Victoria Priola | vpriola@siadvance.com

'Reflections' isn't looking back

BY VICTORIA PRIOLA

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.— Winning designs from 13 local artists, which will adorn fiberglass sculptures appearing around the borough, were unveiled during an event Thursday evening at the Staten Island Zoo.

The public art project, announced in November 2017 and dubbed "Reflections," is a partnership between The Richmond County Savings Foundation, the Staten Island Zoo, Richmond County Savings Bank and the Staten Island Advance.

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Victoria Priola | vpriola@siadvance.com

The 13 fiberglass molds will be placed at locations around Staten Island. The unique pieces were selected to reflect everyday life on the borough: a deer, peacock, heart, horse, bulldog, eagle, turkey, train, engine, baseball, sea turtle, lighthouse and wolf.

Next to each mold was a design mock up displaying the artist’s vision for the finished product.

In addition to the artists and organizers, college students from local schools — The College of Staten Island, Wagner College and St. John’s University — were on hand at the event.

The students have been selected to participate in the project by documenting on social media the progression of the pieces as the artists apply their designs.

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Victoria Priola | vpriola@siadvance.com

The ceremony was led by Executive Director of the Staten Island Zoo, Ken Mitchell; President and CEO of the Staten Island Economic Development Corporation (SIEDC) Cesar J. Claro; the Executive Editor of the Staten Island Advance, Brian Laline and Gail Castellano of the Staten Island Chamber of Commerce.

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Victoria Priola | vpriola@siadvance.com

Now, here are the artists involved.

The selected artists are: Joseph DeCandido (baseball), Steven Guagliardo (deer), Tony Rose (dog), Jing Bao Spollen (eagle), Kaitlyn Litland (heart), Cheryl Tapback (horse), Scott LoBaido (lighthouse), Christina Tinti (peacock), Eva Marie Fitzsimmons (runner), Chris Spollen (train),William Lopa (turkey), Margot Higgins (turtle) and Lina Montoya (wolf).

Most common among the landmarks depicted in the designs is the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, which appears on the deer, peacock, turtle and runner pieces.

Lighthouse representations are also frequently depicted, showing up on the peacock and turtle.

Two pieces -- an eagle, and a lighthouse -- are designed in red-white-and blue.

Well-known patriotic artist Scott LoBaido told the crowd that his lighthouse design “looks plain on paper,” because it will be covered with a mosaic of photos.

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A look at these media savvy students

The students set to follow these artists through their creative process are Brenton Mitchell, Saul Ramirez, Egor Semeniak, Estephany Picazo, Adam Derer, Daniel Yurkins, Jonah Hale, Michael Cancelleri, Anne West, Christin D. Corradi and Tyler Vozza.

At the reveal, Wagner College students Sabrine Haq and Juliet Joseph participated as well.

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Victoria Priola | vpriola@siadvance.com

Claro ended the ceremony with “Have a good night and don’t forget to post!”

The painted molds will be unveiled at an auction at the SIEDC Business Conference, held at the Hilton Garden Inn on April 17. Funds from the public art project will go to Emergency Children’s Help Organization (ECHO), Chiari and Syringomyelia Foundation (CSF) and Camp Good Grief.

The molds will be on display for four or five months. Before they are placed at their temporary homes, including our own Advance office, they will be at Richmond County Savings Bank branches borough-wide.

For more information and updates on "Reflections," follow ReflectionsSI on Instagram. Keep scrolling to see whats in store.

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Victoria Priola | vpriola@siadvance.com

Kaitlyn Litland with her design at the "Reflections" art unveiling on January 25, 2018. (Staten Island Advance/ Victoria Priola)

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Victoria Priola | vpriola@siadvance.com

A design by Margot Higgins at the "Reflections" art unveiling on January 25, 2018. (Staten Island Advance/ Victoria Priola)

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Victoria Priola | vpriola@siadvance.com

A design by Christina Tinti at the "Reflections" art unveiling on January 25, 2018. (Staten Island Advance/ Victoria Priola)

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Victoria Priola | vpriola@siadvance.com

A design by Lina Montoya at the "Reflections" art unveiling on January 25, 2018. (Staten Island Advance/ Victoria Priola)

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Victoria Priola | vpriola@siadvance.com

A design by Chris Spollen at the "Reflections" art unveiling on January 25, 2018. (Staten Island Advance/ Victoria Priola)

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Victoria Priola | vpriola@siadvance.com

A design by Jing Bao Spollen and Scott LoBaido at the "Reflections" art unveiling on January 25, 2018.

BTW: LoBaido told the crowd his design "looks plain on paper" because he'll be making a mosaic of photos in red, white and blue. (Staten Island Advance/ Victoria Priola)

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Victoria Priola | vpriola@siadvance.com

A design by Tony Rose at the "Reflections" art unveiling on January 25, 2018. (Staten Island Advance/ Victoria Priola)

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Victoria Priola | vpriola@siadvance.com

A design by William Lopa at the "Reflections" art unveiling on January 25, 2018. (Staten Island Advance/ Victoria Priola)

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Victoria Priola | vpriola@siadvance.com

A design by Steven Guagliardo at the "Reflections" art unveiling on January 25, 2018. (Staten Island Advance/ Victoria Priola)

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Victoria Priola | vpriola@siadvance.com

A design by Eva Marie Fitzsimmons at the "Reflections" art unveiling on January 25, 2018. (Staten Island Advance/ Victoria Priola)

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Victoria Priola | vpriola@siadvance.com

A design by Joseph DeCandido at the "Reflections" art unveiling on January 25, 2018. (Staten Island Advance/ Victoria Priola)