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Vail’s Art in Public Places council should be applauded for its most recent project, called Triumph Winterfest Verdant Meadows.
It’s a series of 17 ice sculptures, some 15-feet high, resembling giant blades of grass. The project is a collaboration between Denver-artist Lawrence Argent and local ice sculptor Scott Rella. Each sculpture is lit internally with an LED light that comes on at sunset; the lights turn all shades of green.
No doubt, $40,000 is a lot to pay for an art exhibit that will melt in all likelihood by the end of March. However, the money for the project didn’t come from the taxpayers — it came from Triumph Development; the company is developing The Willows and had a public art obligation of $50,000. They gave a total of $100,000 to the art council for the project, which is called Triumph Winterfest. As a celebration of Vail’s winter landscape, Triumph Winterfest will take place each year for five years, always with the themes of ice, snow and illumination, said Leslie Fordham, the art council coordinator.
The bottom line is most good things in life are temporal — a fantastic meal, a symphony performance or a fireworks display — but that doesn’t make those things any less memorable or valuable. Along with being an eye-catching, free exhibit for both locals and tourists, maybe it will even stimulate some business for Gore Creek merchants, who say their nighttime business has been down since 2001. Really, it’s nice to see art that is progressive and different from the bronze sculptures that are so prevalent in Eagle County.
Security has been heightened in the area to prevent the vandalism that destroyed “Alex’s Lemonade Stand” ice sculpture near the Covered Bridge a few weeks ago. We hope that the public appreciates this novel piece of art and that the security is enough to keep those unfortunate few hoodlums from toppling the sculptures as part of a late-night prank before they melt.
— Caramie Schnell for the Editorial Board
It’s a series of 17 ice sculptures, some 15-feet high, resembling giant blades of grass. The project is a collaboration between Denver-artist Lawrence Argent and local ice sculptor Scott Rella. Each sculpture is lit internally with an LED light that comes on at sunset; the lights turn all shades of green.
No doubt, $40,000 is a lot to pay for an art exhibit that will melt in all likelihood by the end of March. However, the money for the project didn’t come from the taxpayers — it came from Triumph Development; the company is developing The Willows and had a public art obligation of $50,000. They gave a total of $100,000 to the art council for the project, which is called Triumph Winterfest. As a celebration of Vail’s winter landscape, Triumph Winterfest will take place each year for five years, always with the themes of ice, snow and illumination, said Leslie Fordham, the art council coordinator.
The bottom line is most good things in life are temporal — a fantastic meal, a symphony performance or a fireworks display — but that doesn’t make those things any less memorable or valuable. Along with being an eye-catching, free exhibit for both locals and tourists, maybe it will even stimulate some business for Gore Creek merchants, who say their nighttime business has been down since 2001. Really, it’s nice to see art that is progressive and different from the bronze sculptures that are so prevalent in Eagle County.
Security has been heightened in the area to prevent the vandalism that destroyed “Alex’s Lemonade Stand” ice sculpture near the Covered Bridge a few weeks ago. We hope that the public appreciates this novel piece of art and that the security is enough to keep those unfortunate few hoodlums from toppling the sculptures as part of a late-night prank before they melt.
— Caramie Schnell for the Editorial Board
