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collaborative public art project using recycled materials with community by Joe LaMantia
Animal Island
Mixed Media/New and Recycled Materials
16'(H) x 30'(L) x 17'(W):entire artwork area
2008

The City of Bloomington, Indiana, commissioned me to facilitate and design this art project, located downtown on the B-Line Trail, a converted public rails to trails project. There were three phases of this collaborative project. First, we held a citywide brainstorming session to find out what type of artwork the community would like to see on the site. I then developed a design concept for the project, based on those ideas from the community. Artisans from Stone Belt, Arc, an organization that services individuals with developmental disabilities, brought life to the design through their drawings and color schemes. The final phase of this collaborative art project was work done by a large group of people. The art pieces were professionally welded, and painting was completed with the help of members from Stone Belt, the community, and local organizations.