“Steal Away” May Be First Of Several New Public Art Installations
The following is an excerpt from a recent news release from the New Rochelle Council on the Arts. The full text of the release is available for download:
“On Thursday, November 13th at 3 p.m. the New Rochelle Council on the Arts in partnership with the Municipal Arts Commission will unveil Steal Away, a 20′ x 30′ silkscreen outdoor mural located in the heart of the City’s downtown. Adapted from a work by New Rochelle resident and internationally known artist Jeff Schlanger, the mural was sponsored by the City of New Rochelle. It is installed on the southeast wall of 41 Lawton Street. The Downtown Mural Project was conceived by the Municipal Arts Commission in late 2007 and initiated early in 2008 by the New Rochelle Council on the Arts as a way of bringing current and vital art experiences to the Downtown area. Proposals were encouraged from New Rochelle residents and/or students. The goal was to view work that combined strong visual appeal with a well-thought out concept and to provide the opportunity for dialogue between the artist and the local business community, residents and visitors. The selection of the winning mural was done by the Municipal Arts Commission. The Downtown Mural Project Committee co-chairs are Billie Tucker and Judith Weber. Support for the project also came through the generosity of Michael DeGiacomo of Neptune Signs, a member of the commission, who donated the installation costs; and building owner John Rodrigues of 41 Lawton Street. The original work Steal Away was recently created during a live solo musical performance featuring tuba jazz master Bob Stewart and is part of Mr. Schlanger’s music Vision Project.”