Manitou Art

     I missed class on Saturday due to Reserve duty, so I went out to Manitou Springs today.  The clouds were rolling in and I hoped I would have enough time to get photos before it started to rain!

    I parked in the public lot and walked down toward the park as I remembered a few pieces of art being down there.  Near the spring across from Memorial Park I found this sculpture that appears to be a sailboat.  This interacts with the nearby spring carrying the water theme out in a broader sense.

    As I continued my walk, I saw this stump with faces carved in it.  I’ve spent a fair amount of time in this park and this stump always draws my attention.  The stump has stood up against the elements pretty well and the faces are very interesting.  I like that a natural stump was used in the park, as it continues the theme of large trees in this area.

    I decided to check out the BAC on my way back up the hill.  The brightly colored chairs on top of the building definitely caught my eye against the darker background.  I don’t see any of these art installations as challenging the town.  Manitou Springs has a very artsy feel to it and it seems like anything goes so I see these as a reflection of the culture of Manitou.

    The next piece I noticed was a globe of random metal objects all pieced together and painted the same color.  There is a horse shoe and a bike chain, hinges and a hub cap, grate and a pair of scissors.  It seems to be a testament to the human influence on the area.  These items could likely be found on any busy roadside as discarded or lost items.

    I almost missed this last piece.  This dragon or phoenix statue is tucked under a tree and pretty innocuous.  I like the lines and sense that the creature is taking off to create something new, it looks triumphant.  It’s location under the tree seems appropriate for such a creature.

    In taking photos of these pieces, I participate in the construction of Manitou by giving people who haven’t visited a glimpse of what they could find.  I help create an idea of what Manitou is about.  When I finished up my walk, I stopped for some ice cream and as I was finishing it just started to sprinkle.  I love how the sun peeked through the tree on my last photo.  One last triumphant sun beam before the clouds darkened the streets.