Thursday, July 26, 2012

Shreveport RiverView Park


" Safe Harbor" by Deedee Morrison
" Safe Harbor" by Deedee Morrison


nameplate for " Safe Harbor"
12' x 20' x 20
Aluminum with LED Lighting and Cast Steel Bollard

From her website: 

60 industrial grade sheets of aluminum were laser cut, gracefully bent and re-fabricated over an interior armature to create this sculpture in Riverside Park. The historical cast steel bollard that anchors the sculpture is tethered to a sleek oversized contemporary buoy with hand wrought aluminum chains. Ocean blue lucite panels are riveted to the interior of the structure to allow the vibrant hues of light to shine through and light up the sculpture at night.

Safe Harbor took its cues from a port or harbor which is a place of refuge for ships. The bollard is utilized to secure a ship in port and the buoy is a floatation device frequently used to mark direction away from dangerous waters and towards safe passage. “With the Safe Harbor sculpture, I seek to re-think the shape of the recognizable and bring public art into the daily life of the community, creating a contemporary motif from the traditional design of a buoy.” states artist, Deedee Morrison.

“Morrison is known for creating thoughtful works of sculpture that speak to a community in deep and meaningful ways. Safe Harbor is no exception.” said Shreveport Regional Arts Council Director Pam Atchison. “We are thrilled to bring this ambitious new work to the Riverside Park. The sculpture is to be sited along the Red River in one of many open green spaces in the park and we hope that Safe Harbor will become a beloved destination in our city for people to visit and experience.”

Check out other sculptures from artist Deedee Morrison at her website http://www.deedeemorrisonsculpture.com/




Shreveport Roses
Shreveport Roses

Six tall metal rose sculptures at the center pavilion of the river walk, facing Bossier's Louisiana Boardwalk.

Shreveport Roses


Shreveport Roses



stone railroad bridge support at riverfront




Shreveport Riverview Fountians




A fun, interactive, refeshing sculpture/ fountain across from the SciPort Science Center, which by the way is a great science museum, and one of the best attractions in the city.  This is a fun spot for kids to run around, and near the head of the Clyde Fant bike path.

Terraced Fountian 



The terraced fountains between R.S. Barnwell Memorial Center are large and beautiful.  They make a great look out point at the top of the Red River, or a dramatic, refreshing backdrop from the bottom.

Pelican Statue
Next to the Barnwell Memorial Center at RiverView Park.
pelicans by S. David
base of pelican sculpture by S. David


wheel detail on park railings
mosaic tile table in RiverView Park
Eldorado Casino statue
  

I know commercial decorations are not always considered "art" but more decorations, but from my understanding the casinos have had a large impact of the development of the riverfront area and establishment of a park and destination for arts and aesthetics in Shreveport.  I also added the concrete palm to make the point that decorations aren't quite art (unless you are inspired by concrete plants).

R.S. Barnwell Memorial Garden and Art Center

This gallery deserves its own visit.  It has beautiful grounds, a great location on the river and downtown Shreveport, and a great collection of art.  Visit their website at http://www.barnwellcenter.com/home/




Clyde E. Fant statue
Clyde E. Fant statue


Clyde E. Fant statue engraving

Clyde E. Fant, 1953 Lousiana "Mayor of the Year"

On his death, the Shreveport Times eulogized the former mayor:
"Clyde Fant, more than any other person, was Shreveport. He poured his life into our community, and the community responded with respect and love.
"There was no more powerful force in Northwest Louisiana during the past quarter-century than Clyde Fant. Additionally, the accomplishment of the Fant years in office would rank him as one of the chief top executives in Shreveport history.
"He was a kind, gentle, Christian man, but his politics were laced with bare-knuckled toughness when he felt it necessary.
"That combination marked continuing progress for Shreveport throughout Mr. Fant's two decades of service.
"When he was first elected to office at the end of World War II, he inherited a city in a desperate financial condition. Using his immense personal powers, he turned the city around and left a legacy of industrial growth and quality services for Shreveport.
"Clyde Fant was a man of unusual vision, and the consequences of that vision will long be felt by the people here. His programs helped to build our city, not only in a mortar and stone fashion, they also gave Shreveport an aura of humanity. . . .
"If he was Shreveport's shining star, then he was also Louisiana's mayor of mayors. . . .
"He needs no monument to mark his resting place because Shreveport is the better reminder of his life."



Shreveport Police and Firefighters Memorial
Police and Firefighters Memorial

Police and Firefighters Memorial

Police and Firefighters Memorial

memorial marker for fallen policeman
The Shreveport Police and Firefighters Memorial is near the Barnwell Center and RiverView Park on Clyde Fant Parkway.  It is quiet, solemn memorial that recognizes those who gave their lives in public duty.  The memorial is surrounded by memorial stones with the names of each officer or firefighters who sacrificed their lives, the earliest I saw was 1894.




Captain Henry Miller Shreve statue by Morgan 1966


Henry Miller Shreve by Morgan 1966
Henry Miller Shreve engraving
 


Henry Miller Shreve was instrumental in the realm of early American waterway navigation. Born in 1785 in New Jersey, Shreve grew up in the Ohio River valley and helped to support his family by trading beaver pelts on the river near his homestead. He became an expert navigator and an adventurous traveler.  Shreve designed a steamboat, the Heliopolis, that had a jaw-like device on its bow to pick up and remove snags to a sawmill on the boat's deck. Snag boat operations, funded by the government, made navigation of the nation's rivers safer and much more economical. Furthermore, some debris-choked waterways that were blocking the progress of westward expansion, such as the Red River, became navigable because of the snag boat. A town on the that river, Shreveport, would be named after Shreve, and become one of Louisiana's largest cities. Shreve died in 1854. (from PBS.org  "Who Made America")

For more info visit Caddo Parish History.com

Governor Henry Watkins Allen marker


Henry Watkins Allen

Civil War Governor



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