New Sculpture Set to be Installed at Central Park

Central Park is in for a new adornment in the form of a giant metal sculpture, which since Thursday has been on a cross-country trip from Massachusetts on the back of a flatbed truck.

The 19-foot-long, 8-foot-tall creation depicts the simple silhouette of four people, holding hands and in an arc, with heart-shaped spaces in their chests.

Once it arrives, come Thursday, its creator, Massachusetts-based artist Dale Rogers, will place it on a grassy knoll by the community center at Central Park.

"It's a whimsical, fun piece," said Kathi Heimann of the city's Parks and Community Services Department. "We wanted something lighthearted and fun because (the arts commission) believed that fits Central park."

The $30,000 piece is the latest in an ongoing effort to add one work of public art somewhere in San Ramon every year. Housing developers fund public art in the city, so none of the money comes from San Ramon's general reserve fund, Heineman said.

The San Ramon Arts Commission interviewed and reviewed proposals from a few dozen artists before picking Rogers for the job. It took several public meetings, interviews, discussions and cross-country trips before commissioners approved the project.

"There's a lot that goes into this," Heimann said.

Growing up, Rogers worked his way into the art world by teaching himself to repair the equipment on his family's farm, according to his bio. What was a practical skill turned into an art when he began welding giant sculptures like rust-colored dogs, silvery star-shaped columns, prancing horses and abstract constructions of squares, swirls and circles.

With Rogers' art about to find a home in the middle of town, arts commissioners have started planning for the next public art project.

The city has commissioned Reno, NV-based artist David Bowers to craft what he calls a "kinetic wind sculpture" called "Shadow Dancers," which will shift in the wind and case moving shadows on the ground, Heimann said.

The moving sculpture – which will consist of five poles of varying heights and colors – will find a home at Athan Downs Park and likely get built within a year.

At a glance
For more information about the artist, Dale Rogers, go to www.dalerogersstudio.com. To see examples of kinetic wind sculptures created by David Bowers, check out www.boyersculpture.com.