A new and exciting outdoor art installation by a local artist is now on display for visitors to enjoy over the summer months in the Richard & Jane Manoogian Art Park at the Anton Art Center in Mount Clemens.
'The Beauty of Letting Go' features a rainbow-colored collection of over 400 hand-fabricated butterflies scattering into the sky from the hand of an aluminum wire sculpture in the shape of a young girl. A preliminary version of this artwork was featured in recent years at the newly biennial ArtPrize artist competition in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Macomb County resident and artist, Sarah K. Smith, says, "This artwork conveys the freedom of innocence, as well as the vulnerability of creative expression. The butterflies drifting away from the young girl represent the risk of entering into the unknown, where they are susceptible to change; never to return the same way they were when they left."
The artwork is made using aluminum wire, rods and screen materials, as well as monofilament. It reaches 15 feet high, 35 feet long, and 15 feet wide, stretching across the pavement and grassy area of the property located on the corner of South Gratiot and Macomb Place.
Sarah says that the artwork’s message is although choosing a path to follow may be daunting, you can discover true beauty when you put yourself out there, let go of fear and embrace the adventure. She adds, "Just like this girl, you have the freedom to release your fear of the unknown in order to unveil the beautiful path that life has in store for you."
For more information about the Anton Art Center, visit www.theartcenter.org or call 586-469-8666. The Anton Art Center is a registered nonprofit organization located in Mount Clemens, Michigan, with a mission to enrich and inspire people of all ages through the arts. It is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10am until 5pm; admission is free.
Megan Ochmanek is a communications specialist for Macomb County Planning and Economic Development.