Site:

As public artists, we have a unique responsibility to create works that truly belong to the communities they are being created for. We strive to make art that feels like it is stemmed from the site itself, art that is a native to the community it is a part of. The design of successful public art should be driven by the particular conditions and requirements of it's home.

The home for this piece is the eastern wall of the Pasternack's Pawn Shop on E. Colfax. The shop is situated directly in the center of the exciting Fletcher Plaza Urban Renewal revitalization project in Original Aurora. Right next door is the Florence Square development which will house, 240 apartments, including several live/work units for artists to use as galleries and workspaces, a coffee shop, and a Thai food restaurant. Across the street is the new MLK library and the Fox Theatre. This is to be Aurora's Arts District; hip and funky, diverse and cultured, it's the part of town people will go to for great ethic food, art galleries and boutiques, music and theatre. There's really nothing like it in Aurora right now, not even within the newly developed Lowry, Fitzsimons and Stapelton neighborhoods. It's proximity to these new developments create a great (and triangular) opportunity to fill an unoccupied cultural and economic niche.

This public art project was created by Aurora's AIP Program in partnership with the Urban renewal program deliberately for it's potential to announce the creation of this district to the public. The piece should function as a beacon for the district. A bold visual symbol denoting your arrival. A friendly and alluring icon that invites the curious to stop and see what all the changes in this area are all about. The Pasternack's wall is the best opportunity for such a gesture on the north side of the street. It is certainly eye catching, it has an interesting shape and is bright green! It is large and open; highly visible to the west-heading traffic. This wall has a pedestrian presence as well, due to it's adjacency to the parking lot for the Florence Square development. Visitors to Pasternack's, the coffee shop (planned for the corner unit of the retail areas), galleries and residents will all have an opportunity to experience the piece up close. (An arts district is inherently a pedestrian district, where people spend time strolling through the various shops, restaurants, and galleries.)

Theme:

The theme is derived from the site.

As the neighborhood is beginning a cycle of revitalization and renewal, we've chosen the theme of Spring, renewal, evolution and growth, exploring the parallels between the cycles and patterns of modern urban life and the cycles and patterns of nature.

Requirements and problems to solve:

• Icon for community
• Beacon for drivers
• Beacon for pedestrians
• Interesting upon repeat visits
• Maximum impact for budget
• Take advantage of the buildings interesting shape
• Durability- East facing - sun
• Removability

Form:

the site calls, "I am:

• Modern, urban,
• sophisticated, and artsy,
• bold, fun, colorful, diverse, and funky!
• Very lively with my own rhythms and patterns of activity!
• In the springtime of my new life as an arts district!"

The art responds, "I am:

• Modern & urban - graphic & abstract,
• -Sophisticated - well designed, simple & elegant expressions of line and shape, yet fun and vibrant.
• -Bold, fun, colorful, lively, and funky.
• -Very lively, rhythms and patterns designed to feel both "urbanesque" and "springish".

The theme calls:

What form is a manifestation of the theme of revitalization, renewal and growth and Spring? What are the parallels between modern urban life and nature, and how can they be represented visually?

The art responds:

We know Spring has arrived when the plant life around us greens and blooms. Spring brings with it the feeling of hope and "up with people" spirit that the urban renewal project embodies.

The parallels can be visually illustrated through progressive pattern building, line and shape. The overall design is inspired by the forms and growth patterns of plants, biologic charts, the "tree of life", and even maps of solar systems. The cut and layered circles will provide a framework for additional patterning inspired by evolution of cities over time as expressed in maps, biological cell growth, and endless other things that grow and progress over time.

The aim is not to depict literal images of the things that inspire the design, but rather evoke the feeling and spirt that they embody, by hinting at their forms and emulating their vibrancy (both through color and the repetition of line and shape)

Pattern design is inherently suited toward this theme because it's nature echoes the nature of growth, smaller building blocks are organized into larger groups, which organize into larger groups on and on into infinity.

life forms: - molecules - cells - organisms - amoebas - plants - fish - mammals - people

habitat: - people - houses - businesses - neighborhoods - districts - cities - states - countries - planets - solar systems - universe

language: - letters - words - sentences - paragraphs - essays - books - volumes - libraries

But equally important, it's makes a pretty picture that people will enjoy looking at even if they never delve into deciphering it's deeper meanings.

The requirements and problems to solve call:

• Beacon for drivers?
• Interesting for pedestrians as well?
• Interesting upon repeat visits?
• Take advantage of the buildings interesting shape?
• Maximum impact for budget?
• Durable? East facing - sun.
• Removable?
• Icon for community?

The art responds:

The bold design takes advantage of the entire wall, and catches the eyes and intrigue of drivers.

The flowing rhythm of the design is interesting and attractive, leading the eyes of people viewing it from a moderate distance, but who have more time to study it than a driver, such as people in the coffee shop or apartments.

The intricate cut outs in the layered circles add a depth of design that will draw pedestrians in for a closer look, and keep them interested for repeat visits.

Made of durable .25" aluminum plate and painted with UV resistant Matthews Paints (Industry standard for outdoor signs).

Mechanically fastened to the brick work so can be removed if necessary.

Will it be an icon for community? - Ultimately that is the decision that the committee is here to make.