Public ARTWORKS


Mission

Public ARTWORKS' mission is to provide public art experiences and opportunities for the community. Public ARTWORKS endeavors to provide on-going awareness of the arts by making artwork an accessible and daily part of our lives.

Public ARTWORKS is a sub-committee of Lycoming Arts. The mission of Lycoming Arts is to promote excellence and access in the creation, experience, and active support of the arts for all the people in our community and the communities they serve in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Lycoming Arts is a non-profit 501(c) 3 and all donations are tax deductible as per the rules of the IRS tax code.
Metal Sculpture 3rd Street

History

In 2001 Our Towns: 2010 and Williamsport Main Street Committee joined forces to start an art event called First Friday. Each First Friday of the month downtown Williamsport would celebrate the arts with musicians and visual artists, showcasing their art in coffee shops and galleries and even on the streets! Soon the  Williamsport Merchants and Business Association joined in forming the First Friday Committee. The committee added gallery openings, musicians and other performers to their list and First Friday took off. As a result of the work of this committee, a high school gallery, a college gallery, a grade school gallery and an annual regional juried street art show were created.

Soon after the launch of First Friday, a program called Air/Scape (Artist in Residence/ Small City Art Program) was developed through which the committee gave an artist a grant to create a small piece of public art on First Friday. New public art started to appear all over downtown Williamsport. People in the community began talking about public art and became interested in murals. The First Friday Committee brought speakers to town for seminars about public art and murals and mural artist Michael Pilato was invited to create 'Lycoming County: Inspiration The Mural'. Because the mural planned to show the story of the history of Williamsport, many different groups in Williamsport became involved in funding its creation. The Chamber of Commerce and Our Towns: 2010 were lead partners in the mural project and held a major fundraising party called Mural Madness where over $40,000 was raised. 'Lycoming County: Inspiration' can be seen across from the Community Arts Center, 4th Street, on the walls of The Bullfrog Brewery and the Public Art Academy.

Some of the women who were behind Mural Madness,  decided they wanted to stay together and continue having "fun with art."  Public ARTWORKS', a committee whose mission was to bring public art to Lycoming county, was born. Wanting to partner with others in the community, the group invited  Lycoming County Transportation , and the United Way; Public ARTWORKS' first project was a wood sculpture for the regional airport. Looking for a second project, members of the group were surprised to discover that Williamsport already had a sizeable collection of public art, so they decided to publish a downtown walking art tour map. When the new pieces from First Friday were added to that collection there was enough art to create an hour-long walking tour.

The Our Towns history of working with the county to bring about the creation of the Riverwalk made Public ARTWORKS the logical group to add a sculpture park to the River Walk.  for the River Walk Sculpture Park.  Since them there have been many additional pieces added all over Williamsport and surrounding community.  Interested in applying to submit art or help fund upcoming projects, please contact us at www.lycomingarts.org.

 

Shad Run Sculpture

Legacy Program

Public ARTWORKS has also developed a Legacy Gift Program. Legacy, as we view it, is a deep and meaningful concept and a way for people to share some of their most important values. We feel the Legacy Gift Program of Public ARTWORKS will give our people a new and wonderful way to commemorate the persons and events that have been part of the life of our community.

The Riverwalk has already become an integral part of our life. Each day, people walk, run, or simply sit by the river. The piece of land we live on and love is shaped and connected by this river and its' streams. Our life as a river town is an important part of our history, and our beautiful Riverwalk and Sculpture Park will symbolize how we have used our past to create a good life, and a better future. A Riverwalk Legacy piece will be a way to remember those who were important to us in a manner that becomes a gift to our whole community.

Public ARTWORKS has designed a process where we can help an individual, a family, a business, or a corporation, sponsor a memorial piece that will be part of the Riverwalk. Public ARTWORKS is a part of The Lycoming County Celebrates the Arts Alliance, a 501c(3) non-profit organization. Consequently, a Legacy Gift would be considered a tax-deductible contribution as per the rules of the Internal Revenue Service tax code. Due to design considerations, Riverwalk Legacy opportunities are limited.

Gift of Art Program:

By offering a gift of artwork to a city, artists are able to leave their mark on an area by erecting a memorial for a local person or event, supporting a cause, or by simply beautifying an unused space. Although a city would love to take in all gifts offered to it by local artists, many factors must be considered before an artwork is accepted.


Location:

  • What spaces are available in the city/county?
  • Did the artist have a specific location in mind?
  • How will the piece affect the use of the space?
  • Does the city have permission to use a certain space?

Significance:

Does the work have a specific meaning to the artist, or does the piece have historical relevance to the location so that more viewers can appreciate its meaning?

Will this piece be appreciated over time, or does its relevance fall within a certain time period?


Maintenance/Durability:

Who will be charged with maintaining the quality of the work? Who will fund the maintenance? How will the piece hold up over time?

Gift of an Art Proposal:

All of these questions and more should be addressed in the "Gift of an Artist Proposal" submitted with the artwork by the community group or individual artist proposing the piece. The proposal should include:

  • A letter of submission, which would include a personal statement by the artist/community group as to why the piece is being submitted, a history of the piece, the possible site of its location, and an assurance of authentication, stating that you have the right to donate the piece.
  • A appraisal of the artworks value.
  • Pictures of the work, or if possible, the work itself.

Maintenance and Durability Plan:

Describe what kind of maintenance the piece will require over time, considering other public artworks made of similar materials.

  • How might the elements of weather (wind, rain, sun, etc.) affect the piece?
  • How often will the piece need to be evaluated to assess any damage done?
  • Will funds be raised to provide maintenance for this piece over its lifespan (an expected thirty years)?
  • Can estimations be made on projected maintenance costs for the future?

If maintenance funds/arrangements will not be provided by the artist/community group, a written consent by the donor must be signed, allowing Public ARTWORKS to hire a conservator of their own choosing to care for the piece. A written agreement by the artist/community group allowing Public ARTWORKS to remove the piece from its location should the use of the current space be changed in the future.

Statue on Riverwalk

Review Board

An ad hoc panel consisting of Public ARTWORKS committee members, a local artist, a professor of art and a representative from the proposed site location will meet to discuss proposed work. Some sample questions that the board takes under consideration:

  • Is the piece made with quality craftsmanship and with aesthetic quality?
  • Is there an appropriate space available for the piece?
  • Is the piece insured, assuming responsibility for any damaged caused to, or by the piece?
  • Is there a specified maintenance for the care of the piece? Is it relatable to the Public Art Collection as a whole?

Once the board has made its decision on each proposed artwork, the donor will receive a letter signed by the members of the panel with the decision they made, stating their reasons for rejection or directions on how to move forward with the Installation process.

Public ARTWORKS Committee Members:

  • Laura Flynn: Co-Chair
  • Karen Miller: Co-Chair
  • Rosann Pelleschi: Secretary
  • Mark Murawski: Treasurer
  • Sandy Hill
  • Judy Olinsky
  • Laura Templeton
  • Tania Thomas
  • Yvonne DiRocco

Call to Artists

Public ARTWORKS is a sub-committee of the Williamsport-Lycoming Arts Council (dba LYCOMING ARTS), a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, dedicated to the promotion, awareness, and expansion of public art opportunities in the northcentral PA region with emphasis in the Williamsport urbanized area.

Public ARTWORKS encourages interested artists to respond to this Request for Proposals to develop public art pieces for consideration.   Proposals will be accepted anytime.

We are formally requesting proposals from interested artists to design, construct, install, and maintain public art piece(s),


  • Public ARTWORKS has been working closely with the County of Lycoming to ensure that public art along the Riverwalk is consistent with themes that depict the unique history of the Williamsport area, especially those developed under the PA Lumber Heritage Region Timber Trail initiative. The Lumber Heritage Region and PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources have provided funding for the interpretative signage, benches, and Muncy artist Pam Madia Barner's Woodhick sculpture, erected in 2009, depicting our region's rich lumbering era. In September 2012, an additional 35-foot-wide stainless-steel fish sculpture art piece, created by Mike Patterson of Oval, PA, was installed along the Riverwalk on the levee flood wall in South Williamsport near the Maynard Street Bridge. The piece, entitled "What Lives in There," depicts nine native fish species found in the Susquehanna River. As a result, there are two public art pieces now on the Riverwalk, and Public ARTWORKS is now seeking development of a third art piece in 2014 as part of this Request for Proposals.

West Fourth Street Public Art

The West Fourth Street Corridor situated between Market and Hepburn Streets located in Downtown Williamsport also provides an excellent venue for display of public art. This corridor is the main travel and pedestrian artery through downtown and is the scene of First Friday and other major community events throughout the year, so public art is very visible and accessible to thousands of people on a daily basis. Several public art pieces already exist along this street.

Basic requirements that must be addressed in proposals:

Clearly indicate for which site you are submitting a proposal (Riverwalk or West Fourth Street). Please note you may submit proposals for both sites, but please separate your proposals into two parts, with a separate scope of work and budget for each of the locations.

Art themes that are encouraged for consideration include: Log Boom/Lumber Era History of Williamsport Prominent role the Susquehanna River plays in regional commerce and recreation PA Wilds initiative Underground Railroad Victorian Era Marcellus Shale gas exploration Outstanding scenic natural settings (e.g., mountains, river, valley) Williamsport/Lycoming County as a vibrant hub of Northcentral PA Art Town (downtown/neighborhood revitalization driven by the arts) Little League Baseball
Note: Artists can research the history of the Williamsport Area and Lycoming County by contacting the Williamsport-Lycoming Chamber of Commerce, Taber Museum, and James V. Brown Library as key resources.

The Riverwalk art display will be confined specifically to that portion of the Riverwalk (referred to as the "Sculpture Park") between the Carl E. Stotz Memorial Little League Bridge (formerly known as the Market Street Bridge) and Maynard Street Bridge on the north and south sides of the river. Artwork will not be placed on either bridge structure, as these bridges are owned by PennDOT, not the County of Lycoming.

All art displays must be permanent and weather resistant and cannot pose public safety hazards.

An artist's rendition of the art piece must accompany your proposal submission.

Provide construction details (i.e., guidelines for space-dimension needs and an itemized list of construction materials to be used, along with a supporting budget and assembly process).

No sexually explicit pieces will be considered.

When the art display is erected, the artist agrees to provide and install a plaque that states artist's name, name of piece, sponsor name as Public ARTWORKS (and any other donors as may be identified by Public ARTWORKS, if applicable), and date of installation.

Clearly outline a budget to develop and install the piece and show what financial investment (and other in-kind contributions such as labor and materials) will be made by the artist vs. financial and other in-kind support needed from Public ARTWORKS, as a partnership approach.

Provide a maintenance plan and describe artist's level of commitment required to ensure long-term preservation of the outdoor art piece.

Provide a project development schedule that achieves full installation by (Public ARTWORKS reserves the right to adjust this schedule if warranted by circumstances such as funding, permits, weather conditions, etc.)

Provide references (names and phone numbers) of other organizations that Public ARTWORKS can contact in order to verify that you are capable of successfully carrying out the proposed project.

Submission Procedures

Contact Lycoming Arts for details.

Newly Planted Crop

Downtown Art

This is the gallery of all the current public art in downtown Williamsport. Click on an image to enlarge the gallery and view the title, artist, and date of each piece.

Riverwalk Art

The Susquehanna River walk is a four mile stretch of trail along the banks of the Williamsport, South-Williamsport and Loyalsock township parts of the Susquehanna River. This $2.5 Million project, completed in 2009, consists of The Timber Trail, referencing to Williamsport's history as the lumber capitol of the world. Along the trail you will find a number of plaques with a history of the region including the railways, and the West Branch Canal system, in addition to the area's lumber boom. For more information on the Susquehanna River Walk, visit the Lycoming County website.

The Wood Hick, by Pamela Barner
The Woodhick, a bronze sculpture crafted by Pamela Madai Barner of Muncy, PA, represents the typical working lumberjack of that era. The Woodhick was the first piece of art to be placed on the river walk. This project was funded by Lycoming County through a grant obtained from the Lumber Heritage Region.

Artist Statement: “Visual art has been prominent in my life since early. It is a lifelong pursuit. I had been encouraged, supported and spurred on by my parents, especially from my mother who was an artist. Since youth, I was taught to see things differently- through the eyes of an artist. Early lessons had me watching the news, not to learn of what was going on in the world, but rather to study the anchor's face since he or she was a relatively fixed model. My fascination with the human form continues though I enjoy other subject matter as well. I marvel in the creative process and the flow that occurs when the spirit of creation takes over. I find a deep connection with each piece of my art as I easily become absorbed in the creative process. Whatever the medium I work in, I hope to create a visual connection that will stir emotion, thought, wonderment, spirit and energy in myself as well as in the viewer. My style grows and shifts with time and experience. My drive remains consistent, purposeful and focused. In each developing moment I see that I am supported by observing the viewer observe and connect to my work. - Pamela Barner

What Lives in There, by Michael Patterson
Artist Michael Patterson of Oval, PA, created the stainless steel sculpture called What Lives In There. The sculpture, which was unveiled on September 25, 2012, is mounted on the floodwall on the Susquehanna River Walk in South Williamsport, near the Maynard Street Bridge. The sculpture was funded by a grant from the First community Foundation and a Legacy donation from Jane and Charlie Darrow in honor of Ann Combs Darrow. Sculpture is visible on the concrete wall along the Riverwalk on the left (when traveling south) of the Maynard Street bridge. Turn left into the parking lot of Riverfront South.

Artist Statement: "This is what lives in there - right there in the river on the other side of the fence - musky, shad, carp smallmouth bass, walleye, catfish, sucker, sunfish and eel. I chose the theme because I love fish and fishing. Creating a piece showing species of fish native to the river was a perfect way of connecting the river walk to the river. When I moved to the area in 1969, the river was little more than a garbage dump and was nearly devoid of aquatic life. The river was a mess. Now the river is much cleaner and the fish depicted in the sculpture, except the shad, are in abundance. People should remember, however, that demands are being placed on the river by growing communities and the river should be treated with care and honor." - Michael Patterson

Airport Art

Although it is not in downtown Williamsport, there is a beautiful public art piece made out of wood featured in the Airport close by.

Standing Figure, by Brian Flynn, was sponsored by Public ARTWORKS and The Williamsport Regional Airport, and installed on October 11th, 2007 at the Williamsport Regional Airport in Montoursville, PA.

Public Art

1. Images of Williamsport's Past
John Carlance, Carved Brick, 1999
Trade and Transit Center
100 W. 3rd Street, north & south walls
Taken from images on old photographs, the bas-reliefs depict Williamsport's lumber industry, the old opera house, and innovations in transit

2. Lady Justice
Artist Unknown, Metal, 1860
North of intersection of Pine and W. 3rd Streets
This is a replica of the ornament from the original Lycoming County Court House
The courthouse was replaced in 1969, and the original ornament resides at the Taber Museum

3. Shad Run
Joe McDonnell, Brushed Aluminum, 2007
NE Corner of Market and E. 3rd Streets
Shad are a symbol of the renewal of life in our river and our river front city

4. Bound to Bloom
Mike Paterson, Steel, 2003
SW Corner of Market and W. 4th Streets
Commissioned by Lamar Advertising to enhance the revitalization of downtown Williamsport

5. Mural Alley
Jeremiah Johnson, Elise Kaplan, Khristina Snook-Kohr, Mural Paint, 2003-2006
12 W. 4th Street, behind Franco's Restaurant
Commissioned by Franco's Restaurant to enliven the alley that serves as the rear entrance to their restaurant

6. Beatrice Portinari
Ferdinando Vicchi, Carved Marble, 1880
J.V. Brown Library, 19 E. 4th Street
Beatrice was the courtly love of renaissance writer Dante
The piece was brought back from Italy by JV Brown as a souvenir of one of his trips abroad. It is a smaller version of a statue in the Boston Museum of Fine Arts

7. Ruth
Giovanni Ciniselli, Carved Marble, 1880
J.V. Brown Library front entryway 19 E. 4th Street
Commissioned of a sculptor from Milan, Italy, the biblical Ruth is associated with the harvest, appealing to J.V. Brown, the owner of a flour mill
Its original site was the parlor of the Brown home

8. Boy Columbus
Giovanni Monteverde, Carved Marble, 1880
Reference Room of J.V. Brown Library. 19 E. 4th Street
A keepsake of a trip to Italy brought back by J.V. Brown

This piece is a reduced marble copy of a life size version in the Boston Museum of Fine Arts.

9. Italian Pastoral
Lycoming College Art Students, Painted Murals, 1995
341 E. 4th Street
Lycoming College Art students wanted to thank DiSalvo's for improving the neighborhood by building their classical style restaurant

10. The Fish
Tony Rodgers, Concrete Sculpture, 1970
Campus side of Lycoming College Academic Center
Created for a sculpture class under the guidance of art professor and sculptor Jon Bogle
It was nicknamed The Fish by the students, since the abstract piece resembles a fish

11. Peace Tower
Designer Robert M. Yasui M.D., Masonry and Chimes, 1980
Corner of Pine Street and Little League Boulevard
Dr. Yasui commissioned the peace tower to honor his parents, Shizuo and Masuo Yasui and to promote world peace

12. Defenders of The Union
George F. Eisenbrown, Granite, 1894
454 Pine Street
Erected in honor of the men who served during the Civil War

13. Linda, The Dragonfly
Mike Dietz, Copper and Glass, 2003
416 Pine Street (over doorway)
A whimsical piece commissioned by Williamsport's Merchant and Business Association, as part of the Air/Scape program

14. Heart of Downtown
Jason Burgess, Concrete and Metal, 2004
First National Bank parking lot, 120 W. 4th Street
An Air/Scape program commission to celebrate the downtown: the heart of our community

15. River Valley
Mike Paterson, Metal, 2003
2nd Floor Lobby of 353 Pine Street
The wall relief commissioned by the Rizzo family is an artistic testimony to the beauty of life in a rural, mountain river valley

16. Inspiration Lycoming County
Michael Pilato, Acrylic Paint and Panels, 2007
217 West 4th Street
Commissioned by Our Towns: 2010, and the Chamber of Commerce, one of the world's largest murals, it tells of the history and the life of Lycoming County

17. Two Sisters
Jon Kohr, Carved Stone from Lycoming Creek, 2005
229 W 4th Street Parking Lot
Privately commissioned as a memorial to the two Gorden sisters

18. Musical Frogs in the Sky
Steve Bastian, Enamel Sign Paint, 1996
Bullfrog Brewery Entrance, 229 W. 4th Street
Musical frogs playing in a spiral sky are the welcome at the entrance of the Bullfrog Brewery

19. First Day of Summer
Roger Laux Nelson, 78 x 240 feet oil painting, 1980
Lobby of Federal Building, 240 W. 3rd Street
Commissioned by the General Service Administration as a part of the Federal Government Art in Architecture Program

20. Little Street of Shops
Unknown, small painted wall mural
228 W. 3rd Street
A reminder of the shopping heyday of our small city when it was a bustling retail center

21. Metal Works X Two
Jason Burgess, Metal, 2005
Rear 321 Pine Street
Commissioned by Club Z as a contribution to the beautification and cultural life of downtown Williamsport

22. Justice Courthouse Sculpture
Unknown, Carved marble of three life size figures. 1860
Lycoming County Courthouse, 48 W. 3rd Street on 2nd floor
Using art to represent justice is an ancient tradition
It is symbolic of a society's contract with its people: a promise that if they as a people lived by the law, the law in return would be just

23. Fish Mural
Michael Pilato and Lena Yeagle, Mural of Fish
Pine Square, 300 Block of Pine Street
Mural attached to exterior wall in Pine Square, on the west side of Pine Street
Mural is on southeast exterior wall

24. An Urban Forest
Beth Miele, Painted mural, 2012
36 West 4th Street, Downtown Williamsport
Painted mural of trees with herringbone background on the east side of exterior wall

25. Kelly Prado
Michael Pilato, acrylic
505 Washington Boulevard
Mural in memory of Joey's Restaurant owner's daughter, located on building at the north side of the Joey's Restaurant parking lot

26. Children's Mural
Natalia Pilato and community artists, painted mural from photographs taken by children in the Center's after school photography program, 2009
600 Campbell Street
Mural on the west exterior wall of the Campbell Street Family and Youth Center, east side of Campbell Street
Features large sunflowers and children's portraits

27. Vulture
Jonathan Kohr, Metal sculpture, 2011
357 market Street, southwest corner of 4th and Market Streets
Commissioned by the Logue family during restoration of the former Shoe Repair Building

28. Williamsport History
Michael Pilato and Yuriy Karabash, Mural, 2011
Birthplace of Little League
Lena Yeagle, Mural, 2011
Market Street between Church and 4th Streets
Two large murals celebrating local history on the east side of public parking deck, just before the Market Street Bridge, visible from Market Street

29. The Wood Hick
Pamela Barner, Bronze sculpture, 2009
Riverwalk near west of Market Street bridge

30. What Lives in There
Michael Patterson, Stainless steel sculpture, 2012
Riverwalk, South Williamsport, just east of Maynard Street bridge

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