More than a Statue...

Today is the first day of the month which means it's Theme Day for participating City Daily Photo bloggers. This month's theme is Statues.

Created by artist Michael Stutz, the 10 foot bronze sculpture at Mission Station is called "Astride-Aside."

“The daily ebb and flow of life reveals a drama accentuated in my work," Stutz explained in a statement at the work's 2003 installation. "Using organic forms, I explore the dichotomies between permanent and impermanent, public and private, external and internal, to create an intimate and humane ideal. Light plays through the latticed forms of the woven sculptures, blending line, movement, time and the body. Focused, hand-wrought, craftsmanship reveals a yielding openness that invites viewer interaction.”

Viewer interaction? You bet! These two girls couldn't help but interact with the piece at last year's ArtsFest. It's a great example of how public art can be both inspirational and accessible.

Learn more about Astride-Aside here, and read a detailed history of its creation here. For more statues from around the world, check out my fellow bloggers' interpretations of today's theme. Click here to view thumbnails for all participants

Musing

I'm extremely fond of this image. I took it a few months ago at the South Pasadena ArtsFest and I've probably pulled it up on the computer at least a hundred times since then. I never seem to be able to write about exactly why I like it so much or what I think it means. Today, however, I stumbled upon a wonderful poem called Barter, by Sara Teasdale. These lines perfectly explain things:

Life has loveliness to sell,
All beautiful and splendid things,
Blue waves whitened on a cliff,
Soaring fire that sways and sings,
And childrens's faces looking up
Holding wonder in a cup.

Sunset and Strings

Art and music combined to create a festive evening in downtown South Pas last night. Here, the South Pasadena Strings Program youth orchestra played outside the library, entertaining all who came to see the California Art Club Plein Air exhibition and shaming me for ever ditching piano lessons as a kid. Such big music from such tiny hands!

Art in the Streets

Looking for an inspirational Saturday night? Spark your creative fire, find your muse or just check out some great art at South Pasadena ArtsFest, tonight from 5-10PM. The California Art Club Plein Air Paint-out exhibition will be on display in the South Pasadena Library Community Room. In addition eight more galleries and studios will be open within walking distance. (But don't worry -- you can catch the Artmobile bus if you don't feel like making the stroll.)

Live music, beer, wine and food will be available at the Mission Gold Line Station plaza, with more jamming down the street at South Pasadena Music Center. A wide assortment of styles will be featured including alt-rock, jazz, Celtic, world music, vintage, flamenco, innovative percussion and classical.

Don't miss this chance to celebrate South Pasadena's creative spirit! Click here for more information.