A new look downtown as sculptures go on display

Saturday, March 28, 2009 3:00 AM  |  Printer friendly version | E-mail to a friend | By Mark Wineka

mwineka@salisburypost.com

They came in stone, wood, aluminum, steel, marble and other materials.

They came on trailers or by truck and van.

They came in rainy weather.

They came — and they're staying.

For awhile.

Most of the pieces of art making up "Discover What's Outside," the first downtown Salisbury sculpture show, were installed either Thursday or Friday.

After next Tuesday, all 14 pieces representing 13 different artists, will be in place and part of the downtown landscape for the next nine months.

The sculptors came together for a Friday night reception at the South Fulton Street home of Susan and Ed Norvell.

Asheville artist Robert Winkler and his wife, Arlene, dealt with steady rain Friday afternoon to install his appropriately named "Look Homeward, Angles" on the front-yard hill outside the Presbyterian Manse on West Innes Street.

The intriguing, geometric, all-cedar sculpture seems to push the limits of gravity.

"It doesn't have a bad side, no matter where you stand," Arlene Winkler said.

And isn't that the mark of a good sculpture?

Salisbury Urban Planner Lynn Raker said a show can attract good pieces if sculptors know it will be well-publicized, that there will be awards offered and if it's possible they can sell their works.

Most of the works on display in Salisbury will be available for purchase — from $2,000 to $18,000, the asking price for "Look Homeward, Angles."

Robert Winkler, with some help from contractor Randy Goodman and his men, lifted the three 300-pound pieces of the sculpture onto the poured concrete slab at the manse Friday. Winkler determined the positioning, of course.

And so it went with the arrival of other sculptures Thursday and Friday.

The downtown is now dotted with Winkler's piece and all kinds of other new friends, such as "Jeremiah," Albemarle artist Roger Martin's bullfrog lounging on a steel pedestal at North Main and East Liberty streets.

Carl Billingsley's "Helix Tower" has taken up residence at Liberty and Lee streets near the Salisbury Police Station. Billingsley lives in Ayden.

Jim Galluci of Greensboro has installed two pieces — "Pipeline" and "Purple Whisper Double Seater" — at Rowan Public Library. They already are generating conversation.

Katherine Apple of Salisbury will install her "Just for Fun" horse sculpture Sunday at the Rowan Museum, located at North Main and West Council streets.

Salisbury's Michael Baker will be putting up "Cirque #1" outside of Community Bank of Rowan on East Innes Street Tuesday.

Here's a rundown of the other artists, where they are from, their sculpture's name, and where it will be located:

- Kevin Eichner, of Moncure, "Meus Amour," the F&M Trolley Barn on Liberty Street.

- Don Green, of Winston-Salem, "Tecton #9," Magnolia Park on West Innes Street, next to the county administrative building (old post office).

- Harry McDaniel, of Asheville, "Anhinga," Salisbury Police Station.

- Dale McIntire, of Saluda, "Volute," the Gateway Building on East Innes Street.

- Ray Moose, of Mount Pleasant, "N.C. Colonial Tuscarora," inside the Rowan County Visitors Center on East Innes Street.

- Josef Vercauteren, of Myrtle Beach, S.C., "Olympia," Wachovia pocket park at South Church and West Fisher streets.

- Martin Webster, of Burnsville, "Stream," on Easy Street.

Raker said a brochure identifying the works and where they can be found will soon be available at the Rowan County Visitors Center and other locations.

The sculpture show, organized by the Salisbury Public Art Committee, has been and will be promoted statewide to art groups and through the media. A number of events are being planned around the show.