Strathcona County’s latest public art unveiled with free skating and family activities

Strathcona County’s latest public art, “Limenitis Wall” by artists Jason Johnson and Guy Gardner, will be unveiled at the Emerald Hills Sports Pavilion (4501 Emerald Drive, Sherwood Park) on Sunday, January 22, 2017. To celebrate, there will be free outdoor skating, hot chocolate, hayrides, and crafts from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Inspired by the ways in which plants and insects use petals and wings for camouflage, attraction, and the shedding and collection of water, “Limenitis Wall” acts as an expression of cycles of change. It is meant to be experienced in every season. Its surfaces reflect light and produce shadow as the sun changes positions. It collects frost and produces highly articulated and changing patterns across its surface. When it rains or snows, water collects by the components and directed to a planter below. Made of elegant arcs of aluminum, the piece evokes a connection between the forces of nature and the forms that evolve to resist or take advantage of those forces. Its colours are those of the Limenitis butterfly, as it rests lightly on the building's facade.

Artist Jason Johnson is trained as an architect and has spent 10 years involved in community based projects that leverage digital design tools in the production of material artifacts at various scales. Guy Gardner is trained as an architect, studied sculpture at the Alberta College of Art and Design, and is a journeyman welder. He has collaborated on a variety of public and community art projects in Calgary, both as a designer and a fabricator.

The formal program for this event begins at 1:15 p.m., with greetings from Deputy Mayor Carla Howatt and artists Jason Johnson and Guy Gardner.

Further information about the eventor call 780-467-2211.

Set in the centre of Alberta’s energy and agricultural heartland, Strathcona County is a thriving, successful and vibrant community of almost 96,000 residents. Strathcona County is made up of the urban area of Sherwood Park and a large adjacent rural area of farms, acreages and smaller hamlets. It is home to 75 per cent of refining in Western Canada. With a focus on economic, governance, social, cultural and environmental sustainability, Strathcona County is committed to balancing the unique needs of its diverse community.

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Contact:

Strathcona County Communications, 780-410-6595