Vail, CO
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The town of Vail’s public art collection includes over 70 works of art with over half of the collection created by Colorado artists. The collection includes sculpture in a variety of mediums, murals, site-integrated art, and even playground components. A virtual tour of the collection is available on www.artinvail.com/Collection/Interactive-Map.
Yoram Wolberger
Male Baseball #1, 2009
Located at the main entrance to the sports fields at the Gerald R. Ford Park, Male Baseball #1 depicts a dramatic enlargement of the iconic baseball player figure found on Little League trophies. This polished stainless steel work, created with digital technologies, evokes nostalgic memories of childhood, family, community, commemoration, athleticism, and the historic role of the sport in American culture.
Born in Israel, Wolberger received his MFA from the San Francisco Art Institute in 2001. His works are in the permanent collections of the Brooklyn Museum of Art and the Orange County Museum of Art. An edition of Male Baseball #1 is on view in San Diego Central Library’s Sullivan Family Baseball Research Center which is home to the Society for American Baseball Research Collection.
A Gift of Vicki and Kent Logan to the Town of Vail
Brad Kahlhamer
Waqui Totem USA (Urban Class Mark V), 2008
Born of Native descent and adopted by German-American parents, Brad Kahlhamer’s journey is a physical ongoing pilgrimage. Working out the schisms between lived experience and a learned knowledge of an unknown past describes his search for a utopia where both the desired and the real can sit in a permanent dialogue. The original Waqui Totem was created in cardboard and later cast into bronze.
A Gift of Vicki and Kent Logan to the Town of Vail
Nathan Mabry
Two Vessels (Unpacked), 2013
Two Vessels (Unpacked) is an interesting juxtaposition of art historical reference. It combines a pre-Colombian male fertility figure atop a minimalist box-like base influenced by the 1960’s American artist Donald Judd. It is also reminiscent of August Rodin’s classical work The Thinker (1883-1903). Nathan Mabry’s contemporary composition captures the universal feeling of contemplation about society’s problems which have consumed mankind across centuries. The artist was born in Durango, Colorado.
A Gift of Vicki and Kent Logan to the Town of Vail
Jason Middlebrook
We are all building nests, 2014-15
Inspired by Jason Middlebrook’s many visits to Vail, this work created in the silhouette of an aspen tree is a cluster of birdhouses modeled after examples of iconic architecture. While the inspiration was to design dwellings for birds that make their way across the Vail Valley, the metaphorical reference to the human experience and life passages is inescapable. Equally as important it highlights the instinct of all “animals” to be free.
A Gift of Vicki and Kent Logan to the Town of Vail
Preston Singletary
Killer Whale Totem, 2017
Preston Singletary’s work often features the Killer Whale because of its significance as one of the crests of the artist’s Tlingit clan. The artist, who is from the Seattle area, is greatly influenced by the stories of his ancestors. Also symbolic to the artist’s clan and moiety in this bronze totem include the Eagle, the Thunderbird, the Wolf, and the soul catcher with a spirit face.
A Gift of Vicki and Kent Logan to the Town of Vail
Gordon Huether’s Roundabout the Mountain
With the completion of the I-70 Sandstone Underpass, Art in Public Places is pleased to announce the installation of Gordon Huether’s Roundabout the Mountain. The public art installation for the south roundabout was selected amongst three finalist’s proposals in March 2016 by the Town of Vail’s Art in Public Places Board. In total, over 80 artists submitted their portfolios for consideration in the project.
Roundabout the Mountain is a site-specific Corten steel mountain range silhouette which is illuminated in the evening. The 112 foot installation is a visual experience of motion moving through the space with its plasma cut vertical sections while it serves as a headlight glare screen. It also incorporates fused blue glass panels in the stone wall representing the Gore Creek which lies to the south of the roundabout.
“There is a significant sense of pattern in the installation, with gentle mountain shapes juxtaposed with the strict vertical shapes. The two visual elements add a kinetic effect and depth to the installation. The LED lights installed between the two layers of Corten Steel illuminate the installation at night and accentuate its gentle curves. The integrated lights evoke the effect of sunlight twinkling through Aspen trees and the beautiful colors of the mountain scape at dusk, adding drama and excitement to the installation. It conveys a visual experience of passing a stand of Aspen trees - the illusion of tree rows ‘opening’ and ‘closing’ as one moves past. Ultimately, the goal for this installation is to convey the beauty of Vail’s astonishing landscape,” describes Huether.
“Art in Public Places was extremely pleased to have the opportunity to work with Gordon Huether and his studio on this major public art project in Vail. He incorporated his extraordinary caliber of artistic talent in this highly visible and functional installation for our residents and guests of Vail to enjoy. It is certainly a significant addition to the Town of Vail’s public art collection,” explains Molly Eppard, Art in Public Places Coordinator, Town of Vail.
The I-70 Vail Underpass project received joint funding for Design and Construction from the Town of Vail via the Vail Reinvestment Authority and CDOT via RAMP funds. The location of the I-70 Vail Underpass will provide access to the frontage roads between the existing Main Vail and West Vail roundabout underpass interchanges.
About Gordon Huether Studio
Gordon Huether's talent for intuitively reacting to materials and space, whether indoors or out, has led to the successful completion of over 60 public art projects and more than 160 private art commissions. He has mastered the challenge of creating art in a multitude of environments and mediums. The scale of his work ranges from large architectural installations for public commissions to small intimate works of art for private collections and residences.
Since founding Gordon Huether Studio in Napa, California in 1987, Huether has worked extensively with glass on a large scale. He has also created works incorporating salvaged materials, bronze, aluminum, steel, light, water, and neon. All work is fabricated at Gordon Huether Studio by artisans who are internationally recognized for their creativity, technical ability, and craftsmanship.
In 2009, Huether was the recipient of several awards, including the Americans for the Arts Public Art Network (PAN) Best Public Artwork in the US Award for the Gotta Go at the Jacksonville International Airport. In 2015 he and his team were selected to work with the Salt Lake City Department of Airports in meeting the goals of the Terminal Redevelopment Program at Salt Lake City International Airport, which includes a comprehensive art master plan. The brand new state-of-the-art terminal, currently one of the largest construction projects in the United States, will showcase Huether’s art throughout the new terminal.
TO THE EXTENT OF HOW DEEP THE VALLEY IS AT SOME GIVEN TIME by Lawrence Weiner Gift from the collection of Vicki and Kent Logan
Lawrence Weiner, born in 1942 in the Bronx, NY, is an original figure of the Conceptual art movement of the 1960s. He is among the trailblazing artists who presented art through language. His work has appeared in the permanent collections and exhibitions in every major museum around the world. In 2007, a comprehensive exhibition included the donated work and received critical acclaim as it traveled to The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles and Whitney Museum of American Art in New York City.
“The text of this work is particularly appropriate for us in the Vail Valley; the mountains surrounding us were formed millions of years ago and will still be here millions of years from now. As humans, we are witnesses to only a miniscule portion of this continuum and in effect, small pawns in a universal chess game beyond definition and understanding. In this work, Weiner has captured the spirituality inherent in nature itself,” explain Vicki and Kent Logan.
“The privilege of being able to integrate my work into such an astounding landscape leaves me speechless. The only thing I can say is how lucky the work is to be in such a surrounding,” Lawrence Weiner expressed to AIPP Coordinator Molly Eppard about his work now being in the Town of Vail’s public art collection.
“This gift will be enjoyed for generations to come. Words cannot describe Art in Public Places’ gratitude and appreciation for the Logan’s endless contributions to our art community from Vail Winterfest to this major gift of art. We are fortunate to have their support for our program, as their legacy reaches a breadth of our entire community,” remarks Kara Woods, AIPP Board Chair.
The Logan’s art collection is being gifted to the Denver Art Museum, San Francisco Museum of Art, and the Phoenix Art Museum. It is an honor to have this work gifted to the Town of Vail to enjoy.
Red Eddy by Paul Vexler
Vail’s public art installed in the Vail Village Welcome Center
The Town of Vail’s Art in Public Places is pleased to announce the installation of a work of art by Paul Vexler. Commissioned for the Vail Village Welcome Center, the unique site-specific work is suspended from a vaulted ceiling above the central information desk. After reviewing over 40 proposals from a call to artists issued in May 2015, the Art in Public Places Board selected Vexler’s work Red Eddy to enhance this highly visible civic building. The work is created primarily in Douglas fir and measures 48 x 48 x 216 inches.
Paul Vexler, from Snohomish, Wash., worked for over 35 years as a carpenter designing and creating architectural quality doors and windows. As the co-founder and CEO of Quantum Windows and Doors in Everett, Wash., this experience taught him design integrity, accuracy, and efficiency during fabrication. Having received his BFA from Penn State University and a brief stint as a high school art teacher, he has always created sculptures. At this point in his life, he is now able to solely devote his time to creating art.
There are two very distinct, but interrelated aspects to sculptures, according to Vexler. “One is the material the object is made of and the other is the form the material is arranged. Both of these concepts are extremely important to me. I try to be honest about the use and properties of the materials I am using. I also try to push the materials as far as possible, so I can understand the boundaries of strength and flexibility. I try to understand what the materials want and don’t want to do. I have found that my works are more successful when the materials are ‘happy.’”
“With respect to form, I have always loved mathematics and especially geometry. I am usually using them to design and understand my work. I like to create shapes based on specific parameters. For example, a circle has a certain radius or a cube has a certain edge length. Complex shapes have more than one parameter. More often than not, when I make sculptures, I am playing with parameters. Some results are predictable, but there are also many surprises. I have come to realize that space and light are as important as the materials. I have known this for a long time, but I seem to relearn it, more intensely, over and over again,” explains Vexler.
“The installation of Red Eddy enriches the Vail Village Welcome Center on many levels. Its dynamic form fills the space with its undulating shape. The vibrant color selected for the work creates a dramatic contrast to the natural materials while also being complementary,” says Molly Eppard, Art in Public Places Coordinator.
Vexler explains his inspiration for Red Eddy: “I started thinking about eddies after reading a book called "Entropy.” The idea of entropy comes from a principle of thermodynamics dealing with energy. It usually refers to the idea that everything in the universe eventually moves from order to disorder, and entropy is the measurement of that change. In some ways it is a bit depressing to think that everything that physically happens is part of a very slow march towards heat death. However, after discussing the book with a friend, he encouraged me to think about humanity, civilization and creativity as an eddy in this cosmic flow, where quite the opposite is happening,” explains Vexler.
“About 18 months ago we paddled through the Grand Canyon on a rafting trip. It was one of the best vacations I have had. One of the highlights was the way the guides used the eddies to navigate the river. It was almost magical to be moving up stream when the rest of the entire river was going down. It is a good thought for maintaining one’s optimism,” continues the artist.
Paul Vexler has created installations for the Boise Art Museum, Boise, Idaho; Southeast Davisdon Public Library, Nashville, Tenn.; Beaverton City Hall, Beaverton, Ore.; Washington State University, Pullman, Wash.; Bellevue Arts Museum, Bellevue, Wash.; Everett Community College, Everett, Wash.; Swedish Hospital, Issaquah, Wash.; Indiana State University, Terre Haute, Ind.; SAS Corporation, Raleigh, N.C.; and Bionet Corporation, Taipei, Taiwan, to name a few.
The newly remodeled Vail Village Welcome Center, located on the top level of the Vail parking structure and above the Colorado Ski and Snowboard Museum, is major public amenity for the guests and residents of Vail. The space has a natural mountain aesthetic with mixed rustic wood finishes and clean lines. For many it is a first impression of Vail.