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Art in Public Places – Celebrating 25 Years
Art in Public Places Artists Painting During FoCo Pop Up
The FoCo Pop Up! event brings temporary, "pop up" activities to neighborhoods across the city on Sunday, September 27, 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. These artists will be painting their murals in City parks or near low-stress bike routes. (Low Stress Bike Network).
Transformer Cabinet - Montezuma Fuller Alley
Local artist Ren Burke is working with Art in Public Places and the Transformer Cabinet Mural program to bring to life a transformer cabinet in the Montezuma Fuller Alley. The mural is entitled BirdsEye and depicts stylized renderings of birds from all around the world. Rendered in a bold manner, these avian portraits focus on the birds’ color and abstracted patterning. The title is a reference to the enlarged eyes of each bird.
Transformer Cabinet - 2507 S. Shields St.
Local artist Beth Lighthouse is working with Art in Public Places and the Transformer Cabinet Mural program to bring to life a transformer cabinet at 2507 S. Shields St. The mural is entitled Milkweed Habitat, depicts native milkweed buzzes with swallowtails and other local butterflies along with honey and bumble bees, red milkweed beetles, boxelder bugs and other beneficial insects who rely on the blossoms for food and call them their home.
Pianos About Town - Oak Street Plaza
Local artist Robin Romeyn will be painting a piano mural for the Pianos About Town Project in Oak Street Plaza. The mural, Bevrijde Vogel (meaning, "Freed Bird," in Dutch), is in honor of all of those who have broken free from what has bound them and is also meant to be a source of encouragement to those who long to break free and are trying hard to find the courage to do so.
Transformer Cabinet - Magnolia St. and Jackson Ave
Local artist Shawna Turner is working with Art in Public Places and the Transformer Cabinet Mural program to bring to life a transformer cabinet at W Magnolia St. and Jackson Ave. The mural is entitled Birds of Paradise, features various species of colorful Birds of Paradise, both flora & fauna, set in a tropical environment.
Maple Hill Community Mural
As part of the Vibrant Neighborhoods Grant Program, artist Kristen Vohs was selected to create a mural on the south wing walls of the Turnberry underpass located on the southeast corner of Turnberry and Richards Lake Roads.
This project is a collaboration between the City of Fort Collins Art in Public Places Program and Neighborhood Services Department, the Maple Hill HOA, and Fort Collins artist Kristen Vohs.
New Art at Willow Street Plaza
Installation of columns
In Praise of the Poudre is currently being installed in the plaza on the corner of Willow and Linden Streets. Artist Andrew Dufford and Chevo Studios worked with the City of Fort Collins Engineering and Utilities Departments as part of the Art in Public Places Program to develop a series of sculptures that will enliven the plaza and educate visitors about water quality and natural water systems in Fort Collins.
Four undulating granite columns feature relief carvings of the plants, animals, insects and landforms found around, within, and below the Cache la Poudre River – celebrating the elements of a healthy river ecosystem.
Downtown Barrier Murals
The City of Fort Collins Art in Public Places and Engineering Department - in collaboration with the Downtown Fort Collins Creative District, and the Jason and Lucy Greer Foundation for the Arts - are hiring local artists to paint temporary murals on the concrete barriers around outdoor dining areas throughout downtown.
Thanks to Downtown ACE Hardware for their generous donation of paint for the murals.
Marina Avila and Carla Gamboa
Bistro Nautile
Chris Bates
Beau Jo's, east barriers
Ren Burke
Pour Brothers Community Tavern
to Blind Pig Pub
Chelsea Ermer
The Reserve by Old Elk Distillery
Katie Fahrenbruch
Sushi Plus
Wildrose Hamilton
Welsh Rabbit Cheese Bistro
Beth Lighthouse
Beau Jo's, west barriers
Shawna Turner
Rio Grande
Mexican Restaurant
Gale Whitman
Blind Pig Pub
to Pour Brothers Community Tavern
Pianos About Town
Pianos About Town is a collaborative effort between the Fort Collins Art in Public Places Program and community partners Bohemian Foundation and the Downtown Development Authority. This exciting project brings together visual art and music for the public to enjoy. We currently in our 10th season! For updates and to share your photos and videos of the pianos in action, please visit us on Facebook.
Help us care for the pianos! If you enjoy playing the pianos, help us protect them by closing the keyboard cover after each use and using the attached tarp to cover the piano in times of bad weather and overnight—Thank you!
Transformer Cabinet Murals
The Transformer Cabinet Mural Project was started in 2006 as a collaboration between the City of Fort Collins Art in Public Places Program and Utilities Light and Power. Serving as a graffiti abatement program, the murals help lower maintenance costs while adding bright colorful art in unexpected places. The program also helps keep the investment local by utilizing local artists and non-profit groups to paint the cabinets.
Take a Public Art Tour!
FC Bikes--Bikeway Bingo
FC Bikes has created a series of five Fort Collins Bikeway Bingo Challenges to explore and learn about Fort Collins’ family-friendly bikeways, parks, natural areas, neighborhoods, and public art.
Complete all 5 and you’ll be able to expertly navigate Fort Collins’ extensive bikeway network! Find them all at: fcgov.com/bicycling/fort-collins-bike-network
The Public Art Bingo Theme linked below features five randomized cards - try them with your friends and family!
New Art at the Poudre River Whitewater Park
The sculpture, titled Heritage Gateway, was recently installed at the Poudre River Whitewater Park along the Poudre Trail across from Whitewater, the wave shelter located on the south bank of the river. Both works were created by Art in Public Places (APP) artist John Davis.
Thanks to support provided by the Poudre Heritage Alliance, Downtown Development Authority and other community donors, visitors to the park can now learn about the history and importance of the Cache la Poudre River, and its long-lasting impacts on agriculture, industry and recreation in Fort Collins.
Art at the Poudre River Whitewater Park
Whitewater by John Davis is inspired by water rapids and the associated whitewater that is created by the bubbles generated as water crashes against the rocks and boulders. It creates a connection between the overlook plaza and rapids below. The curving “wave” shapes of the structure mimic the waves of water in the rapids of the Cache la Poudre River below.
Art on the Fossil Creek Trail
Sphere by Stephen Shachtman is inspired by its location near the historic site of the brick kilns and just southwest of the recreation bike trail and railroad track. The oversized sphere made from 903 brick-like pieces of flagstone plays off the scale of the site and the nearby tunnel, appearing to be the same size as the tunnel opening.
Art at Riverside And Mulberry
Mountain Openings, Colorado artist Robert Tully's sculptures located on the northeast corner of the intersection of Mulberry Street and Riverside Avenue is now illuminated.
It is made up of sculptures ranging from 20 to 6 feet. They can be found in groupings that start on the corner and continue north down Riverside and are inspired by sandstone cliffs in the valley where Highway 14 splits from 287. The sculptures include both man-made and natural elements, combining about 140 tons of local buff sandstone with metal accents. The piece is illuminated at night.
Landscaping will finish the design of the corner this spring.
