MARYVILLE, Tenn. — Dogwood Arts, a Knoxville-based arts and cultural organization, is expanding its Art in Public Places program into Maryville.
The nonprofit, along with the Blount Partnership, revealed three sculptures on display along the Maryville-Alcoa Greenway earlier this week. Blount Partnership President Bryan Daniels said the goal of the collaboration is to highlight artists in the community to attract visitors and residents to downtown Maryville.
There's been an emphasis on public art in Maryville recently after three local artists painted a mural on the former Exitech building downtown.
"This mural, alongside these new sculptures and other art projects throughout downtown Maryville, is part of a broader effort to build a creative economy that enhances our community's quality of life and attracts younger talent to stay in Blount County," Daniels said.
Each sculpture in Maryville is located along the city's greenway, with two placed inside Jack Greene Park.
One is a steel sculpture by Kentucky-based artist Andrew Light. It's named "The Divergent (With I)" and is 14 feet tall, and orange.
Another sculpture, named "Wind to the Dove" is an 8-foot tall white sculpture made of painted aluminum, created by Arkansas-based Andy Denton.
The third sculpture, named "Blast #2" is a 9-foot tall fabricated and welded aluminum sculpture created by Michigan-based artist Ray Katz.
The sculptures are currently for sale and will be switched out annually.
"It brings the art of museums out to where the people are," said Sherry Jenkins, the Dogwood Arts Executive Director.
Jenkins said Dogwood Arts started its Art in Public Places Program in 2007 and has 18 installations in Knoxville, as well as an installation in Alcoa at McGhee Tyson Airport.
The three sculptures in Maryville are the first from the nonprofit in the city, but Jenkins said she doesn't think they'll be the last.
"I think this will bring a lot of enthusiasm for all the other things that might happen in Maryville," Jenkins said. "We will be excited to help facilitate, collaborate or celebrate from afar, as Maryville does it for themselves."
Jenkins said the event started out small and has grown.
"It's nationally renowned artists from all over the country who apply every year," Jenkins said. "It's something (where) we can keep our costs low, but it gives us access to tremendous works of art communities wouldn't be able to take advantage of otherwise."