SEVEN NEW SCULPTURES WILL HAVE PERMANENT HOME IN NEW RIVERFRONT PARK SCULPTURE GARDEN

(June 25, 2009 – Little Rock, AR) With golden shovels, members of the sculpture at the River Market committee and City leaders broke ground today on a new sculpture garden to be located in Little Rock’s Riverfront Park.

The groundbreaking followed an unveiling of the design plans for the new sculpture garden, which will be located east of the Peabody Hotel near the Forever a Rose garden and the Jack Fleischauer Garden.

“As part of the continuing improvements to Riverfront Park, we wanted to put more sculpture into the park to complement the new gardens, Peabody Park, and the upcoming La Petite Roche plaza,” said City Director Dean Kumpuris. “At the 2008 Sculpture at the River Market, six pieces were bought through proceeds from the show and sale to be placed in the park in 2009.”

According to Kumpuris, seven new pieces will join a dozen other sculptures in the park and along President Clinton Avenue that have been installed since 2004.

“As the Parks and Recreation design staff started looking at the best way to add these new sculptures, the idea of creating a sculpture garden seemed like a good way to showcase these pieces and construct a new space in the park,” Kumpuris noted.

The sculpture garden features natural terraces and walkways. The design creates a space to host receptions, weddings or other events as well as to allow visitors to enjoy the sculptures in solitude.

The seven pieces which will be installed are “Full of Himself” by Jan Woods, “Cascade” by Ron Chapel, “Bateleur Eagle” by Pete Zaluzec, “Sizzling Sister” by Wayne Salge, “Conversation with Myself” by Gail Fowler, “First Glance” by Denny Haskew, and “Straight and Narrow” by Lisa Gordon.

“This is only the start,” said Sculpture at the River Market Chair Jane Rogers. “In addition to continuing to place sculpture in Riverfront Park, the committee is discussing ways to place public art throughout the city. In the months to come, we hope to be able to make some more announcements about sculpture and public art in Little Rock.”

The sculpture garden is made possible through the support of the Vogel Schwartz Foundation. Robert Vogel represented the family during the ground-breaking ceremony commending the city of Little Rock on their efforts to support the art community. Arkansas artist Jan Woods also demonstrated on a work in progress sculpture piece called “Schooling in the Paddock”.

The third annual Sculpture at the River Market will be October 16-18, 2009. For more information, visit www.sculptureattherivermarket.com.