Downtown Champaign Welcomes "Pipe Trapped Apparitions"

The Public Art League is proud to announce the installation of Pipe Trapped Apparitions, a sculpture by Charles Yost.   The sculpture was installed on Friday, September 19 on the southwest corner of Park and Randolph Streets in downtown Champaign.  Pipe Trapped Apparitions represents the 43^rd sculpture the Public Art League has brought to the community, and its installation is possible thanks to the generous support of the Friends of PAL.

Charles Yost received his BFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and his MFA in Sculpture from Northern Illinois University, where he also served on faculty.  His work has been featured throughout the Midwest, with exhibitions in festivals, galleries, and museums in Illinois, Wisconsin, and Tennessee.  As a sculptor, Yost is interested in observing and equating geometric, machine-like, industrial forms as they interact visually and aesthetically in functional use.  His current works embody both geometric and organic elements, forming what he describes as a “georganimetric” concept.  In this piece, Yost states, “organic apparitions are seemingly trapped or caught in a more geometric environment, yet can still live in peace and harmony.” 

THEB #1 Purchased!

The Public Art League is pleased to announce that THEB #1 by Jeffrey Boshart has been purchased by Surface 51 and Mellander Holdings, LLC.  The sculpture's new owners originally leased the piece as part of the PAL program in 2012.

THEB #1 will remain installed on N. Neil Street (next to Blue Line Station) and provide a great welcome to downtown Champaign from the north.

"Asteray" Installed in Downtown Urbana

The Public Art League is proud to announce the installation of Asteray, a sculpture by Nicole Beck.  The Public Art League worked with the City of Urbana to complete the installation near the corner of Green and Cedar streets in downtown Urbana.  Asteray represents the 42nd sculpture the Public Art League has brought to the community, and its installation is possible thanks to the generous support of Barak Rosenshine.

Nicole Beck is a sculptor with strong ties to Illinois and Champaign-Urbana in particular, with her pieces Astroterra and Foxgloves featured in the community from 2011-2013, and Amplifiers scheduled for future installation on the University of Illinois campus.  In addition, her sculptures have been featured in numerous exhibits in Chicago, including Avenue of Sculpture at Merchandise Mart, Art in the Gardens at Grant Park, and the Clark Street Sculpture Exhibition, which described her work as “abstracted apparatus and organic forms juxtaposed as poetic metaphors for archetypes of the flow and balance of energy and life systems”.

"Reflective Moments" Installed at Allerton Park

The Public Art League is proud to announce the installation of "Reflective Moments" by artist Ruth Gee at Allerton Park in Monticello.  The piece was unveiled at a ceremony held at the Park on Friday, August 8.  The sculpture can be found just north of the Visitor's Center and represents the first new piece of art installed at Allerton since 1942.

"Reflective Moments" is the first sculpture installed from those accepted by the Public Art League in 2014.  It is the 42nd sculpture installed since PAL formed in 2010.

Unveiling New Art at Allerton Park

On Friday August 8th at 5:30 pm, Allerton Park & Retreat Center, alongside the Public Art League, will unveil the first new piece of art at Allerton Park since 1942.

Allerton Park & Retreat Center invites the public to the unveiling of Reflective Moments, the newest sculpture in the Allerton collection.  Reflective Moments is a sculpted bronze piece produced by Ruth Gee, an artist from Hastings, Michigan.

The unveiling will be held just north of the Visitor Center, where Reflective Moments will engage visitors for years to come.  A Concerts in the Park series Bluegrass Concert will follow the unveiling, on the Allerton Gate House Lawn at 6 pm.

Robert Allerton¹s extensive sculpture collection is widely known, and the Allerton staff is proud to carry on his legacy by adding a new piece this summer.  Derek Peterson, Associate Director at Allerton, says, "We were very careful in choosing a piece; we wanted the new to blend with the old.  Allerton was constantly adding to his collection, and we wanted to continue in that tradition, while respecting the historic significance."

Allerton staff worked with the Public Art League to lease the sculpture, which will be housed at Allerton for the next two years. "We hope to continue to add to Allerton's art collection as well over time," notes Peterson.

Find more information on the unveiling and the concert at www.allerton.illinois.edu

2014 Finalists Unveiled!

The Public Art League received 51 fantastic entries from all over the world in response to the 2014 Call to Artists.  Of the entries, our advisory Jury panel selected 10 that we hope to bring to the Champaign-Urbana area this year.

This year's finalists are:

 “Adam & Eve Mourning Over the Soul of Abel”

  by Bryan W. Massey Sr.,  (Conway, AR)

  Height:  10’ 2",  Width:  5’,
Depth:  3’,  Weight:  900lbs,
Materials:  Painted Steel

  “Folleto”

  by Michael Shewmaker,  (Hilo, HI)

  Height:  8',  Width:  6',  Depth:  5',  Weight:  700lbs,
Materials:  Stainless Steel

  “Athirst”

  by Sarah Deppe,  (Madison, WI)

  Height:  9', Width:  9',  Depth:  12',  Weight:  700lbs,
Materials:  Metal Rod, Industrial Plastic & Rubber

  “Reflective Moments”

  by  Ruth Gee,  (Hastings, MI)

  Height:  40”,  Width:  24",
Depth:  45”,  Weight:  350lbs,
Materials:  Cast Bronze

  “Spiral the Gate”

  by Ray Katz,  (Pontiac, MI)

  Height:  10',  Width:  4',  Depth:  9'  Weight: 350 lbs
Materials:  Welded Aluminum

  “Rules of Civility”

  by Kristin Garnant,  (Camanche, IA)

  Height:  65", Width:  Variable,
Depth:  12", Weight:  90lbs ea.,
Materials:  Steel

  “Flamenco Revisited”

  by Ruth Aizuss Migdal,  (Chicago, IL)

  Height:  21', Width:  8', Depth:  10', Weight:  5000lbs

Materials:  Painted Steel

 “Asteray”

  by Nicole Beck,  (Chicago, IL)

  Height:  18',  Width:  4’,  Depth:  5’,  Weight:  1000lbs

Materials:  Stainless Steel & Epoxied Mosaic

  “Stranger Reduction Zone”

  by Timothy C. Flood,  (Denver, CO)

  Height:  10’,  Width:  17",
Depth:  20",  Weight:  <100lbs

  Materials:   Aluminum, Plastic, Electronics, Audio & People

  “Jester Street Light”

  by Kimber Fiebiger,  (Minneapolis, MN)

  Height:  108”,  Width:  36”,
Depth:  30”, Weight:  300lbs
Materials:  Bronze, Glass Light Globe & Acrylic Paint

Thank you to all of the artists who submitted work in 2014!

The Public Art League is now seeking sponsors to bring all of these incredible sculptures to the community.  Response thus far has been fantastic and a number of the 2014 finalists have already been sponsored.  Information regarding sponsorship can be found here: (sponsorship).  If you have interest in becoming a sponsor and bringing a piece to the area, please contact us at info@publicartleague.org.

Thank you for your support of the Public Art League!

The Public Art League's 2014 Sculpture Unveiling

Tuesday, June 17  5:30p - 7:00p

indi go Artist Co-Op

9 East University Ave, Downtown Champaign

Please join us on Tuesday, June 17 from 5:30p-7:00p at indi go Artist Co-Op as we unveil the sculptures that could make their way to Champaign-Urbana this year! Artists from all over the country have submitted their entries and you will get a chance to see the wonderful pieces that have been selected for installation.

Wine, beer & hors d'oeuvres provided.  Please join us for this exciting evening!

Please RSVP by Friday, June 13 to

whitney.wheatman@gmail.com

Sponsored by: