As part of the Hopewell Valley Arts Council’s community art project and exhibition, ArtSpires, 63 colorful sculptures have popped up in 19 clusters this fall throughout Hopewell Valley. These unique pieces have been created by local artists and community members.
Now, the captivating spires will be auctioned off to the public to benefit the artists and the Arts Council from Nov. 19 through Dec. 19.
To take part in the auction, and for full details and photos of these works, visit www.hvartscouncil.org/artspires.
The ArtSpires project commemorates the loss of native ash trees to the emerald ash borer beetle as part of the organization’s ongoing initiative “Out of the Ashes: Art Emerging from Fallen Trees”. Art spires are milled from American ash wood felled by Hopewell Township Public Works and transformed into art.
“We are honored to produce our art spire from a fallen ash tree that depicts a woodland setting,” artists Robin Wolf and Palmer Uhl said of the process of creating their spire, A Walk in the Woods, according to the statement provided by the Arts Council. “2020 has been a difficult year for our world. Many of us have found that nature and a walk in the woods brings us peace and solace.”
Their spire and dozens more will be available for public purchase via online auction starting Thursday, November 19. With 62 spires on the auction block there’s sure to be something for everyone. Decorate your garden, get a unique holiday gift for someone special, or dedicate it to leave in the community.
The auction closes on Dec. 19 at 4 p.m. with a live online event featuring trivia and sing-along. Watch the final bids as they come in.
The arts spires will remain on display until April 2021 to provide community viewing through the winter and spring months. Spires will be delivered to their new owners in the late spring.
Proceeds from the auction benefit the individual artists and support the mission of the Hopewell Valley Arts Council to increase art awareness and appreciation in the greater Hopewell Valley.
“We have watched sadly as the ash trees have been silently invaded by the emerald ash borer. We have tried to save a few ourselves, hoping to reverse the damage. Some have survived. Others have been able to hang in there for a few more years. And some have fallen. Whatever their end, their testimony is inspiring as they don’t seem to give up easily,” artist Deborah Allen, who created the ArtSpire Beauty from the Ash, said in the statement.
Visit www.hvartscouncil.org/artspires for auction details, full exhibition photos, and to download the ArtSpires map.