A Weekly Note from Mayor Gary L. Graham
“Traditional Values, Progressive Thinking”
The first of two pieces of large scale outdoor sculpture were recently dedicated at Thoman Park. The pieces were donated by students of the O’Fallon Township High School (OTHS) Art Club. The unique works were created by local artist Kevin Troubaugh who has exhibited works at Chicago’s Navy Pier and in Peoria, Illinois, and has installations in St. Charles, Missouri and Southwestern Illinois College in Belleville.
The OTHS Art Club approached the City of O’Fallon Arts Commission in 2003 and offered to help with their Art Festival. The brainchild the two groups came up with was a booth where the Art Club charged a fee to participants to create a handprint/signature project. The completed series of citizen-created panels now hangs on public display in the lobby at City Hall. The proceeds plus fundraising by the OTHS Art Club were used to purchase two sculptures for installation at Thoman Park.
The first piece “Along the Rail”, is over fourteen feet tall, kinetic and moves slightly in the wind. The Art club students made the preliminary selections of sculpture, which were reviewed by the Arts Commission and city officials. The concrete for the bases was donated by Jet Precast of O’Fallon and the landscaping materials were donated by Market Basket of O’Fallon. The landscaping around the sculpture was done by several members of the Art Club.
A plaque acknowledges the Art Club’s donation, the title of the work and its artist. Any other groups or individuals wishing to donate sculpture to local parks or public places would have the same acknowledgement.
I encourage groups and individuals to make sculpture donations so that we can display an entire collection of different types of sculpture at Thoman Park. Once several pieces are installed there, as well as other parks and public locations, the Arts Commission plans to create a map or walking tour of the art that is installed in and around O’Fallon.
The sculptures were reasonably priced, and Mr. Troubaugh has indicated that he is willing to create commissioned pieces for local groups interested in donating sculpture that would be suitable for outdoor public installation and could be conceptually designed to reflect a specific group’s identity or philosophy. If you or your group are interested in making a sculpture donation, please contact me at 624-4500.
The presence of sculpture delineates us as a city that has an interest in culture and the arts. The fact that the sculptures are donated to be enjoyed by all in our public spaces says something about the quality of life that citizens support and encourage. The strong working relationship between City Hall and the residents we serve is yet another example of why O’Fallon is such a great community in which to live.
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