Press release:
Madison County Economic Development through a grant with the Community Foundation of WNC has been working on a dynamic public art project to highlight the intrinsic relationship between art and manufacturing. Madison County Economic Development created this project to connect various community groups that it values as part of the economic culture of Madison County. In the first year of the five-year project, the Manufacturing Art Park will highlight one of Madison County’s manufacturing companies each year and challenges an artist to create a piece that is inspired by the people, product, or materials from the selected company. This year Madison County selected Advanced Superabrasives, Inc. (ASI), located in Mars Hill and Asheville-based artist, David Sheldon. David was selected from a competitive number of applicants in fall 2017 by a team of partners including representatives from Mars Hill University, Town of Mars Hill, Madison County Arts Council, Madison County Schools, Advanced Superabrasives, and Madison County Economic Development Board.The first public art piece is titled “The Mars Cutter” and is inspired by ASI’s work on the Mars Rover.
A celebration and the unveiling of “The Mars Cutter” will take place on the Dr. Otis T. Duck Greenway in front of the softball courts on the Mars Hill University campus, on Saturday, July 28, 2018 beginning at 11 AM. There will be a short performance from “Working – The Musical”, light refreshments, an appearance from Josh Copus’s brick factory, and a time to meet with the artist.
The program is part of a multi-faceted project called the “Art of Work”. Other activities include a talk back with Nick Moen (an artist who uses a manufacturing model) on Sunday, July 15 at 5 PM in the Weizenblatt gallery with the work displayed in gallery all month, “Working – the Musical” at SART theater July 12th- 29th, and a history of the Capitola Mill project by the Ramsey Center located in the Weizenblatt Gallery on campus of Mars Hill University throughout the month of July.
For questions, please contact Sara Nichols at snichols@madisoncountync.gov
Before you comment
The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.