The Process

Step One

Stevie Ray Vaughan Memorial
Bronze
Ralph Helmick
1994
Austin Parks and Recreation
Town Lake Hike and Bike Trail,
South Bank at South 1st & Riverside Drive,
Austin, TX
Photo by Melanie Sherwood

Before you begin this project you will need to discover and learn about the public artwork already in your neighborhood. What are some of the challenges communities and artists face when creating a public artwork? Artists creating public artwork often work in teams. You will have 3-4 people on your team. Just like in a rock 'n roll band everyone in the band plays a different role. Depending on the size of your team, you and your team members may need to play different roles. Sometimes 2 different people will play the same role. Sometimes one person may need to play 2 different roles.

Leader/Visionary: The leader keeps the group focused on the task or question. The leader monitors the time and helps bring conflicts to a compromise. The leader focuses the group on building a consensus and making decisions .

Transcriber/Recorder: Summarizes the group’s discussion. Records and takes notes.

Presenter: Verbally presents the group’s findings to peers and the school community.

Researcher: Assists the entire group in finding resources and examples that address their task or question.

Artist/Sculptor/Architect: This person is in charge of building and construction. They draw plans and direct the construction of the model.

After breaking into teams of 3-5 students using web and library resources, each team should choose one of the following questions to answer and report back to the entire class. Be sure to cite examples and resources you found.

The Questions

1) What are the three public artworks closest to your school that you would like visit? Why? Tells us as much as possible about the artwork and why it is in the location it is. Draw or print directions to get there.

2) What is public art?

3) What purposes does public art serve?

4) What controversies have there been involving public art? What controversies have happened in Austin?

5) Should the public fund public art and why?

6) What are some of the maintenance issues for public artwork or sculpture? Indoors or outdoors? Who should pay to maintain it?

7) What are the steps in the process of creating a public artwork?