ROCK HILL, SOUTH CAROLINA – When Miracle Park, Rock Hill’s state-of-the-art park that gives people of all abilities the space and opportunity to play, needed its first public art piece, representatives knew who to ask: Winthrop University Fine Arts Professor Shaun Cassidy.
Known for giving his students real-world creative experiences both on and off campus, Cassidy began conversations with Miracle Park about a year ago about a piece that would serve as public art while also recognizing the non-profit’s donors.
“The challenge for us was thinking of how we could make an interesting 3D object while it could also function as donor recognition,” said Cassidy.
The work stretched over two semesters and included steps typical in any art process, including ideating, budgeting, creating models for the clients, meeting with the clients, adjusting the design based on feedback and finalizing the approved design. Then came the fun part: fabricating the actual piece, which began in January.
The result is “Sponsor Trees:” two tall, free-standing blue powder-coated steel structures resembling trees. Yellow “leaves” on the trees, made of polycarbonate, display Miracle Park donors’ names and actually sway in the wind.
The leaves presented more challenges to the project, Cassidy noted, such as how to incorporate space for more donors, especially since the number of donors increased during the project timeframe, and how to ensure the leaves would stay safely installed.
Fine arts student Forest Rain used digital technology and design to fabricate the leaves. Other students who worked on “Sponsor Trees” were Samuel Pach, Jesse Gross, Gracelynn Mixon, Zoe Gumangan, Oliver Bartow, Ken Stiles and Maria Emery.
Cassidy installed the finished product in June.
In his more than 20 years at Winthrop, Cassidy has frequently led the Department of Fine Arts’ work with the city of Rock Hill to extend public art off campus and into the city and surrounding areas.
His projects with students have included:
*A public art piece, entitled “Wheels in Motion,” for the city’s Knowledge Park Corridor roundabout;
*BMX-inspired sculptures at the corner of East Main Street and Dave Lyle Boulevard; and
*Various installed bike racks across the city.
At the same time he was leading students on the “Sponsor Trees” project, Cassidy was working on a 36-landscape piece for the Gragg Reading Garden at Charlotte Country Day School. He is also part of “Collection, Reframed,” an exhibit on display through Nov. 6 at the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art in Charlotte.
For more information, please contact Nicole Chisari, social media manager, at chisarin@winthrop.edu or 803/323-2236.
