CHANGING THE LANDSCAPE STUDENTS SHARE THEIR ART WITH THE CITY


Bicycle racks that look like tomatoes; sculptures atop poles on Main Street; intertwined bikes inspired by the theme of movement – all of these projects, and more, have been created by Winthrop’s talented fine arts students for the city of Rock Hill.


In recent years, the Department of Fine Arts has worked with the city to extend public art off campus and into the city and surrounding areas. Most recently, the department provided student-designed public art for the city’s Knowledge Park Corridor Roundabout.


“Creating public art presents our students with real-world experience,” said Professor of Fine Arts Shaun Cassidy. “It forces them to think creatively, write proposals, present their ideas and manage a project’s budget. All of these elements have great value for our students and their careers.”


In working with the city and the Public Art course, Cassidy decided


“Except for a very few formal university public art graduate degree programs, I know of no other university art program like Winthrop’s that regularly connects students with the local municipality to provide them with an opportunity to create public art for the community. It is a win-win situation.”


Jeffrey York Public and Cultural Arts Administrator


her design apart from others. “Since the landscaping will always change, the design won’t become stagnant and invisible to passersby.”


A $40,000 National Endowment for the Arts grant secured by the city’s economic and urban development office, partially funded the project and also brought in guest lecturers to discuss the importance of public art.


One of the lecturers, Jeffrey York, the public and cultural arts administrator from Chapel Hill, North Carolina, was particularly impressed with the relationship between Winthrop and the city: “Except for a very few formal university public art graduate degree programs, I know of no other university art program like Winthrop’s that regularly connects students with the local municipality to provide them with an opportunity to create public art for the community.


It is a win-win situation.”


to divide the class into two parts: the class would work together to design 10 concrete discs to incorporate into the roundabout and one student would win the opportunity to implement the design he or she envisioned for the roundabout. Brandy Scholl ’16, a general studio major with focus in sculpture and jewelry/metals, won the competition, and the monetary award, based on her innovative design.


“During the design process my classmates and I were thinking you would have to put one single sculpture here or there,” said Scholl. “When I researched Rock Hill’s past as a textile community and its transition to a technology hub, I didn’t like the stagnant nature of a single sculpture. Because the whole theme of Rock Hill development has changed, I wanted something that would continually change. So that led to me creating a design that could live and change through landscaping.”


Brandy Scholl 8 According to Cassidy, Scholl’s innovative use of landscaping set 9


Scholl, who is the head production jeweler and design consultant for BlyDesign and applying to graduate school, agreed. “One of the best things I got out of the experience was being exposed to such real-world work. I left that class with confidence. And being mentored by Shaun, who is such an accomplished artist and taught us so many skills and techniques throughout the process, is something I don’t think I would have gotten anywhere else.”


Watch a video about the roundabout public art project.


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