Local artist sought in creation of sculpture and new TD pocket park
Local artists are being called upon to collaborate on a sculpture for the corner of Washington and Second Streets. Two-dimensional drawings are being considered until January 3rd, with the goal of having “a full span of artists to work with and bring to the People’s Forge Project on January 7th. Led by their continued emphasis on supporting local artists, The Dalles Art Center is accepting design applications specifically from those within the region that extends from Cascade Locks to John Day, going 50 miles inland from the Oregon/Washington border.
By Sarah Cook
In a recent “Call for Artists,” The Dalles Art Center began seeking two-dimensional designs for an upcoming sculpture that will be created with the help of Bend-based blacksmithing group, The Peoples’ Forge Project.
The chosen design will be translated into a three-dimensional sculpture created through the medium of blacksmithing and installed at an upcoming “pocket park” at the corner of 2nd and Washington, located just two blocks from the Art Center itself.
While artist applications are currently under review, one key component has been identified from the start: once the majority of the sculpture is fabricated, it will be revealed at its permanent home during the 2022 Cherry Festival in The Dalles, taking place on April 19th, 20th, and 21st. During this three-day event and under the guidance of The Peoples’ Forge Project, the final components of the sculpture will be fabricated by community members themselves.
Regarding the sculpture’s upcoming home at the corner of 2nd and Washington, J. Scott Stephenson, Executive Director of The Dalles Art Center, offered the following statement: “The intent of the project is to create a focal piece for a pocket park under development by the Arts and Design Committee and City of The Dalles’ Beautification Committee. Both committees were initiated by Rich Mays, Mayor of The Dalles. This site is centrally located between The Granada Theater, The Dalles Art Center and The Civic Auditorium, three art institutions in The Dalles.” The goal of this highly collaborative project is to "build a recognizable visual and physical presence in this section of downtown.”
People’s Forge Project Blacksmiths work at Winterfest Bend in 2020. This group is set to collaborate with local artists on a sculpture for a new pocket park in The Dalles.
The People’s Forge Project is driven by the mission to create "community experiential arts and culture,” values that align well with the place-based and locally focused work consistently promoted by The Dalles Art Center.
A short video accessed through The Peoples’ Forge website illustrates the all-ages celebratory fun that transpired at their last event of this kind, culminating in a stunning landscape piece located in Winterfest, Bend. “This is part of all of us. This isn’t just one artist making a thing but this is everyone coming together,” reflects the narrator and founder of the blacksmithing group, Kellen Bateham.
Artist Bill Hoppe, a previous collaborator with The Peoples’ Forge Project, spoke about the translation of his own design into a permanent work of public art, also in Bend, stating, “every time I see it, it reminds me of the sense of community and joy that created it. Unfailingly, I will see passers-by stop and point out their contribution to their companions.” It is this kinetic sense of joy and community offering that Stephenson and the Art Center hope to bring to The Dalles with the culmination of this project during next year’s festival.
Applications are being considered until January 3rd, with the goal, as Stephenson explains, of having “a full span of artists to work with and bring to the People’s Forge Project on January 7th.” Led by their continued emphasis on supporting local artists, the Art Center is accepting design applications specifically from those within the region that extends from Cascade Locks to John Day, going 50 miles inland from the Oregon/Washington border.
What is remarkable about this project is the layers of collaboration involved: 3-D work informed by 2-D design, where blacksmithing meets the visual arts; professional artists working directly with community members; and a final project literally shaped by potentially hundreds of local citizens. This means everyone from neighbors to close friends to people who have never met; and from art enthusiasts to casual artists to those who might not dare associate themselves with that word: all will have a chance to connect, contribute, and fabricate the final product.
With no prior blacksmithing experience needed and no cost to participate, it is democratic and inclusive art-making—and community-building—at its finest.
The Dalles Art Center is located at 220 E. 4th Street. Open Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., there is no admission fee, though donations are accepted and directly support the continuation of their work. Per state guidelines, visitors are asked to wear masks and practice social distancing when visiting the Center at this time.
