SPONSORED EVENTS!

The Cultural Arts Fund of Wood County is a
proud sponsor of the Perrysburg Sculpture Walk Artists Reception.
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​Perrysburg Sculpture Walk 2022-2023

​The Sculpture Walk at Woodlands Park in Perrysburg, Ohio features 16 sculptures by 14 renowned artists from around the country.

As a visitor you will experience the way art affects the urban backdrop of Perrysburg as the changing seasons add distinct visual richness to the sculptural display. In the warmer months, enjoy a stroll along the scenic path and perimeter of the park. During the colder months, the park serves as a beautiful driving destination. The sculptures are also meant to be viewed in the evening as multiple lights illuminate each of the pieces showcasing the beauty and silhouette of the works of art at night.

This exhibit is free and open to the public. To see the new collection of sculptures by these nationally recognized artists, visit the
​year-long exhibit from August 2022 through August 2023 at Woodlands Park in Perrysburg, Ohio.
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- LOCATION -

Woodlands Park
429 E Boundary St
Perrysburg, OH 43551

​​2022-2023 EXHIBITED SCULPTURES

SCULPTURE DESCRIPTIONS & ARTIST BIOS

Metamorphosis
Mike Sohikian 

​Medium: SALVAGED Steel & Concrete
(GENOA, OH)

Artist Statement:
Mike Sohikian, of Genoa, Ohio is a retired ironworker. His distinguished 34-year career as a structural iron worker earned him the nickname “Iron Mike” for his legendary capabilities in the field. As a full-time sculptor, he still approaches his artwork as an ironworker but advances with the artful eye of a fine artist. Both skill sets intersect when he uses the tools of his trade to bend, cut and shape steel by hand, creating one-of-a-kind expressive figurative work.
Fleur a Pois
Pamela Reithmeier 

Medium: Painted Steel
(MONCLOVA, OH)

Artist Statement:
Fleur a Pois translated from French means “polka dot flower”. The artist’s inspiration for this and other whimsical flowers she has created are from Dr. Seuss books and other illustrators in books she read to her class during her 34-year career in special education. Ms. Reithmeier strives to make art that is fun and uplifting. Fleur a Pois, her whimsical purple polka dot flower is both. The flower is cut from steel, welded together and hand painted by the artist.
Mahatma Gandhi
James Havens

MEDIUM: CAST BRONZE & SANDSTONE BASE
​(WOODVILLE, OH)

​Artist Statement:
This sculpture pays tribute to Mahatma Gandhi and calls attention to the historic salt march he led in 1930 when Gandhi began to peacefully rid India of British control. Marching 241 miles to the Arabian Sea salt marshes, he and his followers collected salt, defying laws that forced Indians to obtain their necessary but highly taxed salt only from the British monopoly. The beginning of many non-violent protests that eventually led to Indian Independence and later inspired Martin Luther King.
Blue Dogs
Mark Chatterley 

Medium: Clay
(WILLIAMSTON, MI)
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​Artist Statement:
Mark Chatterley, of Williamston, Michigan has an MFA from Michigan State University and is a nationally and internationally recognized artist. His figurative work is distinguished by his use of clay as an outdoor sculpture medium. His high-fire technique creates a hard metal-like surface that can withstand harsh outdoor weather conditions. The artist built a kiln big enough to handle his larger-than-life figurative works. In addition to the kiln capacity, he developed his own glaze he calls crater glaze that can withstand the high-fire process. His sculptures can be found in museums, outdoor exhibits, and galleries throughout the country and in permanent collections both nationally and internationally.
Questions
Robert Garcia 

Medium: Mild steel & acrylic finish
(WHITEHOUSE, OH)

​Artist Statement:
“At an early age I was taught to observe the wonders of earth, sea, sky and humanity. I marveled at how earth and infinite space was possible and concluded that life could not possibly have come into existence from nothing. I was taught at an early age to enjoy making things by hand and with simple tools, not always the safest ones. This made up the majority of my childhood play time and led me to gravitate to art as my favorite adult vocation. The space between the two parts of the sculpture represents a passage through a life experience. As knowledge grows from experience, certain questions arise. Some questions are answered while others remain unanswered. The knowledge gathered from our questions and answers is central to who we are.”
Oak Leaf Arch II
Jim Gallucci

MEDIUM: CORTEN STEEL
(Greensboro, NC)
​
​Artist Statement:
“Art is a physical manifestation of an idea or event that calls forth an emotional response from the viewer. It speaks to us and evokes a chord deep within us. Good art challenges us, can make us feel righteous, moves us, soothes us and can bring us peace.”
Going Green
Jack
​Howard-Potter

MEDIUM: STEEL 
(LONG ISLAND CITY, NY)

​Artist Statement:
“Going Green was made as a response to the destruction of our world. Humans have a terrible track record of ravaging the environment.   I wanted to make a figure that acted as a counter to that fact. Making a figure large enough to actually hug the globe stands as a metaphor for the responsibility we have to care for our home and protect it and the people there.”
When A Man’s An Empty  Kettle
Andrew Arvanetes

Medium: Painted Aluminum
(Kankakee, Il)

Artist Statement:
The sculpture's title is taken from a line in the Harold Arlen song from the film The Wizard of Oz. I have been fascinated with the film since childhood and this is the second sculpture I have created that pays tribute to this experience.
Inverted Negative Arch
Ken Thompson

MEDIUM: FABRICATED STEEL
(Blissfield, Mi)

​Artist Statement:
“I have always had a fascination with buildings and bridges, as well as the columns, posts, beams and arches that support them. I come to this world from a tradition of craftsmanship. I prefer to use materials that convey strength. I have always felt that good art should be well made and that there is no excuse for poor craftsmanship.
I see each sculpture as a ‘clean sheet of paper’ that presents new opportunities to discover solutions. Beyond content and suitability, my sculpture concentrates on the fundamental issues of form and how negative space defines it, as well as the techniques employed to create it.”
Low-Poly Open Heart (R.I.D.E.)
M.L. Duffy

MEDIUM: ALUMINUM, DIAMOND PLATE, ENAMEL
(Washington, DC)

Artist Statement:
m.l.duffy was born on Long Island but has lived in the Washington, DC area most of his life. After taking a steel sculpture class at the University of Maryland, he left Architecture school and concentrated on art full-time. He received an M.F.A. from Goldsmiths College, University of London in 2010, returning to the United States to marry his wife Elizabeth. During the day, Duffy teaches Art at Gonzaga College High School in Washington, DC, a few blocks from the Capitol. At night he makes public sculptures and helps fabricate work for other artists.
King of Hearts
Carrie Fischer

MEDIUM: CONCRETE & STEEL
(Crystal Lake, Il)

​Artist Statement:
“The inspiration for this large sculpture came to me during the Black Lives Matters movement. I felt a personal calling to research and design a piece that personifies the beauty of black American men and women. The original concept began with a black female figure made in a contemporary form. I created both a male and female form with a focus on the simple heart shape made by our arms coming together in a casual way when our hands are clasped together in front. This sculpture was designed without movement or energy to represent a quiet and calm shape. The base of the sculpture is shaped like the Adinkra (African) symbol representing peacemaking.”
Drop
John E. Bannon

Medium: Painted Steel & Cast urethane
(CHICAGO, IL)

​Artist Statement:
Drop is an award-winning sculpture utilizing height, reflection and a familiar experience of watching a drop of dew or water from a blade of nature. The sculpture is 12 feet tall, giving the viewer a unique perspective of the clear drop created from cast urethane.
My Pi
​John Adduci
​
Medium: Aluminum
(CHICAGO, IL)

​Artist Statement:
“Sculpture is an on-the-street experience with art. It excites intuition to explore and, with power and audacity, challenges our right to take up space. By proximity, outdoor sculpture confronts, creates dialogue, and educates.” 
Morning Glory Whisper Bench
Jim Gallucci

Medium: Painted steel
(Greensboro, NC)

Artist Statement:
“Art is a physical manifestation of an idea or event that calls forth an emotional response from the viewer. It speaks to us and evokes a chord deep within us. Good art challenges us, can make us feel righteous, moves us, soothes us and can bring us peace.”
Around the Gate
Ray Katz

Medium: Steel
(PONTIAC, MI)

Artist Statement:
“My sculpture is abstract, geometric, and organic shapes. I use the abstract manipulation of form in space to create visual balance, using rhythm, action and movement to combine and create compositions that convey the implied energy found in my work. The sculptures allude to an evolutionary process that we all share in our human experience. I associate this evolutionary process with the evolution of life experiences that we all commonly share. These ideas and concepts are what separate my work from the historical and industrial influences from which I draw my connections. The active forms that are brought together represent the flux of life, and embrace transformative concepts such as evolution, metamorphosis and transcendence.”
Flamenco Dancer
Mike Sohikian

MEDIUM: RECYCLED STEEL, ALUMINUM, CONCRETE
(Genoa, Oh)

Artist Statement:
The artist is well-known for reworking salvaged steel to new heights with his skill and artful ability to use his flame cutter the way a painter uses a paint brush to create effective allusions of softness and gracefulness in cold hard steel.
 
“My adventure into the arts has been exactly that, an adventure! I create art that, simply put, is visually appealing to me. Along with that aspect, the physical demand and challenges necessary to achieve my goals makes it a truly satisfying experience.”
Thank you to the following Sponsors and In-Kind Donors that make the
Perrysburg Sculpture Walk exhibit a reality!

Visit Perrysburg – Funding for the Sculpture Walk, a paid partnership with Main Art-ery for curation and coordination efforts.
City of Perrysburg – Installation and ongoing site and electricity maintenance.
Cultural Arts Fund of Wood County – October 1st Artist Awards Reception Sponsor.
Big Daddy Graphics – Gratis of the Sculpture Walk brochure and map layout.
Southeastern Equipment Company – Assistance in installation and de-installation of sculptures.
Welch Publishing – Gratis for Sculpture Walk exhibit media coverage.

Thank You For Supporting the Arts in Perrysburg!

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