photo by Sarah A. Miller/Tyler Morning Telegraph Sister Mary Peter Tremonte's "Presentation in the Temple," made of bronze, is located outside of the main entrance of Trinity Mother Frances Hospital.

You may not be aware, but there is art all around us in public spaces. From figurative and representative to abstract styles, many city buildings, schools and other facilities house visual art. Sculptures, paintings and mosaics dot campuses and parks in Tyler.

Art is found in some least suspecting places, such as the city of Tyler entrance sign near Tyler Pounds Regional Airport. It sits on a glass base and the rose is a welded metal sculpture.

A series of mosaics by artist Millard Sheets are visible in the Wisenbaker Building and at Willow Brook Country Club. One piece has an illustrious background story. Shorty the Squirrel, at Wisenbaker on North Broadway Avenue, is a tribute to a squirrel that visited the downtown square in the early 1950s.

“Geese Flying,” by George E. “Pat” Foley, was commissioned by Watson Wise and sits at the plaza fountain of the Watson W. Wise and Emma Wise Cultural Arts Center at Tyler Junior College.

Geese Flying is 5 feet high and 10 feet long and depicts a flock of life-size geese taking off from a pond.

Retired psychologist and sculptor Jim Day first became interested in the artwork displayed around Tyler in 2005.

That year, he and his wife, Cherry, noticed that a sculpture by Garland Weeks, an internationally known sculptor, was featured at the Camp Fannin Veteran’s memorial. The couple has since established a small art business, visited art shows and obtained some commissions.

Day creates fine art pieces by sculpting found hardwood. Mrs. Day also is a figurative and portrait sculptor who works with clay and creates small bronze pieces.

The couple was soon interested in other public art works in the community. Day sought information about Tyler’s public art.

“Generally, public art takes a built space and fills it with something that provides that space with an identity,” Day said. “That identity becomes something of value for the community.”

Tyler’s art scene is strong, Day said, noting robust art departments at each of the universities and at public and private schools.

“Public art connects people,” Day said. “It brings people together through a shared experience and instills a sense of belonging and community.”

Visit tylerpaper.com to view a complete list of public artwork in Tyler.

Public Art in Tyler 

 One-of-a Kind Works in Public and Corporate Spaces

 

            *Joe Barrington; “East Texas Watch Dog;” welded metal; levee between library and administration building, UT Tyler; figurative (turtle)

 

            *DeeAnn Bishop and Rick Bishop; “The Eagle Has Landed;” hammered bronze and Cor-ten steel on a concrete base; 200 block of North Broadway; figurative (eagle)

 

            *Miley Busiek (now Miley Tucker Frost); “Apollo;” bronze; Olympic Plaza, East Texas Medical Center; figurative

 

            **C. J. Cavanaugh; “City of Tyler Entrance Sign;” welded metal and glass; Pounds Field, Highway 64 West; representational

 

            Dale Chihuly; “Bonfire Fiori, 2008;” blown glass; lobby, Cowan Center, UT Tyler; abstract

 

            **Cherry Day; “Survivor;” bronze; inside main entrance to the Tyler Cancer Center, Trinity Mother Frances Hospital; figurative

 

            **Cherry Day and Jim Day; “Foundations;” bronze; Gatewood Garden, Tyler Junior College; representational

 

            **Cherry Day and Jim Day; “A Better World;” bronze (presently being cast by Deep in the Heart Art Foundry); main entrance to Fair Plaza Parking Garage; figurative

 

            **Jim Day and Cherry Day; “Fidelity;” bronze; Chamblee Rose Garden, Goodman Museum and LeGrand Gardens; abstract

 

            **Patrick Deen; “Totem;” wood and steel; grounds, Tyler Museum of Art; abstract

 

            *George E. “Pat” Foley; “Geese Flying;” bronze; Watson W. Wise and Emma Wise Cultural Arts Center, Tyler Junior College; figurative (geese)

 

            **Chris Freeman and Shane Freeman; welded metal; Rice Road Dental Associates, 1520 Rice Road; abstract

            “Tango”

            “Ken Wa Fu”

            “Kidney Stone”

            “Pancho Sanza”

            “Esculea”

            “Gong Show”

            “High Rise”

            “Broadway and the Loop”

            “Dot Com”

 

            **Chris Freeman and Shane Freeman; “Boogie;” welded metal; at rear of Genesis Building, 601 Shelley Drive; abstract

 

            **Chris Freeman and Shane Freeman; “Highland Dancer;” welded metal; Highland Centre entrance, 4501Troup Highway; abstract

 

            **Chris Freeman and Shane Freeman; “Tequila Sunset;” welded metal; grounds of Villa Montez Restaurant, 3324 Spur 124; abstract

 

            Candyce Garrett; “Eyes to the Soul;” black African granite with Texas red and pink granite inlay; grounds of the Tyler Museum of Art; abstract

 

            Candyce Garrett; “Journey;” black African granite with South African green granite inlay; grounds of Tyler Museum of Art; abstract

 

            Linda Gissen; “Triumph Over Tragedy;” bronze and copper; entrance, Congregation Beth El, 1010 Charleston Street; representational/figurative

 

            **John Harper; “H. E. Jenkins Statue;” bronze; Watson W. Wise and Emma Wise Cultural Arts Center, Tyler Junior College; stolen 1995 and recovered 2013; restored and now installed inside Jenkins Hall; figurative

 

            **Bill Hughes; “East Texas Food Bank Horn of Plenty;” bronze; entrance, East Texas Food Bank; representational

 

            Jill Sablosky; “Copula;” marble, red sandstone, limestone, and slate; grounds, Tyler Museum of Art; abstract

 

            *Jerry Dane Sanders; “Motion III;” welded stainless steel on a Cor-ten steel base; grounds of The Genocov Group, 1350 Dominion Plaza; abstract

 

            **Alexis Serio and art students; “Blueprints of Science;” acrylic paint mural; external walls of Discovery Science Place; representational

 

            Millard Sheets; Untitled; glass mosaic; front face of Wisenbaker Building; 218 N. Broadway; representational

 

            Millard Sheets; Untitled; four glass mosaics; lobby of the Wisenbaker Building; 218 N. Broadway; representational

 

            Millard Sheets; Untitled; glass mosaic; Willow Brook Country Club; representational

 

            **Jeremiah Smith; untitled mural; oil on wood panel; rear of auditorium, Texas College; representational

 

            *James Surls; “Pine Flower;” wood and steel; Buford Television, 6121 South Paluxy; abstract

 

            *James Surls; “Swimming in Forever;” wood and steel; lobby, Cowan Center, UT Tyler; abstract

 

            Clayton Swartz; “Rise;” welded steel, automotive paint; Pinnacles at North Chase; 3651 N. Broadway; abstract

 

            *George Tobolowsky; “My Signature Piece;” welded steel; grounds, Tyler Museum of Art; abstract

 

            *George Tobolowsky; “Parts for a Sculpture;” welded steel; inside north entrance, Tyler Museum of Art; abstract

 

            *George Tobolowsky; “Outside the Circle;” welded steel with lacquer; Pinnacles at North Chase, 3651 N. Broadway Avenue; abstract

 

            *Sister Mary Peter Tremonte, OP; “Mother Siedliska and Child;” bronze; entrance, Wisenbaker Conference Center, Trinity Mother Frances Hospital; figurative

 

            *Sister Mary Peter Tremonte, OP; “Presentation in the Temple;” bronze; main entrance, Trinity Mother Frances Hospital; figurative

 

            *Henry Wedemeyer; “Pride of John Tyler;” bronze and brick; entrance, John Tyler High School; representational (lions) in bas relief

 

            *Garland Weeks; “Camp Fannin Veterans Memorial;” bronze; UT Health Science Center, Highway 271 North; figurative

 

            Tom White; “My Little Buddy;” bronze; Children’s Park; figurative

 

            *Mac Whitney; “Potrillo;” welded stainless steel; outside south entrance, Tyler Museum of Art; abstract

 

            Jerry Williams; “Ross’ Bears;” carved granite; The Children’s Garden; representational

 

            *James Douthitt Wilson; “Industrial and Agricultural Development of East Texas;” eleven murals, oil on masonite panels; Smith County Historical Society Museum; representational

 

            **Gregory Zeorlin; “Towards Memory;” stainless steel, bronze, and rock; entrance, Hospice Center of East Texas, 4111 Spur 64; abstract

 

            Artist unknown; “Confederate Soldier Statue;” Italian and Georgian marble; Oakwood Cemetery; 700 block of Oakland Street; figurative

 

            Artists unknown; numerous religious and funerary marble carvings; Oakwood Cemetery, Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, Bishop Thomas K. Gorman High School and Middle School, and others; figurative

 

            Origin unknown; “Lady Justice;” hammered copper; originally on top of the rotunda of the Smith County Courthouse; now inside the Smith County Historical Society Museum; figurative

 

            Artist unknown; tile mosaic; entrance to Macy’s Department Store (originally Sanger Harris Department Store); South Broadway; abstract

  

One-of-a-Kind Works of Unknown Artist-ship or Origin

             Three sculptures at the main entrance to Broadway Square Mall; welded metal; abstract

 

            Artworks in the lobby of the Owens Heart Hospital, Trinity Mother Frances Hospital

  

One-of-a-Kind Works at Private Residences 

            **Don Edmonds; “Feliz Roja;” welded metal and ceramic; residential front yard; abstract

 

            **Chris Freeman and Shane Freeman; “Slinky;” welded metal; residential front yard; abstract

 

            **Chris Freeman and Shane Freeman; “Low Sperm Count;” residential front yard; abstract

  

Limited-Edition Bronze Sculptures in Public and Corporate Spaces

 

            **John Harper; “Cowboy Kitchen,” aka “Prince and Brownie;” inside main entrance, Vaughn Library, Tyler Junior College; figurative

 

            Karl Jensen; “Spring Dance;” limited-edition bronze; outside main entrance, Administration Building, UT Tyler; figurative

 

            Gary Lee Price; “Alina;” limited-edition bronze; The Children’s Park; figurative

 

            Gary Lee Price; “Children of Peace;” limited-edition bronze; The Children’s Park; figurative

 

            Gary Lee Price; “Story Time II;” limited-edition bronze; grounds of Mentoring Minds, 4908 High Tech Drive; figurative

 

            Jo Saylors; “Mistaken Identity” (“Butterfly Garden” on plaque); limited-edition bronze; The Children’s Park; figurative 

 Limited-Edition Bronze Sculptures at Private Residences

             Reed Jensen; “The Patriots Seven;” limited-edition bronze; residential front yard; figurative

 

            George Lundeen; “Field of Blue;” limited-edition bronze; residential front yard; figurative

 

            George Lundeen; “New Friends;” limited-edition bronze; residential front yard; figurative 

 

Unlimited-Edition Cast Concrete Sculptures of Historical Interest 

            Origin unknown; cast concrete bas relief based on the “The Spirit of Progress,” a bronze statue at the top of the tower of the Montgomery Wards Building, Chicago, Ill., likely sculpted by George Mulligan after Augustus Saint-Gaudens’ bronze “Spirit of Progress;” Spring Creek Facades Plaza; figurative

 

            Origin unknown; “Splasher;” cast concrete; fountain, Bergfield Park; figurative (dolphin)

  

*Resident of Texas when work was completed

**Resident of Smith County when work was completed