Kevin Duffy at 12 Medford St.The League of Women Voters of Arlington invites you to a presentation and conversation on public art that is being presented by the Arlington Public Art Committe to be held at 7 p.m. Tuesday. Feb. 7, in the community room of Robbins Library.

Public Art tells stories, recalls histories, enhances landscapes, builds community, attracts tourism, and strengthens local economies. Come talk about what Public Art can do for Arlington, hear proposals being considered, and share your ideas.

All are welcome to attend.

For more information, visit www.acarts.org/public_art.php and find us on Facebook. 

Windows Project highlights off-the-beaten-track sclupture

Kevin Duffy was the Arlington Windows Project featured artist for January. The Windows Project seeks unoccupied storefronts in Arlington to showcase art that is visible from the street.

Duffy says about his windows piece: "I wanted to explore the possibilities of working in a material, such as foam insulation sheets, and the alternative possibilities it offers as opposed to the materials I normally work with -- marble and granite.

"As I began to explore the technical possibilities of this material the results began to evolve on their own,I like to build contrasts in my work by fusing different aesthetic elements. I choose to develop a classic, almost Chippendale style for the bottom support, of each piece.

"For the remaining part, I simply let the material guide me. The birdman figure is loosely based on soapstone pieces, by native carvers, from the Cape Dorset area, in Nunavut Canada.The laminated shapes on the larger piece are just something that evolved as I glued the remaining scraps together and shaped them with a disk sander."

Additional sculptural and stone-monument conservation and fabrication work by Duffy can be viewed at www.duffysculpture.net.

Curator Adria Arch has been awarded a grant from the Arlington Cultural Council, a local agency sponsored by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, to support this project.

Arlington architect offered sculptures last September

"Nashawtuc Hill," a sled sculpture by Bill Turville of Arlington.

What's the latest art in the window at 12 Medford St.? See several new sculptures by Bill Turville of Arlington, an architect, sculptor and art educator.

The Arlington Windows Project uses an empty, for-rent storefront at 12 Medford St. across from the Regent Theater, as a streetside art gallery.

In an email, Turville explained his sled sculpture, "Nashawtuc Hill":

"Here is the sled stack for the righthand window. It is all one piece. 

"Nashawtuc Hill is the favorite local sledding hill in Concord, where I gathered most of this sled collection and where this was originally displayed in the 2011 spring EarthMonth Exhibit at Emerson Umbrella."

He continues: " I love working in three dimensions with nearly any medium and enjoy experimenting with each one and combination of each. I also enjoy relating some of my work to a space or a cause or a theme.

"I try to impart this enthusiasm to my students, encouraging them to find creative and new parts of themselves to make things that have never been seen on earth before. Some of my students, younger and older, dive right in and others are more tentative but all eventually find that they can do something new and exciting and contribute this to the world, their world, creating their world.

Aug. 14: Windows Project launches first public installation

"It is all about lighting up the creativity I completely believe is in each individual of any age."

Turville’s says that much of his work is inspired by his immediate experience in a specific environment and his desire to create a change or develop a message regarding this experience.

He says he is also inspired by controversial or timely subjects, often related to environmental causes or social justice. He will use nearly any material or medium or combination of mediums to achieve this, working in two- and three-dimensions and at various scales.

He says he enjoys working collaboratively on larger projects and is very inspired by the abilities and vision of children or other insightful "uncompromised" observers.

Turville’s work in the field of the fine arts ranges from festival sculpture and installations for the Revolving Museum, The Cultural Organization of Lowell, Somerville Arts Council and First Night Boston to commissioned work for institutions and corporations and unique work for themed shows, causes and charities, such as an abstract figurative installation for a large human resources company, a Brickbottom Gallery installation on landmines and children, a FishBike artbike for Bikes Not Bombs and art furniture for the Mass. Homeless Coalition.

Turville has done installation art and curated outdoor sculpture shows with Reclamation Artists, Bedford Center for the Arts, Emerson Umbrella (where he teaches sculpture to children) and the Concord DPW. He is an active member of the Arts League of Lowell, Concord Art Association, Brickbottom Artists Association and Reclamation Artists and is on the Board of Directors of The Revolving Museum.

A Pratt Institute graduate, he also studied at Mass. College of Art, The deCordova Museum and has had several residencies at the Vermont Studio Center. His architecture and sculpture studio is located in Arlington.

Among a number of connections, he is on the board and and faculty of the Revolving Museum in Lowell, the faculty of the Emerson Umbrella Center for the Arts in Concord and is a member of the  Brickbottom Artists Association.

To find out more about the Arlington Window Project or Arlington public art, write to  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , see Facebook or www.arlingtonpublicart.blogspot.com.

This story was first published Sunday, Sept. 11, 2011.