The Vermont Arts Council and Department of Buildings and General Services will honor the artists whose work enlivens the new Human Services Building in Waterbury. Sculptor Gordon Auchincloss and painter Sarah-Lee Terrat will talk about their work commissioned as part of the Art in State Buildings program. In addition, Sen. Michael Sirotkin will unveil paintings by Katharine Montstream commissioned to memorialize the late Sen. Sally Fox. A reception follows.
WHEN: Friday, January 29, 4:30 p.m.
Starting at approximately 4:45 p.m. the artists will briefly discuss the work they created for the building. Refreshments will be served following the presentations.
WHERE: Main Lobby, Agency of Human Services Building, 280 State Drive Waterbury, VT
The works of art created by Auchincloss, Montstream, and Terrat reflect specific connections to the history, culture, and people of the community and the State. Visitors to the space will find the artwork creates a warm, welcoming environment while honoring and reflecting the past.
Gordon Auchincloss built a colorful kinetic sculpture entitled “Three Winds,” now located in the center courtyard. Inspired by the idea of the power of individuals working together to achieve a common goal, the sculpture also adds color and delight to the space.
Katharine Montstream is responsible for the third feature, a series of landscape paintings. These were created and installed as a memorial to Sen. Sally Fox, a long-time supporter and advocate for children and vulnerable Vermonters. The paintings are installed in the reception area on the second floor and reflect Sen. Fox’s favorite view of Lake Champlain. Monstream paintings were donated by Sen. Michael Sirotkin and family.
Sarah-Lee Terrat completed a mural in the main atrium of the new building. The mural was inspired by the poem “Green and Gold,” written by former Vermont State Hospital patient Jean Killary. Jean’s poem, with its emphasis on fragility and simplicity, is a fitting metaphor for the relationship between the former hospital complex and the greater communities of Waterbury and the State of Vermont. The base layer is a collage of historic public documents and photos collected from the Vermont State Hospital archives, the Waterbury Historical Society, and the surrounding community. The top layer is painted in transparent acrylic glazes to suggest the organic shapes and colors of a Vermont birch grove in autumn.
This project is part of the Vermont Art in State Buildings program administered by the Vermont Arts Council. The Art in State Buildings Program is a partnership between the Vermont Arts Council and the Vermont Department of Buildings and General Services. Funded by the Art in State Buildings Act, the program allows up to two capital construction projects be selected each year. For more information on the Art in State Buildings program or other public art projects, visit www.vermontartscouncil.org.
The Vermont Arts Council envisions a state where everyone has access to the arts and creativity in their life, education, and community. Through its programs and services, the Council strives to increase public awareness of the positive role artists and arts organizations play in communities and to maximize opportunities for everyone to experience the arts. Since 1965, the Council has been the state's primary provider of funding, advocacy, and information for the arts in Vermont.