Benches engage community in conversations about art, its meaning

The Art Bench Project by The Woodlands Arts Council currently consists of 14 benches lining the scenic Waterway from Woodloch Forest Drive to the Riva Row Boat House. The Art Bench Project by The Woodlands Arts Council currently consists of 14 benches lining the scenic Waterway from Woodloch Forest Drive to the Riva Row Boat House. Photo: Patricia Dillon Photo: Patricia Dillon Image 1 of / 30 Caption Close Benches engage community in conversations about art, its meaning 1 / 30 Back to Gallery

Those who have walked along The Woodlands Waterway may have noticed some benches that look anything but ordinary.

From piano keys to psychedelic colors to imprints of feet, these benches are part of an ongoing public art project by The Woodlands Arts Council.

According to Mike Bass, executive director of the The Woodlands Arts Council, the organization's mission is "to provide regional cultural and educational enrichment opportunities to encourage, support and promote the performing and visual arts."

The council actively tries to enhance the community and the lives of residents through the arts, Bass said.

"We believe the arts can open the doors to our minds, strengthen character, heal the body and foster an appreciation for all cultures," he added.

The Art Bench Project currently consists of 14 benches lining the scenic Waterway from Woodloch Forest Drive to the Riva Row Boat House. The project began in 2015 and additional benches are planned for installation in the next two years. Two benches to be installed in fall 2018 will be placed along the Waterway and four more will be placed at Hughes Landing. All six benches planned for 2019 will be installed at Hughes Landing.

For each bench, a call for artists is sent out through various organizations and web sites to encourage artists to submit their qualifications.

"Video and still photos of proposed bench locations are provided to artists to draw upon their creativity if they choose to submit a design," Bass said. "Vision statements are also provided to assist each artist in designing a bench appropriate for the site."

The submission phase lasts for 60 days. Then the Art Bench Committee reviews qualification submissions and narrows it down to three finalists, who then are allotted another 60 days to design a bench for the space. The committee and underwriter, the persons or organizations funding the construction of a bench, select the final artist and design, Bass said.

"We are only interested in procuring the highest quality art for our community," Bass added.

Eight months ago, Nickole Kerner Bobley started ArtFeel, a social media space created on The Woodlands Arts Council's Facebook page where a single public work of art is spotlighted to engage the community in conversation. Residents can share a selfie, post a nostalgic story or simply comment on how the art looks or makes them feel.

A few years ago, Bobley was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis and Sjogren's Syndrome, two autoimmune diseases, that cause joint pain. She ended up spending a lot of time in her car because the seat heater provided temporary pain relief, Bobley said in her blog on the council's web site.

"As I drove around the community I was struck by the amazing collection of outdoor public art around me. To keep busy I would assign myself 'art stops' in the various villages," Bobley wrote. "I would park my car near an outdoor sculpture, gaze at it through my car's windshield and keep a journal of how the different art works made me feel."

After a few months of physical therapy and medication, Bobley no longer needed the heat from her car. She began to walk and eventually made her way to the Waterway to see the artistic benches.

"Step by step I used the art benches as a private 'art crawl' for myself-looking to the next bench along the waterway as my subsequent walking goal. As the weeks passed I finally reached art bench No. 14, 'On the Bayou,' and at this point my health had improved so much that I no longer needed use of my cane at all," Bobley concluded. "It was an emotional turning point for me in my treatment and in the relationship I had forged with art. It was here that the idea for ArtFeel was born."

Bobley, who is a contributing columnist for the Villager, now hosts a monthly gathering at The Crush Wine Lounge on Waterway Square where residents share how art work makes them feel. The meetings are hosted on the last Wednesday of each month.

Bass said community art makes a difference.

"There are myriad stories about the positive impact and community value the art benches have had on its residents," Bass said. "Our art bench collection is a mirror image of the community at large reflecting who we are-a diverse people-and what we like to surround ourselves with-diverse works of arts from artists from all over the world."

To learn more about the Art Bench Project and ArtFeel, visit www.thewoodlandsartscouncil.org. Those interested in a tour of the art benches can contact Wendy Paynter, development director, at wendy@thewoodlandsartscouncil.org or take a self-guided tour with the map provided on the council's web site.

- Patricia Dillon is a features reporter for The Woodlands Villager. Contact her at her office 713-362-4433 or on Twitter: @Dillon_Villager.