2008 Sole Recipient:
John E. Stallings
Johnstown, Pennsylvania Public Art Project
The George Sugarman Foundation, Inc. is pleased to announce the sole recipient of a grant for the 2008 calendar year. $10,000.00 was awarded to sculptor John E. Stallings of Johnstown, Pennsylvania. His large-scale sculpture, Celebration of Life, is one of the first of five pieces of public art to be designed for the Kernville Arts District, a newly designated area of Johnstown and part of the city’s revitalization plan. Fabricated from highly polished stainless steel, Celebration of Life will stand 20 feet in diameter, and will be made from 12-inch diameter stainless tube, ¾” thick.
The George Sugarman Foundation is pleased to be able to work in concert with Mr. Stallings and the city of Johnstown to produce and permanently place Mr. Stallings' sculpture. We support Mr. Stallings and the city of Johnstown’s Public Art Alliance (JPAA), a grassroots coalition, which was founded in 2007 by Mr. Stallings. The project’s mission is: “To improve the quality of life in our community through public art that expresses the unique qualities of Johnstown, attracts economic development and enhances public appreciation of art. We believe that quality public art can project a positive image of Johnstown that reinforces civic pride and counters negative stereotypes.”
The George Sugarman Foundation’s grant award for 2009, in recognition of the work and life of George Sugarman will again be awarded to one sculptor. Specifically, the Foundation is seeking applications from sculptors engaged in creating permanent works for publicly accessible outdoor spaces. Applicants working in the modernist and abstract traditions, who have already obtained some financial support and a guaranteed site from other organizations, institutions, governmental or private donors will be given preferential consideration. We are interested in working in partnership with co-funders to assist in making the completion of the sculpture and its permanent installation a reality.
The quality of Mr. Stallings’ sculpture, together with the enthusiastic support and commitment of the JPAA, along with an active partnership with the City of Johnstown’s Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED), met all of the requirements for this award. The Sugarman Foundation would hope that other cities could become inspired by the successful model of partnership and public art development as is being carried out by the City of Johnstown.
Please click on the links below to view Mr. Stallings' artist's statement, images of his artworks, plans for Celebration of Life, and information about how the efforts of local artists in Johnstown, in partnership with city agencies and private funders, are making it possible to share the beauty of art with the general public.