Public Art |
ChathamArts has a new and growing public arts program that assists in the purchase and installation of art by Chatham County artists or in Chatham County public places.
For more information about our Public Arts program, please contact Lesley
Landis, public art committee chair at llldesigns@nc.rr.com.
First Lady Mary Easley accepts artwork from Clyde Jones
Two Clyde Jones critters
at the Carolina Union
A few examples of our program thus far include
• Clyde Critters by Bynum folk artist Clyde Jones are on display
at Pittsboro Town Hall.
• ChathamArts arranged for a Clyde Jones giraffe to be exhibited
at the NC Governor's Mansion in Raleigh.
• ChathamArts arranged for Clyde Jones' art to be part of a permanent exhibit at the new Frank Porter Graham Student Union at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
"When the Carolina Union organization completed the renovation and expansion of the Frank Porter Graham Student Union Building in 2004, we got a functional and a wonderful space but it was somewhat of a blank canvas. Our architects created places for art with the idea that art would complete the space. We have consciously added works that help us with our mission on campus- building community. We want to be the place where students are when they are not in class, the library, or their residence. We want to create an environment where students want to be and where works of art inspire, challenge, and educate. We also want to reflect the rich culture of the State of North Carolina.
When the Carolina Union thought about the rich culture of the State, one artist’s name came to the top immediately. Clyde Jones’ work was something we wanted to bring to the campus of UNC-CH. Not only were we able to acquire his work, but we also got the pleasure of having Clyde on campus actually creating critters and meeting students. Thanks to the Chatham Arts Council, Clyde and his chainsaw came to the Pit outside the Frank Porter Graham Student Union Building. We now have three alligators climbing the pillars in our main lounge, a giraffe Clyde named Hilda, a raffe, and a treasured painting Clyde removed from his front porch, all in prominent locations in the Union. We are honored to have this great artist’s works as a part of the Union’s Howard Henry/Archie Copeland Permanent Art Collection." – Don Luse, Director of the Frank Porter Graham Student Union.