December 2023 Update from Summit Public Art

DECEMBER 2023

Summit Public Art

The Year in Review

Art is too important not to share.

—Romero Britto

2023 proved to be an eventful and memorable year here at Summit Public Art. After celebrating our twentieth anniversary last year, we embarked on yet another ambitious season as we carried out our mission to bring art to public spaces throughout Summit.

In May we kicked off our Heavy Metal season (featuring a variety of metal-based works) with Carolyn Salas' Tippy Toes, an elegant, sophisticated evocation of the human form. Next came Dale Rogers' Mama Bear and Cub, a pair of steel grizzlies who quickly became popular favorites with both families and art lovers on the Village Green. In June we welcomed Charlie Spademan's Surface Tension, a mind-bending sculpture that seems to defy the laws of physics, and capped off the summer with SPA's biggest installation yet, DeWitt Godfrey's Louis, a towering hive-like structure that definitely puts the heavy in the metal.

As we headed into fall, we hosted free community Art Walks at the Arts & Cars Festival downtown, then came together again for our annual Night in the City of Art fundraiser at Twin Maples. The celebration featured a "living statue," striking artwork from SPA artist Emil Alzamora, and one of our liveliest art auctions to date, with SPA artist Charlie Spademan literally selling the shirt off his back to help support Summit Public Art. We set our hopes high this year and—thanks to you—we're happy to report that we reached our goal!

October saw the return of RAMP Up, our Rising Artist Mentorship Program at Summit High School, where SPA artist Donna Conklin King collaborated with eighteen SHS students to create a new interactive art installation, Sound Column, bringing a welcome infusion of sound and color to the Summit Community Center.

None of this would have been possible without the hard work of our SPA board members who volunteered their time and effort to keep us moving forward. Thank you to Co-Chairs Ellen de Havilland and Brian Carpenter, Treasurer Lauren Holt, Art Selection Co-Chairs Cheryl Barr and Vicki Lederman, Governance and Education Chair Sarah Walko, Gala Co-Chairs Jaclyn Lasaracina, Mary McHugh, and Katherine Robinson, Summit Downtown Inc. liaison Leslie Herman, School Representative Jill Joseph, and Art Selection members Vivian Furman Rubin, Michael Seum, Sheila Srere, and Deepa Whipple for all your hard work!

Special thanks also to our outgoing Common Council liaison Marjorie Fox and to Mayor Nora Radest, who, as head of the Mayor's Partnership for the Arts over the last eight years, helped SPA become recognized as one of the strongest public arts programs in the state.

Thanks to the City of Summit and to Aaron Schrager, Jin Blades, Rosemary Licatese, Amy Cairns, Michael Caputo, Pat Priore, Warren Wolfe, and the Public Works Department for their continued and invaluable support. Looking ahead to next year, we welcome Mayor Elect Elizabeth Fagan in her new role as head of the Mayor's Partnership.

We would also like say a special thanks to outgoing board members Sarah Walko, Vicki Lederman, Cheryl Barr, Brian Carpenter, and Ellen de Havilland.

A former Director of Education & Community Engagement at the Visual Arts Center of NJ, Sarah led our Governance Committee and served as SPA's Education Chair, giving student art tours and coordinating our RAMP Up artist mentorship program at Summit High School. As a member of the Art Selection Committee, Sarah put her expertise in contemporary art to good use by helping to bring a number of memorable artworks to Summit.

During her time at SPA, Vicki undertook the considerable task of updating and expanding our SPA handbook, served as artist liaison for our very first installation at the Summit Park Line as well as for three installations by artist Kate Dodd, and most recently served as Co-Chair of the Art Selection Committee.

A recent Co-Chair of Art Selection, Cheryl oversaw the City Lights installation at City Hall and was instrumental in bringing Dale Rogers' popular bear sculptures to the Village Green. She also served on the Promenade Fountain committee, oversaw production of the new commemorative fountain sign, and, along with her husband Tom, graciously hosted our first Gala after the pandemic.

As Marketing and Communications Chair, Brian covered almost every installation over the past five years, taking photos and writing weekly posts as well as our quarterly newsletters and season guides. He also led several of our community Art Walks, served as artist liaison on a number of installations (including DeWitt Godfrey's Louis), and recently served as Co-Chair of SPA.

An active board member for over ten years, Ellen served SPA in almost every capacity, from marketing to development to fundraising, as well as managing the SPA website, writing grant proposals, and using her administrative skills as Co-Chair to recruit several new members and strengthen SPA's connections to the greater Summit community.

Thanks to you all for your many years of service to Summit Public Art—you will definitely be missed!

And, of course, a very big THANK YOU to all of our supporters and to the many generous donors who have kept us going these past two decades.

Best holiday wishes to you all and may we all remember the many things we have to be grateful for as we head into the new year!

Above: DeWitt Godfrey's Louis on the Summit Village Green; art lovers pause to admire Emil Alzamora's Time Travelers and Charlie Spadmean's Surface Tension during a community Art Walk; RAMP Up students celebrate the unveiling of their installation Sound Column; Charlie Spademan's Surface Tension and Emil Alzamora's Time Travelers at Kaus Way; Paul Santoleri's The Watcher at Lyric Pocket Park downtown (photo by @seek.discover.play); Dale Rogers' Mama Bear and Cub on the Village Green; Ray King's Star and Spheres at City Hall.

A Look Back

Sara Maria Salamone and Risa Blumenberg-Taylor of art gallery Mrs. join SPA artist liaison Jill Joseph and past board member Estelle Fournier at the installation of Carolyn Salas' Tippy Toes on the Village Green.

Artist Charlie Spademan puts the finishing touches on his installation Surface Tension with assistance from Summit residents Jay Cho and Jeff Hankinson.

Dale Rogers' Mama Bear and Cub make a new friend on the Summit Village Green. (Photo by @seek.discover.play)

Artist Donna Conklin King at the installation of her RAMP Up collaboration Sound Column at the Summit Community Center.

Artist DeWitt Godfrey with his sculpture Louis.

Big State Art crew members Thaddeus Rowe, Aiden Gibbons, Lindsay Hodges, Rebecca Johnson, and an unidentified friend on the Village Green.

DeWitt Godfrey joins Mayor Nora Radest and others for the official ribbon cutting at the Village Green. Pictured left to right: Estelle Fournier, Debi Schwarzmann, Marjorie Fox, Greg Vartan, Nora Radest, DeWitt Godfrey, Brian Carpenter, Ellen de Havilland, Thaddeus Rowe, Lauren Holt, Michael Seum, Leslie Herman, Lindsay Hodges, Sarah Walko, Aiden Gibbons, Rebecca Johnson.

Paul Santoleri's The Watcher oversees the festivities downtown during Summit's annual Arts & Cars Festival.

Co-Chair Ellen de Havilland greets festival goers at the Arts & Cars Festival.

A young art fan tries on a pair of wings at Kelsey Montague's interactive mural What Lifts You. (Photo by seek.discover.play)

Scenes from SPA's Night in the City of Art at Twin Maples.

Auctioneer Corey Sanders and SPA Gala Co-Chair Jaclyn Lasaracina showcase SPA artist Carolyn Salas's sculpture Tippy Toes during the art site auction.

SPA Treasurer Lauren Holt and Rob Yaskovic visit with SPA artist Emil Alzamora at SPA's Night in the City of Art.

Debi Schwarzmann, Fred Schwarzmann, SPA artist Charlie Spademan (center), and Elizabeth Fagan during the lively auction for Spademan's sculpture Surface Tension.

Artist Donna Conklin King joins Summit High School art teachers Kelly Wright and Meghan Scozzari and RAMP Up students for the unveiling of Sound Column at the Summit Community Center.

A sampling of the glass mosaic mandala tiles created by Summit High School students for the RAMP Up installation Sound Column.

Ray King's Star and Spheres at Summit City Hall.

Inside DeWitt Godfrey's Louis on the Village Green.

Take the Tour!

Head downtown and take a self-guided tour of all the exciting public art on display here in Summit!

This season offers several must-see works by a host of internationally-acclaimed artists. And, as always, our open-air gallery remains free and open to families and art lovers of all ages. Just bring along this handy guide and come see for yourself why Summit has earned a reputation for being one of New Jersey’s premier destinations for world-class public art!

To download the full guide to our 2023-24 season,

simply click here:

Start Your Tour Here!

Summit Public Art Needs You!

As a 100% volunteer-run, donor-funded, city-based organization, we rely on the generosity of friends and neighbors just like you to provide the public art and community projects that you, your families, and visitors to our town enjoy each day.

We know that the last few years have been especially challenging for all of us, which is why we greatly appreciate any contribution you might be able to provide. No amount is too small!

If you would like to help us continue to enrich and inspire our community through public art, please click on the button below:

Thank You for Your Support!

Have You Seen It?

Tune in to SPA TV—Summit Public Art's YouTube channel—where you'll find videos showcasing the wide range of public artworks on display throughout town. In addition to a series of music-video shorts devoted to each work, you’ll also find video retrospectives on SPA’s 20-year history as well as the HTTV documentary “The Wonderful World of Public Art,” which offers an illuminating behind-the-scenes look at Summit Public Art.