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Art in Public Places – Celebrating 25 Years
Pianos About Town Open Houses
If you are interested in painting a piano as part of Pianos About Town in 2020, come to our informational sessions to learn more about the process:
Session I: Presentation and Q&A
Jan. 9, 6:30-7:30 p.m.
Carnegie Center for Creativity, 200 Mathews St., Fort Collins
This session will include a presentation at 6:30 p.m. about the application and review process. Handouts will be provided, and program staff will be available to answer questions during the rest of the session.
Session II: Open House and Application Review
Jan. 23, 4:30-6:30 p.m.
Carnegie Center for Creativity, 200 Mathews St., Fort Collins
At this drop-in session, staff will be available to sit with applicants one-on-one to review applications and make application recommendations. Staff also will be available to provide general information for applicants who were unable to attend the first information session. Information about other artist opportunities offered by the City of Fort Collins will be available.
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.
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 Under The Riverside Bridge
Artist Carolyn Braaksma worked with project team to design artwork for the Riverside Bridge project. The Riverside Bridge crosses Spring Creek near Edora Pool and Ice Center. Her design is for the wall surface beneath the Riverside Bridge along the Spring Creek Trail. The design was inspired by the site. The wall surface is textured and patterned to represent water and the different fish and water animals relevant to the creek near the bridge.
The graphic design of the animals has also been inspired by the sports and games played in the nearby fields. The chub minnows who swim in schools have a basketball net pattern on their bodies. Sunfish scales look almost like soccer ball patterns. The striped stickleback fish has a spine that looks like the cleats on football shoes.
Art At The College And Horsetooth Intersection
Fort Collins artist Tim Upham has installed Horsetooth Towers on both sides of the bridge on the west side of the College and Horsetooth intersection. Tim worked with the Project Team to develop light towers created from stainless steel frames and river rock gabion bases that act as beacons on the Canal Bridge on Horsetooth Road. These vertical elements bookend and accent the railing design that alludes to Horsetooth Rock. The upper portion of towers create a puzzle pattern with buff and dark red sandstone while other sections are translucent with polycarbonate and crushed glass.
Art at Twin Silo Park
Local artist Jill MacKay has expanded her earlier mosaic artwork at Twin Silo Park with FLOW: Above & Below. Her first mosaic, Wave Walk, highlights the creek play area and is in the sidewalk at either end of the bridge. It utilizes photo-luminescent stones, which glow at nighttime and take advantage of the darker natural surroundings of the creek.
For this Flow, the placement of a grouping of boulders near the bridge and the creek extend the Wave Walk project. Mirror mosaic on the surface of the boulders reflect the blue sky and clouds, which are the source for rain and snow (where most ground water begins). At the base of the boulders, photo-luminescent stones are embedded in cement representing water flows moving toward the creek, which speaks to where the water comes from and how it moves.
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 8th 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!