{"id":39736,"date":"2016-05-26T03:33:40","date_gmt":"2016-05-26T07:33:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/utnews.utoledo.edu\/?p=39736"},"modified":"2016-05-24T14:51:43","modified_gmt":"2016-05-24T18:51:43","slug":"new-sculptures-blossom-on-campuses","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.utoledo.edu\/index.php\/05_26_2016\/new-sculptures-blossom-on-campuses","title":{"rendered":"New sculptures blossom on campuses"},"content":{"rendered":"

As the spring air fills with fragrant lilacs and honeysuckle, like clockwork, new works of art dot the grounds of The University of Toledo.<\/p>\n

Ready to share a secret, blooms adorn a bench wrapped by a twining vine and heart-shaped leaves near the north entrance of UT Medical Center. A figure leaps skyward toward a sphere on the west side of Savage Arena. And north of Libbey Hall, a silver flower sparkles as it pays tribute to an acclaimed American artist.<\/p>\n

\"Jim<\/a>

Jim Gallucci’s \u201cListening Whisper Morning Glory Bench\u201d beckons near the north entrance of UT Medical Center.<\/p><\/div>Jim Gallucci\u2019s \u201cListening Whisper Morning Glory Bench,\u201d Mike Sohikian\u2019s \u201cReaching for the Moon\u201d and Douglas Gruizenga\u2019s \u201cGeorgia on My Mind\u201d are three of the new works featured in the 11th annual Outdoor Sculpture Exhibition.<\/p>\n

Gallucci, and artist in Greensboro, N.C., said his benches are whimsical, playful pieces that invite the public to sit and talk. \u201cGood art challenges us, can make us feel righteous, moves us, soothes us, and can bring us peace,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\"Mike<\/a>

Mike Sohikian’s \u201cReaching for the Moon\u201d is located on the west side of Savage Arena.<\/p><\/div>A retired ironworker, Sohikian has a reputation for taking salvaged steel to new heights. The Genoa, Ohio, artist assembles and reworks industrial materials into riveting creations.<\/p>\n

Paintings inspired Gruizenga of Interlochen, Mich. \u201cI am impressed with Georgia O’Keeffe’s floral paintings as well as her\u00a0lust for life,\u201d he said. \u201cThis sculpture is a tribute to her.\u201d<\/p>\n

The trio are among more than 50 who submitted proposals for consideration to the Midwest Sculpture Initiative. The UT Campus Beautification Committee reviewed the entries and selected pieces that recently were installed.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s an honor to have the chance to be part of this annual exhibition, which brings exciting pieces of art to the University,\u201d said Dr. Steve LeBlanc, executive associate dean of fiscal affairs in the College of Engineering and chair of the Campus Beautification Committee. \u201cI love this time of year when all the new pieces arrive.\u201d<\/p>\n

More than 100 sculptures have rotated through the display at the University since the exhibit began, and 11 have become part of UT\u2019s art collection thanks to the generosity of campus benefactors, colleges and departments, according to LeBlanc.<\/p>\n

\"North<\/a>

North of Libbey Hall, \u201cGeorgia on My Mind\u201d by Douglas Gruizenga honors artist Georgia O’Keeffe.<\/p><\/div>Other new works on campus this year:<\/p>\n

\u2022\u00a0\u201cMetropolis\u201d is a 250-pound steel geometric piece featuring an eye-catching blue orb. Forged by the Nordin Brothers, the sculpture sits atop the hill west of University Hall.<\/p>\n

\u2022\u00a0Todd Kime\u2019s \u201cThe Joneses\u201d offers some splashes of color in the center of Centennial Mall.<\/p>\n

\u2022\u00a0\u201cAshes III,\u201d Sam Soet\u2019s intricate slice of ash wood, is located between University Hall and the Student Union.<\/p>\n

\"\u201cAshes<\/a>

\u201cAshes III\u201d by Sam Soet sits between University Hall and the Student Union.<\/p><\/div>\u2022\u00a0The Nordin Brothers weigh in again with \u201cTime Series Calendra,\u201d a hot-rolled steel work located on the west side of the Health and Human Services Building.<\/p>\n

In addition, three sculptures from last year\u2019s exhibit remain: Virginia Kistler\u2019s 500-pound piece of Extira and steel, \u201cAd Infinitum,\u201d appears to rotate between Nitschke and Palmer halls; Ric Leichliter\u2019s steel red buds,\u201cPromise to Flower,\u201d sprout on the east side of the Health and Human Services Building; and Tom Rudd\u2019s 9-foot, 1,000-pound \u201cWhitefish\u201d still swims south of Carlson Library near the Ottawa River.<\/p>\n

Artists receive stipends for the sculptures, which will be on display for the next year.<\/p>\n

LeBlanc said gifts from donors make the annual exhibition possible.<\/p>\n

\u201cThose who enjoy the sculptures are asked to consider a donation to the Campus Beautification Committee through the UT Foundation,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n

Go to https:\/\/give2ut.utoledo.edu<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Check out the works featured in UT’s 11th annual Outdoor Sculpture Exhibition.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6,1,7],"tags":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.utoledo.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39736"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.utoledo.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.utoledo.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.utoledo.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.utoledo.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=39736"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/news.utoledo.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39736\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":39861,"href":"https:\/\/news.utoledo.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39736\/revisions\/39861"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.utoledo.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=39736"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.utoledo.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=39736"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.utoledo.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=39736"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}