MORE THAN MURALS

More Than Murals 11 By Candice Baxter Photography by Larry Kuzniewski PUBLIC ART CONCEPTS COMING SOON

When people think of public art, usually a mural comes to mind. In Germantown, it means horse sculptures. But this April, the City kicked off a Public Art Master Plan that solves problems, fosters connection and touches on so much more than visual appeal from afar. The focus lies on placemaking, creating destinations through thoughtful, meaningful installations. As part of the Forward 2030 Plan, the Public Art Commission was formed to give residents a voice on values and themes. Chairperson Amanda Littlejohn says, “I think it’s really important that residents see themselves reflected in their surroundings and feel connected to their environment.”

FORMING A PLAN Serving as a consultant for five years, the City hired Cat Peña as a part-time Public Art Manager in 2019. She is a practicing artist, perhaps most recognized for the blue streamer installation in the Edge District of Memphis, a creation to draw visitors of Sun Studios down the street. “Public art can be a problem solver,” she says. In Germantown, she has coordinated the color gradient painting of the walls around the upstairs track in the GAC and the locally created moth-stamped tiles in the First Horizon Foundation Plaza at the Grove. Peña enjoys collaboration with other artists as well as the different departments of city government. “Working together and finding ways to incorporate public art into capital improvement projects, it gives legs to the work in a way that one person cannot.” On the administrative side, the City applied for and won the NEA Our Town matching grant to fund the development of a detailed 92 page Public Art Master Plan. She emphasizes that projects in the plan are funded in a variety of ways, not entirely built off the backs of tax dollars. “It is unique for an administrator to practice art and also lead large projects. The experience to see both sides makes the project more holistic.”

Eleven projects are under consideration for various locations around town, beginning with projects that use smaller dollars to make a big impact.

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“WORD TRAVELS” Stumble upon words through the annual sidewalk poetry initiative sustained by the Mitch Major Memorial Fund. Each year, the City will hold a poetry contest, and winning poems are stamped in concrete sidewalks or stenciled along asphalt walking trails. All entries are collected and bound in a hardback book by the Germantown Community Library.

WATER TOWER MURAL When it is due for a new coat, one of the existing water towers on Poplar Pike will gain a new painted mural. Citizen engagement will drive themes to share with selected finalists, and the Public Art Commission will vote on the design.

FLORA AND FAUNA CROSSWALKS To call more attention to safe passage across the boulevard at Wolf River trailheads, Peña is applying for a grant to install crosswalk designs inspired by native plants growing in ecosystems along the corridor, created by Houston High School art students. OAKLAWN GARDEN DESIGN WITH NATURE Incorporating art into already beloved spaces, a series of natural public art pieces created with found foliage and natural material is part of the plan to be commissioned with a spring opening in celebration of the azaleas blooming.

LIGHT FESTIVAL For the night-time grand opening of the Oaklawn Garden artwork, a temporary light installation, music and thematic entertainment will bring unique new media to the region.

PLAYABLE STRUCTURE When the playground in Municipal Park is updated, instead of replacing it with a catalog purchase, the plan is to add an engaging playable art structure designed with input from local kids and professional artists.

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CITY GATEWAYS More than a welcome sign, art signals transition of place. A variety of mediums will be considered to denote entry points of the city.

CULTURAL GREENWAY Major trailheads will be marked with large-scale installations to accentuate the natural wonder and cultural history of the Wolf River, featuring interactive pieces for active play.

PARK DISCOVERY WALK An interactive sculpture hide-and-seek will include small or large animals placed in each park to tell the story of Germantown.

CULTURALLY COMPLETE STREETS Streetscaping enhancements include artist-designed pedestrian seating and bike racks to increase walkability and provide aesthetics to functional items.

ARTIST IN RESIDENCY A part-time artist will collaborate with city departments on creative problem-solving to offer a new vantage point on engineering issues like stormwater drainage.

CONNECTING THE COMMUNITY Art contributes to quality of life, and engagement drives the effort to find out what residents want. Expect to see pop-up events staged to gauge interest and opinions, from listening to music on the Greenway to finding an animal sculpture in every park. Last winter a postcard mailing asked each resident, “What is the heart of Germantown?” Responses informed the themes of upcoming projects. “It’s about finding the line, the place where community voice meets artist voice,” says Peña. “It’s meant to make you think. With the variety of projects and sites, there will be something for everyone.” Last month, the Board of Mayor and Alderman formally adopted the Public Art Master Plan, and the first concept began to take shape on a warm, sunny day at the Grove. “Word Travels” kicked off the first annual sidewalk poetry contest. As families gathered on blankets, the music of Amy LaVere and Will Sexton swept through the trees. Children made quills from bright feathers and pencils wrapped in yarn, part of the free activity kit handed out by librarians to encourage young poets. One day, you may be strolling along, look down at the sidewalk and find their words. ■

REMEMBERING MITCH MAJOR

Mitchell Major was a beloved City of Germantown resident and highly esteemed GPAC board member who passed away in January from complications related to COVID-19. His love of literary arts, passion for lifelong learning and joy in sharing the written word will carry on for decades to come. “Word Travels,” the annual sidewalk poetry initiative, is sustained by a memorial fund named in his honor.

Each year, three original short poems or song lyrics written by Germantown residents will be stamped in concrete sidewalks or stenciled along various walkways throughout the city. The poems are chosen through a contest, judged by a selection committee and installed every summer. All entries will be bound in a book each year by the Germantown Community Library. Donations to the Mitch Major Memorial Fund can be made on the GPAC website and will be matched dollar for dollar up to $10,000 by AutoZone, Inc. Major worked for the company since 2005 and was Senior Vice President of supply chain.

“Mitch was the kind of guy who would wake up at 4:30 in the morning to read or write literature before going into work,” says friend and GPAC Director Paul Chandler. “The board wanted to do something for him, and this will be a legacy that can live on engraved along the pathways of this city.” Poems of 150 words or less on the theme of “nature” may be submitted until May 31, at gpacweb.com. Winners receive a cash prize, and their work will be installed this summer. “Word Travels” creates a chance for people to serendipitously come across a piece of writing that evokes emotion.

“It would warm his heart to know he had a part in making this possible,” says Mitch’s widow Laurie Major. She recalls one of his favorite quotes by Ernest Hemingway. “All my life I have looked at words as though I were seeing them for the first time.”