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DECEMBER 2011 News Briefs Brief items from the past month related to public art in Florida

from the Florida Association of Public Art Professionals (FAPAP)

EDITOR’S NOTE: I was swamped with work and didn’t get the December News Brief’s out on time not get reminders out. Here are a few items anyway. I hope you will all have a little time off and some warm times with friends and/or family during the holidays.

FLORIDA

1. SAVE THE DATE: May 5-7, Annual FAPAP Conference in Fort Myers.

This is the first time since state Public Art professionals began gathering in the mid-1990s

that the conference has come to the SW Florida coast! Lots of great sessions and tours

are being planned as well as the annual “Year in Review” presentation.

BROWARD

Artist Larry Kirkland designed AQUARIA for installation on the ceilings of two sky bridges connecting the Greater Fort Lauderdale / Broward County Convention Center to the adjacent parking garage. The artwork transforms the utilitarian corridors into an unforgettable experience for Convention Center visitors. AQUARIA consists of countless stainless steel fish scale shapes mounted within the curved ceiling coffers to reflect artificial and natural light, as well as an ever changing LED lighting

display. The best time to view the artwork is at night when the LED lighting illuminates the metal fish scales with a wide array of beautiful color palettes, suggesting the vast variety of colorful fish that inhabit area waters. “Fort Lauderdale, built between the Atlantic Ocean and the Everglades, threaded with miles of canals and lagoons, is a water city,” says Kirkland. “The iconic fountain in front of the Convention Center of a leaping sailfish celebrates the famed game fish of the region. Inside the Convention Center the carpet is a swirl of ocean fish and marine mammals. AQUARIA builds upon this theme in the two sky bridges that are main entries to the Convention Center.”

GAINESVILLE 1) Three more artists were commissioned Nov 2 for the Fire/Rescue H.Q. and two fire

stations, all three artists from Florida. That makes 11 sculptures selected in 10 months for the city of Gainesville.

2) John Hayes’ contract as public art consultant has been extended a month through the end of December.

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ORLANDO The Orlando Sentinel ran a short article, “cities Discuss Choices of Public Art That Will Grace SunRail Platforms”. FDOT is “channeling $6,500 to every city with a station to pay for public art at stops along the commuter-rail line, which is to start service in 2014.”

CALLS FOR ARTISTS

SARASOTA Project: Sarasota National Cemetery Assembly Area

Budget: 7 locations with budgets ranging from $50,000 to $300,000.

Deadline: looking at artists at least through February

Exterior art of a wide variety of styles sought with themes of military service and the families of

soldiers.

Link: www.thepattersonfoundation.org/initiatives/military/art-process.html

WINTER PARK Project: Winter Park SunRail Station Art in Transit

Budget: $6,500

Deadline: December 2

Info: Lhayes@cityofwinterpark.org

REPEATS:

ORLANDO Project: UCF-551 Classroom II, University of Central Florida, Orlando

Budget: $94,000, Deadline: Dec 14, 2011

The project's art selection committee is looking for exterior artwork. Link to project description:

http://www.fp.ucf.edu/artinstate/calltoartists.html

SARASOTA Project: New Academic Center, New College of Florida, Sarasota

Budget: $42,000, Deadline: Dec. 30, 2011

The committee is seeking site-relevant exterior artwork that can be made in small multiples.

Link: http://www.ncf.edu/bot

PLEASE LET US KNOW Let us know about any public art related news from your area – new art work, loss of art work, press or legislation affecting the arts, new personnel, etc. Send news of the month to Terry.Olson@ocfl.net by the 1st of the following month. www.FloridaPublicArt.org