City of Dunedin Unveils First Project Completed Under New Public Art Master Plan

.above and below: Celebration Closeup: Photo by Elizabeth Brincklow

The City of Dunedin is celebrating the first project to be completed under the Public Art Master Plan (PAMP) adopted by the City in 2018. Celebration features a PSTA (Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority) donated bus shelter downtown at Main and Douglas, creatively enhanced by acclaimed artist Catherine Woods. The functional artwork is located across from Pioneer Park, a popular place for a variety of community activities. ​

​“We have been in a years-long pursuit to create a public art master plan, find a credentialed art administrator and the necessary public funds to support making Dunedin an arts and culture destination,” said Jackie Nigro, chair of the City’s Arts & Culture Advisory Committee. “This project is a joint venture between PSTA, the First Methodist Church and the City of Dunedin Economic Development Department. The selection committee chose nationally known artist, Catherine Woods, to perform the bus shelter’s transformation into this charming work. We were most pleased when Catherine applied for the project and even more so when she was selected by the panel.” said Nigro.
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​"I was very pleased to partner on this artistic project and hope it brings a smile to the faces of our residents and visitors," stated Robert Ironsmith, Director of the Economic Development Department."

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below: Celebration - exploring final designs, disc placement, mounting options and color, Photo by Catherine Woods

The Arts & Culture Advisory Committee recommended, and the City Commission chose Elizabeth Brincklow of Elizabeth Brincklow Arts, LLC, as their Public Art Consultant in 2017. The Dunedin resident has a strong reputation as an arts leader in the Tampa Bay Region and authored the City of Dunedin’s Public Art Master Plan. In accordance with the Public Art Master Plan, artworks are funded by a percentage of new development projects, by way of public private partnerships, acquired as gifts from individuals, foundations and other sources including departmental budgets. Dunedin counts 21+ existing public artworks from small works to large-scale murals and sculptures.

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below left: Rivet test. Photo by Catherine Woods
center: Celebration template test fit. Photo by Catherine Woods
right: Celebration cut metal. Photo by Catherine Woods
below: Celebration fabrications at the paint shop. Photo by Catherine Woods

​“The challenge was to enhance an existing downtown bus shelter to make a statement about Dunedin,” said Brincklow. “The design problem was for Catherine Woods to solve, which she did to our delight. The elements are metal discs created in the spirit of Celebration. Each piece has cutout icons– water, a sailboat, orange slices, bicycle wheels, a thistle, and a puppy – all celebrating things Dunedin is known for.”
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Additional features include circle shapes in the concrete floor of the shelter that repel water, echoing the art and making a dramatic appearance when it rains. St. Cate Fine Arts, a local fine arts collection management and preservation team, did the final installation of pieces and lighting.

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above: St. Cate Fine Arts installs elements of Celebration, 
Photo by Elizabeth Brincklow
right: Celebration Installation Day with artist assistant Christine Silvia,
​Photo by Elizabeth Brincklow
below: Celebration artwork by Catherine Woods, Photo by Elizabeth Brincklow

Catherine Woods’ company, C Glass Studio, is based in St. Petersburg. Her large-scale public artworks in steel and glass, often as tall as 24 feet, can be seen throughout the greater Tampa Bay area and nation wide. Her favorite mediums for making art are stainless steel, aluminum, glass and tile.

“I saw the call for artists from the City of Dunedin and applied,” said Woods. “They wanted something to celebrate downtown, a joyful addition. When we were installing the pieces, people were so friendly and curious. The whole project was fun, happy, like a cheerful party all the time.”

Nigro says the success of the Celebration project prepares the Public Art Program for four upcoming projects of larger scale. However, as the program moves forward during the Coronavirus pandemic, Dunedin City Manager Jennifer K. Bramley believes the little bus shelter offers something extra. 
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"It is perfect!” said Bramley. “Who would have thought when the project started that we would need it to boost our spirits during this difficult time.”