BY SUKHMAN REKHI
THE NATOMAS BUZZ | @natomasbuzz
The COVID-19 pandemic may have halted concerts, closed theaters and museums, but appreciating art has not been canceled.
Natomas is home to more than 30 pieces of public art, most of which are on display in parks, libraries and fire stations throughout the community.
Art in public places debuted in Natomas with Maru Hoeber’s Window of the Past in 1993. These bronze sculptures are located at Bannon Creek Park in South Natomas.
Authors of Our Own Destiny — Book sculpture made of painted steel, cast iron, and copper located south of the North Natomas Library, created by Joe Scarpa in 2010.
One of the most visible pieces, Authors of Our Own Destiny, is fondly known as the “big book.” Designed in 2010, the sculpture was intentionally mounted on the sidewalk of a busy intersection adjacent to the North Natomas Library and American River College satellite campus in Natomas.
“As the sculpture is sited in a high traffic area amidst a college campus, high school, public library, and community center, I wanted to encourage interaction with the audience,” sculpture artist Joe Scarpa posted on his website.
Scarpa’s sculpture is meant to represent how stories and experiences have been preserved and passed down for hundreds of generations through books. His vision for the blank pages was to give his audience an outlet to express their ideas and thoughts — allowing them to be the authors of their own stories.
The interactive sculpture has been widely used over the past decade to celebrate everything from birthdays and graduations, to promoting events, and raising awareness about social issues. Most recently, community artists have used the sculpture to highlight Sikh Awareness Month, to the Black Lives Matter movement, and pay respects to Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
The South Natomas Library and South Natomas Community Center grounds are home to several artworks. Shan Shan Sheng’s suspended sculptures titled Universal Language of Knowledge and Transformation of Color and Light can be found inside the library. Along with the two sculptures installed in Natomas, Sheng’s artwork is also displayed worldwide in cities such as Venice, Shanghai, and Hong Kong.
Public artworks can be found in several different neighborhoods throughout Natomas. Local artist Sam Tubiolo’s Niños Park Tile is a ceramic piece can be found at Niños Park in Northgate. Hummingbird Park, located west of Interstate 5 is decorated with Solomon Bassoff-Faducci’s Sunflowers — a collection of 17 sculptures made of mosaic glass.
Check out the map of all 36 public art locations in Natomas. Click here to explore the map.
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Poet’s Path, Circle of Laureates — Corten steel path located at Poet Laureate Park by the South Natomas Library, created by Troy Corliss in 2015.
Shadow Flowers — Steel and acrylic art located at Burberry Park, created by Jenny Hale in 2013.
Pastime! — Art made of stainless steel and aluminum located at North Natomas Regional Park, created by Mark Grieve in 2016.
Park Pictures — Welded and powder coated sculptures located at the grounds of the South Natomas Community Center, created by Taylor Gutermute in 2006.
The Bicyclist — Steel sculpture located by the bridge at the North Natomas Regional Park, created by Michael Riegel in 2009.
Fly By — Art made of clay, steel and cement located at Swainson’s Hawk Park, created by Donna Billick in 2009.
Sunflowers —Sculptures made of cement, steel and mosaic glass located at Hummingbird Park, created by Solomon Bassoff-Faducci in 2006.
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