"Stargazer" is a Vision at Carle at the Fields

Stargazer with Artist Ray Katz

The Public Art League proudly welcomes Stargazer by artist Ray Katz (Pontiac, MI) to Carle at the Fields in Southwest Champaign.  The sculpture is installed at the corner of Fields South and Healthcare Drive.

Stargazer is 8.5’ tall and 8.5’ wide, weighs 1,000 lbs. and is made of brushed aluminum.

Of Stargazer, the artist states:  Metal is best suited for my work because if its strength, malleability and inherent beauty.  I combine geometric and organic elements to create compositions that convey kinetic energy implied in my work.  I use the abstract manipulation of form and shape in space to create a visual balance, using rhythm, action and movement.  Brushed aluminum has become a prominent aspect of my recent work.  The shades of aluminum integrate and emphasize the structural organization of the elements in my compositions.

The Public Art League thanks Carle for its Site Sponsorship and its support of public art in our community.

Artist Ray Katz with Stargazer

"Quarter Moon" Finds New Home

Quarter Moon by Carl Billingsley

Quarter Moon by Carl Billingsley (Greensboro, NC) has found a new home on Park Street (near Randolph St.) in downtown Champaign.  The sculpture was formerly installed on Main Street (near Market Street).  The sculpture was relocated to make way for another sculpture at that site, and to bring some new artwork back to the Park Street location.

The artist states:  "Quarter Moon is an exploration of a vertical motif.  It is constructed of standard industrial steel shapes such as I-Beams, and various sizes of pipe that are welded and mechanically attached.  The technique that I employed in constructing Quarter Moon is also industrial and continues the tradition of 19th century 'constructivists' who introduced industrial materials and techniques into 'fine art.'  'Economy of means' and 'the hand of the artist' are both expressive aspects of the sculpture that any viewer can see and readily understand.  Quarter Moon is a unique and somewhat mysterious object that enlivens the public space and references the natural world symbolically by employing universal design elements such as color, planes, lines and circles in a sort of poetry of object and space."

We hope you enjoy Quarter Moon in its new home!