016.  One of the three sculptures will have an interactive component, managed by River Arts,  that will allow for new engagement between artists and community organizations each year.  Tentative locations for the trees are the Centennial Library lawn, the green space in front of the Police Department, and in front of the Post Office.

For more information about Gordon Auchincloss, visit his website at Ambientflow.com … or read the featured story “Finessing a Balancing Act” by the Vermont Arts Council on September 17th by clicking here!