If you happened to visit Hutchinson City Center recently, you may have noticed a new resident in the backyard of the historic Episcopal Church. There's an iron bull gazing into the distance.
It's one of the new public art installations for the 2020-21 Sculpture Stroll.
Like most things so far this year, the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted Hutchinson's annual art walk.
Steve Cook
To learn more, Steve Cook, chair of the Public Arts Commission, participated in this Leader Q&A.
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What is the timeline for the Sculpture Stroll? When do you publish a call for submissions and when do you make the final decisions?
We put out the call in mid-November and then submissions are due by Jan. 31. We make the selections in mid-February at our regular meeting and then let the artists know by March 1.
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When did the COVID-19 pandemic enter the picture?
We started hearing rumblings in early April, and by mid-April we heard from three artists that their plans had to change and they would not be able to bring their sculptures to Hutch this year. Two of the artists were new to Hutchinson and the other had exhibited here once early on.
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Going forward, how has the pandemic affected the Sculpture Stroll?
When we found out about the cancellations, the PAC considered reaching out to some other artists who had applied. However, we ultimately decided to keep "Farmer" and the "Song of the Flying Dutchman" here for another year since those were popular pieces in the People's Choice balloting. The third piece was going to be placed in Library Square where 'Eggspert" sits, so after the city purchased him we decided to just leave him there for the year.
In addition, with the Main Street project going on we decided not to place a piece by (the former) Shopko (at the corner of Main Street and First Avenue Northeast) this year. We used those funds to keep "Biker" another year since that has also been a popular piece.
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What has been the feedback on the Sculpture Stroll?
I think all of the PAC members hear positive comments and how people look forward to seeing the new pieces. We also have a pretty good following on our Facebook page and we print up several thousand brochures and they are pretty much gone by the end of the season. The artists also enjoy displaying their pieces here and they enjoy working with Randy Carter (parks maintenance specialist) on the installations. I think that all of this plays into the fact that the number of pieces submitted for consideration continues to increase.
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Any other thoughts you would like to share?
A few things come to mind. First, we will be moving the People's Choice voting to late summer or fall this year, instead of waiting until spring. This just makes it is easier for people to get out and see the pieces. So stay tuned.
Second, all of the rotating pieces are for sale or they can be leased privately. As much as the artists appreciate the honorarium they receive for displaying their art, this is their livelihood and selling their sculptures is really the hope. A history of pieces being purchased makes the Sculpture Stroll a more attractive place for artists to display their work. If anyone (individuals, groups or a business) is interested in purchasing or leasing a piece, they should contact the public arts commission.
Lastly, if readers want to learn a little more about the artists and their sculptures, there is information available on the Public Arts website. hutchinsonpublicarts.com/category/sculpture-stroll/2020-rotating-pieces/.
