Arts and Entertainment

Orangeville’s public art collection continues to expand

October 27, 2022   ·   0 Comments

By Brian Lockhart

The Town of Orangeville’s public art collection is getting bigger, with four new utility boxes being painted and a mural installation on the garden shed at Orangeville’s Community Garden and Orchard.

Art submissions were selected by Orangeville’s Cultural Plan Task Force.

The Utility Box Art Display Program recognizes local artists, celebrates the Town’s culture and history, and promotes Orangeville as an arts and culture hub for the region. The beautification effort started in downtown Orangeville in 2016 with three installations and has since grown to a collection of 31 unique public art pieces, including this year’s additions.

“The continued success of this program demonstrates the magnitude of the creative talent in our region,” said Town of Orangeville councillor, Lisa Post, chair of the Cultural Plan Task Force. “Each installation allows the community to connect with our local artists in colourful and inspiring ways.”

A Call for Artists was announced by the Town in early 2022, and of the submitted pieces, five were selected by the Task Force.

The selections include ‘Autumn Leaves,’ by Kelly Blackstock of Orangeville, inspired by the natural surroundings adjacent to the utility box. The piece features an owl among a backdrop of long grasses, reeds, and cattails. This installation can be found at Broadway and C Line.

‘Fire Star’, by Jeffrey J Nagy, of Orangeville, was created using camera settings and no additional enhancements or editing. The photograph captures one of many brilliant light displays at Christmas in the Park – an annual event hosted by the Optimist Club of Orangeville.

‘Papillion’, by Deborah Powell of Amaranth, captures the beauty of butterflies in flight. This abstract piece was created using acrylic paint with bold colours to convey the butterfly’s ability to soar and spread feelings of joy.

This work is displayed at the intersection of Riddell Road and Centennial Road.

Deb Menken of Mono created ‘Roses Are Not Always Red.’ It is a digital manipulation of her original acrylic painting.

The colourful representation pays tribute to the former Dufferin Garden Centre.

‘Wheatfield, Dufferin County,’ by Stella Capogna from Mono, pays tribute to the rural history of Dufferin County. This oil painting of hay bales invokes the artist’s desire to bring attention to the generations of people who have farmed the land.

This piece is installed at Orangeville’s Community Garden and Orchard on Centre Street.

An online listing of all public art pieces including these new installations can be found at www.orangeville.ca/digital-guide.

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