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Tomorrow, June 30, is the last day of the interactive art exhibit by internationally-known sculptor J. Seward Johnson at sidewalk locations in downtown Pleasanton, which has been on display since April 1. Eleven life-size, three-dimensional bronze sculptures depict the everyday activities of people who may be found anywhere. Call 931-5355 or e-mail jfinegan@ci.pleasanton.ca.us.
By Amory Gutierrez
I travel a lot and have seen and enjoyed many sculpture installations. These just didn’t hold any intrigue or interest for me. I hope others enjoyed them.
Last night the bronze of the man with the dog had a visitor. He was fantastic. Gold face, cane, dressed like he too was a statue sitting with the man and the dog. Kind of like the bush man in SF. He scared the !!! out of one passer by as others took pictures. He was just brilliant. Hope you all saw him.
Our family really enjoyed them! Thank you to the arts dept for paying for these to be here.
They are nice, but what a waste of money!! I am sure the arts department could have used the money for something more worthy than that…Could have given the money to the schools art departments. Just reading Toni’s comment; could have paid the bronze man $100 to perform. Sorry I missed it.
The art was a refreshing change! more…more…more…
My kids are going to miss these, I am going to miss these. It took me awhile to warm up to them, than I relised something…this is true art. Not in the way most of us think, but it was something that got everyone talking. Even if you didn’t like them, you still had noticed them. I think this was an art program for everyone. It gave us a chance to look at art a little different. Most adults and kids loved going from sculpture to sculpture, I always saw people with their camera’s taking photo’s, or talking about it while standing next to one. It has been nice having them around.
I was at the Museum on Main this past Saturday, June 26th, and I clearly heard the docent at the museum telling visitors who were participating in the Sculpture Scavenger Hunt that the ending date for the sculptures had been extended to July 15th. Perhaps the reporter or the editor can check on that and post a correction, if necessary?
I LOVED them! They are so unique. Brought a smile to my face every time I passed them.
I hope that the Powers That Be noticed the interest people took in finding these works and looking at them. How many people told others or brought friends/family down to see them??
Why can’t something like this be done routinely on a local level? Are businesses willing to give up a little window space for a themed display? Why not come up with a topic and ask local artists to submit 2D and 3D art pieces created for that theme? Painting, sculpture, photography, fabric arts, recycled materials, poetry, etc. What would Pleasanton Artist come up with? Will a new artist be discovered?
Art is more than what is commercially available or sold.
Let’s see more art in Downtown from OUR artists!
I liked them a lot. My kids liked the one in front of the ice cream place! I will miss the sculptures.
Extended through June 7th.
Correction to the correction: through July 7th!
I think that artists need to be supported. If people don’t purchase the art, why should artists spend their time making art that amuses the public but offers no return? It’s expensive to make art.
Hopefully, the new art center will provide a venue for artists to exhibit and hopefully sell some of their creations. It’s a safer place to exhibit and the work will be insured while it is on exhibit.
I was dubious in the beginning, but I found them enjoyable and a nice addition to Main Street. My favorite — The window washer.
We biked into town and spent quite a while admiring these sculptures! The kids just loved them, and having the opportunity to examine them up close and personal, and to actually touch them, gave them great ideas for their own art projects. “Yuck, Go Fetch!”, was the family favorite:
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=1148033&l=9c561b8e8e&id=1130138147
I started thinking actual people on Main St were statues if they were standing or sitting still. It was unnerving. It would have been nice if the statues had reflected our community by representing a variety of ages and ethnicities.