HIGH POINT — A sculpture by a High Point artist was moved to its permanent location on Monday, becoming the latest public artwork to be installed on the greenway near the Southside Recreation Center.
Artist Charles B. “Chuck” Foster said that while the work “Smith” was named after his son, he would not dispute changing the title of the granite and sandstone work to “Smith on the Southside.” “
“I’ve lived in High Point most of my life and am excited to have a permanent sculpture in town alongside others,” said Foster, CEO of American Woodcrafters. “The Southwest did a lot of work for me to make sure I had the opportunity to show work at High Point. I would certainly love to show with other artists in the city, and there’s some other really cool work on the Greenway.”
Dorothy Dahl, executive director of the Southwest Revival Foundation, recalled that Foster had offered to donate one of his sculptures while visiting a memorial tree planting on the Southwest Heritage Greenway, which has long been under the auspices of the Southwest Revival Foundation. support. The greenway is planned as a 10-foot-wide walking and biking path extending from the downtown bus terminal to the intersection of W. Ward Avenue and W. Green Drive.
Proponents tout the greenway’s potential to help rebuild the former industrial area of Southwest High Point, as well as its health and environmental benefits.
Statues are placed alongside spiral walkways that meander through the 1-acre Botanical Woodland Teaching Garden between W. Taylor and W. Grimes Avenues in southwest High Point. Landscape contractor Wendell Cecil installed paths that weave among 76 native trees and shrubs in the woodlands along Richland Creek.
Drivers driving along Taylor or Grimes can expect to see this artwork. Walkers or joggers walking along the greenway can expect to see other public artwork flanking the new statue, including sculptor John Ross’ metal sculpture “The Changing Plains” and the towering “Mother Earth” sculpture.
City Council member Monica Peters, who represents Ward 3, said she hopes the public art along the greenway will inspire city dwellers and help them connect with nature.
“I hope it will inspire some communities, especially some young people, to realize that art is beautiful and that it’s uplifting,” Peters said. “I hope it inspires their creativity. Maybe some of them end up being artists.”
Dahl estimated the “Smith” to weigh more than a ton. She said she was grateful that City Transfer & Storage Co. employees “have the expertise to move it and are willing to do so.”
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