Uptown Artwork
Art in Public Places has made a mark in Uptown Whittier with the installation of four unique art pieces, placed in four different art gallerias along Greenleaf Avenue.
"The Dress" by Sculptor Kevin Box is located at Mimo's walkway.
Originally inspired by the Nike of Samothrace in the Louvre, the elegant five foot tall sculpture is also reminiscent of the fashion style of Audrey Hepburn - a sleek flow of red oxide highlighted in honey bronze.
"The Leaf" by Sculptor Kevin Box is located in the green space west of the Bright Avenue parking structure.
A six-foot by six-foot green patinated leaf is a part of the collection dedicated to nature that captures the delicate quality of a leaf on a grand scale.
"Red Rascal" by Sculptor Sandy Scott is located in the galleria north of Vinatero's Wine Shop.
This representation sculpture pays tribute to the foxes in the Whittier Hills, capturing the whimsy of the fox's bushy tail and wary expression.
"Crab Louis" by Sculptor Wayne Salge is located on the walkway north of the Whittier Village Cinema on the eastside of Greenleaf Avenue.
Placed at a child's-eye level, the robotically-styled crab calls to mind the magical world of play and movies as the shy little creature peers through his claws, looking to make some new friends in Whittier.
For detailed information about each piece of art please click on the Uptown Whittier Galleria Art Debut press release.
The Garden Gate
Located at Lou Henry Hoover Park at Beverly and Norwalk Boulevards, "The Garden Gate" is a sculpture inspired by the women of Whittier created by artist Guy Wilson. The left door of the gate portrays Harriet Strong and her four children among the pampas grass. The right door depicts Florence Maple Thornburgh peering from behind hollyhocks. Both images are sculpted in bas-relief and they are larger than life at approximately seven feet in height. A child is standing in the opening of the gate inviting the viewer to enter and is gazing upwards reading the histories of the women of Whittier. This figure represents Lou Henry Hoover or a contemporary child gaining inspiration from the many accomplishments of the women of Whittier. The gate is 9 feet high, 3 to 4 inches thick and the whole sculpture is approximately 6 feet wide.
Inscribed on the piece is the following:
People, Place and Meaning
Through time these hills have witnessed people of various cultures many have left their impression upon its soil. The Tonga Gabrielano people were perhaps the earliest. They journeyed through this site upon a footpath from the Pacific Ocean extending to the San Gabriel Mountains beyond. The Spanish and Mexican also utilized this ancient trail became known as North Walk. One of Whittier’s earliest settlers recognized the potential of this garden setting. Harriet Williams Russell Strong (1844-1926) with her husband Charles purchased 220 acres from Pio Pico California’s last Mexican Governor, Rancho Del Fuerte once thrived upon the harvest of citrus, fruit and walnut trees. These trees provided a vehicle by which individuals were transported and transformed into a community. North Walk eventually became Norwalk Boulevard. Through time footprints became a path and the footpath a boulevard.
Women of Whittier
History is not always found pressed between pages in terms of commerce and fame but their impression on this earth is found through the seeds they nourished, the lives they touched and the fabric of community they created and maintained. Her stories are like fallen leaves that nourish and inform the ground we walk upon.
The garden is a mirror within one’s self. It reflects a space of experience, a space of opportunity and a space of infinite possibilities. Within the garden living things – in their abundance and diversity – symbolize and inspire aspects of the human condition. "The Garden Gate" signifies the garden within, each individual and celebrates the collective spirit in the community of Whittier today. From established roots they continue to grow. Reaching skyward, beyond themselves they speak to us of our past and inspire our future.
Guy A. Wilson
The Barefoot Boy
Formerly located on the western side of City Hall, "The Barefoot Boy" statue was created by artist Tita Hupp and represents John Greenleaf Whittier’s poem "The Barefoot Boy". This statue was completed for Whittier’s Centennial celebration, which was in 1987 and is part of the Art in Public Places program. An inscription on the statue reads:
Blessings on thee, little man,
Barefoot boy, with cheek of tan!
With thy turned –up pantaloons,
And thy merry whistled tunes;
With thy red lip, redder still
Kissed by strawberries on the hill;
With the sunshine on thy face,
Trough thy torn brim’s jaunty grace;
From my heart I give thee joy, -
I was once a barefoot boy!
Due to the construction of the new Police Building, the Barefoot Boy has been temporarily put in storage until a new location can be determined.
John Greenleaf Whittier Sculpture
Located at Central Park and created by artist Christoph Rittershausen, this statue represents the man Whittier was named after. John Greenleaf Whittier was a famous poet, writer and newspaper editor who made his home in Massachusetts. When the City was named after him, John Greenleaf Whittier was too old and frail to make the trip from Massachusetts and consequently, never had the opportunity to visit the town that bears his name. This statue was also completed for Whittier’s Centennial celebration, which was in 1987 and is part of the Art in Public Places Program.
Welcome Friends
This sculpture is located at the Quad (SE corner of Whittier Blvd and Painter Ave.) was created by Jill Casty and was made possible through the Art in Public Places Program. This brilliantly colored, large but airy artwork represents the sun rising over the Whittier hills, and the bright stylized leaves suspended from curly green steel branches represent the many and varied trees of Whittier. In researching the project, artist Jill Casty said she observed that Whittier’s flag is a rainbow "W", which helped to inspire the brightly hued color scheme of the sculpture.
The Arch
Located on the NE corner of Greenleaf Ave. and Whittier Blvd., this tile mural represents the many things Whittier has to offer. Some of the pictures included in the mural are the old orange groves, the Liberty Bell, and City Hall. The mural also shows some of the beautiful sights of Whittier. The mural was made possible through the Art in Public Places program.
Tall Grass
by Gale McCall
"Tall Grass" takes shape in the form of tall blades of grass, with images floating among the blades. The grass is stainless steel pipe of varying lengths between eight and ten feet, in sections of 15 feet. The floating images, quarter-inch painted plate cutouts, may be things we are shopping for, something blown in from the past or future, or things we may be dreaming of. Reminiscent of the fields of grass that once were seen throughout the area, this piece connects the fields of the past to the spaces of today. The pieces together give calm elegance and spatial rhythm to the amphitheater its nestled in at the Whittwood Town Center.
The Storyteller
by Carol Gold
"The Storyteller", by Carol Gold, portrays the power of verbal communication and symbolizes the river of knowledge that connects us all, both young and old. It also reminds us to share our stories and wisdom with those around us. The artwork depicts a female figure leaning against a short wall. The figure’s hands are gently motioning outward in an expressive gesture. The woman’s mouth is open in speech as she relates a tale to unseen listeners. The sculpture is patinaed in warm tones; honey gold on the figure’s skin and coppery brown on the clothing. The artist’s uncomplicated modeling technique speaks to her quiet, yet contemporary style. The artist sculpts sleek, flattened figures that successfully communicate mood and feeling with straightforward gestures. The simple sculpting of “The Storyteller” allows the viewer to finish the figure’s unknown narrative for themselves. "The Storyteller" can be found at the Whittwood Branch Library.
Community Spirit
by Nancy Mooslin
"Community Spirit" is a large relief style sculpture designed for the Whittier Community Center, covering about 40 feet of the north wall and 34 feet of the west wall. The theme of “Community Spirit” is one of vitality, rhythm, perpetual motion and growth. The shapes used in the sculpture are based on different geometries found in nature such as the golden mean and the golden spiral, and references to waves of light, water or air, and to human pursuits like music, dance, and athletics. “Community Spirit” is light hearted and full of color and reflected light and the uplifting action of inspiring ideas.
Wind Sculptures
by Lyman
The Wind Sculptures’ undulating movements reflect the mood of the wind and generate joy. In groupings large or small, the sculptures dance to the rhythms of nature. The works can be viewed from any angle, creating various patterns. The kinetic shapes are bold and distinctive. With the changing nature of the wind, the sculptures move and interact with one another when placed in a grouping. Some are spirited and dynamic while others are slow and elegant, but they never move too fast. Varying shapes and forms unveil themselves as one moves by or through the sculptures. A casual glance at the sculptures will reveal a new form not previously noticed or predict what the weather has in store for the day. The Wind Sculptures have been placed along the Whittier Greenway Trail at three locations: the Palm Park Trailhead, the railroad crossing at Five Points and the Mills/Lambert Trailhead. Lyman has been sculpting for over 40 years. For the past decade and a half he has been focused on creating his Wind Sculptures. Lyman graduated with a BFA in Sculpture from the University of Utah. Lyman’s sculptures have an organic and mystical theme as does his current philosophy. His fondest dream is to have his artwork symbolize a move toward better solutions in our relationship with the environment. He currently lives with his wife Stacy and their two children in Southwest Utah.
