Thursday, May 10, 2012

DOVER — Dover High School – In an effort to beautify and revitalize downtown Dover, the vision for the Joe B. Parks Riverwalk Public Gardens was established. Dover High School Art Teachers, Francine Kontos and Christopher M. Strickland collaborated with the local Dover Arts Commission, to develop a youth arts grant proposal that would allow Dover High School student artists to participate and engage in a community arts project. The project titled, ‘Joe B. Parks Riverwalk Community Sculpture Garden’, specifically involves the design and creation of sculptures that would enhance and expand on the aesthetic appearance and vision of the public garden in downtown Dover.

As a result, Dover High School was awarded a grant from the New Hampshire State Council on the Arts and supported by the National Endowment for the Arts. The project provides an invaluable authentic learning experience and civic opportunity for students to learn about creating art for communal and cultural purposes and public display; learn how to interact and collaborate with local businesses and organizations and how the creative process is a valuable tool in the workplace.

With the assistance of Green Foundry casting services at Sanctuary Arts, a variety of sculptural artworks are currently being created at Dover High School and will be added to the garden in early June of 2012. An official ceremony to reveal the sculptures to the Joe B. Parks Sculptural Garden will be held on June 9, 2012 at 11:00 AM and is open to the public.