ARTwalk: Napa Valley's first interactive sculpture tour
By Christy Bors
FRIDAY JUNE 18, 2010---Spring and summer blooms are not all that are emerging from the soil this month in Napa. As of mid-June, sculpture artists from throughout California and Oregon have begun the installation of 10 public art works in downtown Napa as part of Napa ARTwalk.
Napa ARTwalk marks Downtown Napa's first-ever interactive public art exhibition and tour. The inaugural exhibition will be on display from July 2010 --- May 2011. Ten artists, selected by a jury of art professionals, are installing sculptures embodying the exhibition's theme, "Celebrating the Napa River." Napa ARTwalk's 2010 artists include: Riis Burwell, Nicky Falkenhayn, Stephen Fitz-Gerald, John King, Adrian Litman, John Luebtow, Terrence Martin, Eric Powell, Ann Shelby Valentine, and Carlos Zamora. The program is jointly sponsored by Arts Council Napa Valley and the City of Napa's Redevelopment Agency.
Napa ARTwalk was implemented to expand public art in Napa, adding to the cultural landscape of the city by showcasing innovative sculpture. The exhibition will rotate annually, with a new theme each year and expanded locations when possible. During the 11-month program, the public will have the opportunity to vote on its favorite sculpture work. Ballot boxes, designed by resident artists of Vine Village, will be available in several downtown locations, including Napa City Hall, Goodman Library, Downtown Joe's, Napa Valley Opera House, and Napa Mill, to record the public vote. In summer, 2011, another new exhibition will be installed, with hopes of expanded artist participation in the years to come.
The Napa ARTwalk program helps fulfill Arts Council Napa Valley's Community Cultural Plan to "Build Effective Awareness of the Arts" and "Establish Effective Arts Public Policies".
The official launch of the ARTwalk Exhibition is on Wednesday, July 14, 2010, from 4:00 --6:00 p.m., beginning at First and School streets in front of Napa City Hall. Following a brief program, guests will receive an exhibition brochure and map, and will be invited to take the self-guided Napa ARTwalk tour along First Street and the Napa River. Docents and artists will be stationed at each art piece to provide more detailed information about each sculpture. Following the tour, guests are invited to attend a reception at River Bend Plaza behind the Hatt Building, beginning at 5:00 p.m. Wineries in partnership with Small Lots, Big Wines and Napa Destination Council will be adding to the festivities.
Following the kick-off ceremony, residents and tourists will have the opportunity to explore and interact with the sculpture exhibition on their own time, hearing audio commentary about each of the ten pieces on display through a new breakthrough in Smart Phone technology. With a single download of a free Smart Phone application, visitors can "scan" cards next to each sculpture and hear an audio explanation of the work directly through their cellular phones.
Participating artist Nicky Falkenhayn marked the first artist to begin installation for the Napa ARTwalk exhibition on June 16th. Falkenhayn's work is entitled The Throne, a sculpture made of Cor-ten steel and stacked glass. The artist expressed great enthusiasm about the public art initiative in Downtown Napa. "Everyone has been so friendly and inviting," gushed Falkenhayn. "I've participated on art juries for similar projects in Lake Oswego, and I've seen what [outdoor exhibitions] can do for the community." Smiling as she fiddled around with a drill bit mid-install, she added," This is just the beginning.
ARTwalk is currently seeking docents for the July 14th kick-off celebration. For future exhibition information, or to enroll as a sculpture docent, phone the Arts Council Napa Valley office at 707-257-2117 or e-mail Christy[at]artscouncilnv.org. For more information on this year's ARTwalk exhibition, please visit www.NapaARTwalk.org.
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