Friday, August 19, 2011

Tamarac's Public Art



The Tamarac Historical Society is proud to present a new display at City Hall (7525 N.W. 88th Avenue): Public Art in Tamarac. We invite you to stop by to see the new display in the atrium… and to learn about our City’s impressive art collection!

The Public Art Program was approved by the City Commission in May 2004. The intent and purpose of the City’s Public Art Program is to further the commitment of the city to provide art to beautify the appearance of the city, commemorate the city’s history and to enhance cultural opportunities throughout the city.

A public art in Tamarac is paid for using the Public Art Fund, which established as part of the Public Art Ordinance. This ordinance requires that 1% of the construction value of new projects or improvements be set aside for public art. These funds can not be used by the City for any other purpose and, if they go unused, must be returned to the developer or property owner.

The city’s current art collection includes 2 murals from Broward County Public Art and 6 additional sculptures placed around the city. These include:

Moment in Time: From Whence We Come and Moment in Time: To Whence We Go: both of these murals are located inside the Tamarac Public Library (8701 W. Commercial Boulevard). These two large murals are composed in fresco glass with ceramic tile borders. The artist, Raymond Olivero, states “In many public art projects inspiration often comes from the historical references of the community. In the case of Tamarac, this was a bit difficult because of its short history.” Mr. Olivero managed to document the day-to-day life in Tamarac as his inspiration.

Egretta Thula (Snowy Egret): Located at Tamarac Commons Park (Corner of McNab Road and Pine Island Road), this sculpture is by local artist George Gadson who also happens to be the current Chairman of the Tamarac Public Art Committee. Egretta Thula serves as a reminder of the importance of preserving our wildlife and natural environment. The idea for the design was developed through a community participation process that solicited feedback from members of the business community, residents and children. Gadson’s states that through his sculptures he seeks to bring back to life the forgotten history found in many communities and capture civic memories through creative design works for public spaces.

Illusion: This modern stainless steel sculpture, was donated to the city by longtime Tamarac residents, Paul Yelin and Sally Robbins. Mr. Yelin stated “I [wanted] to bring some peace and beauty and diversion to the city.” The sculpture, which was originally located in front of the Tamarac Community Center on Commercial Boulevard is now located in front of Tamarac City Hall (7525 N.W. 88th Avenue). Leonardo Nierman, the artist, was interested in both physical and mathematical sciences, which he has applied to his art.

Eternal Flame, “In The Spirit of Peace”: This large installation is located at Tamarac’s Veterans Memorial Park (7825 Southgate Boulevard). The sculpture, by Beth Ravitz, was created to symbolize an everlasting flame, with each of its 5 abstract branches representing each branch of our Country’s armed services. The sculpture is silver in color during the day but transforms into a glowing flame by night.

Dawn and Dusk: These two sculptures are located between the Tamarac Community Center (8601 W. Commercial Boulevard) and the Tamarac Public Library (8701 W. Commercial Boulevard) were created by Jane De Decker. “I believe that art in public places has the power to create connections both among people and between people and their environment. Public art opens community dialogue and creates channels for reflection. It is my hope that my artwork will echo the identity of this culturally rich and pulsating community,” states the artist. Dawn and Dusk are bronze sculptures designed to celebrate the community rising to greet the day and then nestle in repose to put the sun to bed.

Under The Shadow Of A Big Tree: This large sculpture, located in Tephord Park (10003 Southgate Boulevard), was designed by Ilan Averbach. The artist’s vision was to create a sculpture/environment that creates a place with striking visual forms. The sculpture, which is on a raised area of the park, reaches out beyond itself by creating harmony with its immediate space. To quote the artist “I make artwork that transforms spaces into imaginary worlds. They shift scales, combine materials, and create forms to produce a sense of memory, dreams, imaginations and movement in space”.

Each work of these works of art are unique in their own right. Armed with this brief description of each, we hope you now have a keen desire to see each one in person for yourself. That is the best way for them to be truly appreciated.

New Displays Showcase Tamarac's History


Did you have a chance to see the Tamarac Historical Society’s latest display, “Early Tamarac Notables”, at City Hall? No? Well you’ll have a second opportunity now that the display has been moved to the Tamarac Community Center (8601 W. Commercial Boulevard)! The Historical Society has been given some wall space in the Community Center to display our City’s history and we invite you to stop by [the entrance to the ballroom] to read and enjoy learning about some of the people that helped shape the beginning of our city.

The Historical Society still has display space in the atrium at City Hall (7525 N.W. 88th Avenue). A new display has just recently been installed at City Hall celebrating “Tamarac Public Art”. Be sure to stop by and check it out!

Remember, the Historical Society is always looking for photos and memorabilia about our city. It doesn’t need to be old… just memorable. We are interested in knowing and talking to anyone who worked for Ken Behring when he began his quest to make Tamarac a city with a new ‘way of life’. Our city just passed the 48th anniversary of our its incorporation and the Historical Society is working very hard to research our beginnings so that we can share our findings in time for our 50th anniversary celebration in 2013.

So, if you have any photos, memorabilia, or stories to share, please contact the Historical Society at history@tamarac.org or call Chad Quinn at (954) 597-3523. Also, be sure to visit our blog that for a great overview of the work the Historical Society has been doing, http://www.tamarachistoricalsociety.blogspot.com/.