SKYCTC to participate in a community art project sponsored by BGMU
Representatives from the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) and Bowling Green Municipal Utilities (BGMU) presented a check to the SKYCTC Foundation to initiate a Community Art Project partnership between the two companies and SKYCTC. SKYCTC art and welding faculty and students will partner to create three sculptures to artistically represent electric, water and fiber that will be placed on the grounds of the BGMU corporate office in Bowling Green. Pictured left to right: Jana Sublett, TVA Community Relations Specialist; Heather Rogers, SKYCTC Foundation Executive Director; David Jones, SKYCTC Art Associate Professor; Dr. Phil Neal, SKYCTC President; Mark Iverson, BGMU General Manager and Steve Hatcher, SKYCTC Welding Professor.
Bringing Art to the Community
BOWLING GREEN, KY (1/22/2024) Bowling Green Municipal Utilities (BGMU) and the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) have joined forces with Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College (SKYCTC) to launch a transformative community art project. This initiative, generously funded by BGMU and supported by a matching grant from the TVA Community Care Fund, aims to infuse more art into the Bowling Green community.
The centerpiece of this collaboration involves faculty and students from SKYCTC's Welding and Art programs who will work hand-in-hand to design and construct three distinct sculptures. These sculptures will serve as artistic representations of BGMU's essential services - electric, water, and fiber.
Mark Iverson, General Manager at BGMU, shared the inspiration behind the project, recounting how a sculpture resembling a water drop sparked the idea. The sculptures, depicting an electric bolt, a water drop, and strands of fiber optic cable, will find a permanent home on BGMU's general office campus, offering a visually striking addition for both employees and the general public.
“SKYCTC and its Industrial Arts and Design program was a perfect match to bring the public sculpture concept to reality,” said Iverson.
The chosen locations for installation, at the corners of Center and Main Streets, as well as Center and 8th Streets (across from the Federal Courthouse and Bowling Green Ballpark, respectively), ensure high visibility and accessibility for all.
The collaboration with SKYCTC's Art and Welding programs not only brings artistic vision to life but also provides students with a unique opportunity to bridge classroom instruction with hands-on, applied construction. This educational collaboration builds upon a successful precedent set in 2022 when SKYCTC's programs united to create a sculpture embodying the spirit of the college.
David Jones, Associate Professor of Art, will lead the design process with valuable input from BGMU employees, while Welding Professor Steve Hatcher and SKYCTC welding program students will bring these visions to life through skilled craftsmanship.
"This is a great opportunity to give back to the community and to give our students the chance to use their skills to create something they can take pride in and that will be displayed for years to come in our city," expressed Hatcher.
The unveiling of these sculptures promises to be a significant cultural addition to Bowling Green, celebrating the intersection of art, education, and community engagement.
Welding Professor Steve Hatcher (left) and Associate Professor of Art, David Jones, stand beside a 3-D sculpture that they and their students created to capture the spirit of SKYCTC. The sculpture stands on the college’s main campus in Bowling Green.
