March 2018
Summit Public Art Update
The mission of Summit Public Art is bringing art to public spaces in Summit . We hope you'll find within these emails something that piques your interest, or helps you see the art around town with fresh eyes. If you find the information in this email of value, please forward to your Summit-area friends. Thank you for your support of public art in our community.
Guided Tour of Summit's Public Art
We have the date for the next walking tour!

On May 6 our co-chairman Vivian will be leading a tour of the public art in Summit, in conjunction with an NYC-based architecture and history tour meet-up. 

This will be a great opportunity to learn about the art and artists you see around town while you enjoy a beautiful spring day. 

More details to follow, including how to sign up for both the full walking tour of Summit or just the public art portion.

Meet up with the group at 11:30 on May 6, by the entrance to the train station that faces the Village Green.

We hope you'll join us!
Work shown here, Big Sister by Ellie Murphy, hangs on the YMCA building in downtown Summit. The heart-warming story behind the creation of the piece is just one of the things you'll learn on the tour.
RAMP UP program launched at Summit High School
Summit Public Art is excited to announce the launch of RAMP UP , a Rising Artist Mentorship Program designed specifically for Summit High School students who are considering the visual arts as a career path.
 
We want students to connect with and learn from public art and ultimately help shape our city public art landscape. We want to use our resources to inspire and mentor tomorrow’s artists through RAMP UP. 
 
Summit Public Art committee members Marie Cohen and Debi Schwarzmann co-created RAMP UP from a lifetime love of and belief in the power of mentorship and teaching. “RAMP UP provides not just the educational component we both love, but also connects us as an organization with the parents and the community,” says Marie.
 
Dan Fenelon , an artist with extensive experience in community-based art projects and whose work has been exhibited, among other places, at the Montclair Art Museum, was chosen to work with and mentor the Summit High School students. The program started in February and will result in the installation of Public Art work on the Village Green in late May or early June . 
 
Eight students at Summit High School were accepted into the program and have begun working on the design and creation of the artwork. Summit High School art teachers Kelly Wright and Meghan Scozzari are facilitating the program. They say the students are responding positively to the collaborative nature of the work, and stepping outside their artistic comfort zones and usual styles as they design, create and then implement their public art piece.
RAMP UP will push the art education of young artists beyond the classroom walls and ensure a unique, hands-on creative experience with public art. 

Stay up to date on the students’ progress by following @SummitPublicArt on social media.

Shown here is a Summit High School student artist working with Dan.
Committee Updates
Personnel:
Love the Public Art around town? The Personnel Committee is still looking to grow Summit Public Art. We are looking for someone with experience in non-profit development who can spearhead our development efforts. We also need more help with our marketing and social media efforts. Volunteer your time and talent with an organization whose mission is to make Summit an art destination and an inspiring place to live. Contact Lacey for more information.

Art Selection:
The Art Selection Committee is developing a robust and diverse program to celebrate our 15th year of bringing art to the public spaces of Summit. 2018 will be a year with artworks of all shapes, sizes, and materials. Follow us on social media @SummitPublicArt to watch our progress.
 
Education & Marketing:
A new and updated Summit Public Art website will be coming in 2018. Among the many exciting features will be online self-guided tours of the art around town, and more information on the artists and the pieces on display. 
Artist Spotlight: Jay Lagemann
You may remember Jay Lagemann’s work from the three installations he’s done in Summit, notably The Dance installed near the Community Center in 2014.

His emblematic sculpture Swinging Jenny was commissioned and installed in front of a new skyscraper near West 58th Street and 11 th Avenue in Manhattan. 
Public Art Highlight
This poetic photo was taken by Summit resident and board member Melanie Cohn after one of our many Nor’easters this year. It captures the spirit of the piece The Earth Laughs in Flowers by Gints Grinbergs.

Experience this work for yourself on the Village Green near the corner of Broad and Maple Streets in Summit, across from the post office.

Show us your skills!
We love seeing your artistic skills in action. Submit photos of the artwork or of your friends and family interacting with it to us at [email protected] and we’ll feature it in our emails and social media accounts. Selfies welcome! Include your name or initials and in which town you live.
Socialize with us!
Add more beauty to your Facebook and Instagram feeds by following @SummitPublicArt ! Be the first to know about new installations, see our artists’ latest projects, and get behind the scenes info on how all this art gets to Summit.

Use #summitpublicart in your social media posts of or with the public art in Summit so we can enjoy your creativity and share it with others. We love seeing your interactions with the art; it’s a big part of why we do this work, and our hope is that it adds to your life in a positive way.
Summit Public Art | [email protected] | www.summitpublicart.com