Progress made on Alluring Waters art installation
Alluring Waters, an art installation at the intersection of Schiller Street and Highway 52, will be dedicated at 7 p.m. on June 19. Above, a lighted evening view of the project, which was spearheaded by local Umbrella Arts volunteers. (Photo submitted)
Umbrella Arts, in partnership with the city of Guttenberg and Iowa artist Tim Adams, continues to make progress on Alluring Waters, an art installation at the intersection of Schiller Street and Highway 52.
Umbrella Arts, a volunteer organization dedicated to enhancing and celebrating local arts in all its form, was asked by the city in early 2024 to create and implement a vision that would define the Schiller Street/Highway 52 intersection as a prominent gateway to the historic downtown business district and Mississippi River. Julie Rastetter leads a volunteer committee which includes Sherry Oliver, Vicki Rodenberg, MJ Smith and Diane Thiese.
Over the course of a year and a half, representing over 500 volunteer hours, the Umbrella Arts committee secured a partnership with Webster City artist Tim Adams. Adams had created public art pieces for the riverwalk in Dubuque. Adams visited Guttenberg and worked with the committee over several months to inventory local natural assets and determined the Mississippi River to be the most significant feature for the metal design. Various metals were chosen for sustainability and natural hue. He named the piece Alluring Waters.
City of Guttenberg staff and several council persons met with the artist and a $68,000 budget was developed which included private donations from over 70 individuals and businesses, a $10,000 grant from the Foundation for Cornerstone Communities and funding contributions from the city and Umbrella Arts organization.
At the same time, the town sign on the northwest corner of the intersection was found in need of replacement. Adams created a companion art piece with the town name that celebrated the river theme, together with a prominent heron, noting these birds are an integral part of the town’s wetland areas, living in ponds adjacent to the sign. The heron’s feathers were crafted one by one out of metal. The sign was recently updated to improve visibility of the town name and install additional lighting.
The installation will be completed in the coming weeks with metal heron medallions, which will be installed at the very top of the east and west facing sides of the two pillars. In addition, the daily night-lighting of the pieces needs to be tested and adjusted.
Umbrella Arts, in partnership with the city, will dedicate the project at 7 p.m. on June 19, in a ceremony that is open to the public.
