City of Mesa
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The City of Mesa Public Art Program was created by a City Council resolution in 1997.
Mesa Arts Center Integrated Works
Three public art projects by internationally known artists have been incorporated into the design of the new Mesa Arts Center. All three projects were formally dedicated on September 23, 2005.
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Color Walk by Beth Galston. Color Walk consists of two ribbons of colored glass that are affixed to the metal guardrails of the second and third levels on the west façade of the Studios buildings. The imagery for the glass is based on photographs the artist took in Mesa of the sky at dusk during a rainstorm. The photographs were digitally altered to create a painterly effect creating the experience of pure color and light. The glass panels interact with the intense sunlight to project light and color into the bridge walkways. |
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Fragmented Landscape by Ned Kahn. Two shade screens adorn the west-facing wall of the theater building, each consisting of thousands of small aluminum panels that are activated by wind. The panels of the smaller screen are perforated with different sized holes that, when viewed from a distance, create a photographic image of sand dunes. A blue-anodized finish that coats the larger screen's panels creates the impression of a vertical sheet of water, rippled by the wind. *Valley Forward Environmental Excellence Award winner for Art in Public Places (2006). |
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Light Storm by Catherine Widgery. Light Storm consists of over 30,000 stainless steel discs embedded into the paving inside and outside the theater lobbies. Each disc is precisely set at the point where the wave patterns of two enormous vortices intersect, as if a desert wind had caught them and blown them through the lobbies onto the Shadow Walk. The work exists as reflected light only and the overall patterns can be best seen from the stairways above. |
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Bus Shelters |
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Looking Up by Simon Donovan & Ben Olmstead Location: The intent of this sculpture/shelter is to create a monumental steel sculptural form of both grace and earthiness. In contrast the "ceiling of people in the sky looking up (or down) at you while you look up is meant to be whimsical, mystical and human in its depictions of ordinary people. |
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Memento by Rebecca Ross Location: In collaboration with Mesa Arts Center architects, local artist Rebecca Ross created this passenger shelter located on the northeast corner of Center Street and 1st Avenue. Memento consists of photographs, both made in and inspired by the City's original square mile, that have been transferred onto porcelain enameled-steel for permanent display. The artist states: "The pictures bear witness to a shared history and give a human face to this entry point into Mesa's new center for discovering the arts." |
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Desert Oasis by Damian Charette and Martin Moreno Location: Desert Oasis was created in part by the Xicanindio Cultural Arts and Youth Development Program, based at the East Valley Boys and Girls Club Grant Woods Branch in Mesa. The participants helped to develop the ceramic tile mosaic mounted on the seating and support elements. |
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College Garden Station by Joe Tyler Location: This distinctive copper and steel shelter is located along the north edge of the Mesa Community College campus, near the rose garden, and was dedicated April 5, 2005. The artist has designed and produced twelve other transit shelters in Tucson, Tempe, Scottsdale and Santa Fe, N.M. The project was funded in part by Development & Sustainability. |
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Mesa Oasis by Joe Tyler Location: A Victorian bird cage provided the inspiration for this 20-foot tall steel and copper structure, which was dedicated June 5, 2004. The artist has designed and produced twelve other transit shelters in Tucson, Tempe, Scottsdale and Santa Fe, N.M. The project was funded in part by Development & Sustainability. *Featured in On The Road Again...Creative Transportation Design, a publication of the Center for Craft, Creativity and Design. |
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Double Incline by Geoffrey Bruce Location: Using corrugated and perforated metal, the artist created angled seats, contoured shade screens and a bright purple and yellow color scheme to make this piece distinctive. The project was funded in part by Development & Sustainability. |
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Bird's Eye Delight by Colin Bruce Location: The artist constructed this piece from painted steel, and it features knitted polyethylene shade canopies. The project was funded in part by Development & Sustainability. |
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Armored Helix by Eric Weber Location: This piece is constructed from painted steel, and features a free-form sculptural shape that provides a unique design statement. The project was funded in part by Development & Sustainability. |
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Public Art Pieces |
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Mesa Fire Station 201 Several pieces of art were created for installation in the grass courtyard immediately north of Mesa's newest fire station, located on First Street just west of Mesa Drive. The artist, Judy Stewart, from Oracle, Arizona, was selected by a panel of community members, fire personnel, and project staff.
A series of bas relief plaques was inspired by actual photographs of firefighters from the station's archives, with several smaller sculptures created in response to requests for artwork with which visiting school children could interact.
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Dinosaur Sculpture - Dilophosaurus This life-sized bronze sculpture of a Dilophosaurus by Sedona artist Michael Trcic was dedicated in August 2002. The dinosaur is depicted over a rocky ledge coming to the water to drink, and is approximately 20 feet long. |
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Suspended Gallery The artwork consists of six double-sided art panels, made of Lexan and suspended by aircraft cable, that draw their inspiration from a variety of sources, including the nearby Red Mountain, local plant and animals life, and information found within the library's collection. Some of the pieces incorporate actual quotes from books and numbers from the Dewey Decimal System. |