The Clayton Public Art Advisory Board, with the support of the Clayton Town Council, helped to create the first-ever Downtown Clayton Sculpture Trail. These sculptures created by artists from all over the state adorned our public spaces in 2013-2014 to help visually enhance our downtown and celebrate the arts.
Balancing Spheres is a work created by Nelson R Smith of Rocky Mount, NC. It will be featured in Horne Square at 349 East Main Street. It is made from scrap metal from a manufacturing facility and was built from the bottom up. The base sphere is filled with concrete and the next spheres are welded together. Smith transforms rigid steel into an object that has flow, beauty and movement. Balancing Spheres echoes imagery seen in nature but through manmade materials. The piece is 15 1/2 inches wide and 63 inches high, and weighs 120 pounds. Smith was the winner of the "People's Choice" award - hear him talk about his piece here.
Geyser is a work by Harry McDaniel from Asheville, NC. This sculpture will be showcased in Horne Square on Main Street near Lombard. The flowing, curvy lines and reflective brushed-aluminum surface of Geyser suggest water. As the top sections turn and tilt in the breeze, the illusion is reinforced. At moments the pieces look as though they will collide, but they glide past. Geyser is 23 inches wide and 60 inches tall and weighs about 40 pounds. Hear McDaniel talk about his art in Clayton here.
Portal VII is by Paris Alexander from Raleigh, NC. The sculpture will be located at Horne Square at 349 East Main Street. It is carved limestone on a granite base and is inspired by what the artist calls his "Portal Series". The sculpture is 20 inches wide, 74 inches tall and weighs 700 pounds. He has worked on these portals, or doorways, for 13 years, with some permanently installed in places such as Duke University School of Law, the Town of Granite Falls Recreation Center and the Historic Oakwood Cemetery in Raleigh. Hear him talk about his first piece in the Sculpture Trail.
Eye of the Hurricane was created by Gary Gresko of Oriental, NC. His sculpture is featured on the lawn of the Clayton Library at the corner of Main and Smith Streets. Eye of the Hurricane is constructed of dock boards salvaged from the debris left in local creeks and on lawns by various hurricanes. The artist says, "These boards have been born again with new purpose." He attempted to capture the invisible force of the wind and waves that destroyed these docks and translate it into curvilinear, spiraling shapes while keeping the integrity of the straight boards. Eye of the Hurricane is 6 feet wide and 10 feet tall and weighs about 500 pounds. Listen in as he talks about being selected for our first-ever sculpture trail and how he hoped visitors interacted with his piece.
Hanna Jubran of Grimesland, NC is the only artist with two pieces selected for this inaugural sculpture tour. Both are located on the lawn at Town Square. Primal Unity can be found at the corner of Main and Fayetteville Street. It is an abstract, painted steel structure that depicts the beginning of growth in nature, the freedom and joy of life after a long winter and then moving into spring with growth, green and rebirth. Primal Unity is 12 feet tall and 6 feet wide at the top, made of steel and paint. Hear him talk about this piece here.
Celestial Motion is the second piece by Hanna Jubran. It is located at the corner of Main and O'Neil Streets. This abstract painted steel sculpture depicts the "Celestial Motion" in nature. The half-circular form can be interpreted as the sun rising or setting and the Milky Way. The horizontal and vertical lines represent rain, clouds, landscapes in art and heavenly objects which are usually depicted in paintings. Celestial Motion is 9 1/2 feet tall and 5 feet by 35 inches wide and weighs about 500 pounds. Listen in as Jubran describes his inspiration for Celestial Motion here.
Force of Nature: Generative (left) is by Susan Moffatt of Chapel Hill, NC. "Force of Nature" is a marble work with deeply carved ribs symbolizing the universal life force. The circular form of the piece illustrates how life forms can adapt to new conditions by changing direction. The work is 55 inches tall and 37 inches wide, and the base weighs 1,800 pounds. You can enjoy this piece on the lawn in front of the Town Hall building at 111 East Second Street. Hear her talk about her sculpture here.