David Varnau was recently interviewed by Shannon Black regarding an upcoming event featuring the unveiling of two of his sculptures in an outdoor venue in Edmonds, Washington.
SB: Why do you want to put your sculptures out for public viewing?
DV: A couple of months ago, I installed edition 2 of Ananda, a 2/3 of life size bronze sculpture, in front of Washington Federal Bank at 3rd and Main Streets in Edmonds. It is part of a sculpture loan program and is available for purchase through Cole Gallery, with whom I partnered to finalize the agreement with the bank. It is a treat to sit on the nearby bench and watch the passersby interact with the sculpture. As a side note, I find it interesting how often adults walk right by without even noticing it, but kids almost invariably see it and tug at their parents, who are often lost in thought, to stop and look at it! After enjoying the ubiquity of public sculptures in Western Europe, I have been an advocate of having more public sculpture here in this country. Further, I have aspired to have my bronze sculptures displayed in a prominent location in public, particularly in my home town. This is a dream come true!
SB: How do sculpture and the outdoors go together?
DV: Public sculpture add visual interest and allow pedestrians in particular, in the urban setting, to develop a relationship with it. Throughout the world, outdoor sculpture often is the centerpiece of public squares and piazzas. It gives the space personality and creates a sense of place. How often have you traveled elsewhere, especially in Europe, where you stumble upon a sculpture that gives you a sense of thrill and discovery? How many times have you returned to that same place just to re-experience that eye-opening experience?
SB: What is your vision for your sculptures with these projects?
DV: My vision is to jump start a kind of renaissance here in Edmonds where this community which prides itself on its support of the arts actually has many installations of numerous artists’ sculptures downtown—where simply walking the downtown streets is an ArtWalk. But more than that, where residents and visitors alike feel the thrill of casting their gaze on sculpture that each time is an enriching and visceral experience!
SB: Tell me briefly about the Yoga sculpture story outside of Washington Federal.
DV: After the completion of the new Washington Federal building at the corner of 3rd and Main in Edmonds a couple of years ago, my wife and I were walking by and noticed the nice open corner that was created there with a park bench situated on it. I commented to her, ‘what a great spot this would be for a sculpture!” I had already had a sculpture displayed on the sidewalk in front of Cole Gallery and it had not only been well received but was purchased by an Edmonds resident, who had noticed the sculpture while walking by the gallery. With the enthusiastic reception that the sculpture had received in front of the gallery and the fact that it had actually sold, Denise Cole, owner of Cole Gallery, which represents my art, was very supportive of my proposal to create an art loan program. That notion included: identifying locations around the downtown core of Edmonds where outdoor sculpture could be placed on loan. The model is one that is a win-win-win. For the gallery it is a win not only because, the sculpture would be on consignment with gallery, which would receive the sale commission if the sculpture is purchased, but also because displaying the sculpture in the community provides greater visibility. For the business where the sculpture is sited, the bank in this case, it enjoys the benefit of having a work of fine art on its premises at no cost. And, for me, it is a great opportunity to gain greater exposure for my art and increase the number of people who come into contact with my art. The serendipity of targeting Washington Federal in Edmonds was that Denise Cole banks there and already had a business relationship with the bank branch manager, Jack Durney. Denise and I pitched our proposal to Jack, who expressed interest in it, but acknowledged that he needed to put the question to bank headquarters. In the end, the proposal was reviewed by the CEO of Washington Federal and approval was given for the installation. The plan is that, if an art collector desires to purchase the sculpture, another edition of the sculpture will be cast and the new edition will actually be the one sold in order to avoid having to re-install the sculpture on the site and to ensure that the site isn’t left devoid of a sculpture.
SB: What sculptures will go outside Cafe Louvre? (or what you would want to say for a “quote” about the reveal).
DV: I have two sculptures to be installed for the unveiling event. One is entitled, Transfixed, which has been on display in Cole Gallery for some nine months. It is a life sized bronze that depicts a seated female, whose arms and legs are crossed (hence, transfixed) as if she is protecting herself, or perhaps, she is in fact self-possessed and at peace or even in a trance. It’s a moody piece and the viewer may imagine any one of many different messages in the piece. The second sculpture is completely new and has to date not been on display, It is entitled, Apres Le Bain (French for “After the Bath”), This piece is a life-sized female torso depicting a female holding a drapery over her front. When sculpting it, I was interested in rendering a piece that would simply celebrate feminine beauty and to create the figure in such a way that the pose in every detail lends itself to that sense.
SB: Who approached who about putting sculptures on private property in public viewing spaces – you or Denise?
DV: The genesis of the idea to install two sculptures in front of Café Louvre occurred while Denise Cole and I were meeting with Frances Chapin who is the Cultural Services Director for the City of Edmonds. The three of us were sitting at a table on the patio at Café Louvre having coffee and discussing possible locations to consider installing outdoor sculptures in Edmonds. Denise glanced over at the concrete planter boxes there and said, “that would be a great place for two sculptures!”. Frances responded with, “I was thinking the same thing.” The wheels began turning immediately in my artist/engineer’s mind and I immediately envisioned creating custom-made steel pyramidal shaped pedestals to sit atop the planters. Denise—again, with her many contacts in Edmonds–mentioned that she knows the owner of the building there, Greg Hoff! We drafted a letter to Greg, who was receptive to a meeting to discuss the notion partnering for a sculpture loan. When I later met with him, Greg was more than enthusiastic. I suggested that he speak with his tenants to ensure that they had no objections to the proposal and provided Greg with photographs of the two sculptures that we were proposing to install in front of his Windemere Building as well as a Photoshopped mockup of how the site would appear with the sculptures in place.. In the end, he reported that no objections had been voiced and the project was a go!
SB: Tell me a little about what it takes to get a sculpture out in public. (time frames, set up,etc.)
DV: When attempting to have outdoor sculpture in installed public, one must consider if you want to actually have it on public or private property. To have sculpture sited on public property, there are far more hoops to jump through than when seeking to install sculpture on private property. Frances Chapin, Cultural Services Director in Edmonds, actually encouraged me to consider approaching businesses and inquire if they were interested in partnering in an art loan arrangement. She points out that there is only occasionally a request for proposal (RFP) sent out by the City to purchase art for a specific site. The most recent example of that is the sculpture in the roundabout at Five Corners. That is a very lengthy process that requires a review of proposals by a committee. In the case of the loan—or even an outright gift–of a sculpture by an artist to the City would require review by a committee and the City would retain ultimate decision making control of if, how and where the sculpture is installed.
In contrast, when arranging for the loan of a sculpture on private property, there are fewer pieces to the puzzle. The artist must, for the most part, work only directly with the business on whose property the sculpture is to be located. There are additional considerations, however, that involve the City of Edmonds Public Works Department’s input as to ensure, for example, that the proposed location of the sculpture, isn’t going to interfere with passing motorists’ view of cross traffic or of traffic signs or that the sculpture isn’t going to be located directly over underground utilities. The involvement of Frances Chapin as well was also strongly encouraged by the Public Works Department. Indeed, her input proved valuable for selecting the exact location of Ananda on the corner of 3rd and Main Streets so that it could be enjoyed by viewers sitting on the nearby bench and passersby alike and, at the same time, not have the sculpture interfere with the flow of foot traffic on the sidewalk.
With that in mind, the first challenge in being able to install a sculpture out with in public view but on private property is identifying a suitable site. Yet, that is only the beginning. The sculpture and its subject must be compatible with the site. Further, to install an outdoor sculpture is different in each new venue. The site is never the same, the hoops to jump through are usually different than the last time. For example, the slope of the site, what is in the background, how the sculpture will appear from different perspectives all affect how and where the exact location of where the sculpture is to be installed. Consideration must be given to security and to deter vandalism or theft of the sculpture as well. Finally, a plan must be in place for maintaining the sculpture. Whereas, in the case of City owned art, the City of Edmonds is responsible for the maintenance of the sculptures in its collection. When a sculpture is sited on private property, other arrangements must be made, usually where by the artist him- or herself must maintain the artwork.