Public art can help brighten a community, and new sculptures in several public places are helping Castle Rock shine. It’s all thanks to a partnership between the Town and the Douglas County Art Encounters program.
Art Encounters provides one-year exhibits of sculptures in retail and civic areas within Douglas County to promote public interest in art, develop community pride and draw visitors to the areas where the sculptures are displayed.
The five sculptures that were recently installed in Castle Rock are:
- “Gravity in Motion,” for sale at $5,500 by artist Terry Malesky, is at the intersection of Third and Perry streets
- “On the Inside,” for sale at $9,000 by artist Charlotte Zink, is at The Miller Activity Complex, 1375 W. Plum Creek Parkway
- “Farmers Moon II,” for sale at $8,000 by artist Reven Marie Swanson, is at Festival Park, 300 Second St.
- “Corazon Del Desierto,” for sale at $6,000 by artist Suzanne Kane, is at the East Plum Creek Trail near Plum Creek Parkway
- “Xeriscape Globe,” for sale at $6,000 by artist Suzanne Kane, is at Triangle Park, 804 Sixth St.
To borrow the pieces for the year, the Town gives each artist an $800 stipend, which is funded through the Philip S. Miller Trust Fund. No taxpayer money is used to purchase public art in Castle Rock. If sold while on display, a portion of the sculpture purchase goes back to the Town’s public art fund.
Artists also have two opportunities to win a $1,000 award. The first chance is through the People’s Choice Award. The public is encouraged to vote for their favorite piece at douglas.co.us/artencounters. A second opportunity to win an award is through the Judge’s Choice Award. Each year, the Public Art Advisory Committee selects a judge well-versed in public art to review each sculpture and select a winner.
New to public art? Take a self-guided tour through the mobile app Otocast. Download the free app from iTunes of Google Play and hear commentary from the artists themselves. The audio guide encourages people to explore and discover art in a new way.
Learn more about the entire Art Encounters program and view photos of the sculptures in Castle Rock at CRgov.com/ArtEncounters.
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