Sheri Earnhart, art instructor and Johnson City Public Art Committee (JCPAC) member, assists with the coordination of JCPA’s traffic wrap program. This program turns ordinary traffic control boxes into works of art and relies on the talents of local youth to get the job done. Earnhart teaches private art lessons and is part of the team of artists at MOMAC studio in Johnson City. In her post below, she describes her experience with the traffic wrap program and the Boys & Girls Club members who have helped make the program possible.
To begin, here is a small blurb courtesy of Robin Crumley, president & CEO of Boys & Girls Club of Johnson City:
“Boys & Girls Club (BGC) had so much fun working with Sheri Earnhart and her team to create two designs for the light boxes in downtown Johnson City. The community helped to donate supplies and paper. BGC members, staff, intern and board members all came together throughout several months to make this happen. Activities included a review of light box layouts; to creative ideas in focus groups with the kids; to design work and artistry from club members, alumni and staff; to final City photography for wrap.”
Boys & Girls Club member and intern measure a traffic box.
As the committee member overseeing this ongoing project that beautifies the traffic control boxes in town with art, I’ve had a really wonderful time getting to know the people making the art happen and helping foster the creativity of our local youth. It is truly inspiring to see them all at work.
Board member helps club member with paint.
The BGC members really landed on a great concept promoting both our great pollinators and safety. I think their art will make a great addition to the Johnson City pollination corridor.
-Sheri Earnhart, JCPA member
Boys & Girls Club members work on traffic wrap art.
Johnson City Public Art Committee member, Chasidy Hathorn, donates art supplies.
City of Johnson City staff member prepares to photograph the art.
Mary Nees, retired adjunct from the East Tennessee State University Art Department, is a current member of the Johnson City Public Art Committee. She is also a professional artist; her work embodies the idea of the conceptual landscape and is created through a variety of methods, from mixed media and drawings to paintings and printmaking. In her post below, Nees discusses the origins and evolution of public art. She explains the importance of making art accessible to the public as it can help build communities, beautify surroundings, and impact individuals in a positive way.
Question from a Johnson City-ite: What is this thing called “Public Art” I’m hearing about?
Answer from a JC Public Art Committee member: The idea of “public art” is not new and in fact is older than our hills. Any assumption that ‘real art’ is found only in high-end galleries or on the walls of museums for the price of your admission is actually a modern prejudice.
Consider, for example, the lyrical drawings on cave walls by primitives. There were no wine and cheese fetes set up for the viewing of that work. The images were scratched out and presented for view by locals in their common life.
Or think about the medieval altarpieces and storied frescoes. These were made for simple churches in small towns all over Europe to teach those who could not read about big biblical themes.
In both these historical periods, art served a very public purpose. It’s presence exemplified, and left us a legacy of what each culture considered the root of reality. And all this work was free and accessible.
In the last several centuries (and for a host of political, philosophical and cultural reasons) artwork has been closeted inside expensive buildings under lock and key. Art has become “nice but not necessary” to most, or confusing and elitist to many.
Yet, even in current times aesthetic expression still strives for a public viewing. The amazing mural program in the city of Philadelphia began as an effort to encourage and train spray-can graffiti artists to move from defacing public spaces to enhancing them. When an organized effort is made to put quality artwork “out there” we all win.
As a committee, we have an expectation therefore that art can move people, that it can improve our common spaces, that it represents common realities and that it can lift our vision as a city. And so, we are investing in work that enhances our public spaces. Look around Johnson City; you’ll see some exciting examples.
Michelle Treece, Johnson City Public Art Committee (JCPAC) member and retired teacher, has served on JCPAC since last fall. Treece taught for nearly 33 years in the Johnson City School system, and is greatly interested in ensuring that the youth in our community have opportunities to become involved in public art. “I have a special interest in seeing our local youth make positive contributions to our community,” Treece explains. In her post below, she reveals one of the exciting new mural installations that will be placed in one of the main breezeways downtown. Treece assisted with coordination of the mural project along with local school teachers.
A walk around downtown Johnson City, TN will reveal splashes of art…. art in various forms of color, a variety of art mediums, and various levels to the viewing eye. Johnson City has spectacular art above the eye level as in the new Johnson City sign. One can find beautiful artistic bridge rails all along the waterway right below eye level at King Commons. At the downtown entrance to Founders Park, below eye level, one can see some amazing artwork on the ground right under your feet! Standing in that spot, looking forward into the park all along the horizon, you will find a plethora of sculptures close up and off in the distance, as far into the park as you can see.
Genesis – Marc Moulton & Duke Oursler
Downtown Johnson City is covered with art on all levels!! If you love metal works, we have it! If you love mixed media art, we have it! If you love nature coupled with the engineering “art” of storm water mitigation and conservation, we have it! If you love the art of music and the live outdoor music at Founders Park or the JC Drum Circle at the pavilion, we have it!! Anyone who loves art should have something to love in downtown Johnson City.
This blog is about the art that one can see at eye level, right in front of you! Murals! Murals have been adding a palate of color to the once monotonous, brick walls of the downtown area.
Untitled – Don Bledsoe
Downtown murals are located along the walkways by some of the downtown shops, restaurants, coffee shops and music venues, and in King Commons – the latest addition to the collection. This mural is a colorful representation of several themes from Johnson City. This mural, entitled Wildabout displays an artistic reflection of our concern for flood water control, our strong desire for bee pollination and conservation, local plant and animal life, and local architectural landmarks. The artist, Ian Brownlee, was selected from more than 30 applicants to complete this mural.
Wildabout – Ian Brownlee
Many of our locals may have noticed that some downtown framed canvas murals have been removed. These murals, the winning projects from a mural competition during a Blue Plum event several years ago, were on display for a limited time and will be replaced soon. I am very excited to say that the new murals have been completed by high school students and a high school graduate of local schools in the Johnson City area. An invitation was extended to Topper Academy of Science Hill High School, Providence Academy, and an individual resident of Johnson City. All artists eagerly accepted the challenge! (An invitation was also extended to University High; however, they were not able to participate.) Groups were provided a simple idea – create a mural that reflects the heart of downtown Johnson City. On-going communication occurred with all groups and several pictures of progress were shared. The resulting murals are amazing! These teachers and students involved were able to complete their projects before the last day of school!
Watch for an upcoming unveiling of the next eye-level installment of several downtown murals – artwork by our own local residents! I think you will be very pleased! Enjoy!
“Art does not reproduce what we see; rather is makes us see.” – Paul Klee
One of the murals created by local high school students captures a sunset above our mountain landscape.
Join the Johnson City Public Art (JCPA) Committee at Tipton Gallery (126 Spring Street) on August 3rd at 5:55 p.m.for the inaugural 5 x 5 Exhibition and Fundraiser. Artists from across the region are invited to show their work for a fundraising effort to benefit the Boys and Girls Club and JCPA.
All 5 x 5 artworks will be sold for $25 and will be generously donated by the artist to the 5 x 5 fundraising cause.
We appreciate every artist and the generosity and time that comes with donating a piece of art. Many of us on the JCPA committee are working artists and understand that asking for a donated piece of art is a request often made by organizations in their fundraising effort. We understand the magnitude of this request. Aside from fundraising for the Boys and Girls Club and JCPA, an additional goal of 5 x 5 is to introduce potential art collectors to a broad group of artists and hopefully through this event, create a dialog around art in Johnson City.
SUBMISSION INFORMATION:
Any working artist is welcome to participate.
No more than 5 entries per artist.
Art must be original.
Art must meet the 5 x 5 dimension and be securely mounted to the board provided by JCPA.
Please avoid the use of profanity or nudity. Although we value your freedom of expression, this is a family-friendly event; and we, the JCPA committee, reserve the right to reject art that may be deemed inappropriate.
Buyers agree to leave their purchased artwork for the duration of the event.
Any unsold artwork will be returned to the artist, or, if agreed upon, will be offered for sale at the next 5 x 5 exhibition and becomes the property of JCPA
All art must be submitted by July 20th to the following location:
Nancy Campbell (423-434-6080): Johnson City Public Works 601 E. Main St., Johnson City, TN, 37601 (you may submit your art by mailing to this address or dropping it off in person)
5 x 5 panels are provided to every participating artist. Please indicate how you would prefer to receive your panel(s) when you sign up to participate on the 5 x 5 submission form.
IMPORTANT DATES:
Artwork submission deadline, July 20th
Opening reception, August 3rd
All artists are encouraged to attend the opening reception on August 3rd at Tipton Gallery. We want to celebrate you and express gratitude for your participation. Without you it would not be possible.
Request a Listing in the Washington County Artists Brochure!
The Johnson City Public Art Committee invites any artist living or working in Washington County, Tennessee to request a listing in a brochure showcasing the county’s artists. The brochure will be published by JCPA and is intended to:
Provide exposure for the artists in our area
Let the public know what types of art are being produced locally (general type(s) of work will be listed for each artist)
Provide artist contact info (website, email, etc.) for those looking to purchase art
Visit the Johnson City Public Art website to request a listing:
Visit Johnson City Public Art at Insta-Crafty (the handmade market) on May 20th from noon to 6pm. We’ll be at the Pavilion at Founders Park in downtown Johnson City.
Stop by the Johnson City Public Art (JCPA) booth at Insta-Crafty and participate in our “Make One, Take One” activity! We’ll have all the materials ready for you to create two unique watercolor art pieces. One of your choosing will be incorporated into a display with the watercolors made by other participants, and the other you will take home with you. You do not have to consider yourself an artist to participate! These will be easy, abstract, and fun to make, and JCPA committee members will be available to assist if needed.
Above is an example of the abstract watercolor you can create at the JCPA table. Make your piece unique by blowing through straws to move the paints!
The JCPA committee will also offer tours of the current sculpture exhibit in and around Founders Park. Tours will begin at 1:00, 3:00, and 5:00 p.m. at the JCPA booth. Most of the sculptures you will see on the tour are on a rotational schedule; they are leased for two years from the artist and are then replaced by a new round of sculpture. If you haven’t had a chance to see the exhibit, or if you’ve passed by previously but would like to learn more about these artworks, come along on a tour! Each piece has its own story, meaning, and interpretation waiting to be discovered.
On the tour, you will see some of the City’s permanent art pieces like the one pictured here. This sculpture, entitled “He Stopped and Turned to the Light”, was purchased and donated to the City by Lynda Wexler. This piece was created by artist Charlie Brouwer.Other pieces such as the one pictured above are part of our rotational art exhibit. This sculpture is entitled “Stepped Tower” and was created by artist Larry Millard. It is on exhibit in Johnson City from 2017-2019.
Also, take a moment between activities to find out more about JCPA. The JCPA committee engages in a wide array of projects that help to beautify our City and build community around public art. Sign-up sheets will be available for those who would like updates on the latest news about public art in Johnson City. The sheets will be categorized into various art types (i.e. murals, sculpture, etc.) so you can choose to keep posted on your specific area of interest. We’ll also be handing out JCPA stickers and brochures!
Pick up some info on the current sculpture exhibit and the JCPA committee.
We look forward to seeing you on May 20th at Insta-Crafty.
Find out more about other JCPA projects at our informational table! Our committee is involved in a wide range of public art efforts. The quote stone that you see here is one of several on the new “Quote Walk” downtown, a project that will expand in the near future with the addition of ten new quote stones.
Lewis Body, Blacksmithing Apprentice (left), and Jim Masterson, Shop Foreman (right), in the midst of installing the artistic bridge rails at King Commons in downtown Johnson City.
On an overcast day in late December, Lewis Body, Jim Masterson, and Kacy Ganley traveled to Johnson City from the Metal Museum in Memphis, Tennessee to begin installation of the artistic bridge rails at King Commons. Together, they placed each heavy section of railing at three different locations throughout the park. After the main components were locked in place, the floral embellishments were attached, adding an exciting burst of color to the railing design.
During a short break from the installation, Body, Masterson, and Ganley were kind enough to answer some of our questions about their experiences with designing and fabricating this unique railing. Body designed the railing and had taken the lead on its fabrication. When we inquired about the inspiration behind the railing design, Body indicated that he was influenced by several factors – the park’s focus on storm water mitigation, the themes present in the new mural at King Commons, and the general atmosphere and architecture surrounding the site. The blue color that was chosen for the coating was drawn from the shade of blue used in the mural and is meant to represent the waterways of Brush Creek. The paint colors used for the coneflower, iris, and milkweed flowers were custom mixed in house at the Metal Museum in Memphis.
Clamps help to hold the railing in place before it is bolted to the ground.
Masterson commented that one of the most difficult aspects of the project involved aligning the railing layout with the actual layout of the park. He specified that “tracking the different curves” and the “logistics – the building of the whole” arose as challenges.
The bridge railing mimics the shades of blue in the waterways of Ian Brownlee’s mural “Wildabout”.
Body and the team agreed that one of the most exciting parts of the project had been “the challenge of getting it right”. He explained that they enjoyed “fitting [the railing] into its home – where it’s going to be”.
Set-up is underway…
Masterson, Ganley, and Body have been involved in the fabrication of railings, gates, sculptures, and doors during their time at the Metal Museum. Their pieces are found throughout the southeast but range as far as California and Hawaii.
Milkweed flowers “pop” from the center of a railing segment.
Now, we can enjoy their work right here in Johnson City.
Coneflower with a green backdrop. Do you see the bees on either side of the flower?Purple iris add another dimension of color.
Next time your downtown, stop by King Commons and check out the beautiful work completed by these talented artists and craftsmen!
