June 2019
Summit Public Art Update
The mission of Summit Public Art (SPA) 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.
Mark your calendars! Art After Dark , the Summit Public Art gala, will be held on Saturday, September 21, at One DeForest Avenue in Summit. Follow us on Facebook so you don't miss the latest gala updates!
The Watcher Comes to Summit
You may have noticed this mural come to life over the past few weeks, as internationally renowned artist Paul Santoleri installed it bit by bit (and in spite of many rain delays). What was once a blank canvas by the Bank Street parking lot is now the home of The Watcher , a Great Blue Heron who commands the space through its amazing profile and presence. 

Santoleri started on his path toward large-scale public art murals in the 1990s when he had a giant studio converted from an airplane hangar in Tucson, Arizona. The drawings emerged from comics that he had been doing around that time. Big drawings became big paintings, and his work caught the attention of the Philadelphia Mural Arts program. Says Santoleri, "I was intrigued at the performative aspect of making a giant piece in the streets, how people would watch and respond. It was like a stage for those that were aware." 

Since then, he has incorporated cast and cut glass, concrete relief, fiberglass, and stoneware tiles into his work, and often collaborates with other artists.

"I like the public aspect of the work because it enlivens a streetscape: humanity has a need for light and color, and this helped to satisfy this need and my desire to share, to make an art that lived among people outside the walls of museums and halls of culture. Public art is part of the streets where it exists after I leave it there, as a moment of pause."
A strong start...
Taking shape...
Completed!
He delights in including his 2-year-old son in his work, saying, "I learn a lot from the freedoms he has as a child and how he mirrors, reflects, and absorbs, much as I do as an artist." Santoleri's upcoming projects include a summer artist's residency at the Municipal Galleries in the Chateau de Trosse Barriere in France, and installations at Lawrence Arts Center in Kansas and at Banana Factory, an old factory turned arts center in Allentown, PA.

This installation is made possible in part due to the generous support of Laura and Jeff Schaffer. We also thank Jon Mandelbaum , one of the building owners, who, interested in enhancing his building with artwork, reached out to Summit Public Art. Jon not only provided the space, but in doing renovations on his building consulted with SPA regarding aesthetic decisions such as what color to paint this wall so that it would be compatible with the mural colors. Summit Public Art greatly appreciates this collaboration with Jon Mandelbaum and his team.
Vibrant Mural To Adorn Springfield Avenue Parking Deck
World-renowned street artist Hellbent will be installing a vibrant and colorful mural along the side of the Springfield Avenue parking deck, beginning in August. Hellbent's work can be seen on public buildings and in galleries around the world. We are elated to include this high-caliber artist in Summit's public art installations for this season.
Be part of creating public art
Two more opportunities to create part of the public art installation called Togetherness Trail are coming your way. Artist Sarah Langsam will be leading interactive workshops at upcoming Summit community events. The final work is being installed along the upper Morris Avenue entrance to the Park Line over the next few months.

Tuesday, July 16, 2019 - Community Night on the Village Green
Event Begins- 7:00pm

Saturday, July 27, 2019 - Summit Aquatic Center
Event Begins- 1:00pm

To learn more about Sarah Langsam and how to help with Togetherness Trail , follow her on Facebook at @SarahLangsamArtist, on Instagram at @sarahlangsam, or email her directly at  slang@sarahlangsam.com .  Teens interested in community service hours are encouraged to email Sarah , who will need several volunteers to assist her at the community events.
Installation and Unveiling of Avian Avatars
Join us for Commemoration of New Installation, July 9, 5:30 pm
Summit Public Art is thrilled to announce a commissioned installation, Avian Avatars, by internationally-recognized artists, The Myth Makers, Donna Dodson & Andy Moerlein . A pair of 15' cardinals created from all natural materials, titled  Love Long Last , speaks to the uniqueness and beauty of our community. On July 9, the installation will run from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm on the northeast quadrant of the Village Green. At 5:30 pm, Summit Common Council President, David Naidu, will officially welcome this significant artwork to Summit. Join us for the unveiling of our Avian Avatars. Rain date, July 10.

Follow the construction of Love Long Last on our Facebook page.
Summit High School Art Students Install Connection on the Promenade
On Friday, June 14, we celebrated the installation of Connections , the public art sculpture created by Summit High School art students through our RAMP UP program. Mayor Nora Radest "cut the ribbon" on the whimsical new addition to Summit's public art offerings, congratulating the student artists for their creativity and effort, and on the impact of the resulting piece. Students commented on how proud they were of their installation, and how much they learned through the process. Special thanks to artist Jorge Wellesley and the Summit High School art teachers Kelly Wright and Meghan Scozzari (shown at right with the art students) for their mentorship, guidance, and support of the students and the RAMP UP program. Thank you Mayor Radest for the support and kind words! You can visit this sculpture in Promenade Park, next to Mondo in downtown Summit.
On left: Mayor Nora Radest with the artists.

This year's RAMP UP student artists conceived, designed, and created Connections under the mentorship of artist Jorge Wellesley .
Supporting Public Art in Summit

We rely on the generosity of Summit residents to provide the public art that you, your families, and visitors to our town enjoy on a daily basis. Donations are accepted (and appreciated!) year-round, and are tax-deductible.
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 summitpublicarts@gmail.com 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 | summitpublicarts@gmail.com | www.summitpublicart.com