Art in Public Places – Celebrating 25 Years#
Rafael López Community Mural 10 Year Anniversary Celebration#
Celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Rafael López Community Mural and the Poudre Library District's IMAGINANTES program with music, dance performance, light refreshments and a reading of the story Maybe Something Beautiful: How Art Transformed a Neighborhood, by F. Isabel Campoy and Theresa Howell, and illustrated by López.
The celebration will be held October 1, 5:00 PM-6:30 PM at the mural in the Civic Center Parking Structure. All ages are welcome.
The mural—created by community members, IMAGINANTES participants, and local artists—was a gift of unity and diversity for our City by artist Rafael Lopez and Poudre Libraries. The photo above shows the mural being painted in June of 2011.
IMAGINANTES is a library program that empowers youth through creative expression, career exploration, teamwork, heritage, and community engagement.
Temporary Art at the Gardens on Spring Creek#
Artist Tom Benedict and The Grappling Juniper
The Gardens on Spring Creek and Art in Public Places are excited to bring you Mountain Wildwoods: The Resilient Beauty of Juniper Trees, a temporary art installation by Montana artist Tom Benedict now through February 12, 2022 at The Gardens.
The sculptures are carved from dead, twisted Rocky Mountain juniper trees harvested by the artist in Montana. The trees likely lived for over 500 years before falling to the same elements of nature that caused them to twist and contour. To create his sculptures, Tom Benedict carves away the exterior of weathered wood exposing the tree's core. Sculpting with the grain of the wood, he carves the wood to exaggerate the tree’s natural features. Perfect in the botanical garden setting, the sculptures evoke a sense of wonder in the resiliency found in nature.
New Art at City Park#
Fort Collins artist Lisa Cameron Russell sculpture Western Snowberry Patch is placed in the planting bed near the new restroom in City Park.
The three paneled metal sculpture is inspired by shapes that celebrate the native vegetation that is seen throughout the gardens in City Park.
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.
