NEW ALBANY — Yesterday, while residents participated in the annual New Albany Beautification Day, the Carnegie Center for Art & History held its invitation-only breakfast showcasing the 2012 artists for the New Albany Public Art Project: Bicentennial Series.  

During the continental breakfast, the three artists provided a brief overview of their public art pieces that will focus on the 2012 theme of Home and Community Life in New Albany.  

“The New Albany Bicentennial Public Art Project is art created through the eyes of the artists,” said Karen Gillenwater, curator, Carnegie Center for Art & History.

Since its inception in 2010, the Bicentennial Series has been a collaboration between the Carnegie Center and the New Albany Enterprise Association. The Indiana Arts Commission, Horseshoe Foundation of Floyd County, Your Community Bank and many other sponsors make the project a reality.  

This year, the Bicentennial Series will showcase the work of Michael Wimmer, Jacob Stanley and Nathan Smith.  

Wimmer will showcase his “Education” piece at the City County Building. The 14-foot high, three dimensional metal sculpture will represent different aspects of education including English, math, the WNAS radio station, botany and chemistry.  

Wimmer recently relocated to New Albany from Chattanooga, Tenn., so he admits that he had to brush up his knowledge of New Albany’s history. However, he has learned a lot.

“The education system in New Albany has a rich history in this country,” Zimmer said in his artist statement.   

Zimmer is making himself at home in New Albany with his new WE Gallery, located in the old Tumblebus Station along Main Street.

“This is really a great little town,” Zimmer said about New Albany.

Louisville artist and architect Nathan Smith will install an interactive “MicroPark” on the the sidewalk of the North side of Market Street between State and Pearl streets. His work will represent the theme of parks and recreation.

 “Hopefully people will use it just like any other park. As an architect, it might take decades to be able to do anything of public significance, but to build a park, even a micro park, it’s still a park. It gives me a chance to implement some ideas on a small scale” said Smith, who founded PART Studio LLC, where he concentrates on low-cost housing, custom residential renovations/additions and special fabrications.

The “Micro-Park” will be constructed from red cedar and will have plants appropriate to the season.

“We don’t want to control the plants, being a park. If someone wants to plant basil, they can,” said Smith, who holds a Master of Architecture from Rice University.

Greencastle, Ind., resident, Jacob Stanley, will install his Neighborhoods & Architecture piece at St. Mark’s United Church of Christ Garden. His large-scale project will be somewhat of a crooked house on stilts that is inspired by the historic homes of Downtown New Albany. It will also allow people to walk underneath the house, where they will discover an areal fabrication of New Albany’s road system.

“I’m hoping people pay more attention to surroundings, and question their role in architecture and the city they inhabit. We are all not just passive observers,” Stanley said.

Stanley, who holds an MFA from the University of Tennessee, said he fell in love with architecture because of the problem solving. In addition, he said he is “really interested in the architectural history, parks and recreation and what the site is going to become.”

While designing the scaled house, he paid attention to details.

“I used new construction materials and will make it look like a 100-year-old house. It is a fun challenge and I’m excited about this,” Stanley said.

The artwork will be officially unveiled during the New Albany Public Art Walk from 6 to 9 p.m. June 23, with a rain date of June 30.

“All of the artists will be out, and we will have the screen printing project again for this family-friendly event. We hope that you join us for the Art Walk,” said Sally Newkirk, director, Carnegie Center for Art & History.      

Volunteers are also encouraged to participate with the New Albany Public Art Walk.  

For more information about the artists and the New Albany Public Art Walk visit napublicart.org. In addition, check out the Power 2 Give Campaign link on the New Albany Bicentennial website, where you can contribute to the public art project.