Public Art Walk Showcases State College’s Vibrant Expressive History

By

Zach Berger

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June 25, 2015 – 11:35 am

Community & Entertainment, Life Entertainment, Local News, State College, StateCollege.com

As you walk through the streets of State College, you likely pass the occasional mural-covered wall or maybe a sculpture of a pig.

What you likely don’t know is that the town is overflowing with public art, both modern and historic, with each piece holding its own story.

If the public arts committee, which was appointed by the borough in 2010, has anything to say about it, the town’s public art will become a focal point, not an afterthought.

Rick Bryant, the executive director of the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts for the last decade, is an integral part of the effort.

“We thought that public art was sort of a neglected asset in the town and we could do something about it,” Bryant says. “As a group, we decided to create this guide to the public art, which required a lot of research.”

Since creating the guide, the committee has since put together a walking tour of public art in downtown State College. Anyone can pick up a copy of the art walk brochure and explore the town’s public displays of art.

While most people recognize Downtown Eugene Brown on Beaver Avenue or Michael Pilato’s ever-changing Inspiration mural on Heister Street, there are some lesser-known pieces the committee wants you to know about. The Tavern Restaurant’s photo collection dates back to 1946, and the Osborne Frescoes are from 1956.

“One of the things I particularly enjoy that brings a smile to my face are murals of the Centre Region in Citizens Bank on West College Avenue,” Bryant says, referring to the Osborne Frescos. “They’re so old-fashioned and show a view of State College and what we thought was history then. They just seem like an idyllic view of the Centre Region from the 1950s.”

Another example of public art that stands out for Bryant are the stained glass windows at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church. Work on the windows began in 1947, and they were dedicated over five decades later in 1998.

“They’re just bold and sexy and sort of say something and I think that’s wonderful,” Bryant says.

Setting aside his personal favorites, Bryant is excited about the effort to encourage residents to take pride in their town’s artwork.

“It helps generate pride. We really do have a very nice downtown and a lot of people over a long time have taken pains to enhance it to make it something other than a strip mall and a place with just a bunch of high-rises,” he says. “Taking the time out to enjoy the public art downtown will help people realize that.”

While the primary goal right now is to inform those who live here about the town’s public art, the ultimate goal for Bryant and the committee is to make State College a destination for art lovers to visit.

“There’s a town in Indiana called Columbus where they make diesel engines,” Bryant says. “They have a very intentional architectural tourism program. They’re known for modern architecture. People go there for that and there’s no reason State College can’t have the same draw for our art.”

The glaring omission in the brochure, for now, is the lack of public art from the Penn State campus. Bryant says the committee is working on cataloging that art and plan to include it in the brochure and tour.

The art walk brochure is available at the following locations: