By Guy McClure
For The News Courier
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By Guy McClure
For The News Courier
Professors Gail Bergeron and Pamela Keller from Athens State University along with Professors Kathryn Vaughn and Kristine Beadle from Calhoun Community College recently collaborated on a large scale original art project for the new Downtown Decatur Arts Building.
The building, soon to be completed, will feature four bronze 2-feet-by-2-feet relief panels created by the artists.
Each panel represents an area of the arts. The first panel contains lettering that spells the word “ARTS” and features calligraphic type to represent layout and design. The second panel depicts the art of painting and the third shows a wooden figure drawing mannequin reaching out to touch a hand coming from a computer monitor to show the connection between art, computer graphics and art history. A fourth panel represents three dimensional arts with an image of hands throwing a pot on a potter’s wheel.
“All three of the figurative works show hands at the work of creating art, “ said Keller, head of the art department at Athens State University, who created two of the four pieces. “We purposely designed the panels using the imagery of hands on each panel and also a quatrefoil frame on each panel to create unity between the pieces that might otherwise be missing with four artists designing the panel’s concepts.”
The initial, original pieces were started in October 2011.
“The art department is particularly appreciative of the strong support for the arts from this institution’s administration,” Keller commented. “As both an artist and a faculty member I have been overwhelmingly supported and encouraged by this institution. That speaks well of the authenticity of Athens State University in the effort to mentor students to create and appreciate art.”
The relief panels were finished and signed by the artists on Thursday, April 5.
On Friday, Bergeron and Keller took the wax-clay originals to Inferno Foundry in Atlanta to begin the ancient process of lost-wax casting in bronze. The process can take up to four months.
“Working together with the three other artists on this project for the new building is a good way for the two sets of faculty to begin the Athens State and Calhoun’s collaborative effort to create a fine arts presence in downtown Decatur,” said Bergeron.
