Tag Archives: Chapel

Little Rock Look Back: Groundbreaking of Vogel Schwartz Sculpture Garden

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Wayne Salge’s SIZZLING SISTERS, one of the original sculptures installed in the Vogel Schwartz Sculpture Garden

On June 25, 2009, members of the Sculpture at the River Market committee and City leaders broke ground on the Vogel Schwartz Sculpture Garden in Riverfront Park.

The groundbreaking followed an unveiling of the design plans for the new sculpture garden, which will be located east of the Peabody Hotel near the Forever a Rose garden and the Jack Fleischauer Garden.

“As part of the continuing improvements to Riverfront Park, we wanted to put more sculpture into the park to complement the new gardens, Peabody Park, and the upcoming La Petite Roche plaza,” said City Director Dean Kumpuris. “At the 2008 Sculpture at the River Market, six pieces were bought through proceeds from the show and sale to be placed in the park in 2009.”

According to Kumpuris, seven new pieces will join a dozen other sculptures in the park and along President Clinton Avenue that have been installed since 2004.

The sculpture garden features natural terraces and walkways. The design creates a space to host receptions, weddings or other events as well as to allow visitors to enjoy the sculptures in solitude.

The seven pieces which will be installed are “Full of Himself” by Jan Woods, “Cascade” by Chapel, “Bateleur Eagle” by Pete Zaluzec, “Sizzling Sister” by Wayne Salge, “Conversation with Myself” by Lorri Acott,  “First Glance” by Denny Haskew, and “Straight and Narrow” by Lisa Gordon.

“This is only the start,” said Sculpture at the River Market Chair Jane Rogers. “In addition to continuing to place sculpture in Riverfront Park, the committee is discussing ways to place public art throughout the city. In the months to come, we hope to be able to make some more announcements about sculpture and public art in Little Rock.”

The sculpture garden is made possible through the support of the Vogel Schwartz Foundation. Robert Vogel represented the family during the ground-breaking ceremony commending the city of Little Rock on their efforts to support the art community.

Carol Gold’s INFINITE DANCE wins 2018 Public Monument Sculpture Competition

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­­­­­Carol Gold was named as the recipient of a $60,000 commission on Thursday at the conclusion of the 2018 A Night in the Garden – Where Sculpture Grows. The commission was sponsored by Sculpture at the River Market.

Sculpture at the River Market invited sculptors to submit a proposal for its $60,000 Public Monument Competition. This is the eighth such competition.

Forty-one artists submitted a proposal. After a review by the Sculpture at River Market Committee and voting by ballot, the three finalists were selected. Guests at the Night in the Garden party voted to choose the winner.  The other two finalists were Giuseppe Palumbo and Stephen Shachtman.

The piece will be located in a new plaza in the western end of Riverfront Park near the elevated bike and pedestrian ramp which goes from the park up to the Broadway Bridge.  It will be installed in April 2019.

Infinite Dance depicts a female figure dancing atop a large ring.  The joyfully dancing figure represents the vibrant cultural scene of Riverfront Park.  The sculpture’s ring shape ties into the curving bridges surrounding the site.  The shape of a circle holds deep symbolism, referring to concepts such as inclusion, unity, wholeness, and infinity.

The cast bronze figure measures 7 feet high, 4.5 feet wide, and 2.5 feet deep. It is securely attached to a stainless steel ring that is 7 feet in diameter. This gives the sculpture an overall height of 14 feet.  The stainless steel will be anchored to a concrete footing at, or below, grade. This will allow the viewer to walk through the circle and interact with the sculpture.

Gold’s work has been exhibited throughout the US and Canada. Among numerous awards are those she has received from the National Sculpture Society and the North American Sculpture Exhibition. Gold’s FIESTA was one of the original sculptures installed in Little Rock in November 2004.

Carol Gold’s Infinite Dance will join seven other sculptures that have been recognized previously with the commissions through the Sculpture at the River Market’s Public Art Monument Sculpture Competition.

*       The 2011 winner was Chapel, whose work The Center was installed near the Junction Bridge.

*       In 2012 the recipient was Bryan Massey’s Nautilus. This was installed to the north of the Marriott Hotel near the new children’s spray fountain.

*       The 2013 winner was Ted Schaal for his piece Open Window which was placed near the La Petite Roche plaza and First Security Amphitheatre.

*       Lorri Acott’s Peace was the 2014 commission winner; it is sited at the southeast corner of Main and 2nd Streets.

*       Michael Warrick’s Mockingbird Tree, the 2015 winner, is located at the corner of Chenal Parkway and Chenal Valley Drive.

*        Clay Enoch’s United, which won in 2016, was installed at Central High School in September 2017.

*        Stephen Shachtman’s Arkansas A, won in 2017.  It was installed earlier this week at the entrance to the Southwest Community Center complex on Baseline Road.

Ted Schaal Receives 2013 Sculpture at the River Market Public Art Monument Commission

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Ted-Schaal-RenderingAt the recent “A Night in the Garden” party, guests chose the recipient of the third annual public art monument design competition.  The three finalists were Lorri Acott’s On the Shoulders of Giants, Mark Leichliter’s Through the Looking Glass and Ted Schaal’s Open Window.  At stake was a $60,000 commission and placement of the sculpture in Riverfront Park.

The winner was Schaal.

Ted Schaal graduated from Colorado State University, class of 1992, with a BFA concentrating on fiber arts and sculpture. He has been working as an artist and craftsman in Loveland since 1993. Ted chooses to produce his work in bronze and stainless steel so that his pieces will withstand the harshest of natural elements and should last for many generations.

Between 1993 and 2005 Ted’s work focused on functional designs in the form of boxes, treasuries and reliquaries. You will find mountain scenes, native flowers and Art Deco inspired designs embellishing the intricately carved exterior. Some special pieces have hand-woven tapestries adorning the interior walls. “I sculpt functional forms that are designed to enhance the everyday experiences of the user by creating a special and sometimes sacred interaction with the personalized contents of each piece.”

In 2004, he began using his corrugated texture to create strong geometric vessel forms. They are non-functional purely decorative objects for the home. The final compositions are reminiscent of artifacts from antiquity, designed to raise questions about their origins as well as their implied functions.

Recently, Ted has been exploring strong geometric forms in combination with a primitive corrugated texture, smooth and polished surfaces. The goal is an interesting juxtaposition of materials and surface textures. Moving away from the utilitarian boxes and non-functional vessels of his past, Ted’s new work is purely sculptural emphasizing strong horizontal balance, tension, and negative space. Larger forms frame and direct the viewer toward a focal point or focal space. “Functional objects have size limitations whereas sculpture does not.”

Ted publicly exhibits his work in galleries and juried exhibitions in Colorado, Arkansas, Kentucky, Kansas and Texas. He has established a collector base that stretches from New Hampshire to California and across the Oceans to Hawaii, Spain and Japan. His public placements include: The Compass Rose with Solstice Markers (2004) Washington University, St. Louis, MO. The Mirage Monument (2008) Cerritos Sculpture Garden, Cerritos, CA. The Mirage (2007) Sculpture Garden at Riverfront Park, Little Rock, AR.

A list of award winning exhibitions includes: “2005 Bacchus 4th Annual Juried Art Exhibition and Auction,” Denver CO. – Best of Show, 3D. “2005 Conifer Arts Festival,” Conifer CO. – Best of Show, Sculpture. “34th Annual CHUN Capitol Hill Peoples Fair,” Denver CO. – Best of Show, Sculpture. “7th Annual Colorado Arts Festival,” Denver CO. – Best in Show. “2005, 2006, 2007 Englewood Arts National Juried Art Show,” Englewood CO. “The 1993 Wood, Glass, Fiber, Metal and Clay Art Show,” Steamboat Springs CO. – First Place Hope Chest, Second Place Circle.

The 2011 recipient was Chapel for The Center.  Last year, Arkansan Bryan Massey won with Nautilus.

Sculpture Vulture: Snow

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Here are some Little Rock sculptures in Riverfront Park amidst the snow.

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Dan Glanz’s BORIS

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Laurel Peterson Gregory’s BUNNY BUMP

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Chapel’s THE CENTER

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Mark Leichliter’s TOGETHER

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Kathleen Caricof’s INFINITY

Darrell Davis' A CHANGE OF DIRECTION

Darrell Davis’ A CHANGE OF DIRECTION

Sculpture Vulture: THE CENTER

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One of Little Rock’s two newest sculptures is featured in the Sculpture Vulture today.  Chapel’s THE CENTER was dedicated on Friday, October 19. It is located in Riverfront Park just to the west of the Junction Bridge and north of the Peabody Playground. The piece was commissioned in 2011 at the 5th annual Sculpture at the River Market.

Chapel uses a variety of materials including steel and colored glass to create this tall sculpture. It represents that Little Rock is the center of the state and Riverfront Park (and the nearby “Little Rock”) represent the heart of the City.   The steel evokes the nearby Junction bridge and the blue and green glass echo the nearby grass and water.  (Green and Blue are also Little Rock’s colors, so this was a happy accident by the sculptor as well.)  The textured glass that is in the center of the column is also evocative of the Arkansas River.

Chapel is an award winning sculptor who creates both abstract and figurative pieces working in a variety of media.  Though his work can be seen worldwide, most of his commissions have been in the south and west. He is a member of the National Sculpture Guild and Society of Animal Artists among many other professional associations.