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‘Branching Out’ project features local artists, classes

Photos: Patrick Woven-Wood Dougherty

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By Meredith Moss, Staff Writer Updated 6:53 PM Wednesday, May 4, 2011

DAYTON — Branches of Patrick Dougherty’s new sculpture will be reaching throughout the Miami Valley in the months ahead.

The hope, says Pam Houk of the Wegerzyn Gardens Foundation steering committee, is that the famous artist’s sculpture will serve as inspiration for other artists in the community and will help connect people to nature and the environment through art.

The outreach portion of the ambitious project includes four temporary outdoor sculpture installations by local artists as well as a number of drawing workshops, art camps and classes for kids. The artists were selected because they have all created outdoor sculptures in the past using recycled or natural materials.

Collaborating organizations include the Dayton Art Institute, the University of Dayton, K-12 Gallery for Young People, Wright State University and the Dayton Visual Art Center.

Houk and her committee obtained $50,000 in funding through private sources and grants to make the project possible.

Michael Bashaw, one of the four local artists selected for the project, says he had long admired Dougherty’s work and saw his installations in several locations around the country.

“Dougherty’s Wegerzyn installation is stunning, and the fact that many community volunteers helped in its execution makes the project that much more meaningful,” he says. “The artworks we create around town will help get people out-of-doors to enjoy art in natural settings.

Here’s a look at the sculptures-to-be:

• If you’ve been to the ballpark, you may have already seen the first of the sculptures: “Canal Men” by Leesa Haapauro. The piece, made of recycled, natural and man-made materials, pays tribute to the forgotten men who built the Miami-Erie Canal. You’ll need to look down inside the old canal beds to see the men who are meant to appear as ghosts rising from the debris. The sculpture will be moved to Carillon Historical Park for Memorial Day events.

• Michael Bashaw, known for his sound sculptures, will be constructing an outdoor installation made of bamboo and other natural materials at Cox Arboretum MetroPark. The art will be completed by June 25 to coincide with the opening of the Butterfly House and Garden.

• Artist Willis “Bing” Davis will create “Urban Shrine #4,” a sculpture crafted of recycled industrial materials. The idea of this is to celebrate community revitalization. It will stand in the Wright Dunbar Business district on the north side of West Third Street. It will be diagonal from the Aviation Heritage National Historical Park Visitors’ Center and next to Davis’ art studio and his Ebonia Gallery. The work will be finished by Aug. 27 and featured at Urban Nights on Sept. 16.

• Just in time for fall classes at Wright State, artist Thomas Macaulay will be installing a site-specific piece of landscape art that will extend from the WSU Sculpture Studio to an evergreen-edged path that winds through a woods along a creek. There will be signs erected at Wright State to help you find the exact location.

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2440 or mmoss@DaytonDailyNews.com.

Feeling inspired?

If the artwork you’ll see in the community over the next few months inspires you to create art of your own, here are some of the upcoming options:

The Dayton Art Institute will offer two series of summer classes related to artist Patrick Dougherty’s stick sculpture. From July 25-29, kids in grades 1-3 can attend “Art From Natural Materials” classes as part of the museum’s summer Art Camp. Other classes on the topic are available for older students, and a special week-long scholarship program for grades 7 and 8 will focus on the Wegerzyn installation June 13-17. To be considered for this scholarship, portfolios of a student’s work should be submitted to the DAI education department May 6-20. For more information on the DAI programs, call (937) 223-5277.

DVAC will be sponsoring drawing workshops by Dayton artist David Leach. The next will be held on May 21 at Wegerzyn Gardens MetroPark and is free and open to all ages. Call (937) 225-7275 to register.

Kids of various ages can sign up for “Willow Art” at the K-12 Gallery for Young People on Saturdays in September and October. A final event will take place at Wegerzyn Gardens MetroPark on Oct. 28. Call (937) 461-5149.

For more information on Patrick Dougherty’s project, visit www.metroparks.org/dougherty.

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